“Note: While great efforts have been taken to provide accurate and complete information on the pages of CPEP, please be aware that the information contained herewith is considered a work‐in‐progress for this thesis project. Modifications and changes related to the original building designs and construction methodologies for this senior thesis project are solely the interpretation of Nicole Lucas. Changes and discrepancies in no way imply that the original design contained errors or was flawed. Differing assumptions, code references, requirements, and methodologies have been incorporated into this thesis project; therefore, investigation results may vary from the original design.”

Nicole Lucas is an Architectural Engineering student at Penn State University.  She is currently in her 5th year and will graduate in May 2009 with an Integrated Bachelor/Master of Architectural Engineering degree focusing on structural systems.   Nicole is in professional and student organizations including Architectural Engineering Institute, Structural Engineers Association, and Women in Engineering.

Nicole spent last summer working as an intern at Rathgeber/Goss Associates (RGA), a consulting structural engineering firm located in Rockville, MD.  At RGA Nicole gained experience in designing and analyzing a multitude of different structural systems.  During the summer of 2007, Nicole worked at Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates; a firm specialized in finding solutions to problems in existing structures.  Nicole completed drawing packages and conducted several water infiltration and façade tests.  Nicole also has experience in the field from working as an inspector for PennDot during the summer of 2006.  During the internship, she read drawings and oversaw the construction process for a project including 3 bridges and the roadwork in between.   Nicole passed the FE in the Spring of 2007 and will gain her EIT status upon graduation in the Spring.  Her goal is to work towards gaining a Professional Engineer (PE) status.

Nicole also is involved in a variety of activities.  She has participated in IM soccer for the past five years.  Nicole is also a member of Mortar Board and Phi Eta Sigma honor societies.  She has been an Architectural Engineering Student Envoy for the past three years.

Nicole has accepted a job at Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. located in Princeton, NJ. She will begin on June 22, 2009.

The Capstone Project Electronic Portfolio (CPEP) is a web‐based project and information center. It contains material produced for a year‐long Senior Thesis class. Its purpose, in addition to providing central storage of individual assignments, is to foster communication and collaboration between student, faculty consultant, course instructors, and industry consultants. This website is dedicated to the research and analysis conducted via guidelines provided by the Department of Architectural Engineering. For an explanation of this capstone design course and its requirements click here.