Specializing in civil engineering, transportation planning & design, environmental & urban planning, landscape architecture & design and public outreach.
Cassy Miertschin — Moab, Utah
“Moab, Utah is one of my favorite places on the planet,” shared Engineering Specialties Group’s (ESG) latest hire. Cassy Miertschin, EI officially joined the team as a Design Analyst in mid-January after about six months as an intern.
Another favorite spot of Cassy’s is in Colorado, about 30 minutes from ESG’s Westminster office. “Eldorado Canyon is one of the coolest geological features/landforms. It’s my favorite little mountain town that I’ve come across. When the sun is shining on the rocks there’s this bright green lichen that almost seems like it’s glowing,” she shared.
Cassy is an avid climber and runner and is currently training for a half marathon in Moab.
Cassy attended the University of Colorado and majored in structural engineering. “The first time being an engineer popped in my head was as a way to get this great car I saw…an Aston Martin,” she laughs. “I found out later an engineer’s salary was nowhere close to what was needed.”
But Cassy likes knowing how things work, so being an engineer was still a good fit for her.
Cassy slacklines across a canyon near Moab, Utah. Doesn’t look like she’ll have any problem doing Communication Tower inspections!
In college one of Cassy’s favorite classes was earthquake engineering. It included understanding the effects of the soil on the ability of structures to withstand earthquakes. “I liked applying the theories we were learning in class to our designs and then testing them. That’s when I thought, ‘Yeah! This is what I want to be doing’,” she said.
One of Cassy’s ESG highlights so far has been helping to write the operations & maintenance manual for the Vegas High Roller, which stands 550’. The tallest Observation Wheel in the world, ESG has been instrumental in the
design and implementation of this enormous project. The Wheel features 28 bubble-like 40-person cabins weighing 44,000 pounds each. Each 225 square foot cabin has 300 square feet of glass and is equipped with eight flat screen televisions. A trip around the wheel, which is scheduled to open this spring, will take 30 minutes.
Cassy and ESG’s Jamie Bunch, PE were on-site on Saxton Mtn. to supervise a helicopter concrete pour for a communications tower foundation.
Another highlight was being on-site to supervise a helicopter concrete pour for a communications tower foundation. The nine yards of concrete were flown to an elevation of 11,000 feet, to a location just outside of Georgetown, CO. Cassy and ESG’s Jamie Bunch, PE reached the remote location on the western side of Saxon Mountain traveling on 4-wheelers.
Cassy is also an avid reader. “I’ll read anything that someone suggests. I like to read Vonnegut, Fitzgerald, Tolkien,” she shared. “Currently on my reading list are The Bonobo and the Atheist and The Fountainhead.”
Cassy spent the first 16 years of her life on Oahu, Hawaii. “It was a great place to grow up,” she said with a smile. When she moved to the mainland she
spent time in Houston, TX before making her way to Colorado for school. “Colorado is a good place to live because it offers great climbing and hot springs,” the outdoor enthusiast assessed.
Glad your interests brought you to Colorado and ESG, Cassy!