HomeAbout MeralBuilding StatisticsThesis AbstractTechnical AssignmentsThesis ResearchThesis ProposalPresentationFinal ReportReflectionSenior Thesis e-Studio

Note: While great efforts have been taken to provide accurate and complete information on the pages of CPEP, please be aware that the information contained herewith is considered a work‐in‐progress for this thesis project. Modifications and changes related to the original building designs and construction methodologies for this senior thesis project are solely the interpretation of Meral Kanik. Changes and discrepancies in no way imply that the original design contained errors or was flawed. Differing assumptions, code references, requirements, and methodologies have been incorporated into this thesis project; therefore, investigation results may vary from the original design.

This is a student-generated Capstone Project e-Portfolio (CPEP) produced in conjunction with the AE Senior Thesis e-Studio.

About Meral Kanik

 

Meral Kanik came to Penn State from the great suburbs of Rochester, NY.  Graduating from West Irondequoit High School (http://www.westirondequoit.org/ihs) in 2003, she spent her high school years highly involved in math and science.  One of her biggest motivators was a class senior year called "Principles of Engineering" in which she met Mr. Dave Marshall who encouraged her to join the solar car racing team (http://www.ihstechteam.com/). As the first female in school's history to be on the team, she traveled on the Tour de Sol for the national competition in May of 2003.  It was the best 18th birthday anyone could have asked for.

During her senior year, West Irondequoit High School went through major reconstruction, so Meral got a firsthand view of construction.  When given a tour of behind-the-scenes, it was obvious that she wanted to proceed into the building industry. Meral was headed into the engineering direction since birth however, being that her father has a doctorate in Civil Engineering and her mother has a bachelor in Mechanical Engineering.  But she was insistent on taking her own route as she currently is pursing an ABET-accredited bachelor degree of Architectural Engineering, with a concentration in structures.  Although, it was a tough choice for her to choose between structures and construction management; she decided it was best to get the design aspect before going out into the field.  To still gain some familiarity with the business world, she is working toward a minor in Engineering Entrepreneurship.

Meral has gained a lot of personal knowledge in the field from her two internships.  The first was the summer of 2006 with EDiS Company (http://www.ediscompany.com/) in Wilmington, Delaware where she was a project manager intern, and worked under a remarkable woman by the name of Diana Patille.  While there she was able to learn the concept of submittals, RFIs, and change orders.  The rest of her time was spent on the job site updating the master plans and watching out for the safety of the site.  But she really valued the time she spent learning all that Diana could teach her as a woman on the job site and as a well-organized leader.  The other internship was in the summer of 2007 with Clark Patterson Associates (http://www.clarkpatterson.com/) in Rochester, NY.  The was a completely different atmosphere because Meral was a part of the structural design group.  Here she spent most of her time fully engaged in IBC 2000, ASCE, AutoCAD and EnerCalc to design the columns, beams, girders, and concrete slabs to those guidelines.  She was surrounded by a wonderful staff (thanks to Joe Rausch, Larry Werts, Brian Cooney, and John Guelli) who kept her on her toes.

For an architectural studio course in the fall of 2006, Meral was a part of a group called Green Acres (Sketchup Model of Main Building).  This was a milestone in her studies because she learned multitudes about sustainable building and architectural design from her group members Kyle Macht, Mike Wiegmann, and Justin Raducha.  Since that project, Meral has been making a conscious effort towards green design and plans on including it in practice once she graduates.

Another inspiration of Meral's has always been Middle Eastern architecture.  Being of Turkish heritage herself, she has traveled to Turkey many times and seen many historical marvels such as Haghia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, the Covered Bazaar, the Underground Basilica Cistern of Istanbul, Turkish bath houses, and Ataturk's Masoleum. 

On top of her academic life at Penn State, Meral has dedicated most of her free time to playing on the Women's Rugby Team (http://www.clubs.psu.edu/womensrugby).  As a new comer to the sport in the spring of 2004, Meral came to love the girls on the team and the sport in general.  Not only has she gained life-long relationships through Penn State Rugby, but she has also traveled to England, Ireland and Wales.  Even since before she was a member, the team has made it to the national championship match every year and she played on the 2007 National Championship Team.

Link to Meral's Resume

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Page was last updated on May 6, 2008 , By Meral Kanik and is hosted by the AE Department © 2005