5th Anniversary Interview with Engineering Project Coordinator Neil Feldman

Congratulations to Neil Feldman, Engineering Project Coordinator at Thriven Design, on his 5th anniversary with the firm. His deep experience in mechanical engineering is invaluable among our residential and commercial project teams. Thank you for all you do to help us thrive!

In honor of this milestone, please enjoy an interview with Neil in which he shares an insightful look into his career journey:

What led you to engineering as a career? Did anything, or anyone, in particular inspire this decision?

Neil: Leaving high school, I really had no idea what interests to pursue as a career. So, based on high school sourced aptitude tests, I was to pursue a career in architecture. My mind changed quickly when I was accepted to Spring Garden College, Temple, and Penn State for their engineering programs. In 1978 I chose Penn State and took Mechanical Engineering Technology. I dropped out, sadly, but then enrolled at the American Institute for Drafting and Design. This is where I got a good feel for the mechanical-HVAC part of engineering. I finished the two-year course there, got a job at an engineering firm and continued at Penn State at night. I had good tutelage at this first job and stuck with it. The lead engineer would throw drafting powder bags at me if I made a silly mistake!

What advice would you give to aspiring engineers just beginning their careers? Are there any key principles or lessons learned that you believe are crucial for success in this field?

Neil: First take good notes and re-read your notes. What we do is solve problems, and we need to know what the problem is, then take the proper steps to solve it, and own – or “take pride” in – your work. The greatest lesson for me came out of an experience while at my first job. A structural engineer asked me a question, of which I did not know the answer. I gave him an uneducated guess. He pulled me to the side after this and said, “Never do that again. That is not engineering!” Basically, this taught me to do my homework, and that it is ok to say, “I don’t know,” and that you can’t just make anything up. Be thorough and take no shortcuts. Lastly, have fun.

How have you seen the technology of design programs evolve over time? Have the technological advances allowed for greater levels of productivity and efficiency? Any drawbacks?

Neil: Most definitely, before AutoCAD everything was hand drafted, which was an art form. Load calculations were done on long forms, and you had to refer to ASHRAE books for all your input data and transfer by hand. The advent of online calculation programs was a huge time saver. So, by being able to save time, in theory, you should be able to do more with increased efficiency. But the drawback is that answers are not instantaneous, and time still needs to be allotted. We, the engineer, still need to review input vs. output.