In the summer of 2011 I interned at the National Capital Planning Commission, which is the federal urban planning agency for the National Capital Region. The NCPC is planning on redeveloping the 10th Street Corridor from the National Mall to the Waterfront into an "EcoDistrict", and I was able to take part in the planning process. I made energy models of the federal buildings in the area and used the data to make an online web application/game to educate and inform citizens about reducing energy usage and maximizing efficiency in buildings. I also helped research governance and finance structures that would potentially maintain the EcoDistrict.

In the future, I'd like to pursue a career in environmental and strategic planning or urban design. While at the NCPC I was able to learn how the public sector initiates the redevelopment process and see all the steps that go into city planning. I learned to look at the District with a planner's eye and how to anticipate changes in transportation, technology and open spaces over time. It was a great experience and I learned a lot of valuable skills that I will be able to use in the future.