Studying floods in Mexico kindles enthusiasm in future engineer
February 16, 2009
In 2006 Joshua Draper, a civil engineering major in the Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering and Technology, conducted research on flooding in Mexico. Draper, his BYU peers, and colleagues from two local universities built a computer model to map potential flood areas, which was then used to predict flooding's effects.
"The project kindled new enthusiasm in me for being a civil engineer. I gained insight into how to work with people from another culture and a profound sense that I can make a positive difference in people's lives through my career," he says. Draper returned to Mexico in 2006 as a teacher's assistant.
About his mentor, Jim Nelson, he says: "Jim has shown that he cares about me and my career. A good mentor doesn't do your work for you; he encourages, pushes, supports, and guides you."
