Alumni in Action
The Ultimate STEM Playlist Music Video Project Celebrates Love of Science By Micaela Myers Back in 2014, three best friends and University of Wyoming civil engineering undergraduates decided to enter a video contest promoting the field, starting a music video tradition that continues to this day. “We were always up for an adventure,” says Britton Hammit Johnson. “We were all a part of American Society of Civil Engineers. Sierra Johnson is an extremely talented musician. Katie Sitler is the most creative person I know and was in the marching band. I think I brought the energy and the video-editing experience.” The creative result of their efforts was a medley of popular songs with lyric changes and choreographed dance routines all over the Engineering Building. Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education David Mukai’s daughter joined them, representing the young women they want to help recruit to the field. Other engineering students participated, and members of the marching played backup. Songs and lyric changes included: “Thrift Shop”— “I’m gonna draw some plans, only got a straight edge in my pocket”; “Life is a Highway”—“I design highways, airports, bike lanes, railroads”; “All About That Bass”—“I ain’t no chem-e, but I know reactions that they will never see”; “Single Ladies”—“All the geotech”; “Party in the USA”—“Now put your hands up, we’re civil engineers, the best job in the world”; and “Stacy’s Mom”—“Engineers have got it going on; civil is great, it’s been around for so long.” They had so much fun creating the video their senior year that they never stopped. Together with a fourth friend and UW alumna, Lisa Johnson Mallon, they’ve continued to make music videos as they travel, visit one another and attend one another’s weddings. “We’ve danced through London, Dublin, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Lyon, Montpellier, Barcelona, Berlin, Munich, Dresden, Vienna and continued that with many other videos where we road tripped through Wyoming, did the manikin challenge all over Washington, D.C., rafted down a river
Katie Sitler and Sierra Johnson “hooding” Britton Hammit Johnson at her Ph.D. graduation.
in Montana on an air mattress, and took a tour bus up to Niagara Falls and Toronto,” Britton says. All three women have gone on to successful careers. Britton, originally from Prescott, Ariz., went on to earn her master’s degree and Ph.D. from UW. She works at KimleyHorn, a civil engineering consulting firm in Massachusetts, as a traffic engineer with a focus on data analytics, intelligent transport systems and traffic simulation modeling. Last year, Britton and her husband started the process for an endowment fund for UW engineering students. Sierra, originally from Laramie, went on to earn her master’s degree from University of Colorado Boulder and works at Corona Environmental Consulting in Colorado as a water process engineer, helping to optimize water treatment. Katie earned her master’s degree from Colorado State University and works at Golder, a civil/environmental engineering consultant firm in Colorado, in the mine waste group, with a focus on civil design of mine waste containment and heap leach facilities. They are contemplating a remake of their original video for its upcoming 10-year anniversary. Whether that happens or not, they will continue to stay friends, making music videos of their many adventures.
WATCH THE ORIGINAL VIDEO AT BIT.LY/ASCE-VIDEO Spring/Summer 2022 • 15
