Jesse Martin

After obtaining a PhD in structures, I hope to continue working in research and transition into academia.

After getting my undergraduate degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Penn State, I intend to pursue my PhD in structural engineering. One field I find particularly interesting is using advanced computer modeling and LLMs to improve the design process of structural systems.

One of my many hobbies is building things for competitions. I have always been a very competitive and driven person, so competing in events that allow me to demonstrate my passion has always been something I enjoy. I am currently a member of the Penn State Steel Bridge team, where we design and build a bridge to fit strict guidelines, while optimizing the design for efficiency.

I also compete annually in the Delaware Seashore State Park Sandcastle competition alongside my father and brother. Over the years, we have experimented and found the best combination of sand and water to maximize material strength. My favorite part about sandcastle building is trying new techniques and pushing our limits. We have built sandcastles that are over 5 feet tall, and every year we try to build them even higher.

Another hobby of mine is coding. Coding has never been easier thanks to AI coding assistants, and despite my knowledge of coding being basic to intermediate, I can still create just about anything. I like to learn code through working on projects, specifically implementing new functions into a video game passion project I work on in my spare time. I find it fascinating that if you type the right sequence of code, you can create something that changes the world. I hope to take my knowledge of coding and fuse it with my passion for structures to create something that benefits the world.