Sarah Berger, fourth-year civil engineering student, recently earned second place in a national structural engineering competition hosted by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) at their Forensic Engineering Congress in Seattle, Washington.

The competition invited civil engineering students across the United States to present a three-minute video on a structural failure of their choosing. Berger focused her presentation on the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania—a topic close to home for the Pittsburgh native.

Her submission was one of four selected as finalists, earning her the opportunity to travel to Seattle and present her case live at the ASCE conference in front of nearly 200 industry professionals.

“It was a little intimidating,” Berger said. “But it was such a great opportunity to practice presenting and to network with people in the field.”

Berger’s preparation, which involved scripting and rehearsing, paid off when she placed second overall in the national competition.

“I was so surprised when I got the email saying I was a finalist,” she said. “I thought it would be fun to submit since it was just a three-minute video, but I didn’t expect to be selected, let alone win second place. It was such an exciting experience.”

Berger, who is part of the BS/MS program, will graduate this spring—completing the program in just four years. 

After graduation, Berger will join Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) in Chicago as an entry-level structural consultant. Her role will allow her to combine her interests in new design and forensic engineering, the latter of which she hopes to specialize in long term.

Reflecting on her experience at the ASCE competition, Berger is optimistic about the future.

“It gave me a glimpse into the kind of community I want to be a part of after graduation,” she said. “I’m excited to start my career and hopefully return to the Forensic Engineering Congress someday—not as a student, but as a professional.”