Cockrell School of Engineering alumna Natalie Weiershausen loves being a civil engineer — so much so that she spends much of her free time sharing her engineering knowledge and interest with others.
And so far this year, she has already been honored with three awards from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) for her efforts both in the community and in the field. She was recognized as ASCE’s Houston Branch Young Engineer of the Year, ASCE’s Central Region Outstanding Young Civil Engineer in the Private Sector and as one of ASCE’s national New Faces of Civil Engineering.
Weiershausen, who earned her bachelor’s degree in 2008 from the Cockrell School’s Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, is currently a project engineer with Klotz Associates in Houston. She is a licensed professional engineer in Texas and holds a sustainability certification from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure.
“I feel very fortunate for the skills that I have acquired as a civil engineer,” Weiershausen explained. “Volunteering is my way to share that knowledge in hopes that I influence others, just like volunteers [in the past] have influenced me.”
For her, volunteering is an addiction, she said. And her list of efforts and positions is extensive. From serving as a committee co-chair and panel participant to community liaison and website contributor, Weiershausen has consistently shared her excitement for and experience in civil engineering with industry and community members of all ages. This fall, she will lead an ASCE-designed Civil Engineering Club at a Houston high school that will introduce students to the field through speakers, site visits and hands-on activities.
Weiershausen has already gained significant professional experience on a variety of projects, including water and wastewater planning, utility relocation/design, flood plain analysis, roadway design and general civil design. She attributes much of her early success in the civil engineering field to her training and experiences while at The University of Texas at Austin.
“The information, habits and work ethic I learned while at the Cockrell School have helped set me apart in the field,” she said. “My proudest moments so far are seeing the projects I’ve worked on around town physically get built — that’s awesome for an engineer.”
Currently, Weiershausen is working on a mile-long storm system upgrade in which engineers will convert an existing storm system into an underground system and turn the space above ground into a park/trail. She also plans to get this project certified through the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure.
“It’s a really exciting opportunity,” she said.
Read more about Natalie Weiershausen on the ASCE News site.
