Caroline Bessette
Name: Caroline Bessette
Hometown: Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec, Canada
Major: Geotechnical Engineering
Year: 3rd Year PhD Student
I grew up in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, a small French-speaking town in Québec, Canada. In Québec, almost all the electricity (close to 97%) comes from hydroelectricity due to its extensive freshwater resources. My father used to work for one of the world's largest hydroelectric facilities, the La Grande Complex in Northern Québec, where we visited him a few times yearly.
The hydroelectrical facilities, particularly dams, amazed me every time we saw them, even at a young age. I used to wonder, how do you derive that much power from water? I was particularly fascinated by the large scale of these facilities.
I later developed a desire to learn the technical aspects of the design of concrete or embankment dams, roads, bridges, and tall buildings.
The exposure to the benefits of renewable energy was also significant to me in highlighting the fundamentals of sustainable development.
Engineering - A Natural Fit
Given the significance of civil engineering in our society, pursuing a career in this field offered a unique opportunity to contribute to its development and help convert sustainable projects into reality. I also loved math and science in school and solving problems, so enrolling in a civil engineering program was a natural fit.
I completed my bachelor's degree in civil engineering with a major in geotechnical engineering in 2017 at Polytechnique Montréal in Québec, Canada. My motivation to pursue a career in geotechnical engineering relates to coursework specialization during my undergrad and professional experience.
Working In Industry
During the last year of my undergrad, I worked part-time as an intern in the geotechnical and environmental engineering departments at the SM Group in Canada. After completing my degree, I was offered a project managing position as an engineer-in-training at the same company. During these years, I had the opportunity to work on a high-profile project in Montréal - the construction of a major electrified transportation system, REM.
My firm oversaw the subsurface investigation part of the project. I found the geotechnical considerations involved in such a vast project compelling, and seeing the level of complexity involved, realized the challenges in this career are multifold. I aimed to pursue a meaningful and fulfilling career where I could creatively engage in problem-solving, which confirmed that geotechnical engineering was the right path for me.
This experience also awakened my interest in designing complex geotechnical systems that I have always found fascinating, such as embankment dams, tunnels, or deep foundations.
Research in this field offers plenty of opportunities to do high-impact work and directly contribute to natural hazards and disaster risk reduction.
Deciding to Pursue a Masters
Given that most civil engineering programs only include a few classes in geotechnical engineering, my decision to enroll in graduate studies was driven by my desire to broaden my knowledge of geotechnical concepts and acquire the necessary skills to pursue a career in design.
I initially enrolled in a course-based master's program at Polytechnique Montréal while working part-time at the SM group. At the time, I didn't think research would be a good fit for me.
However, as I navigated the graduate coursework and discovered how much I enjoyed research, I decided to change programs for a full-time thesis-based Master's.
Throughout my program, I developed a particular interest in geotechnical earthquake engineering, geomechanics, liquefaction, and numerical modeling. I was pleased to discover that, by being industry-oriented in its applications, research in this field offers plenty of opportunities to do high-impact work and directly contribute to natural hazards and disaster risk reduction.
To gain additional research experience in conjunction with my MS program, I got support from a funded research program (Mitacs Globalink) in Canada to conduct a research project abroad. I decided to go to the United States as it was a strategic location to gain experience in my area of research, given its high seismicity.
Choosing CU Boulder
CU Boulder is among those research centers where various studies and collaborative partnerships have focused on geotechnical earthquake engineering and produced ground-breaking research. The Center for Infrastructure, Energy and Space Testing (CIEST) laboratory on campus is one of the few research facilities equipped with research- and instructional-oriented geotechnical centrifuges.
The CIEST facility includes three geotechnical centrifuges, where the largest has a 5.5m radius and an impressive 400 g-ton capacity, one of the most powerful in the world.
The 400 g-ton centrifuge in the CIEST laboratory on campus.
My decision to come to CU Boulder was solidified by my interest in working on a project involving such unique equipment that allows a hands-on opportunity to conduct laboratory research and be trained to work with centrifuges, a rare feat amongst geotechnical engineers.
I was also primarily motivated by the opportunity to work with Professor Shideh Dashti, who is renowned for her expertise in soil liquefaction, centrifuge modeling, and soil-structure interaction.
In September 2019, I joined CU Boulder as part of Prof. Dashti's research group as a visiting research scholar for a four-month internship. During this experience, I was pleased to discover the breadth of research performed in her group and its practical applications. I also found that her research interests and working methodologies align closely with mine. This enriching experience furthered my desire to pursue research in this field.
This opportunity gave me the chance to get a direct glimpse into the life of a graduate student at CU Boulder, where I learned the importance of collaborative partnerships and identified well with these dynamics existing in the lab.
I also discovered all that Colorado offers, and it started to feel like a second home. I enjoyed Boulder, the campus, the people, the food, the sun, the proximity to the mountains for skiing or hiking, and the winters (which are much more tolerable than in Canada!).
At the end of my internship, I decided to apply to CU Boulder's PhD program in geotechnical engineering as part of Prof. Dashti's group, which I began in September 2020.
I will be starting my third year in the fall and plan on graduating in May 2024.
I knew that enrolling in a PhD program here would allow me to improve my research abilities and pursue my interests in geotechnical earthquake engineering to a much greater depth.
As a broader impact and with the support of these exceptional resources, I aspired to earn a sense of achievement in making meaningful scientific contributions to society. I hope my research helps support communities against natural disasters by allowing the design of sustainable and resilient infrastructures.