Written by: Rachel Blawat

This summer, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to work with Burian & Associates and dive into some exciting civil engineering projects that have expanded both my skills and understanding of the industry.

One of the main projects I’ve been involved in is the Red River Valley Water Supply Project (RRVWSP). This critical initiative aims to deliver an emergency water supply to areas of North Dakota to protect public health, support economic stability, and improve environmental outcomes in regional river systems. My role included mapping existing water quality across the project area and contributing to a technical report on water quality conditions. Working with this data helped me understand not only the technical side of water projects but also their broader significance.

I also contributed to a new STEM building project at the University of North Dakota, which will replace an existing structure on campus. My involvement focused on site grading and stormwater management. One of the most eye-opening aspects of this project has been seeing how designs are adapted to fit into real-world constraints and existing infrastructure. Unlike the tidy problems we see in class with one correct answer, this work has highlighted the creative, back-and-forth nature of solving complex design challenges while staying compliant with regulations and project goals.

Over the course of the internship, I’ve developed my skills in several key software tools. ArcGIS Pro has been especially valuable for mapping, and I’ve used Civil 3D for site grading work and GeoSTORM for stormwater modeling. And of course, Excel has been a constant companion for managing data and performing calculations. These programs have helped me understand the technical side of civil engineering in a much more applied way.

In addition to the software, I’ve also gained a deeper appreciation for the engineering process as a whole, from site analysis and calculations to design and construction. Field visits for staking and surveying have been particularly impactful, giving me a tangible sense of how the work we do in the office translates into the built environment.

It’s tough to pick a single favorite project or assignment because each one has offered something valuable. But I’ve especially enjoyed getting hands-on with software to perform tasks that directly contribute to project progress. Seeing a project move from data to design to implementation has been incredibly rewarding.

There isn’t exactly a “typical” day during my internship, which has kept things interesting. When I’m in the office, I’m usually tackling a specific task that a colleague has introduced. After getting up to speed on the project background and objectives, I can dive in. Collaboration has been key, especially since design is such an iterative process.

Field days, where I’ve joined survey and staking crews, provide a valuable contrast. It’s always fascinating to see the before-and-after on site and understand how our plans are being brought to life.

One technical challenge that stands out came up during the RRVWSP. I was tasked with mapping ion counts from various databases to represent existing water quality. The raw data sets were huge and filled with overlapping entries, which made them too large to use in mapping software. With help from my coworkers, I filtered the data and reduced file sizes to something workable. It was a real lesson in data science, much different from the clean datasets we usually deal with in the classroom. It also demonstrated how civil engineering intersects with other disciplines in practice.

My experience this summer has only strengthened my interest in civil engineering, especially within the water sector. I’ve learned so much from my coworkers and mentors, and it’s exciting to see how many different types of work fall under the umbrella of civil engineering, from major infrastructure projects to addressing individual landowner concerns.

For future interns, my advice is simple: take every opportunity to learn. Whether you’re trying out new software or lending a hand on a field visit, every task offers a chance to expand your understanding. Burian & Associates has been an outstanding place to grow, and I’m grateful for everything I’ve learned this summer.