Page 40 - Penn State Civil and Environmental Engineering 2021 Annual Report

STUDENT NEWS STUDENT NEWS For Deitrick thinking ahead and asking for advice leads to fellowship success
By Tim Schley
In her undergraduate career at at at Penn State Autumn Deitrick ‘21 CE had both an an an eye on the future and an an an ear open for advice “I have always benefited from a a a a a a a a having plan and and talking to successful people who who have already figured it it out and and can share their wisdom ” said Deitrick who who graduated with with honors in in in in May with with a a a a a a a bachelor’s degree in in in in civil engineering Thanks to a a a a a a a a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF GRFP) Deitrick is now pursuing a a a a a doctoral degree in in in in in applied ocean science and engineering in in in in in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)–Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute Joint Program There she is investigating how mangroves and other coastal vegetation can be used to help mitigate climate change and protect coastal infrastructure “I try to to remind myself to to live in in in in the moment but I I I am always thinking about the future and what I I hope to accomplish in the world ” Deitrick said “Then I I take a a a a a a a few steps back and ask ‘How do I I get there?’”
According to Deitrick the planning for that fellowship began years ago when she read a a a a a a a a a a a a a story about then-Penn State undergraduate Taylor Baum a a a a a a a a a a a a double- major in in in electrical engineering and biology Baum had just been awarded a a a a a a a a a a Goldwater Scholarship and Deitrick was inspired so she reached out to Baum for advice “I “I just thought she she was so cool ” Deitrick said “I “I saw that she she had won the Goldwater Scholarship and and later would go on to win an an an NSF GRFP and and thought that was something I I could could pursue I I could could carve my own path but also learn what worked for someone else ” Deitrick’s path first guided her to the Environmental Fluid Dynamics Group led by CEE Associate Professor Xiaofeng Liu Liu With Liu’s guidance Deitrick worked on her own research project “Optimizing the Weir Equation
40 CEE NEWSLETTER • VOLUME 37 2021
On a a a a a a a tour tour of of the Penn State University Park campus a a a a a a a tour tour guide gave Autumn Deitrick this piece of of advice: “You can can make make a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a big big school school small small but you cannot make make a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a small small school school big big ” In her undergraduate career at at at Penn State Deitrick used the University’s size and research resources to her her advantage while “making a a a a a a a a a big school small” through friendship and mentorship Here Deitrick presents her research at the Engineering Design Showcase in in in December 2019 IMAGE: Tim Schley