FROM COMPANY MEMBER AINARA: Before I entered the SIMCO conference room,  I never believed that engineering could be a way to better people's lives and advocate for new ideas.  I was proven completely wrong as soon as I met Bob and Katie at SIMCO. The meeting began with a brief story on what their practice does, including sustainability, transportation and adjustments for NYC. Not only did I learn about the importance of maintaining structures, but I learned that there are always civil engineers working to make our society safer place. Bob explained to us what he does on his job and the training he went though. Katie clarified that the engineering field has become a vast growing career option for women.  She also said that Emily Roebling became a symbol for women everywhere because not only did she surpass labels in a man’s world, but she built a landmark is beautiful and makes citizens' lives better.

From Team Member Joshua Mora: Last week we went to NY Engineers, an organization that specializes in many kinds of engineering. Ranging from building brand new projects and renovating old ones, we learned a lot from our visit there. We gained knowledge not only about engineering, but about saving money during the process, and what goes into structuring a project. After speaking with a female engineer working there, we got another perspective of what it’s like to be in the profession; what it means to work hard and aspire to be something no matter how difficult. After all this, we definitely have some new ideas for how to build Emily Warren in our musical. 

Please visit our friends at NY Engineers: https://www.ny-engineers.com/​

Yesterday, several members of our company visited the offices of VHB in Manhattan.  We spoke at length with Erik Metzger, who not only works at VHB, but he is the Chair of the History and Heritage Committee for the Metropolitan Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).  He provided us with a powerpoint on the Bridge, including some fascinating statistics- there are over 14,000 MILES of wire used in the cables on the Bridge!  We got some great ideas for musical numbers in the show, such as one where men excavate earth in order to lay the foundation for the towers.  We look forward to two more meetings next week!  A huge thank you to Erik to inviting us to the VHB offices!

After being obsessed with Hamilton and his catapult to newfound fame, we set out to find a female New Yorker who has fallen off the public's radar.  We researched a number of women; all important and all of whom deserve their stories to be told.  We chose Emily because her story connects with so many issues we're dealing with today.  Emily was a woman making her way in the male-dominated profession of engineering.  Even in 2018, women are still struggling to make headway in STEM careers.  The story of the Brooklyn Bridge is not only one of women's rights, but of immigration, technological advancement, and city planning- all important topics in today's world of megacities.  We are now researching Emily's life and times in order to write a poignant, topical musical to bring her legacy back into the spotlight.