You might not know Deryk Daquigan personally, but you may still have encountered his work just by driving or taking a shower.
An assistant engineer with CSG Consultants, Daquigan has worked on several underground utility projects around the Peninsula, such as designing water and sewer mains and doing pavementrehabilitation.
“Ninety percent of the work I design the public does not see,” he said. “That’s the humbling thing behind civil engineering. We are not in it for the fame or the fortune.”
Despite that humility, Daquigan recently was honored as one of 10 of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2008 New Faces of Civil Engineering. The program recognizes young engineers and their contributions to society.
“That acknowledgement put a smile to my face,” Daquigan said. “I’ve been working really hard for CSG and I just felt that all the hard work had paid off.”
Born and raised in San Francisco, the 25-year-old Daquigan obtained his bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental engineering from San Jose State University.
He had planned to stay in San Jose after graduation until his father unexpectedly passed away a year and a half ago. He then decided to move back to San Francisco to be closer to his family.
“I wanted to be a better big brother,” said Daquigan, who has two brothers, aged 16 and 19.
He plans to take the Professional Engineering Exam this month, which would qualify him to become a state-licensed civil engineer.
He is president of the ASCE San Francisco Section’s Younger Member Forum, where he sets up and coordinates social outreach and professional development workshops and events for engineers at local universities. He brings in professionals in the field to give students advice on how to find a job or an internship.
Daquigan is currently working with CSG on a multiuse pathway project in the Los Altos Hills.
“A lot of it is making sure the pavement doesn’t have potholes,” he said. “I like the fact that I’m doing things for the public.”
He said he does not regret moving back to San Francisco, where he enjoys martial arts and is learning to golf.
“I work hard and at the end ofthe day, I don’t have to cross a bridge,” he said. “And if my family needs me, I have access to them faster.”
Business
New project: Fremont Road pavement rehabilitation project
Last project: D Street stairway in Colma
Number of e-mails a day: 20
Number of voice mails a day: 3
Essential Web site: www.myspace.com, www.CSGwebsite.com
Gadgets: Cell phone, iPod
Education: Bachelor’s in civil and environmental engineering at San Jose State University
Last conference: ASCE Western Regional Younger Member Conference
First job: Working in a laundromat, washing and folding clothes
Career objective: To get my PE, to start my own firm or become a partner
Personal
Details: I love hip-hop music
Hometown: San Francisco
Sports/hobbies: Mixed martial arts, basketball, learning golf
Transportation: 1983 Datsun
Favorite restaurant: Anything sushi
Computer: Apple laptop is my personal computer, and I use a work PC
Vacation spot: I want to go back to Spain and to the Philippines
Role model: Leonardo da Vinci. He was a renaissance man, a jack of all trades. Hewas a master at everything he touched.
Reading: Count of Monte Cristo, the unabridged version
Worst fear: Failure
