Jonathan Lamontagne

1. What inspired you to pursue Engineering?

I worked as a construction laborer during the summers while in college, where I was able to see Civil Engineers in action. I was really interested in their work and decided to pursue it in school.

2. Why did you originally choose Cornell’s CEE program?

The type of research that goes on in our department, particularly in the EWRS group aligned well with my interests in undergrad.  Also, Cornell's doctoral requirements allows you to take courses in many different departments and develop a broad knowledge base.

3. What are some of your extra-curricular activities?

I enjoy the outdoors, so living in Ithaca is great.  When I have free time, I like to mountain bike, hike, ski, snowshoe, and jog depending on the season. It's also been fun to become acquainted with the local wine culture in central New York, and I enjoy visiting the different vineyards in the area.

4. What specific research projects are you currently working on?

I have two primary areas of ongoing research.  The first could broadly be described as flood frequency analysis, in which we try to improve techniques used to estimate flood risk.  The second is hydropower operations optimization, which involves designing algorithms to optimally use finite water resources to generate electricity in the face of uncertain weather and energy prices.

5. What’s your favorite part about the CEE major?

My favorite part of the CEE major is the ability to design your own PhD to a large extent.  The student is able to pick his/her minors and can often negotiate which classes they'd like take.  I also like that our research is generally very applicable to real-life problems.