I pursued a degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Costa Rica. Then, in 2013, I joined SismoConsultores, a consultant company specializing in structural seismic design.
In the professional environment, my passion for the dynamics of structures grew, which led to my decision to seek postgraduate studies. To complete a Master in Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Seismology, I attended courses in two prestigious institutions: the University School for Advanced Studies IUSS, Italy, and the Middle East Technical University, Turkey.
Excited by the idea to continue my postgraduate journey in New Zealand, I enrolled in the PhD in Earthquake Engineering at the University of Canterbury (UC) in 2016. Soon after arriving, the Kaikōura Earthquake took place, which shaped my work and research for the following years. I joined a reconnaissance team inspecting the damaged bridges. Then, as a visiting researcher at the Politecnico di Torino, I learned a methodology to quantitatively assess structural resilience of those bridges.
In 2018, a national research programme was initiated to address serious concerns regarding the seismic performance of precast floors. I joined this research team to lead numerical modelling efforts in collaboration with the Eucentre Foundation in Italy.
In 2022, I joined RJC Engineers, an engineering firm specializing in structural engineering, restoration and building science. In my role as a Design Engineer, I have been able to apply my background on Earthquake Engineering to the seismic design of tall buildings in Vancouver, Canada.