2.9.2005.Wednesday.Lunch
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Transcript of 2.9.2005.Wednesday.Lunch
My 8 Months with My 8 Months with USACEUSACE
The Army through a Bailey The Army through a Bailey Scholars eyesScholars eyes
OverviewOverview
Background of USACE – Detroit DistrictBackground of USACE – Detroit District What did I do?What did I do?
The GoodThe Good The BadThe Bad DiscussionDiscussion Feel free to ask questions!!!Feel free to ask questions!!!
USACE backgroundUSACE background
USACE = U.S. Army Corps of EngineersUSACE = U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Original mission is to build and maintain Original mission is to build and maintain
military structures and projects around the military structures and projects around the world (ex. GWOT)world (ex. GWOT)
Presently, USACE mostly is designing civil Presently, USACE mostly is designing civil works for all navigable waterways (dams, works for all navigable waterways (dams, floodplain mapping, permitting on rivers, floodplain mapping, permitting on rivers, lakes, and ocean)lakes, and ocean)
USACE BackgroundUSACE Background
My 8 months were with the Detroit District, My 8 months were with the Detroit District, whose jurisdiction is most of the U.S. Great whose jurisdiction is most of the U.S. Great Lakes ShorelineLakes Shoreline
Detroit district is responsible for:Detroit district is responsible for:
* Permits (seawalls, etc but only on the * Permits (seawalls, etc but only on the Great Lakes, no inland lakes)Great Lakes, no inland lakes)
* Civil Engineering Design on the Great * Civil Engineering Design on the Great Lakes (harbor repair, dams, etc)Lakes (harbor repair, dams, etc)
* Great Lakes Hydraulics and Hydrology* Great Lakes Hydraulics and Hydrology
USACE BackgroundUSACE Background
My Co-op was in the Great Lakes My Co-op was in the Great Lakes Hydraulics and Hydrology Office – Hydraulics and Hydrology Office – Hydraulics BranchHydraulics Branch
Hydrology – Mostly water level Hydrology – Mostly water level forecasting…forecasting…
Hydraulics – Channel discharge Hydraulics – Channel discharge monitoring, floodplain delineation, and monitoring, floodplain delineation, and coastal engineering are main dutiescoastal engineering are main duties
Job DescriptionJob Description
My job was to provide support to the My job was to provide support to the coastal engineers in the officecoastal engineers in the office
Worked on creating near shore profiles of Worked on creating near shore profiles of Lake Michigan lake bed, and on creating a Lake Michigan lake bed, and on creating a field guide for Section 111 Harbor field guide for Section 111 Harbor Monitoring proceduresMonitoring procedures
Also did some floodplain delineation in Also did some floodplain delineation in Wayne County, and Channel Discharge Wayne County, and Channel Discharge “bookkeeping”“bookkeeping”
The GoodThe Good
Technical skillsTechnical skills Learned Arcview, finally!Learned Arcview, finally! Learned how technology changed how the Learned how technology changed how the
Corps does thingsCorps does things Response in my application for other jobsResponse in my application for other jobs
Immediate responses, now easier to apply for Immediate responses, now easier to apply for other engineering related positionsother engineering related positions
The GoodThe Good
Traveling!Traveling! During the summer I went on two trips to Lake During the summer I went on two trips to Lake
Michigan, one harbor monitoring trip and one Michigan, one harbor monitoring trip and one sand probing tripsand probing trip
The West side of the state is beautiful!The West side of the state is beautiful!
The Good: PicturesThe Good: Pictures
The Good: PicturesThe Good: Pictures
The Good: PicturesThe Good: Pictures
The Good: PicturesThe Good: Pictures
The BadThe Bad
No biology at all, and no way to ever do itNo biology at all, and no way to ever do it I picked my major because it combines biology with I picked my major because it combines biology with
engineering, didn’t realize USACE doesn’t use thisengineering, didn’t realize USACE doesn’t use this
No Ag?No Ag? Surprised how much I missed studying agricultureSurprised how much I missed studying agriculture
No contact with publicNo contact with public Wanted to work in outreach before I took this Wanted to work in outreach before I took this
internship, I didn’t get to do it/don’t get to do it with internship, I didn’t get to do it/don’t get to do it with USACEUSACE
Too TechnicalToo Technical
The BadThe Bad
How the Government really worksHow the Government really works Who gets funding and whyWho gets funding and why Jurisdiction (especially in Michigan) is so Jurisdiction (especially in Michigan) is so
confusing!! Too many organizations doing too confusing!! Too many organizations doing too many things and not communicatingmany things and not communicating
Outsourcing and it’s place in the governmentOutsourcing and it’s place in the government Understanding why USACE has such a bad Understanding why USACE has such a bad
raprap Appalled at lack of respect for the land (you Appalled at lack of respect for the land (you
can’t beat Mother Nature!!)can’t beat Mother Nature!!)
The Bad: PicturesThe Bad: Pictures
The Bad: PicturesThe Bad: Pictures
The BadThe Bad
Work EnvironmentWork Environment Constant chiding – because I went to MSU, Constant chiding – because I went to MSU,
because I was a “hippie”…It gets old after 8 because I was a “hippie”…It gets old after 8 months!!!!!months!!!!!
Lack of diversity in workplace was surprisingLack of diversity in workplace was surprising• More women than I thought, but no other minorities More women than I thought, but no other minorities
were present, and minorities were stereotyped were present, and minorities were stereotyped outwardlyoutwardly
• Although there were women, one had to act Although there were women, one had to act “manly” to be accepted (being crude, etc.)“manly” to be accepted (being crude, etc.)
Why is this Bad?Why is this Bad?
I didn’t realize that who I worked with would I didn’t realize that who I worked with would make such an impact as to whether or not I liked make such an impact as to whether or not I liked the job.the job.
BE is such a new field, will I get stuck in a civil BE is such a new field, will I get stuck in a civil engineering type position no matter where I go?engineering type position no matter where I go?
Is every work environment going to be like this? Is every work environment going to be like this? Will every job consist of being on the computer Will every job consist of being on the computer 40 hours a week? Will I ever get to love what I 40 hours a week? Will I ever get to love what I do?do?
DiscussionDiscussion
What was your first experience with the What was your first experience with the real world? Good or bad? Why? Was it real world? Good or bad? Why? Was it based on your race, gender, etc? How did based on your race, gender, etc? How did you deal with it? Are you satisfied with you deal with it? Are you satisfied with what you do now?what you do now?