Hieu Nguyen

Outstanding Graduate Hieu Nguyen says he’s drawn to civil engineering by how multifaceted it is “with different branches including structures, geotechnic, environmental, hydrology, transportation and so much more.”

He found great interest in structural engineering, “because I learned how quintessential physics concepts were applied to real-world practices, such as with designing bridges.”

Nguyen’s “aha!” moment came during a civil engineering materials class when he became fascinated by concepts of material deformation and constitutive relationships, which led him to take more courses about concrete design and chemistry.

He says President’s Professor Keith Hjelmstad and Associate Teaching Professor Efthalia Chatziefstratiou both in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment — part of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University — taught him the importance of understanding the theory behind concepts as a way to learn more deeply and retain knowledge.

“I also discovered my love for the software MATLAB by taking their civil engineering courses and completing my Barrett honors thesis under their direction,” Nguyen says of his work in Barrett, The Honors College at ASU.

As a structures intern for AECOM, a civil engineering consulting firm, he was able to assist in performing bridge inspections and gained insight into the steps taken to ensure the built environment is safe.

“Being constantly surrounded by the built environment, I see infrastructure from a different point of view,” Nguyen says. “When looking at the roads I drive on, the bridges I cross, and the water I drink, to name a few, I see the efforts and innovation of civil engineers working hard to ensure that the built environment functions safely.”

While at ASU, Nguyen served as assistant marketing director and later president of the student organization Fluent Fridays, which provides an opportunity for students interested in language learning to converse with other students. He also received the New American University – President’s Award Scholarship and was on the UGES dean’s list.

After finishing his undergraduate degree, Nguyen will pursue an MS in civil, environmental and sustainable engineering with a focus on structural and materials engineering as part of the Accelerated Master’s program at ASU.

“By serving as an undergraduate teaching assistant, I realized I enjoy teaching and explaining difficult engineering concepts to students,” Nguyen says.

Nguyen says his long-term career goals are to earn a doctorate in structural engineering and become a university professor.

Read about other exceptional graduates of the Fulton Schools’ spring 2025 class here.