INDS B.S.: Resilient Design of Structures
Spring 2024 Capstone
My INDS Degree
I graduated high school knowing that I wanted to combine my interests in architecture and meteorology, as well as my academic skills in engineering-related sciences, to major in something similar to architectural engineering. I had no plans on moving out of state, so when I came for freshman orientation at UMBC, I met with Dr. Kenneth Baron to discuss my aspirations, and he advised me to major in INDS to craft my own degree that would incorporate all of these disciplines as none of the existing majors encapsulated my interests fully. It was so interesting to hear that was possible, and I am fortunate to this day to have had that opportunity at UMBC.
Since that day, the INDS department has supported me and helped guide me to refine my degree to include not only architecture, meteorology, and engineering, but also the crucial component of social science, which helps address how to meet communities’ needs when making structures, and the community itself, more resilient. I strongly feel my current comprehensive understanding of the field was only possible because I was able to take an interdisciplinary path through different departments’ courses. The overall experience contributed to my confidence and passion in this field, so I am always excited to talk to others about both my degree and the INDS program overall.
Post Graduation Plans
I originally sought to immediately obtain a Master of Architecture in graduate school, but am now instead planning on working at a location that will assist in paying for graduate school as I want to utilize that degree to assist with licensure and other future career opportunities. In the long term, I aspire to work for either a state or federal agency, such as FEMA, and provide a perspective that better incorporates communities’ needs when preparing them for natural disasters, and especially assisting after disasters, by making the structures and community more resilient.
Courses In My INDS Degree
✅Core Principles of Engineering: An understanding of engineering principles is required to successfully build and design structures, especially structures that must be resilient against certain hazards. Many of the courses below have also been included in official architectural engineering curriculums. (ENME 220, 221, 217, 301)
✅Architectural Design Concepts: In order to design structures, I must be able to draw them either by hand or through the usage of CAD. Additionally, to communicate with the community through a structure’s aesthetics, I must understand the balance of its aesthetic elements with the environment and surrounding hazards, and the meaning behind the building’s design elements. (ARCH 205, ENME 220, AET 210, ENME 204)
✅Geophysical Threats to the Built Environment: In order to properly prepare or even respond to a natural disaster, it is crucial to recognize the risks of different natural hazards by knowing the conditions they cause and are caused by, as well as their frequency. Furthermore, case studies of record-breaking hazards provide insight into the potential magnitude of these events. (GES 310, 312, 414, POLI 409)
✅ Cultural/Socio-Political Courses: A cultural and socio-political lens sheds light on how a community may react to a natural hazard, or what kind of regulations and building codes exist to prepare or keep them safe. (POLI 409, GES 414, 312, ARCH 305, PSY 230)
✅Individualized Study: The courses below are required for me as an INDS major, but are also necessary in my path to obtain my individualized degree by refining it as necessary to truly understand and relay what my degree is, along with my respective plan for after college. (INDS 330, 335, 410, 480, 490)