Olivia Pinto

Olivia Pinto

Hi! My name is Olivia Pinto and I am currently a second year master's student. Growing up, I was always very curious about what went on behind the scenes of different construction projects. I am originally from the East Bay Area, so every time I wanted to go into San Francisco, I would have to cross the Bay Bridge. A major retrofit of the bridge happened during the first 10 years of my life, and I was able to see the construction process firsthand when I was stuck in traffic driving across the bridge. When it finally became time for me to think about my future, I really wanted to know how large structures like the bridge were built.

I received my Bachelor's degree from UCLA studying Civil Engineering. At UCLA, I was active in many different clubs including the ASC Design Build team, Chi Epsilon, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and an outreach club that went to elementary schools weekly to walk students through science experiments. I remember when I was younger I was always so excited to learn more about science, so doing this club was a great way for me to connect with the younger version of myself.

Some of my past experiences in industry include two internships at Cahill Contractors, as well as a bridge engineering intern at Jacobs. This past summer I was a Structural Engineering intern at Degenkolb. I worked a lot on hospital design and was able to spend most of my time on a nonlinear analysis internal study.

Outside of the academic world, I enjoy being active and spending time with friends and family. At Stanford, I am a part of 3 intramural volleyball teams (both indoor and sand). I grew up playing volleyball since I was 12, so it's very fun to get back out on the court and play with friends. I also enjoy hiking, baking, and reading - I am always looking for good book recommendations!