Alissa Persad is a PhD student in the Civil Engineering department focusing on Structural Engineering. She received her Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering at Rutgers University followed by her Masters of Science in Civil Engineering at U.C Berkeley. She returned to Rutgers to pursue her PhD as part of National Science Foundation's Coastal Climate Risk and Resilience Fellowship. Her current research is focused on improving mechanical properties of concrete materials with Dr.Najm and Dr.Balaguru. Through her various internship and research, she has gained experience writing technical reports and presenting to various stakeholders. Alissa hopes to help students navigate research opportunities and improve on their presentation and public speaking skills.