RLG has amazing employees in its ranks: from industry influencers, travelers, marathon runners, animal lovers, and community leaders. The Employee Spotlight highlights the talented individuals who work here. Each week, we’ll be featuring an interview here on the blog and on our social accounts.
For this week’s Employee Spotlight, we spoke with Tiffany Tang. Here at RLG, Tiffany is an Engineer on the Structural Team.
My parents immigrated to America to attend college. My mom is originally from Malaysia and my dad is from Vietnam. As for me, I was born in Plano, TX and I currently live in Allen. I graduated from UT Austin and got my bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering. Even though I’ve spent most my life in Texas, I love to travel. I am extremely lucky that I have had the opportunity to go to so many places around the world with my family growing up. When I was eight, I went to Malaysia and saw all the places where my mom grew up. It was such an amazing trip and one I’ll never forget. I’ve also been to almost all of the States (including Alaska!), as well as Australia, Italy, and Paris. Of course, there are still so many places that I want to go, and when Covid is over I hope to get back to traveling. On top of my list is Japan. In my free time, I love doing DIY projects, painting, and watching movies. On most weekends I like to spend time with my family and catch up with friends.
How long have you been at RLG?
A little over a year. I started the summer after I graduated from UT.
How did you hear about RLG? Why did you want to work here?
I was looking on my campus’s engineering job board page for architectural engineering firms in the Dallas area. When I looked at RLG’s website and saw that their projects included a large variety of different types of buildings, I saw it as an opportunity for me to learn about the structure of many types of buildings and would be a good fit for me.
What is the most challenging project you've worked on during your time here so far?
Currently, I am working on the SMU Cox Business School and it is probably the most challenging project I have had to date. It uses a pan joist floor system which I have never designed before, and it has a lot of special requirements. Since we are working with the existing structure and designing around it, we have had to make accommodations to make the pan spacing work. There are also beams spanning over 30 feet, and to meet deflection requirements, the beams can get pretty deep. The entire project is very interesting and there are a lot of moving pieces in it, but when it’s done, I think it’ll be very impressive.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned at RLG?
Not to be afraid to ask questions and to stay organized. It’s important to understand the work you are doing in order to do it right and improve as an engineer. I also learned the importance of keeping calculations organized, there are so many times when I’ve had to refer to things I did months ago and I had to know exactly how I designed something and what numbers I used.
What’s your favorite thing about working in your Department here?.
The people are very friendly and laid back. They make the workday fun and it helps to take the stress out of projects sometimes. It’s very easy to bury yourself in work as an engineer but when everyone around you is also in the same boat, it makes going through it better!
What's the first thing that you do when you start working every day?
Make myself a cup of tea! Most of the time it’s just a cup of black or green tea. I like it simple, so I don’t add anything to it besides hot water.
What’s your workspace like? Minimalist? Homey? Neat?
I try to keep it as organized as it can be. It varies on how busy I am, to be honest. Right now, I have papers in piles and lots of folders and notebooks in stacks according to how often I refer to them. I also love having natural daylight while I work as much as possible.
Do you have a go-to sound or song that you listen to when you need to just start working?
I really love listening to folk music in the morning. It’s very calming to me. Spotify makes great folk music playlists so sometimes I’ll find something from there. The latest one I’ve been loving is called “Folk Arc”.
If RLG announced a last-minute day off for tomorrow, what would you do with your suddenly free day?
Definitely sleep in! After that I would probably just have an easy day. I might go for a run and then catch up on my Netflix queue after that.
What would you do if you weren’t working at RLG?
If I wasn’t picking another engineering adjacent job and had to pick something completely different, I would probably choose something artistic. I love painting and sketching. It’s how I balance out all the math and science that is engineering and de-stress. I think it would be fun to do some freelance artwork.
About RLG Consulting Engineers
Founded in 1953 by Raymond L. Goodson, Jr., RLG Consulting Engineers specializes in civil, structural, surveying and forensic engineering. For more than 65 years, RLG has been recognized as one of the top engineering firms in Texas for their ability to attract and retain a talented, experienced team. Known for thorough and meticulous work, RLG has designed major projects in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and throughout the country. The staff of more than 80 employees, includes professional engineers holding licenses in 47 states, graduate engineers and registered professional land surveyors.