In the Spotlight - Jeff Lai BE '20
Winter 2019
The initial path I took to be a part of civil engineering has been exciting and interesting. 
I initially pursued a mechanical engineering degree because I was heavily influenced
by a teacher of mine and wanted to follow in his footsteps. After taking several courses
in mechanical engineering, however, I began realizing that it was not something I
was passionate about. I took a year to do some soul-searching and ultimately decided
on civil engineering in spring 2018.
I chose civil engineering for several reasons. Many civil engineering courses overlapped with mechanical engineering, so I did not fall behind in my studies and it was coursework that I have thoroughly enjoyed. Personally, I should thank the entire CIV graduating class of 2019 for being the catalyst of my journey into this amazing field. I had the opportunity to meet many civil engineering students during my time in MEC and my classmates gave me the last push to join their field of study. With professors who cared and wanted to see me succeed, I knew that civil engineering with a specialization in structures was the right choice for me.
To a lesser extent, I regret nor pursuing CIV from the beginning, because the field has opened me up to opportunities I did not realize were even possible. I have had the privilege to be a Teaching Assistant for the Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment course, I've met well-established young professionals in the engineering world through ASCE, and have attended the Workshop for Student Chapter Leaders in January 2019. This year, I am mentoring two young and upcoming civil engineers as a part of the College of Engineering and Applied Science's Peer Mentoring Program, as well as holding the office of president for the Stony Brook Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Being the president of ASCE and a part of concrete canoe has been a very humbling and eye-opening experience for me. I joined ASCE as soon as I was a part of the major, but was only a part of concrete canoe in the later stages of the competition. Being able to watch brilliant minds come together to devote time and work on labor-intensive projects such as concrete canoe, I knew that I wanted to join in and help everyone succeed.
Despite holding leadership positions in the past for the Stony Brook chapter of the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the dynamic of being the current ASCE chapter
president feels different because I am now the face of the organization on campus. Our
ASCE chapter is as robust as it is today because of the efforts of my board members.
This year, we tried to bring in as many guest speakers as possible to open up opportunities
for our members to get exciting internships. We have also partnered with companies
throughout Long Island to host visits for ASCE and lastly, we've made ASCE hoodies
for members and professors to wear! The organization has grown to be more like family than a club. In the future, we hope
to reconnect with our alumni who created the foundation of this organization for us
and show them the amazing things we've accomplished this year and in years prior. Ultimately,
I see myself as another member of ASCE who wants the best for everyone and hope that new
students can see the value that I saw when I first joined.
Post-graduation is still up in the air for me. At the moment, I've been itching to get into the work force as soon as possible. If I do end up going to graduate school down the road, I would be interested in expanding my knowledge in the structural engineering field at a college much closer to home. With the F.E. Exam sucessfully passed, I hope to work for a civil engineering firm located in the city and work towards my P.E. licensure.
When I'm not focused on school work, I enjoy hanging out with my friends and discovering new music. I used to play the guitar and only recently tried to pick up the piano, but I plan on relearning them in the near future. I also sometimes like to draw and cook as well.
To all the aspiring civil engineers out there: always seek out opportunities to learn more and learn from your mistakes. Do not limit yourself because you feel ill-equipped for an internship. The only way you can learn is by applying yourself in every aspect early on and being receptive to failure to learn and grow as an engineer and as an adult.
Lastly, I want to thank everyone who has helped me get to where I am today. Whether it is my family, friends, professors, or professionals from the Long Island Younger Members Section, I am where I am today because of their influence and support. To the class of 2019, I hope to catch up to you all soon. To my graduating class of 2020, thank you for being a bunch of amazing classmates and I look forward to celebrating all of our accomplishments after graduation.