Architecture and Civil (Structural) Engineering

By Micah Jacobson

Hello, my name is Micah Jacobson. I am the TA for Arch 361-Structures 1 this semester. I am a new student to SIUC. I am from Columbia, Missouri. I just finished my undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Missouri. I will be here at SIUC for two years working on a Master’s of Architecture. My wife is a special education teacher working with children with developmental disabilities ages 2-4. We have been married for two and a half years.

My focus in my undergraduate was Structural Engineering. I made a change in my major two years ago from Mechanical Engineering to Civil Engineering and 1 year before that from Electrical Engineering to Mechanical Engineering. I found a love for Architecture in a class from Dr. Benyamin Schwarz at the University of Missouri. This is also when I changed my major to Civil Engineering.

In Civil Engineering there are four main disciplines; Environmental, Geotechnical, Structural and Transportation. Environmental Engineering is concerned with regulation concerning pollution in air, water, and soil. This is a very chemistry heavy discipline. Geotechnical Engineering is the study of soil mechanics, structural characteristics and design of foundations, damns, levees, earth slopes, retaining walls and other soil based structural builds. Structural Engineering is the analysis and design of structures for buildings, roads, bridges, damns, water towers, antenna, boats, planes, spaceships and many more. Transportation Engineers analyze traffic, design roadways, intersections, slope and crowning of roads, and traffic signal timing and placement.

I have always loved to build things and figure out how things work, so Engineering and Architecture are both obvious choices for me. My career goal is to become licensed to practice both Architecture and Civil (Structural) Engineering. I hope my experience can be a help to everyone in this program. I look forward to my endeavor in this program and as the TA for Structures 1 and Structures 2 in the spring.