Meet our 2019 Summer Interns
- Blog
BranchPattern is excited to have eight interns join us this summer in our Denver, KC, Pittsburgh and Omaha offices. Get to know our newest team members:
DENVER
ETHAN MARKEY
Hometown: Fort Collins, CO
College: Mechanical Engineering,Colorado State University
Passions: 1) Thermodynamics as it applies to the workplace setting. 2) Understanding how running water and electricity in buildings create comfortable environments within the essential networks of HVAC, pluming, and electrical systems. Especially how they are created and maintained.
“This summer, I hope to gain an understanding of the following: the overall design process of HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems in buildings; the software used to accomplish this design, the driving scientific principles used to create working models, and the order of tasks accomplished by the team members in order to complete a project; the competency needed to contribute to real projects without continuous guidance from the other team members; and the skills and experience necessary to be hire-able by a company such as BranchPattern in the future,” said Ethan.
NIKITA KHLOPOTIN
Hometown: Lakewood, CO
College: Mechanical Engineering major, minor in Ecological Restoration, Colorado State University
Passions: Mechanical and Electrical Engineering systems used on a daily basis by people who are mostly unaware of their operation, let alone the planning, calculation, and work that went into the design.
“I was so pleased to be accepted as a summer intern at BranchPattern. My hope is to discover how to implement my education in Mechanical Engineering, interest in architecture, and minor at CSU which focuses on sustainable design and environmental consciousness, in the real world. BranchPattern is the perfect place to practice these skills while learning from and working with all of the talented team members,” said Nikita.
REBECCA JACOBS
Hometown: Leawood, KS
College: Mechanical Engineering major, minoring in Computer Science, University of Colorado at Boulder
Passions: Sustainability and working towards bettering the environment for future generations. Rebecca’s interest in building consultancy stems from her aspiration to be a part of projects that help companies and large building systems work to reduce their overall carbon footprint.
“I’m really looking forward to learning about everything that goes into executing a large project, from both the engineering and consulting side. I can’t wait to be involved in tasks that contribute to the success of BranchPattern projects. I am also very excited to experience BranchPattern’s incredible company culture as an employee and am extremely lucky to be working in the Denver office with amazing views and even more amazing people! I already feel like I’m part of the family,” said Rebecca.
“The Denver team is welcoming three impressive individuals to the Summer Intern program this year. Nikita is eager to learn, and solution focused; Ethan is thoughtful and deliberate with his approach to assignments; and Rebecca’s excitement about our industry is truly contagious. I can’t wait to see how each of them will contribute to our team,” said Miles Dake, Associate Principal.
KC
REED KNETTLE
Hometown: Olathe, KS
College: Architectural Engineering, University of Kansas
Passion: The combination of math and creativity. He enjoys working on large projects and then see them come to life.
“This summer I look forward to working on a variety of tasks within BranchPattern’s mechanical and electrical teams, while expanding my engineering knowledge. I’m also looking forward to traveling to job sites during different phases of the design and construction process,” said Reed.
CHERIAN JOSHUA
Hometown: Dubai, UAE
College: Recent graduate in Mechanical Engineering, Kansas State University
Passion: Integration. He loves it when multiple systems work together to perform as a single, high-performing machine.
“I’m looking forward to making connections with BranchPattern engineers that know way more than me and absorb all of the information they throw at me,” said Cherian.
NICO RUIZ
Hometown: Overland Park, KS
College: Architectural Engineering, University of Kansas
Passion: Construction and buildings have captivated him since he was very young and inspired him to pursue the industry further in college.
“While at BranchPattern, I hope to gain perspective on the building consulting industry and learn more about the practices and specialisms offered here,” said Nico.
“The Kansas City team is thrilled to have three outstanding interns join us this Summer. Cherian has a heart for his community and a strong desire to develop his knowledge in building mechanical systems; Reed is excited to go beyond the academic and dive into real-world scenarios where he can make a difference; and Nico has a hunger for learning our industry and has a great problem-solving attitude,” said Andrew Bridges, Associate Principal
PITTSBURGH
YOUNGJOO SON
Home: South Korea
College: Ph.D. student in Building Performance and Diagnostics program, Carnegie Mellon University
Passion: Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and how it affects building occupants and has already conducted several experimental and field studies to determine if improved IEQ promotes occupant’s satisfaction, performance and health.
“I look forward to learning how IEQ thought is implemented in real company projects. I am happy to be a part of BranchPattern,” said Youngjoo.
“As building consultancy focused on occupant experience, we’re looking forward to having Youngjoo Son join BranchPattern’s Research & Development Team in Pittsburgh this summer. Her doctoral research and studies at Carnegie Mellon University focus on post-occupancy evaluations, which is an area of increased importance for our firm as we seek to better understand the impact of the built environment on occupant satisfaction and performance,” said Pete Jefferson, Principal.
OMAHA
JACOB SORENSEN
Hometown: Plattsmouth, NE
College: University of Nebraska at Omaha, Architectural Engineering
Passion: Engineering environments that are inspired by nature.
“I am looking forward to working for BranchPattern because I have the opportunity to be involved in a variety of projects. I’m also looking forward to the educational opportunities I will receive during my internship, and the knowledge to my coursework, which will help me become a better engineer,” said Jacob.
“This summer we are pleased to have Jacob Sorensen join our team. Jacob has already proven he is a hard worker who will do great things in his career. He is a quick learner and asks many great questions,” said Scott Koelzer, Associate Principal.
