Meet the 2021 Sasaki Summer Interns
Sasaki has run a summer internship program annually for several decades, with the goal of providing meaningful experiences for students and recent-graduates interested in interdisciplinary design. While this year’s internship will look a little different, with interns participating remotely for the first time ever, the emphasis on collaborative learning and working remains central.
Traditionally, Sasaki welcomes its intern class to Boston for an in-person, 10-week-long summer program, which opens with a two-week design charrette that asks interns to work together across disciplines to tackle a local project for a real-world client—as they did in 2019 and 2018. With Sasaki’s 300 employees still working remotely as the practice prepares for the opening of the new Boston headquarters at 110 Chauncy Street in Boston, interns are also remote this summer. One of the benefits of having a remote program, is it allows greater participation from candidates from diverse geographies. This year’s diverse and talented intern class hails from all across the world, from Marietta, Georgia; Beirut, Lebanon; Mianyang, China; among other locales.
“All of us at Sasaki are thrilled to welcome back summer interns as normalcy starts to return in 2021!” says Sasaki associate principal Laura Marett, ASLA, who has helped to drive the program for many years. “We always look forward to the fresh ideas and contagious energy interns bring to our teams. Though mediated through Zoom this year, that infusion of creativity is already meaningfully felt, and their presence on our teams reinforces a sense of renewal this summer as we emerge from the worst of the pandemic.”
Well-equipped with online experience over the past year’s shift to remote learning, the 2021 Sasaki intern class is excited to connect with Sasakians and support their teams on impactful real-world projects. Though this summer is different from all others, the spirit of learning and collaboration is just as alive as the internship kicks off.
Meet Sasaki’s 2021 Summer Interns below!
Taylor Tidwell
Strategies
Hometown
Denver, CO
Education
ATLAS Institute CU Boulder, Master of Creative Technologies and Design
Where in the world would you most like to visit?
I would like to do a skin in – ski out yurt trip in BC. I like to earn my turns.
If your life had a soundtrack, what would the playlist be titled?
“My Burning Hand” (fight club) – Mostly opera music
Sydney Bittinger
Landscape Architecture
Hometown
Marietta, GA
Education
University of Tennessee Knoxville, BA and Master of Landscape Architecture
Where in the world would you most like to visit?
Sydney, Australia. Sydney visiting Sydney is too punny for me to pass up.
If your life had a soundtrack, what would the playlist be titled?
“Hip to be Square” by Huey Lewis and the News, helps me embrace my nerdiness.
Xue Bai
Landscape Architecture
Hometown
Hangzhou, China
Education
Harvard GSD, Master of Landscape Architecture, Master in Design Studies
Where in the world would you most like to visit?
Deep sea, pure.
If your life had a soundtrack, what would the playlist be titled?
“Daydream Catcher”
Anna Parnigoni
Planning
Hometown
Cincinnati, OH
Education
University of Cincinnati, Master of Community Planning, Graduate Certificate in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Where in the world would you most like to visit?
Milwaukee, WI – home of the oldest bowling alley in the US.
If your life had a soundtrack, what would the playlist be titled?
The Lord of the Rings soundtrack.
Nick Shlosman
Marketing and Communications
Hometown
Brookline, MA
Education
University of Massachusetts Amherst, MS Business Analytics 2021, BA Advertising Communications, IT Minor
Where in the world would you most like to visit?
Ibiza, Spain for its beaches and music festivals.
If your life had a soundtrack, what would the playlist be titled?
“Everything in moderation, including moderation”
Yuxiao Liao
Landscape Architecture
Hometown
Mianyang, China
Education
RISD, Master of Landscape Architecture 2022
Where in the world would you most like to visit?
Morocco, it has been on my list for a long time!
If your life had a soundtrack, what would the playlist be titled?
“Thunderstorm”
Joshua Kuh
Architecture
Hometown
Cambridge, MA
Education
University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, BS Architecture
Where in the world would you most like to visit?
I would most like to visit Patagonia for some incredible hiking!
If your life had a soundtrack, what would the playlist be titled?
“Road Trip!!” would have to be a fitting name. I’ve moved many times in my life, always with a memorable drive including from Seattle to Boston and many times the 12 hours drive between Boston and Michigan for school.
Alyvia Schaad
Civil Engineering
Hometown
Durham, NC
Education
Duke University, BS Civil Engineering
Where in the world would you most like to visit?
I am obsessed with sunsets, so I would like to travel around the world to find the most beautiful one. Some top contenders according to Tripadvisor for best sunsets in the world are The Serengeti, Tanzania, Key West, Florida, Grundarfjordur, Iceland, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Â
If your life had a soundtrack, what would the playlist be titled?
“When in doubt, dance it out”
Angie Tran
Interior Design
Hometown
Annapolis, Maryland
Education
SCAD, BFA Interior Design, Minor in Sustainable Design
University of Architecture Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, BFA Interior Design
Where in the world would you most like to visit?
Bhutan. It is the leading green destination, the first country in the world with specific constitutional obligations on its people to protect the environment. It is also the happiest country with its unique culture and religion.
If your life had a soundtrack, what would the playlist be titled?
Maybe “It’s ok.” In the last ten years, I’ve been moving and changing a lot. From Vietnam to the US, and Maryland, Texas, California, Savannah, and now I’m here in Boston. But in everything I’ve been through, good or bad, I always believe that everything will be ok somehow; we will learn from it to grow and move on.
Alia Bader
Urban Design
Hometown
Beirut, Lebanon
Education
American University of Beirut, Bachelor of Architecture
Harvard GSD, Master of Architecture in Urban Design
Where in the world would you most like to visit?
Chile for its 4,000 mile coastline.
If your life had a soundtrack, what would the playlist be titled?
“Arabian Nights”