Most of my work experience and my individual pursuits have been structured around or as projects, given both my individual pursuits and my current industry.

Design and Construction

I work in an industry that designs and constructs projects across multiple markets for different clients here and abroad.  It teaches me about design and construction, yes, but also about different regions of the country, about the local communities’ needs, about infrastructure overseas and about business and what keeps a community or company alive.

While this program is enabling me to explore journalism and technology, the basis of what I do is writing – writing about everything from design and construction to green building and energy standards.

One interesting project involved spending three years on an actual jobsite for the Janelia Farm Research Campus – also known as Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Janelia Farm Research campus, which is a bio-research facility. The design for this project was developed through a design competition; the architect was Rafael Vinoly based in New York.

My time at HHMI was an incredible learning experience and resulted in my ongoing passion not only for architecture and design, but it also served as my introduction to green building, sustainability, and the US Green Building Council and Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).  My time on this project ultimately led me to become a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP).  I also learned about architects such as Mies Van Der Rohe and designers such as Herman Miller.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although this project was ultimately not LEED Certified, the project was a sustainable project in that many of the initiatives proposed in the sustainability study were incorporated into the project’s design, including a green roof, an on-site crusher, and stormwater management.

Historic and Pre-Historic Archaeology

I have an absolute passion for history.  Individual projects have involved both historic and pre-historic archaeology, including an extensive research project involving an old mill site in Virginia.  This particular project required extensive archival research including centuries-old journals and land deeds and records.  It was an incredibly powerful experience to discover the story of the mill in documents that had been dormant in the archives, and yet kept alive at the same time.

Recent Pre-historic projects culminated in a visit to a 16,000-year old rock shelter in Avella, Pennsylvania and a visit to Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic Fallingwater.