In the Spotlight - Darla-Ena Boyer, '22
Spring 2023

My name is Darla-Ena Boyer. I am a graduate student in the civil engineering Ph.D. program at Stony Brook University. I was born in Haiti and came to the United States at the age of 18. As a little girl, one of my dreams was to design and rebuild what represented my dance school, a small exotic old-style Haitian house. I was therefore very interested in architecture; However, one major event forever transformed this dream and my academic interests. In 2010, Haiti was hit by a devastating earthquake, and growing up after this earthquake, I became curious about civil engineering and the complexity of building structures in earthquake-prone environments. I wanted to understand the mechanisms behind structures and seismic design, and it finally led me to an academic career in civil engineering. In 2018, I started studying at Nassau Community College in the Liberal Arts and Science program as an ESL student, and one year after I transferred to Stony Brook University. I wanted to receive the best education in structural engineering at an affordable college, and Stony Brook was among the best public universities in New York offering a strong program in civil engineering.

You are one of the few undergraduates who graduated and then moved right into a Ph.D. program in Civil Engineering at SBU. How is graduate school different from being an undergraduate student and what do you like most about being in the Ph.D. Program?

Acquiring advanced knowledge in structural engineering was very important to me. Therefore, I always knew that I wanted to continue studying after my undergraduate studies. Hence, I am so grateful to have found the opportunity to do so at SBU. Graduate courses are more advanced, and particularly interesting as they involve more in-depth study of the subject matter and require us to develop a higher level of critical thinking, as well as analytical skills. I am being challenged in those courses in a very constructive way. For me, it is a sign that I am learning and understanding new subjects, and previously thought subjects in a more detailed manner, which I like.

I am now also conducting research under the direction of Dr. Rigoberto Burgueño. What I like the most about being in the Ph.D. program is the opportunity I have to constantly learn from my professor and my research, in addition to my classes. Being in the program, I have realized how much I didn’t know or understand properly, and how much more I want to learn. I like the fact that I am able to connect the dots between what I am learning in class and the subjects involved in my research. Additionally, I am very interested in earthquake engineering and have the opportunity of being involved in research related to this field of study which I am really excited about.

What recommendations do you have for your classmates who are not sure about being involved in research?

Before being fully involved in research, I talked to my academic advisor about my interest in conducting research although I wasn’t sure about it. He talked to me about what research was in general and advised me to talk to the professors having a background in the research subject I would be interested in. By following his advice, I was able to start working with one of my professors, with whom I am still working today. Therefore, I would also recommend my classmates to talk to their academic advisor or any other professor about their interest in conducting research. I would also recommend they learn about the research areas our faculty members are involved in. This will help them identify the professors they would like to work with or the labs they would like to join. I have also realized that we can also learn a lot from the other graduate students already being involved in research. Therefore, they shouldn’t hesitate to ask questions to both students and professors, so that they have a better idea of what research is and have the opportunity to test whether or not it is something they would like to pursue.

When you think about civil engineering or your future profession, what do you feel most passionate about and why?

When I think about civil engineering, what I feel most passionate about is being able to learn and understand how to design structures that would possibly be subject to seismic activities. I have witnessed the damage that can be caused by earthquakes. I believe that it is harder to lose people when we know that we could have possibly been able to protect them. Therefore, I want to be able to protect lives through my work and I want to be part of the progress we are making in this field.

March is International Women's Month, what is it like being a woman in the field of Civil Engineering? What advice would you give future women engineers?

Being a woman in the field of Civil Engineering, I feel grateful for being able to do what I love without constraints. I am grateful for the people who fought before so that I could today make my own choice and not be limited to what was dictated depending on gender. I would advise future women engineers to always try to surpass themselves and be the best engineers they possibly can be. Not because they are women, but because they are engineers and as such, they are able to do great things, protect lives, change lives, and build a more prosperous future. I would also advise them to share their love for civil engineering and be examples to little girls and boys who might later become engineers themselves.

What are some of your favorite spring activities?

Spring is my favorite season. I like seeing the trees blossom and the leaves reappear on the trees. I especially love seeing the cherry blossoms and hearing the birds singing more in the morning. I also love sitting outside during the spring, working or reading a book, and enjoying the nice weather.