Spreading Enthusiasm and Sharing Expertise: How Alumna Jessica Baker Opens Doors
Jessica is a project manager in the Water Resources department at Halff Associates, Inc. in Richardson, Texas. She oversees many ongoing projects and works closely with other engineers, GIS professionals, and various technicians.
Jessica Baker, BSCE 2004, isn’t afraid to ask questions or get involved. She is driven to go the extra mile, which is a mindset that has led her to a successful career just a few years after graduating.
Like many of our students, Jessica knew that she wanted to go to the University of Texas at Austin at an early age. She enjoyed math and science in school, excelling in both subjects. It was not until the end of high school that she learned what being a civil engineer actually entails. Jessica’s interest was piqued even further by the fact that her esteemed aunt is an electrical engineer who also graduated from UT.
As a high school senior, Jessica was invited to job shadow at Halff Associates in Dallas with her friend’s sister, a civil engineering graduate from Tulane University and her role model. The visit to Halff and the reputation of our program convinced her to apply to the CAEE Department.
Also active in several professional organizations, she finds volunteer work related to her field very rewarding.
She found it to be a perfect fit from the beginning. “I loved every minute of my four years at UT,” says Jessica. “I enjoyed going to football games and made friendships that will last a lifetime. And I learned how to work hard while still having a great time.”
Jessica is proud to admit that she earned a 4.0 GPA the first several semesters of school, earning her a spot in the Engineering Honors program. Outside of school, she served as president of her sorority for a year.
“CAEE provided me with a top notch education and I feel like it prepares students for a wide range of careers,” says Jessica. “I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to attend UT and the diploma is something that I will always be proud to hang in my office.”
After graduation, Jessica immediately embarked on a career that she thoroughly enjoys. She is a project manager in the water resources group at Halff Associates in Richardson, Texas, working on FEMA map modernization countywide restudies, municipal hydrology and hydraulics updates, and floodplain management studies. She oversees over 20 ongoing projects and works closely with other engineers, GIS professionals and various technicians.
During her time at the firm, she has been greatly involved in her role as a FEMA Region VI Contractor for the Map Modernization Project. Over the past five years, the team has worked on over 50 Texas counties by developing base maps and terrain data for almost 45,000 square miles of land area. They have mapped floodplains for over 30,000 miles of streams throughout the state and have created over 1,600 Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) panels. FEMA’s flood maps are one of the basic, essential tools for flood hazard mitigation in the U.S. By identifying flood hazards, these maps protect citizens’ lives, properties, and personal finances as well as minimize the flood risk for new development.
Jessica, a Certified Floodplain Manager, also serves as Water Resources Training Coordinator for Halff Associates. In this role, she is responsible for planning, coordinating, and managing all aspects of water resources related training courses that are offered internally to firm employees as well as their external training program, which attracts hundreds of professionals from around the state.
Jessica works with a team on FEMA map modernization countywide restudies, municipal hydrology and hydraulics updates, and floodplain management studies.
Outside of work, Jessica is considerably involved with the Texas Society of Professional Engineers (TSPE). She is the TSPE Dallas Chapter Vice President and served as MATHCOUNTS Chapter Coordinator for the organization. In 2008, she was recognized as the TSPE Young Engineer of the Year for the Dallas Chapter and then for the entire state of Texas. Jessica also serves as the Secretary on the Board of Directors for the Texas Floodplain Management Association (TFMA).
Jessica maintains that hard work and taking ownership of every task have helped her accomplish a great deal in the workplace and beyond. She feels that asking questions early on to make sure that you get the job done right is the key to completing a successful project. She advises recent graduates not to fear asking questions. “You don’t know everything coming out of school,” she says. “This was probably the hardest thing for me – many feel 'stupid' asking their managers questions because they might look dumb. Take initiative and be proactive.”
She also recommends joining a professional society which can provide a career boost and broaden one’s network. She finds that volunteering within TSPE and TFMA has been rewarding and appreciates that Halff Associates is supportive of its engineers becoming involved in professional organizations.
“They will reap the benefit,” she says, “because it helps develop professionalism, leadership, and growth for its members.”