Internship Blog /envd/ en ENVD alumna shares what it’s like in new AIAS leadership role /envd/2020/06/08/envd-alumna-shares-what-its-new-aias-leadership-role <span>ENVD alumna shares what it’s like in new AIAS leadership role</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2020-06-08T10:51:41-06:00" title="Monday, June 8, 2020 - 10:51">Mon, 06/08/2020 - 10:51</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/envd/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/article-thumbnail/sara_taketatsu_1.jpg?h=83de8cc7&amp;itok=MzJTXWMD" width="1200" height="600" alt="ENVD graduate shares what it’s like in new AIAS leadership role"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/envd/taxonomy/term/187"> Alumni </a> <a href="/envd/taxonomy/term/123"> Internship Blog </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-above"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/envd/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/article-image/sara_t.jpg?itok=DoX-TzKH" width="1500" height="1500" alt="ENVD graduate shares what it’s like in new AIAS leadership role"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p class="lead" dir="ltr">In a recent interview, Sara Taketatsu, a 2019 ENVD graduate, described her involvement with the American Institute for Architecture Students (AIAS), and how that has expanded into a position in the organization’s Washington D.C. headquarters for a one-year, full-time position as the West Quad Director.</p> <p class="lead" dir="ltr">During our chat, Taketatsu also discussed what it’s like as an architectural designer at local design firm Sopher Sparn in the context of COVID-19.</p> <hr> <p><strong>What was your first introduction to AIAS?</strong><br> My first introduction to the AIAS was when a group of freshmen students went from studio-to-studio encouraging people to come on an AIAS firm tour. It was my first few weeks in studio and I remember being confused about how anyone had extra time to organize something like that. I didn't end up getting involved until the end of my freshman year when I saw the benefits of being a member of the organization. I became a member, and then soon after ran for the secretary position.</p> <p><strong>What were your intentions and goals in getting involved with AIAS?</strong><br> I think my original intentions for getting involved with AIAS revolved around wanting to be set up in my career and having a chance to network, but I definitely got a lot more out of it than that. Community, leadership experience, friends, opportunities to voice concerns, and especially now I see how much of my career trajectory was directly influenced by my choice to join the AIAS.</p> <p><strong>What has been your position and work like with AIAS since graduation?</strong><br> Right after I graduated I was less involved with AIAS than I had been while in school. I was serving on the governance committee for a week before I was called by the president of the AIAS, Sarah Curry, asking if I could step up to be the West Quad Director. I had run for the position at FORUM over New Year's and had been a runner-up. Serving as the West Quad director has been an exciting addition to being an emerging professional. I've had the opportunity to talk to chapter leaders throughout the Western United States, serve on the board of directors of the AIAS, serve on multiple committees, and meet and talk to other collateral organizations about current student challenges. It's been incredibly fulfilling!&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>How did you find out about the position in D.C.?</strong><br> When I was a chapter leader at CU Boulder I had lots of interactions with the then-current West Quad director, and that was my first connection to the national office. Going to FORUM and taking part in the Council of Presidents gave me a look into the organizational structure nationally. Serving as West Quad director was definitely the initial inspiration for running for Vice President since it gave me the chance to serve and support students in a new capacity than I had experienced before.</p> <p><strong>What was the application process like?</strong><br> Running for the vice president position was an extremely rigorous process. The intent to run and candidate packet was all submitted before FORUM, and there I gave speeches and talked to students about why I wanted to be Vice President. So in a sense, there was an interview process, but rather than your traditional interview, it was me talking in front of hundreds of students over the span of five days.</p> <p><strong>What is your position and what are some obligations you will be tasked with?</strong><br> The Vice President's role&nbsp;includes being the secretary as well as the treasurer for the organization. Both roles have lots of responsibilities associated with them but they are definitely the inward-facing role as opposed to the more public-facing responsibilities of the president. I will also be leading some efforts including membership month, serving as the chair for the finance and membership committees, and sitting on the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) board of directors.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Are you excited?</strong><br> I am absolutely thrilled to have this opportunity! The chance to serve students and to connect with so many awesome people is an incredible opportunity for thinking about the future of architecture.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>What do you want the outcome of this experience to be?</strong><br> My primary goal is to be a voice for students and to make sure the AIAS keeps being an organization that promotes student leadership, design, and service. I definitely look forward to honing my leadership and communication skills as well!</p> <hr> <h2>In the wake of COVID-19 at Boulder design firm Sopher Sparn.&nbsp;</h2> <p><strong>Are you working from home?</strong><br> Yes, I'm currently working from home. It's been an interesting transition but I'm thankful for the resources and ability to continue working despite these unpredictable times.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Has your company’s workflow slowed in the last few weeks since the social isolation measures began?</strong><br> From my perspective, the workflow has not slowed down. Working from home has added a different tempo for the workday, but I'm working on the same projects that I was before the virus.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Have there been layoffs in your firm?</strong><br> There haven't been any layoffs and hours have been maintained, so it's been work as usual besides transitioning to working remotely.</p> <p><strong>Do you foresee your workflow returning to normal once you return to your office?</strong><br> Depending on when we return to the office, I definitely see workflow returning to semi-normal. I think with the leap into the 21st century that our firm, as well as many others, have had to make will better enable them to take advantage of more collaborative technologies and incorporate them into the workflow even when we are back in the office.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>In a recent interview, Sara Taketatsu, a 2019 ENVD graduate, described her involvement with the American Institute for Architecture Students (AIAS), and how that has expanded into a position in the organization’s Washington D.C. headquarters for a one-year, full-time position as the West Quad Director. </div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Mon, 08 Jun 2020 16:51:41 +0000 Anonymous 1123 at /envd ENVD student interns with UN /envd/2020/04/14/envd-student-interns-un <span>ENVD student interns with UN</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2020-04-14T10:44:23-06:00" title="Tuesday, April 14, 2020 - 10:44">Tue, 04/14/2020 - 10:44</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/envd/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/article-thumbnail/un_habitat_photo.jpg?h=8ecfcca5&amp;itok=WOKuk8Yz" width="1200" height="600" alt="ENVD student interns with UN"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/envd/taxonomy/term/123"> Internship Blog </a> <a href="/envd/taxonomy/term/13"> Our Students </a> </div> <span>Allison Aber</span> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-above"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/envd/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/article-image/un_habitat_photo.jpg?itok=pl_vN2BR" width="1500" height="1125" alt="ENVD student interns with UN"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p class="lead" dir="ltr">For the past six months, Yidan Li, a senior environmental design student, has been working as an Innovation Intern for the United Nations in Nairobi, Kenya. Li is the first ENVD student in over a decade to receive an internship with the U.N. After applying for the highly competitive position last April, she received notice that her application made it past the first evaluation. In August she got an interview and was accepted into the six-month internship.&nbsp;</p> <p class="lead">The ENVD Professional Development Services Center met with Li to learn more about the process she underwent, her expectations and experience while interning in Kenya.&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p dir="ltr"><strong>What is your position, and what are some responsibilities&nbsp;you are tasked with for your work?</strong><br> My job is titled Innovation Intern. The position is under the Urban Lab of Planning, Finance and Economy Section of UN-Habitat. As the very first Innovation Intern of the lab, I’m working on both urban planning projects and the innovative applications and solutions in urban planning. For the past five months, I’ve done quite a wide range of work, including two urban planning projects. One is a city structural plan for Hawassa City in Ethiopia. Another is the scenario planning for a sustainable data center community in two Swedish towns–this is a project with Microsoft.&nbsp;</p> <p>A big part of my job is working for one of UN-Habitat’s five flagship programs: People-centered Smart City. This project focuses on how frontier technology could benefit the urban planning process as well as inclusive city development. Under the big umbrella of Smart City, I am responsible for research and analysis of Smart City technology and further applications (digital mobility, blockchain, IoT, drones for city planning, potential partnerships and products we can collaborate with and utilize). Overall, I am exposed to many different stages of project development, which is very beneficial and gives me a chance to explore what I can do aside from designing and planning.</p> <p><strong>What is Kenya like?</strong><br> It’s… very different. It is a whole different world from Colorado. I had a tough time during my first week here, but once I adapted I found that it is a magical place with perfect weather and the “Famous Big Five,” lions, rhinos, cape buffalos, elephants and crocodiles. Most people are very kind, warm and outgoing. The culture is also fascinating, which is not surprising.&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr">The wealth gap is huge, very huge. I live in Gigiri, a neighborhood in Nairobi where most embassies and the U.N. are located. It is safe and quiet and everyone drives and there is a big, westernized shopping mall. But, Nairobi also has Kibera, the largest informal settlement in Africa. It sits right next to a fancy golf course, surrounded by a middle-class real estate cluster. Living in and coming to understand Nairobi and Kenya is like another internship. While I’m working in a well-built U.N. compound and working for “a better urban life,” being aware of Nairobi's own development gives some other perspectives on thinking about the job in the U.N.</p> <p><strong>What was the application process like?</strong><br> Everything starts on Inspira, the career website of the U.N. It’s like applying for any job online. Previous working experience is not necessary. Anyone in and beyond the last year of their undergraduate degree can apply, and they do prefer graduate and postgraduate students. The cover letter is the most crucial part, as it is the only way recruiters gain an impression of the candidates. A design portfolio is also required at this stage, but they asked me to send it again in the second round. It was a very long and exhausting waiting process. I applied in April 2019 and heard back from them in July indicating I was shortlisted because of my computer skills and portfolio. They got back to me in late July to set up the interview in August. My contract went from early October 2019 to April 2020. Usually, the intern contract ranges from three to six months, and my section highly preferred interns to do six months.</p> <p><strong>What has been your most memorable experience so far in Kenya?</strong><br> There have been many memorable experiences actually. Apart from work, I would say the Halloween party last October. It was my first month, and almost a hundred people from the U.N. attended the party, and people went really crazy. We are all from different countries, literally everywhere, and overall, the international community here offers me a lot of memories. We can start a casual “global seminar” anytime. It’s fascinating that the world is so diverse. There are so many excellent and talented people here. I’ve been learning so much from them.</p> <p><strong>What has made this trip worthwhile for you?</strong><br> Too many things. First of all, this is my first time in Africa, and I realize how much I misunderstood about the continent before. I work in a very professional and global organization and learn a lot of work ethics: time organization and interpersonal communication, which might even be more important than job tasks. As I worked on various projects and engaged in different stages, I also explored other aspects of my potential.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>How has this experience changed you and your perception of the design/planning world?</strong><br> The most important thing has been that design is a vast topic. In a real-world design project, design means the whole process, from the idea being conceptualized to the project finally being implemented. It involves ideas, budget, manpower, regulation and law, business models, client perception, sustainability, and so much more. Design studios and lectures in school are a good start to build the theoretical foundations, but the practices, especially the design practices of the U.N., require the understanding of a bigger picture and collaboration with other specialists.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>What skills have you gained from this experience that will stick with you?</strong><br> Interpersonal communication, strategic thinking, work organization, planning and networking.</p> <p><strong>What were your expectations for this experience? Were your expectations before the trip met or was it different from what you thought?</strong><br> Before it started, I was clearly expecting two things: the platform and the network. It turned out to be beyond my expectations. The U.N. is definitely an expectational platform to get a global vision, which could apply to and benefit any profession. It has surely enhanced my working skills. What has been beyond my expectations is that interns are treated just like everyone else, and we have a great deal of freedom and flexibility to develop ideas and advocate projects. This is also a good way to show our value and give back to the U.N. I actually went a lot further than my original position and now I’m working inter-departmentally with two teams. It’s a perfect place to witness your own potential.</p> <p><strong>How has your experience been working for the United Nations?&nbsp;</strong><br> Overall, very satisfying. I have learned a lot and met many outstanding people and most importantly got a clearer sense of what I could do.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>What are your plans after coming back and after graduation?</strong><br> I’ll be back at ENVD in fall 2020 to graduate. I might come back to the U.N. working as a consultant for some time or go to grad school.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Environmental Design senior Yidan Li has been working as an Innovation Intern for the United Nations in Nairobi, Kenya for the past six months. The ENVD Professional Development Services Center interviewed Li to learn more about her experience.</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 14 Apr 2020 16:44:23 +0000 Anonymous 993 at /envd City installs new skateboard features at Valmont City Park pilot program /envd/2019/06/21/city-installs-new-skateboard-features-valmont-city-park-pilot-program <span>City installs new skateboard features at Valmont City Park pilot program</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2019-06-21T11:03:09-06:00" title="Friday, June 21, 2019 - 11:03">Fri, 06/21/2019 - 11:03</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/envd/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/article-thumbnail/valmonty_city_park_1.jpeg?h=f9df1cf0&amp;itok=7b5AD4_7" width="1200" height="600" alt="City installs new skateboard features at Valmont City Park pilot program"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/envd/taxonomy/term/125"> Alumni Spotlight </a> <a href="/envd/taxonomy/term/123"> Internship Blog </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-above"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default"> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Environmental design students contribute to new temporary skate features, to the long list of park amenities, at Valmont City Park, in celebration of national "Go Skate Day" on Friday, June 21. Originally posted on bouldercolorado.gov. </div> <script> window.location.href = `https://bouldercolorado.gov/newsroom/city-installs-new-skateboard-features-at-valmont-city-park-pilot-program`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Fri, 21 Jun 2019 17:03:09 +0000 Anonymous 755 at /envd Recovering Boulder's tree canopy through community engagement /envd/2019/06/07/recovering-boulders-tree-canopy-through-community-engagement <span>Recovering Boulder's tree canopy through community engagement</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2019-06-07T11:23:33-06:00" title="Friday, June 7, 2019 - 11:23">Fri, 06/07/2019 - 11:23</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/envd/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/article-thumbnail/picture1.png?h=9a3fbdbc&amp;itok=TdKifxEX" width="1200" height="600" alt="Emerald Ash Borer"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/envd/taxonomy/term/141"> CEDaR </a> <a href="/envd/taxonomy/term/103"> Faculty Research </a> <a href="/envd/taxonomy/term/123"> Internship Blog </a> <a href="/envd/taxonomy/term/83"> Research </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-above"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/envd/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/article-image/szuberla-tabatabaie.jpg?itok=dqD2abK1" width="1500" height="1098" alt="Michale Szuberla and Sara Tabatabaie"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p><em>The Community Engagement, Design and Research Center (CEDaR) is a research organization affiliated with and housed in the Program in Environmental Design. CEDaR works with local governments and partner organizations to complete community-based, integrated ecology projects, which address critical urban issues through environmental design.</em></p> <p>In partnership with the City of Boulder, CEDaR, along with principal investigators Michael Szuberla and Sara Tabatabaie, are analyzing residents’ baseline knowledge of the Emerald Ash Borer and proposing ways to address the infestation through environmental education efforts, as well as public-private partnerships.</p> <p>The Emerald Ash Borer was discovered in Boulder in 2013. This small beetle, which burrows under the bark of ash trees disrupting the flow of nutrients and water, is predicted to cause a 25 percent decline in Boulder’s tree canopy in the next five to 10 years.</p> <hr> <p></p> <p><em>Szuberla (left)&nbsp;is a PhD student working with Brian Muller, an associate professor in environmental design and director of CEDar, and is researching how knowledge is built and spread in community gardens. His dissertation will argue that community gardens have value beyond the vegetables they produce. </em></p> <p><em>Tabatabaie (right)&nbsp;completed her PhD in environmental studies, specializing in environmental health in November of 2018. <a href="/envd/node/749/attachment" rel="nofollow">Her dissertation</a>&nbsp;investigates how design features of streets, trees and shade, in particular, affect people’s perception of the street for physical activity. </em>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>When the City of Boulder identified the Emerald Ash Borer as a significant threat, the <a href="https://bouldercolorado.gov/forestry/urban-forest-strategic-plan" rel="nofollow">Urban Forest Strategic Plan</a> was created. According to bouldercolorado.gov, the plan was approved in 2018 as a comprehensive assessment of a 20-year plan for the Boulder urban tree canopy developed with extensive input from the community. The overarching goal of this plan is to restore the tree canopy to pre-ash borer levels, which is 16 percent coverage.</p> <p>As the beetles take their toll in Boulder, the ash trees will need to be cut down safely before dying completely, and replaced with a new set of diverse trees. So far, the city can manage this process on all of Boulder’s public property but has very minimal control over how private landowners will choose to remedy the infestation on their own property.</p> <p>Seventy-seven percent of Boulder’s total tree canopy is on private property, so landowners, residents and business will need to be educated on proper tree management.</p> <p>In addition to managing the current infestation, the city will focus on preventing another high percentage loss of tree coverage due to a pest or disease. Private property owners will be encouraged to work together to plant diverse tree species.</p> <p>“In the 1950s and 1960s, the City of Boulder planted each neighborhood with only one type of tree for uniformity and aesthetics,” Szuberla said.</p> <p>“Now, Boulder is working to diversify the species of trees throughout the city, but they also need to educate citizens, so that when they are selecting trees to put on their own property they keep in mind what species their neighbors already have and try to select different species.”</p> <p>Both Szuberla and Tabatabaie have designed a survey to capture the baseline knowledge of residents on the Emerald Ash Borer and to learn more about their remediation plans. The City of Boulder sent out this survey to 30,000 residents in March 2019. Szuberla and Tabatabaie will complete their data collection and analysis this summer as they plan to interview more residents and conduct several focus groups in Boulder.</p> <p>The results of this survey, along with interviews, will be shared as a report with the City of Boulder. The survey results will also be presented at the Association of Collegiate School of Planning (ACSP) Annual Conference in South Carolina in fall 2019.</p> <p>The ultimate goal of their research is to develop an effective planning framework to address tree infestation issues in cities and to change the conversation so that cities in the future can maintain healthy tree canopies and ecosystems.</p> <p>&nbsp;“Urban resilience literature has been more concerned with short-term natural disasters, rather than long-term events with impacts that may not be noticed right away,” Tabatabaie said. &nbsp;</p> <p>“We are trying to integrate as many factors as possible such as socioeconomic factors and knowledge level of residents.”</p> <p><a href="/envd/node/751/attachment" rel="nofollow">Learn more about the project.</a></p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>In partnership with the City of Boulder, CEDaR, along with principal investigators Michael Szuberla and Sara Tabatabaie, are analyzing residents’ baseline knowledge of the Emerald Ash Borer and proposing ways to address the infestation through environmental education efforts, as well as public-private partnerships.</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Fri, 07 Jun 2019 17:23:33 +0000 Anonymous 747 at /envd Thinking Forward at Rothschild Downes /envd/2019/04/22/thinking-forward-rothschild-downes <span>Thinking Forward at Rothschild Downes</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2019-04-22T11:47:50-06:00" title="Monday, April 22, 2019 - 11:47">Mon, 04/22/2019 - 11:47</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/envd/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/article-thumbnail/photo_of_kurt_gravit.jpg?h=0fb624de&amp;itok=EEf1Ji_S" width="1200" height="600" alt="Kurt Gravit"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/envd/taxonomy/term/125"> Alumni Spotlight </a> <a href="/envd/taxonomy/term/123"> Internship Blog </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-above"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/envd/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/article-image/rd_interview-5.jpg?itok=_CN7T-2q" width="1500" height="1001" alt="Annee Cooper"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p>As one of the premier national, third-party providers in the Retail Tenant Improvement industry, <a href="https://www.rothschilddownes.com/" rel="nofollow">Rothschild Downes (RD)</a> knows where to find the best talent. As a graduate of Environmental Design with an emphasis in Architecture (ENVD ’89), Principal Owner Mark Meiser believes that the students coming out of the ENVD program are equipped with the skills that help them thrive in his business-minded, full-service design and construction company. From the Denver “Basecamp” office to field offices in all the major markets around the country, Rothschild Downes offers an arsenal of services to clients including in-house design, project management, construction management, and tenant coordination services to the leading developers, owners, and operators of large scale complex mixed-use projects. With the training students receive in school, first-year grads have the design skills to hit the ground running and are immediate assets to the company. Rothschild Downes has hired seven graduates from the ENVD program in the last two years, and their varying skill sets have brought them to every discipline within the company, from Denver office design roles to on-site field roles in project management and tenant coordination.</p> <p>According to Meiser, it is his company’s ability to provide one-stop retail tenant coordination services that has taken the company to new heights:</p> <p><em>“We have doubled the size of the company the past two years and love to marry up young talent with experience and train them up. It is THE RD WAY. It’s a big commitment for us, from a resource-perspective, as a medium-sized firm with principal involvement on all levels. But, with the mindset of Thinking Forward we are going to immediately put these recent graduates front and center with important tasks on billion-dollar development projects or portfolios using their all-around education and passion for the built environment and in particular their computer and design skills in programs including Revit, CAD, InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and SketchUp. We see how well they can take direction with their assigned responsibilities and the firm provides the checks &amp; balances to expedite their learning while cranking out great product. Our employees have an immediate impact at the company; we want high energy motivated individuals to shape them as future stewards for our specialized niche in the industry.&nbsp;We are extremely proud of our culture.”</em></p> <hr> <p><em> </em></p> <p>Anthony Jones (ENVD ’17) has worked for RD for nearly two years as a CAD Services Manager and understands how useful his ENVD education was in making an immediate impact at RD:</p> <p><em>“The variety of programs that we used in ENVD helped a lot. When you can take a PDF and bring it into Illustrator and make edits, it blows people’s minds. It’s crazy how Illustrator and InDesign are like foreign languages to a lot of people, but in ENVD you use them on every project. For example, we make resumes for all our employees when they are moving to the next project, and we make those in Illustrator sometimes, but without ENVD graduates as employees, this wouldn’t be possible. ENVD teaches you what looks good, as well as composition. You don’t find that in other programs. If you can bring that to a company who before didn’t have that line of thought, it’s a really big contribution to the company.”</em></p> <hr> <p>Annee Cooper (ENVD ’18) likewise appreciates the skills she learned as an architecture student at CU in preparation for her eventual job at RD as a CAD Services Manager:</p> <p>“<em>My job is fairly architecture focused, so my architecture emphasis along with Marcel de Lange’s materials class has been very useful. With the Tenant Design Manuals that we create, I have to go through construction drawing sets for each project and extract the necessary information in order to relay design guidelines to the tenants, so learning how to understand construction documents in ENVD has also been very helpful. I have also used my Adobe skills at RD to clean up renderings and other drawings that are used in our Tenant Design Manuals</em>.”</p> <hr> <p>Based on his track record with the Program in Environmental Design, Meiser has a lot of confidence in the alumni he hires and counts on them to represent his company well. From the most recent round of hiring, Meiser has sent three ENVD alumni to join the Hudson Yards Tenant Coordination Team as integral team members on the largest private real estate development project ever attempted in the country – the $26B campus of Hudson Yards in New York City. RD was assigned with the crown jewel of the development over five years ago, the $2B Shops &amp; Restaurants at Hudson Yards, with 80 stores and restaurants successfully delivered at the recent March 15, 2019 Grand Opening. Kurt Gravit (ENVD ’17), one of the three ENVD graduates who were on site this past year in New York, said that the scale of the project is larger than anything he ever imagined he would be involved with as a professional, especially in his first post-grad job. Regarding his duties at Hudson Yards, Gravit says:</p> <p>“<em>I work in the Retail Podium which is part of the Hudson Yards campus. There are currently five towers that are under construction and the retail podium is a seven-story shopping center that sits between the two towers along 10<sup>th</sup> Avenue. I’m basically a project manager here. I work with two construction management companies, I utilize BIM [architectural design software] coordination and manage installation of utilities and provisioning for the tenant spaces; everything involved in preparing the tenant’s units and providing landlord work is what I manage in the field</em>.”</p> <hr> <p></p> <p>Bradley Miller (ENVD ’18), who works alongside Gravit in New York, is amazed by all the pieces of a construction project he manages in his role as a Retail Tenant Coordinator:</p> <p><em>“As a Tenant Coordinator, I am heavily involved in the tenant improvement process which includes coordinating tenant building systems to tie into base building MEP systems. I also provide design, mechanical, electrical and plumbing reviews to ensure that tenant spaces are being constructed correctly and abide by the Hudson Yards Design Criteria which was generated by the RD Basecamp Denver office. I am fully involved in the constructions process from A to Z.”</em></p> <hr> <p>Chad McOuat (ENVD ’13) began his career at RD in 2013 and has been all over the country with the company, acting as “boots on the ground” for projects in places like New Orleans, San Mateo, and Atlanta. As part of his role in the company, Chad works hand in hand with the Principals of RD to oversee the Tenant drawing Design Review as well as the creation of the Tenant Design Criteria Manuals for most of the projects the company does.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <p>“<em>In Atlanta, I worked on a luxury shopping center called The Shops Buckhead Atlanta. It was already an operating shopping district prior to me taking over, but I managed the build-out of a steakhouse and a few other retail shops. W</em><em>e also picked up Mill Creek </em><em>Residential as a client, who develop large mixed-use apartment complexes. There are five different Mill Creek Locations around Atlanta, and I manage the retail portion for them - everything from leasing through construction. I am behind the scenes on everything involving those tenants, whether it’s making sure that all of the design is complementary to the project aesthetic or that their contractors are adhering to our Rules and Regulations."&nbsp;</em>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>Back at Basecamp, several ENVD alumni employ their design skills to support these construction projects in New York, Nashville, Atlanta, Houston, San Francisco, Tampa and other projects around the country. Annee Cooper relishes her role in contributing designs for tenant manuals that RD’s clients use. She explains:</p> <p>“<em>I am currently making a Tenant Design Manual for a project in Gainesville, Florida. The manual lays out the criteria and vision the landlord has for storefront design and is given to the tenant when they sign their lease to move into the retail space. That is what I have been working on for the past couple of months. Prior to that, I was doing more CAD work, lease plans and lease outline drawings for all of our projects, both of which lay out the lease line of the space which shows the rentable square footage that the tenant has to work with. The project we just started is a similar Tenant Criteria Manual for a shopping center in Honolulu, Hawaii!</em>”</p> <p>Caresa Atencio (ENVD ’18) describes her position at RD as the perfect setting to experience unique design opportunities and acquire new skills, but also to use what she learned at CU:</p> <p><em>“I work alongside our in-house architect, Sera. I’ve assisted mainly with white box tenant improvement work for Hudson Yards. This includes some preliminary CAD work, construction document review, signage shop drawing review, etc. In the beginning, I was able to assist with some interior design work by creating a library of finishes for tenants to choose from which included flooring options, wall finishes, and lighting.”</em></p> <hr> <p>Meiser truly values the contributions of his young workforce.</p> <p>“<em>If you come to work for Rothschild Downes, we are going to train you to be Owner’s Rep’s and business people first; use your skills as an architect, train you in construction management, blend it all together and hopefully you will become a long-term employee that is sustainable based on your ability to provide all, multi-faceted services to our clients,</em>” Meiser said.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Rothschild Downes has hired seven graduates from the ENVD program in the last two years, and their varying skill sets have brought them to every discipline within the company, from Denver office design roles to on-site field roles in project management and tenant coordination.<br> <br> </div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Mon, 22 Apr 2019 17:47:50 +0000 Anonymous 729 at /envd Design Internships Abroad /envd/2018/10/17/design-internships-abroad <span>Design Internships Abroad</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2018-10-17T10:27:20-06:00" title="Wednesday, October 17, 2018 - 10:27">Wed, 10/17/2018 - 10:27</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/envd/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/article-thumbnail/dnx.png?h=0e4e7693&amp;itok=v5c3xjEy" width="1200" height="600" alt="DNX"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/envd/taxonomy/term/123"> Internship Blog </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-above"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/envd/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/article-image/kassie.png?itok=zU8xqTG1" width="1500" height="1125" alt="Kassie at her desk"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><h2>Global Internships through Education Abroad at CU Boulder</h2> <p></p> <p>Internships abroad are a great opportunity to combine global experience with professional development. The Education Abroad office works with students to help identify a program location that best fits their needs, and internship placement is customized based on students’ skill sets and goals.</p> <p>Steven Rose, Assistant Director of Education Abroad, shares why students like to intern abroad, “These students want to take what they are learning in class and apply it to real-world work situations; they want to get a hands-on educational experience and turn academic theory into practice. In addition, they want to participate in a program that will help them focus on potential careers upon completing their degree. Interning abroad allows them to get a taste of their possible career field and can open doors to that field.” (Huffington Post, 2017)</p> <h2>Environmental Design students Jack Fisher and Kassie Potter participated in the Global Internship program&nbsp;this past summer&nbsp;</h2> <p><strong>Jack Fisher, Architecture Senior&nbsp;- Intern for CCEA (Centre for Central European Architecture) MOBA, a non-profit, in the Czech Republic</strong><br> <em>CCEA is dedicated to Central Europe and its culture. MOBA is focused on research, design and</em><em> city.</em></p> <p>My main task this summer was to obtain research towards a water study book MOBA was designing for an event in Almaty, the largest metropolis in Kazakhstan. I researched different cities and looked at how&nbsp;they managed their water. From there I looked at their sources of water, how much they consumed, whether or not the city was in a water crisis, and how they conserve their water resources.</p> <p>The next phase was to look at different management techniques and other water-related technologies, starting with ones I already knew to be effective. As I discovered more technologies that I felt would benefit the overall project, I began drafting diagrams on my computer&nbsp;through illustrator. I formed a theme around green infrastructure, a design concept for cities that I had become familiar with through my Environmental Design courses at CU. I designed a general diagram showcasing different green designs for cities and went into detail for each one in a separate section of my research. Towards the end, my day to day consisted of fully researching one topic related to water management technologies, and then designing a diagram or drawing that visualized it. I eventually created an entire chapter for this book dedicated to water management and conservation techniques and technologies.</p> <p>I enjoyed working at MOBA because they try to redesign older spaces, rather than scraping them and starting from square one. MOBA also tries to create greener and more healthy living spaces. I learned a lot about the working environment in a design firm, how to collaborate with individuals from different cultural backgrounds, and how to be a better team player and work in a group more effectively.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p></p> <p><strong>Kassie Potter, Design Studies Senior - Intern for DNX (Design for Next Experience) in Seoul, South Korea</strong></p> <p>My experience at DNX (Design for Next Experience) in Seoul, South Korea was an incredible one. Not only did I learn about myself and my strengths and weaknesses in graphic design, but I was also able to learn about DNX’s product and goals. DNX is a startup company that produces emergency smartwatches paired with a body touch communication system for the elderly. One of my tasks, in the beginning, was to come up with a different design for the face of the watch. This was hard for me as I have never had any practice in this kind of product design. However, I went on with my typical design process using multiple stages of iterations. This design was not finalized as I only had two months to work on it and this type of product design typically takes longer. Later, I was given the task to design the logo for the brand and to start designing boards for advertising on different social media platforms. I also began to model 3D watch designs and the body communication tag designs.</p> <p>This opportunity enabled me to see how I am able to work in the design world and also gave me a head start on what I should work on to improve my capabilities as a graphic designer. I am also incredibly happy that I chose to do my internship in South Korea as I learned so much about the culture there. I saw a lot of hard work and good cooperation with colleagues. I built relationships with my co-workers, and I witnessed the effect that Korean culture has on the graphic design that is done there. My experience working for DNX in Seoul was absolutely amazing, and I hope that it will lead to great opportunities in the future.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Internships abroad are a great opportunity to combine global experience with professional development. Environmental Design students Jack Fisher and Kassie Potter participated in the Global Internship program through Education Abroad&nbsp;this past summer.&nbsp;</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Wed, 17 Oct 2018 16:27:20 +0000 Anonymous 541 at /envd Rising Senior Sara Taketatsu Interns with buildingcommunityWORKSHOP /envd/2018/07/30/rising-senior-sara-taketatsu-interns-buildingcommunityworkshop <span>Rising Senior Sara Taketatsu Interns with buildingcommunityWORKSHOP</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2018-07-30T15:09:50-06:00" title="Monday, July 30, 2018 - 15:09">Mon, 07/30/2018 - 15:09</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/envd/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/article-thumbnail/sara_taketatsu_internship.jpg?h=9ecde65f&amp;itok=KqWrTtbB" width="1200" height="600" alt="Sara Taketatsu sitting at her desk while interning with bcWORKSHOP. "> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/envd/taxonomy/term/123"> Internship Blog </a> </div> <span>Emily Lawrence</span> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-above"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default"> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>During Taketatsu's internship with buildingcommunityWORKSHOP, she assisted with the designs for an extension of the Belden Bike and Pedestrian Trail in Brownsville. It is the first of its kind in the area.</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Mon, 30 Jul 2018 21:09:50 +0000 Anonymous 141 at /envd