 A
mere six months after graduating with his degree in agricultural engineering,
Dennis Sullivan was already creating job opportunities for patent
attorneys. Sullivan designed a device that incorporated hydro-excavation
technology to create a safer method for locating buried utility cables
and pipes. Rather than applying mechanical methods such as a backhoe
or a loader, hydro-excavation tools utilize high-pressure water jets
and a vacuum to create a hole in the ground. Sullivan’s invention
guides bores with directional drilling equipment, avoiding contact
with the cables and pipes.
Since his graduation in May of 1999, Sullivan has worked as a Design
Engineer for Vermeer Manufacturing Company in Pella, Iowa. Sullivan’s
division at Vermeer specializes in horizontal drilling equipment.
Vermeer’s Navigator system enables underground digging without
the creation of trenches. As a design engineer, the Fullerton, Nebraska,
native experiences all aspects of product development. Sullivan
begins a project at the computer design station. As the project
advances, he tests prototypes in the company shop, demonstrates
the product to prospective buyers, and provides support to dealers
and customers. Sullivan enjoys his involvement in all phases of
development. “It is very exciting to see a machine that I
helped to design being used on job sites across the U.S.,”
he stated.
The diversity of Sullivan’s responsibilities leads to a highly
variable working environment. Sullivan devotes a little over half
of his time to deskwork. The other half he spends building and testing
prototypes in the company shop. As production deadlines approach,
his hours increase and the pressure becomes intense. According to
Sullivan, such stresses are typical to most engineering positions.
“I look at it as an opportunity to rise to the occasion,”
he stated.
When discussing his undergraduate experience, Sullivan credits
UNL’s Agricultural Engineering program with providing excellent
lab facilities, interaction with personable faculty, and “hands-on”
design projects. In one design project, Sullivan converted a truck
into a load device for usage at the Nebraska Tractor Test Facility.
In his senior design class, Sullivan assisted with the design of
a crane boom for the National Crane Corporation in Waverly, Nebraska.
Sullivan also expressed gratitude for UNL’s emphasis on report
writing, a skill he applies frequently.
In order to acquire additional experience, Sullivan’s college
years included internship or co-op positions with National Crane,
Case Corporation, and Lindsay Manufacturing. The internships enabled
Sullivan to experience the design, testing, and manufacture of several
projects. Sullivan also feels that the internships helped him to
better define his career interests.
For high school students considering a career in agricultural engineering,
Sullivan advises a pre-engineering curriculum, a wide array of computer
skills, and as much “hands-on” job experience as possible.
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