Baton Rouge, Louisiana – April 2022 – Sustainable Design Solutions welcomes Project Engineer Intern Ashish Khanal, E.I., to the team supporting Sustainable’s ongoing water, sewer, stormwater, and coastal projects in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Ashish is a recent graduate of Mechanical Engineering with a minor in mathematics from Louisiana Tech University. He’s a lover of words, learning, and practicing mathematics and looks forward to gaining more experience in project design, construction administration, and strategic planning in his new role.
Ashish was born and raised in Nepal, which he explains gives him a unique perspective on infrastructure disparities. This view gave him an innate desire to pursue a career in engineering. Countries worldwide need infrastructure help, and Ashish wants to solve those problems wherever there is a need.
“That’s what motivates me to continue learning about civil works projects, so I can solve infrastructure problems to help cities and people live better lives.”
Applying sustainability to our everyday work is ambitious, but it is what Sustainable Design Solutions aims to do. Founder Kodi Guillory speaks to her team’s mission and the name, explaining that sustainability is not exclusive to green infrastructure. It means considering a client’s budget and existing resources to deliver a project that lasts and can be maintained over time.
Being a part of long-lasting infrastructure design projects that make the world a better place is what Ashish aspires to do. He is excited about a sewer project Sustainable is working on in Baton Rouge.
“A team of engineers designed this sewer system in 1951, and Sustainable is supporting the city with improvements to the system. I want to be a part of something like that, a design that will help a city of people for years to come,” says Ashish.
Last summer, Ashish interned at the Louisiana Department Of Transportation and Development. He gained real-world experience with state highway and bridge engineers and inspectors to maintain the quality and structural integrity of vehicular bridge projects.
“I enjoyed being able to ask many questions, and the most surprising thing was the realization of how much effort it takes to design and build even just a mile of road.”
Ashish also worked as a physics mentor and mathematics tutor while studying at Southeastern Louisiana University and later as a teaching assistant during his senior year at Louisiana Tech University.
Understanding the adjustments international students experience during their first years at a university encouraged Ashish to give back by mentoring international first-year students during his senior year. Moving to a new country is a test for anyone, and Ashish says his success is a testament to his family for always supporting him.
Ashish’s experiences up until now have left him feeling like he’s been chasing time, waiting to learn the things he wants to know and to apply that knowledge, but now Ashish is thrilled to be at Sustainable, where he can finally do both.
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