Alumna Emily Byl restores Indiana landmarks and mentors current students

Lyles School of Civil Engineering alumna Emily Byl has two passions: restoring landmarks of the past and guiding civil engineers of the future.

Byl (BSCE ’14, MSCE ’16) is a Professional Engineer at ARSEE Engineers Inc. in Fishers, Indiana, where she has been involved in several restoration projects. Most recently, she helped restore the terra cotta façade at a former Coca-Cola Bottling Plant in northeast Indianapolis now known as the Bottleworks District. Byl also had the pleasure of working on four of Indiana’s historic county courthouses so far, and she enjoys working at universities throughout the state such as Indiana State, Butler and IUPUI.

“What first attracted me to civil engineering was my interest in historic buildings,” Byl said. “Historic buildings are the heart of their communities. These buildings represent where we come from. Not only is it more sustainable to restore an existing building, it’s also exciting to bring life back to that part of the community.”

In addition to her interest in restoration, Byl said she had always enjoyed math and science and, upon enrolling at Purdue, she was fairly confident civil engineering was what she wanted to pursue. However, it was not until she took part in the Civil Engineering Cooperative Education Program (co-op) — where she worked for ARSEE — that she felt truly confident with her decision.

“Both the program and the company helped me gain a greater understanding of what I could do with my Purdue degree,” she said. “Choosing to do co-op was the best decision of my college experience. Co-op furthered my understanding of what I learned in class and taught me how it related to my future career.”

Byl also noted her Maymester abroad in New Zealand for Professor Ayhan Irfanoglu’s earthquake engineering course in 2014 was an eye-opening experience following the Christchurch earthquakes in 2010-2011. Learning about rebuilding a city devastated by earthquakes served to strengthen her desire to become a civil engineer who restores buildings and communities.

After earning her bachelor’s degree, Byl would go on to pursue her master’s at Purdue and was advised by Robert Frosch, senior associate dean of engineering for facilities and operations and professor of civil engineering. Graduate coursework and work as a research assistant expanded her understanding of civil engineering and allowed her to gain the knowledge she needed to succeed in her chosen career path.

Now, as a professional engineer, Byl often finds herself on campus to serve as a mentor to civil engineering students. In addition to serving on the CE Professional Practice Advisory Board, she is also a regular speaker in the Contemporary Issues in Civil Engineering course and an active supporter of Purdue’s chapter of Chi Epsilon, the civil engineering honor society.

“I love coming back to campus and meeting with students,” Byl said. “It’s great to let them know what options and possibilities are out there for them. I want the students to take advantage of the many opportunities awaiting them as Purdue civil engineering graduates.”