What is your role and what does it involve?

I’m a senior engineer at Jensen Hunt Design. My role is to oversee projects, generally from stages two to five—basically from the initial concept design to the construction stage.

This means working closely with architects, consultants, clients, and other parties. A big part of my job is navigating a structural design while balancing the needs of different disciplines. For example, architects have their spatial tolerances, structures need to fit within certain zones, and interior designers want everything to look seamless.

So, it’s all about keeping all those perspectives in mind while delivering the best and most efficient structural solution possible.

Can you describe your career journey so far?

Yeah, sure. So, I graduated with a civil engineering degree, and during university, I did  a year in the industry at WSP in Hong Kong, where my family is from.

It was a great experience—kind of a mix of traveling, having fun, and getting real-world work experience. That year really solidified my interest in structural engineering.

After that, I went back to uni  for my master’s degree. During that time, I did summer placements at a firm called Peter Brett Associates PBA (Now Stantec). I did two summer internships with them, and after that, they offered me a graduate job.

So, in 2020, I joined Stantec as a graduate engineer, where I had a great opportunity to work on a variety of large-scale schemes like residential towers, schools and social housing. I then decided to turn my focus more into more architecturally led projects which was when I moved to Jensen Hunt Design. Since joining I’ve worked with some incredible individuals to help bring impressive buildings to life. 

What has been your biggest achievement so far in your career?

I’d say just getting to where I am now. Every day’s a school day, I’m learning and building on my career. No two days are the same, so it’s great to keep developing and improving as an engineer.

I don’t think there’s one specific project I’m most proud of—though I do have my favourites. But looking back at where I was before uni, it’s easy to forget how far I’ve come, and that in itself is a big achievement.

What advice would you give someone taking their first steps into the industry?

I’d say do internships or placements. That’s the best way to get a real feel for the industry and the profession.

It gives you a taste of what to expect, and if you love it, great—you can pursue it further. If not, that’s completely fine too. It helps you figure out what’s best suited for you. So yeah, placements are really valuable in giving you that insight.

What do you think the biggest challenges within the industry are and what can we do to change them going forward?

One of the biggest challenges we face as engineers is that we often inherent a fixed design that we have to make work. Part of designing an efficient structure comes through the optioneering various possibilities. The earlier we can get involved in conversations, the more we can steer the scheme to one that benefits all parties. 

That said, things are slowly changing. Clients and architects are starting to value our input more, but there’s still a way to go. Early collaboration is key, and that trickles down to a smarter usage of material, and a better integration of structure 

What is your biggest passion outside of work?

Traveling, for sure. I love exploring new places and experiencing different cultures.

Last year, I went to Bali, Hong Kong and Malaysia. I’ve got friends and family scattered around the world, so it’s always nice to reconnect with them. Also, I’m a big foodie—I love trying new foods wherever I go.

What is something surprising that not many people know about you?

Since COVID, I’ve gotten really into board games—which is kind of nerdy, but I love it.

During lockdown, we were stuck indoors for so long, so I ended up getting really into both board games and cooking. I especially love cooking Asian food, but I also do tasty British pub classics —like a proper Sunday roast. I make really good roast potatoes!

How would you describe yourself if you could only use 3 words (or 3 emojis!)?

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