Ethan Yen at Ewingcole
Ethan Yen grew up in the construction industry. The son of a contractor, he
visited many construction sites as a child, watching the upward progress of
new buildings. He hoped to one day transform underdeveloped areas into
thriving, sustainable and inclusive environments, developing safe and
affordable housing for immigrants and low-income folks. As a BS/MS student
at Drexel studying architectural and civil engineering, he’s well on his
way.
Yen is currently finishing up his final co-op at EwingCole, a local architecture and engineering firm. His co-ops and research experiences have
given him an in-depth understanding of interior and exterior building
design and allowed him to explore cutting-edge materials to use one day in
new structures. Co-op was a huge factor for Yen's college experience; he
decided on Drexel for both its dual-degree engineering programs and three
six-month integrated co-op options.
At EwingCole, Yen is chiefly involved in designing and analyzing various
structures, giving feedback on buildings being used in a variety of
industries. He’s also had the opportunity to participate in a site
investigation of a manufacturing facility in Delaware that EwingCole is
building for WuXi, a pharmaceutical service company.
“The experience of exploring the site and witnessing the vast scale of the
building, along with its potential for future growth is truly
awe-inspiring,” he said. “As an engineer, being involved in this type of
work is incredibly motivating. It's remarkable to see how the designs and
drawings we create become a tangible reality.”
Drexel’s co-op program gives students the opportunity to test-drive their
major, helping students to affirm or discover their career path. It can
also be an opportunity for deeper learning in topics covered in the
classroom, giving concepts learned in class visible relevancy. Yen’s first
co-op was at the National Institute of Standards Technology (NIST), doing
research on getting buildings to net-zero energy. This helped him become
aware of the dynamics within the indoor environment of building design, as
he used algorithms to advance building design to be its most
energy-efficient. One year later, Yen was working at Simpson Gumpterz andHeger (SGH), working on sustainability in buildings’ exterior features using
ground penetration radar, thermal cameras, and more.
“Through these experiences, I gained a profound understanding of both the
indoor environment and the building enclosure in achieving optimal building
performance. However,” he said, “my lifelong vision was to design and
develop buildings, which is why I sought my final co-op at EwingCole.
Working with their multidisciplinary team of engineers would be the perfect
opportunity to enhance my knowledge of building design.
At the same time, Yen joined the Advanced and Sustainable InfrastructureMaterials (ASIM) lab, a research group that seeks to understand the
materials behind environmentally friendly designs. Led by Amir Farnam, PhD,
the lab is dedicated to advancing sustainable infrastructure through the
development of innovative materials. Yen works as a graduate research
assistant, exploring bio-inspired vascular networks in cement-like materials
to create a self-healing building material. Once fully developed, these materials can be used to create
sustainable and long-lasting structures.
Yen will go into his senior year at Drexel in September and credits his
time on co-op with helping him learn new things, network, and find his
ideal career path. “Ultimately, Drexel’s co-op program served as a catalyst
for my personal growth, enhancing both my technical expertise and refining
my soft skills. This invaluable experience provided me with professional
connections and meaningful mentorship, instilling unwavering confidence in
my ability to make a positive impact on the world.”
Learn more about how you can start your engineering career here.