Meet Civil Engineer Nathan Hermer

Before he knew what civil engineering was, Nathan Hermer enjoyed building things with Legos and making elaborate tracks for his matchbox cars. As he grew older, so did his enthusiasm for design. He soon realized his pastime could become his profession. Over the years, Nathan’s passions have evolved in and out of the industry. Read on to learn more about his hobbies, how he recharges, and his favorite part of working at ISG!

What do you like most about working in the Civil Engineering industry?

There are so many different design aspects that go into developing a site and two projects are never the same. Whether it is a specific client-needs study or existing site conditions analysis, each project creates a new challenge. This makes coming to work exciting because each day is unique.

To get the creative juices flowing, Nathan leans on music.

Music is one thing I cannot work without. At times it can be distracting but when I need to get the creative juices flowing, I always throw on the headphones. I listen to a lot of genres, but I typically choose music that’s upbeat to improve my mood and become more relaxed. This helps me be more flexible and look at problems from multiple angles.

Nathan also leans on coworkers to collaborate and work through challenges.

The ability to walk down the hall to discuss a project with other discipline experts is my favorite part of working at ISG. The efficiency and collaboration that we have as a multi-disciplinary firm helps everyone gain knowledge about different project aspects outside their expertise. This allows ISG to better serve our clients and create spaces where all design elements work together as one.

When the workday is done, how do you recharge?

I have a 3- and 4-year-old, so there isn’t much time to recharge after work. I enjoy spending this time playing with them and they tend to wear me out. My time to recharge occurs before work. I typically get up at 5am, which gives me time to work out prior to coming into the office. This allows me to release stress and I am more energized to start my day.

Nathan also enjoys being outside and being active. What are your favorite hobbies or activities?

Growing up I played a lot of sports. During the winter I still play hockey. Last year I even built a rink in our backyard. I told my wife it was for the kids to skate on, but she knows me better than that. In the summer, I enjoy playing softball and golf with friends. My family and I enjoy going on walks and playing outside.

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