Dan Reynolds

Dan Reynolds

My name is Dan Reynolds and I am a PhD student in the Mechanics, Materials and Structures branch of the Civil and Environmental Engineering department at Princeton University. Following undergraduate degrees in Civil Engineering and Sculpture at Penn State, I came to Princeton to study form-finding and optimization techniques. In Greek mythology, Pygmalion is a sculptor who creates a statue so exquisite that he falls in love with it. For him, this form represented a previously unimaginable perfection, and it came to life (if only in a twisted fantasy). It is easy to see how those who create objects can be driven by the ultimate goal of bringing an idea to life. I like to view structural engineering as a four-dimensional process of formulating and evaluating systems that give objects shape. Structural engineers are not limited to supporting a prescribed form, but through familiarity with materials and manufacturing techniques can create forms that ‘optimize’ a client’s desire for economy, safety, and quality.

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