Ep 30 - Engineering Greatness with Héctor Montilla-Peña + Jocivan Cabrera

About this episode

Héctor Montilla-Peña and Jocivan Cabrera discuss their journeys into civil engineering and the impact of the American Concrete Institute on their careers.

In this episode, Héctor Montilla-Peña, EIT, CMIT, field engineer at Allan Myers, and Jocivan Cabrera, graduate engineer at Walter P Moore, join the conversation to share how they found their path into civil engineering and became active in the American Concrete Institute (ACI). Both guests reflect on discovering the field through early academic experiences and getting involved with ACI through student chapters—Héctor in Ecuador and Jocivan at the University of Central Florida. They discuss stepping into leadership roles and how ACI opened doors to friendships, faculty relationships, research opportunities, and professional networks that helped shape their careers. The discussion also explores their first ACI convention experiences and their involvement in committee work focused on supporting students and young professionals. Héctor and Jocivan reflect on key decisions during college and the early stages of their careers, including graduate school choices, internships, and evolving interests across design, structures, and construction management. They close by encouraging students and emerging professionals to seek opportunities, step outside their comfort zones, and take…

People in this episode

Guests: Héctor Montilla-Peña, Jocivan Cabrera

Topics covered

• civil engineering
• professional development
• student engagement
• leadership
• networking
• mentorship

Keywords

• civil engineering
• American Concrete Institute
• student chapters
• leadership roles
• networking
• mentorship
• internships
• graduate school

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: American Concrete Institute, Allan Myers, Walter P Moore

Places: Ecuador, University of Central Florida

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