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The benefits of civil engineering are everywhere: safe roads, well-timed traffic systems, impressive bridges and clean soil and water. Many engineers are drawn to the field because they want to be a part of these projects and make a positive impact on their communities.
But engineering can be daunting, and inspiring students to pursue it and talented engineers to stay in it even more so.
Dr Errol Noel, PE, FASCE, is chair of the department of civil engineering at Howard University (Washington, DC). The problem as he sees it is that the majority of American students, not just minorities, think technical courses are too difficult.
Noel reviews college applications from all over the world. “We have students applying from high schools in London, Nigeria and Trinidad,” he says. “Too many American students believe math is too hard, physics is too hard. They don’t think of these courses as just another class, like literature.”
Encouragement, he says, must start in kindergarten. Until that happens he does not expect the number of minority engineering students to increase.
“All employers are feeling the pressure to hire minorities, which means there are a lot of opportunities,” says Noel. “But they have difficulty finding candidates.”
Noel applauds work done by organizations like the American Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE, www.asce.org). Almost a decade ago ASCE put together formal committees to address the underrepresentation of minorities and women in the civil engineering workforce. That work is currently done by the organization’s Committee on Diversity and Women in Civil Engineering (CDWCE, www.asce.org/professional/diversity).
“In 2000 ASCE commissioned the CDWCE to provide the society with leadership in matters of diversity within the civil engineering com-munity. The CDWCE has directed a number of initiatives to keep members abreast of trends, develop programs and solutions to improve diversity relations, and actively promote inclusiveness within the society and the profession,” says Lisa J. Jennings, senior manager of diversity and pre-college outreach at ASCE. “We think the CDWCE has created a unique venue to bring together leaders in the field.”
Supporting new CE grads
The challenge of maintaining an engineering workforce doesn’t end with getting students through school. It also involves keeping engineers in the profession. Jeffrey Dingle is an SVP of business development with Delon Hampton & Associates (Washington, DC), a minority-controlled consulting firm. Dingle is frustrated by the low number of minorities in engineering. “We’re continuing to go through this generation after generation,” he says.
He believes that relationships must be forged between younger engineers and supervisors. He recently began working with ASCE on the CDWCE and hopes to help close the gap. “We tell young professionals entering the profession to be aggressive about conveying their interests within the corporation and outside of it. We as supervisors can do better and be more supportive. If we reach out to engineers, they need to be able to trust us and be honest with us.”
The road to working in the civil engineering profession is not always a straight line. Some enter the workforce as industrial engineers or even from environmental health. It’s important for students looking for their first jobs to keep options open and consider unexpected opportunities, as many of the engineers highlighted in this article have done.
Parsons’ Kingston Chirwa designs transportation infrastructure
Kingston Chirwa grew up in Africa, but he considers himself an African American. Chirwa works for Parsons Corp (Pasadena, CA), an engineering and construction management firm with offices worldwide. His projects involve transportation infrastructure design with an emphasis on safety.
Chirwa earned his undergraduate degree in civil engineering in Zambia in 1989 and his MSCE from the Pennsylvania State University in 2002. Since then he’s attended Iowa State University (Ames, IA) and Montana State University (Bozeman, MT) as he studies for a PhD in CE with an emphasis on transportation.
He now works as a highway design engineer in Parsons’ transportation group while he continues his PhD studies at the University of Southern California (USC, Los Angeles, CA).
“I started my PhD studies at Iowa, then transferred to Montana because of its research in intelligent transportation systems, or ITS,” he explains. “Then I wanted to take advantage of the transportation safety research opportunities at USC.”
Along the way Chirwa learned and studied with students of many backgrounds. “Penn State is on the East Coast, so there was a sizable population of African Americans in technical fields. But Iowa and Montana didn’t have a lot,” says Chirwa. “USC’s engineering department realizes it doesn’t have a lot of minorities, but is working hard to improve on that. It started the Center for Engineering Diversity, which encourages academic and professional excellence among underrepresented engineers.”
Chirwa receives professional support at Parsons. He has a mentor assigned to him under Parsons’ college recruiting and diversity program, which ensures that new employees make a smooth transition into the workplace.
He hopes to have the opportunity to offer career assistance to other minorities one day. Chirwa has some advice right now for those on the cusp of graduation. “There is strength in diversity,” he says. “Look around where you’ll be working and ask if there are diversity programs in place and if there is growth for minorities. And don’t forget that the sky’s the limit.”
Yaye-Mah Boye: transportation at DMJM Harris
Civil engineer Yaye-Mah Boye understands that as a woman and a native of Senegal she’s a real minority. She came to the U.S. at nineteen for a modern engineering education. “My personal experience has been about being different, but being different in a good way,” says Boye. “I never felt uncomfortable at work. People welcome the difference.”
Boye earned her bachelors degree from Polytechnic University (Brooklyn, NY) in 2005. But she started working full time in 2001 at the New York City offices of DMJM Harris (Los Angeles, CA), going to school full time and working full time for four years. DMJM Harris is the transportation flagship company of AECOM Technology Corp (Los Angeles, CA and New York, NY).
Boye enjoys the diversity others bring to their jobs and, because DMJM Harris handles large, multidisciplinary projects, she often works with structural, mechanical and electrical engineers. In addition to her role on a functional project team, she has client and regulatory expectations to consider. “People may not think there’s a social component to engineering, but effective communication is crucial. You can’t work in a vacuum,” Boye says.
There are in fact many aspects of an engineer’s work that can’t be taught in a classroom. That’s why Boye encourages those who are still in school to take on an internship. Her work at DMJM Harris developed both her design and interpersonal skills, she notes. “The hands-on experiences complemented the theory I was learning, and I could see how things tied together.”
Boye believes she’s fortunate to be with a company that teams her with professionals who are willing to help her learn the ropes. “The support is all around and everyone wants to help you,” she says.
She reminds students that education doesn’t stop at graduation. “I’m able to do things now that I couldn’t do before.” She sees that clearly when she’s assisting an entry-level engineer.
One project that recently put her skills to the test involved the reconstruction and widening of a highway. With limited right-of-way and several rock outcrops, there were plenty of challenges. “It was a complicated process, but projects like this are what led me to civil engineering. I feel privileged to work in this field.”
Dennis English of Caltrans solves environmental problems
Dennis English knows there are many ways to approach a career in engineering. He initially earned a bachelors degree in environmental toxicology from the University of California-Davis in 1988 and became a registered environmental health specialist. He worked on projects that measured air toxicology and exposures, and realized that in addition to assessing problems he wanted to fix them, particularly in minority or low-income residential areas.
He also knew that in order to design and remediate these areas, he needed to pursue engineering. He went back to school and completed enough engineering courses to take and pass the engineer in training exam in 2006.
English began his engineering career with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans, Sacramento, CA) in its Oakland District 4 office during the fall of 2006. As a transportation engineer he does statistical analysis of impacted areas and determines the probability of toxic contamination given the number of samples and the concentrations detected. With so many construction projects underway, the opportunities for English are numerous.
He enjoys working for a government agency. And there’s always added excitement when the state’s governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, visits one of Caltrans’ projects. Most important, however, is English’s sense of satisfaction.
“I am helping to solve problems,” he says. “There are so many freeways that have arisen from the growth and development in California. As a result, automobiles have left residues and there have been industrial and other kinds of dumping along highways. In the past no one in minority neighborhoods would complain. Things have changed, but these problems still need to be fixed.”
He also uses his background in engineering as a participant in environmental justice programs. “I’ve worked on projects with community groups,” explains English. “With environmental justice, it’s about not harming populations or groups that have historically been harmed. I like knowing that ultimately the public will benefit by what we do.”
English has this to offer to prospective engineers: “You have to keep a positive attitude. Just know that you’ll likely start at the bottom and will have to work your way up. Once you prove yourself, though, you’ll be given more and more responsibility.”
Jimi Mitchell: a lot of responsibility at HNTB
Jimi Mitchell hit the ground running when he started working at the Miami office of HNTB (Kansas City, MO). His fast-paced approach likely stems from his involvement in soccer. His soccer skills earned him a partial scholarship at Florida International University (Miami, FL), but when an injury ended his college sports career he put his extra energy toward his academics. He considers his graduation in 2005 to be his personal best.
Mitchell appreciates the trust and respect he’s always received at HNTB. “The first week I was down in the middle of Miami performing traffic counts,” he says. “I did have to learn quickly, but my supervisors have always made sure I’m comfortable with my tasks and responsibilities. They also offer me direction.”
The jobs Mitchell had during school have helped him with his career. One of the best was working for a general contractor. It wasn’t an official engineering internship, but he learned important lessons about project management, site maintenance, material acquisition and the need to document everything.
“I’ve always enjoyed problem solving,” says Mitchell. “And I like working in large groups, getting things done, and talking to subcontractors all over the country. At HNTB, when the project manager is out of town, I have to step up, handle everything and answer everyone’s questions.”
Mitchell is the only African American engineer in his department. He doesn’t believe his race has an impact on his role, but he would like to see others like himself. He understands that choosing a career with so few minorities can be intimidating.
For those getting ready to start their job search, Mitchell has these suggestions: “Make sure your resume is well prepared and take the time to think about your own needs. Look for a position with a company that will encourage you and allow you to grow. Once hired you’ll spend a lot of time working, so it’s important that you’re happy.”
When it comes to performance Mitchell says, “You’re in charge of your destiny. You get out what you put into something. If you put more into your company, you’ll see rewards.”
Natasha De Los Rios works in ocean engineering
Natasha De Los Rios is a structural and marine engineer at the headquarters of Parsons Brinckeroff (New York, NY). Before she became an engineer she was an air traffic controller in Trinidad. She followed her family to the United States and began taking classes at Florida Atlantic University (FAU, Boca Raton, FL). Initially she was planning to major in electrical engineering, but after she saw an exhibit of other engineering disciplines at school she immediately switched her major to ocean engineering.
“It was the most comprehensive and intensive engineering program, but I had a lot of fun doing it,” says De Los Rios. Her curriculum was broader than most and included electrical classes, structures, oceanography, lessons in cathodic protection, working with mini-submarines, even swimming. De Los Rios continued at FAU and earned her masters degree in 2002. Now she is enjoying her time as a newlywed, and with only a few classes to complete she is on hiatus from her PhD studies at Columbia University (New York, NY).
Her favorite projects include fluid dynamics and numerical modeling. Most of her current work involves design of marine structures, but she has also worked on due diligence projects for marine container ports. That required her to be part detective and part lawyer, which she found interesting. The diversity of these projects taps all the skills she learned in her civil engineering classes.
She doesn’t believe that her race has had much influence on her career, but acknowledges it may have opened doors to scholarships. “Certain scholarships aim for a certain number of minorities, so being a black woman may have helped me out. These scholarships might offer an initial push, but it’s still up to the individual to show what he or she is capable of.”
Mohamed Ali is a KDOT traffic engineer
Mohamed Ali grew up knowing that he wanted to be an engineer. He just wasn’t sure what kind. Ali always enjoyed math, physics and chemistry, and he earned his degree in industrial engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2002. But he’s now realized that his true passion is civil engineering.
“As engineers we all have something in common,” says Ali. “Once you have the proper foundation, you just need the right training.”
Ali is getting his training with the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT, Topeka, KS) as a traffic engineer. Most of his job responsibilities include traffic studies, road safety audits and a variety of other traffic engineering projects.
Like many engineers Ali encourages others to take advantage of what their employers have to offer. He’s planning on earning his masters degree in civil engineering with help from KDOT’s tuition assistance program.
“It’s always good to look for opportunities in new areas, especially when the job market is unpredictable,” says Ali. “I’m very happy where I’m at now.”
Kirin Smith: civil site design at DHA
Kirin Smith graduated from Howard University (Washington, DC) in 2004 with a bachelors in civil engineering. She now works at Delon Hampton & Associates (DHA), a minority-controlled consulting firm that’s headquartered in DC.
Her work environment is different from most engineers, she says. “There are people here from Asia, east Africa and the Middle East. It’s a real melting pot,” says Smith. “And the senior staff is mostly African American.” It’s what first attracted her to the company.
Even so, she often finds herself the only female and the only person of color at meetings and project sites. “I’ve had to learn to handle myself in uncomfortable situations. People aren’t always comfortable working with women or African Americans. I often have to educate them on the value I bring to the project.”
Smith works mostly on civil site design and is responsible for utilities, drainage, grading and roadways for public and private projects. Most of the major decisions on big projects, like where they’ll be sited, she says, are made by development owners, legislatures and municipal agencies. Eventually she would like to be a part of the decision-making process.
She recommends that up-and-coming graduates find multiple mentors, because no one person will be able to offer advice in all areas. One mentor may have a great management style, while another may have technical strengths.
Jeffrey Dingle agrees with the importance of good mentoring. He says mentoring has evolved over time. What was once a “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” mentality is changing. “We need mentoring to keep engineers on track. But we may need to change tactics for new generations.”
Smith advises graduates to look for experience over money. “Don’t dismiss opportunities that might not be glamorous or pay the highest salaries. Pay more attention to the experience you’ll get. If you choose to go elsewhere, it’s your experience that will make you marketable.”
Corey Alfriend is a project control engineer with Washington Group
“Growing up I played with Lego blocks and took things apart to see how they worked, and since high school I’ve been interested in math,” offers Corey Alfriend. “As I got older my interests became more defined, and I realized that civil engineering was where my interests were. CE touches all other engineering disciplines in some way.”
His love of blocks and building have paid off. Alfriend obtained his degree in civil engineering from Temple University (Philadelphia, PA) in 2001. He interned with Pennoni Assoc in Philadelphia, doing field work on large construction sites along with lab testing. After graduation he took a job as a project control engineer for KlingStubbins, an architectural firm with an office in Philadelphia.
“It’s better to first work in the field. It gives you the advantage of knowing what contractors want and need, because things on paper don’t necessarily work out in the field and you have to improvise,” Alfriend says.
Now Alfriend is with Washington Group International (Boise, ID) as a project control engineer. He is responsible for project cost and scheduling during the engineering design phase.
Transitioning from the field to an office was a bit difficult, Alfriend admits. He hopes that some day he’ll be able to work on more projects away from his desk. But working in both positions has given him insight that benefits any project he’s assigned to.
The influence of his African American identity on his work is subtle and not always positive, he admits. But “There’s no real difference,” he says. “The opportunities are there as long as you want them. It’s more about you as an individual and what your goals are.”
Alfriend suggests that students intern during college. “Not only does interning offer a valuable experience, it makes looking for a full-time job much easier. Employers look for experience. And even if it’s a short internship, only six months, it will allow you to market yourself better.”
He strongly encourages those new to the workforce to take advantage of everything their company has to offer, like in-house classes and tuition reimbursement. “Knowledge is power,” Alfriend says. “It will make you a better professional and a better individual.”
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