Kira (she/her) is a senior Civil Engineering major, minoring in Engineering Management. She is involved in various activities on campus such as Husky Ambassadors and Community Outreach. Kira enjoys participating in intramurals offered through the Rec Center and loves a good walk around Horsebarn Hill.
Research was not something that Kira particularly thought of before coming to UConn. Once she heard about professors in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department offering undergraduate research opportunities, she was immediately interested. In her sophomore year, Kira started working in the Geoenvironmental Laboratory on the Crumbling Concrete Foundations project. The Crumbling Concrete Foundations project works to find solutions for homeowners that have suffered from Connecticut's crumbling foundations crisis due to the effects of pyrrhotite that reacts with oxygen and water. Kira assists in preparing and analyzing samples to help over 100 homeowners in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Research has been a big part of Kira's time at UConn and believes that it is a valuable experience for people of all majors. If you have any questions about getting involved in undergraduate research in Engineering or navigating the process of finding the right research opportunity for you, she would love to hear from you!
Student Research Blog Posts by Kira: