One of Felipe’s initial projects was the Highway 401 Expansion from the Credit River to Regional Road 25 in Mississauga, Ontario. Beyond highway improvements, this design-build-finance project also included the complex Highway 401/407 interchange, connecting two major Ontario roadways and the future Highway 413 corridor. He was involved in early preliminary design, progressed as a core member of the owner’s engineer/technical advisor team, and continued through construction and operation. This experience enabled him to advance a major project from early planning through construction and implementation. As residents of Mississauga, Felipe and his family directly benefit from the community improvements resulting from the engineering, environmental consultation and construction on this project.

Tell us about a project that has been a major highlight of your career. How is it delivering a better world?

While working on Highway 401 was a significant step in my career and offered tremendous learning, I recently served as the Deputy Project Manager and Highway Engineer on the Highway 413 Corridor Route Planning Study. This project has given me the opportunity to advance new infrastructure in the Greater Toronto Area. Highway 413 is a new transportation corridor northwest of the City of Toronto being delivered by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) to relieve congestion on major highways and improve mobility for those who live and work in the region.

This highway program includes 59 kilometers of new highway infrastructure, including 52 kilometers on Highway 413 and two extensions to nearby Highways 410 and 427. It will provide expanded highway capacity, improved connections between major highways and numerous interchanges — significantly reducing travel times for drivers in nearby regions while enabling better connections between communities. The project also includes active transportation features and potential for future transit.

As Deputy Project Manager and Highway Engineer, I was heavily involved in project management and design, including coordination across multi-disciplinary teams. The design of this corridor is extensive. It includes four freeway-to-freeway and 14 arterial interchanges, over 20 roadway underpasses and overpasses, crossings over the Credit River and the Humber River, numerous watercourse crossings and culverts. Protection for a transitway adjacent to the corridor, including stations and carpool lots, was also considered.

Our team worked proactively with MTO to integrate design standard updates and to reflect stakeholder input from municipalities, conservation authorities and major utilities on key design elements. As part of this large-scale project, we also assisted MTO in identifying corridor segments suitable for early works that could be fast-tracked to detailed design and construction.

To inform the next phase of the project, I was also heavily involved in developing a design and construction phasing strategy, allowing MTO to advance the procurement of the Highway 410 Extension from Mayfield Road to Hurontario Street in the City of Brampton.

What key challenge did you and your team face on this project? How did you solve it?

A key challenge on a publicly visible project of this magnitude is collecting and responding to input on design elements from surrounding municipalities and key stakeholders across the entire corridor. What’s more, our project team faced emerging geopolitical and regulatory issues, design standard updates, changes in traffic demand, and other concerns that shaped stakeholder input as our work evolved. Through an extensive consultation program delivered in collaboration with MTO, we conducted multiple meetings, workshops, working groups, public information sessions and other communication tactics to facilitate input and feedback. These produced insights into future road improvements, active transportation elements, road servicing, utilities management, future growth strategies and ongoing project coordination.

The early phasing work we completed also helped MTO understand and anticipate potential challenges that might arise along the corridor over the next five, 10 or 15 years. Similarly, it allowed them to identify corridor segments that could be advanced in collaboration with stakeholders to expedite construction, avoid costly temporary works and prevent schedule delays. Beyond stakeholder engagement, we worked with MTO to conduct workshops focused on cost and schedule risk assessment, value engineering and constructability to identify critical risks and develop effective mitigation strategies.

By establishing these dynamic and responsive feedback channels, we maintained consistent interaction and fostered trusted relationships where municipalities and other stakeholders felt heard and understood.

How has this experience shaped your approach to future work and expanded your career at ArchTam? What lessons did you learn?

On Highway 413, we effectively incorporated feedback into a preliminary design that aligned with MTO’s vision while respecting stakeholder input. By overcoming numerous technical challenges, evolving landscapes and varying conditions across the project, we learned lessons that will help me anticipate and mitigate challenges on future projects of similar scope and size. For example, during the study, local municipalities were updating their Transportation Master Plans and Official Plans. Given the Highway 413 corridor spans more than 10 municipalities and regions, consultation and review of the plans with stakeholders was critical for them to clearly understand land use changes and impacts of the freeway on local interchanges and road crossings. This allowed MTO to set the baseline for future legal agreements with these municipalities and regions around their road networks and active transportation needs.

The release of updated MTO design standards also meant our design team had to review the entire corridor and update geometrics to meet or exceed these enhanced design requirements. This resulted in a multi-disciplinary review of the corridor, including drainage, environmental, structural and other key elements. We completed this work within a short timeframe and presented a modified design that met MTO’s latest guidelines and standards while still aligning with MTO’s overall project vision.  

Working on this project allowed me to truly understand the positive outcomes achieved through early engagement and transparency with municipalities, conservation authorities, utilities, rail operators, transit agencies and others impacted by a major new highway build. As the Highway 413 project progresses to its next phase, those trusted relationships forged with key stakeholders across the highway corridor will help the project advance in a cost-effective, responsible and sustainable manner.

Want to learn more about the Highway 413 project and how it will positively impact Ontario?

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Natalie is a project manager, and process engineer based in the Winnipeg, Manitoba office. As the Area Market Sector Leader for Western Canada, her focus is mainly on wastewater treatment. Natalie completed her master’s thesis in civil engineering on deammonification in 2017 while on maternity leave. She and her family are avid camping enthusiasts.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

I fell into the water industry by accident. I had originally entered engineering thinking that I would be mitigating environmental degradation through Environmental Impact Assessments, following my mother’s footsteps as a soil conservationist. In 2016, a co-op position within ArchTam’s Winnipeg water department changed my mind, when I was able to work alongside inspiring people on a few interesting projects.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

I’ve been lucky and very grateful to work on many projects where I’ve been challenged with stretch goals, and worked with interesting clients on diverse infrastructure concepts. I enjoy alternative delivery projects that allow for extensive collaboration with owners and the construction team. This collaboration allows for ‘project-best’ decisions, with the entire team prioritizing the project’s best interests. The upgrades at the North End Wastewater Treatment Plant for the City of Winnipeg have enabled our team to deliver each phase in the most effective way for the project. ArchTam is the Owner Engineer, and we help the City determine the delivery method first before moving forward. As the program manager, I enjoy building an ArchTam team from around the globe; being able to reach out and bring expert support for this upgrade is very rewarding. Recently, we’ve been deploying over 100 ArchTam staff per month to support our 8 active projects within the program. From designers and managers to wastewater operators, quality reviewers, DB advisors, cost estimators, and project controls, we leverage a wide range of expertise within ArchTam. Having such a diverse team allows us to approach problems from different angles and develop solutions that mitigate risks. This project has made me very proud to work for a company that truly values our various levels of technical expertise.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

When I started working full-time after graduation, I was given the opportunity to relocate to Trinidad to help a team on the design of two new wastewater treatment facilities and collection systems that ArchTam had been awarded. I was able to help but also learn on every project aspect. In addition to the facilities’ design, we encountered challenges that are likely unique to developing countries. For example, there were no proper as-builts on some of the sewered portions so we had to build our own – popping manholes and measuring. It was personally eye-opening to see how wastewater collection and treatment had been previously handled. Almost every community had potable water, but wastewater was either overflowing into drainage ditches or running through abandoned or neglected treatment facilities. Although it took a while for construction to begin, the impact that ArchTam’s team has made on improving the wastewater infrastructure and overall environment in Trinidad cannot be overstated.  

Share a piece of career advice.

Never stop asking questions, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. It’s through setting those stretch goals for yourself and figuring out how to achieve them that you can meet some incredible people within ArchTam and our industry.

You should also try to get involved in a professional organization outside of work. Help organize an event, meet up with the local young professional (or old professional!) group, provide mentoring, and just get out there and meet your peers from other companies. Share your passion for doing what you love.

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Based in our Montreal office, ArchTam’s Hydropower Center of Excellence, Maria Magafourakis is a civil/structures department manager responsible for a team of more than 30 employees. Maria earned her Civil Engineering degree from École Polytechnique de Montréal in 1989 and has been working on hydro projects for most of her career.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

I always loved math and physics, so I decided to pursue civil engineering following sound advice I received from a school guidance counsellor. My interest in the subjects grew further after my first semester at university. I chose to specialize in structures because I was fascinated by challenging architectural designs and what made them “stand up”.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

Since joining ArchTam in 2000, I’ve had the opportunity to work on many interesting and stimulating projects, but I have to say the one assignment that is definitely on top of the list is the design of the Hydro-Québec Romaine 2 hydroelectric powerhouse. I was the project engineer for this first in a series of four powerhouses on the Romaine River in northern Quebec, working alongside our multidisciplinary team.

Although our Montreal office already had over 35 years’ experience in the detailed design of hydroelectric projects at the time, Romaine 2 was the first powerhouse where an innovative design was used to not only optimize and speed up the construction schedule, but also to reduce the number of specialized workers on site including welders, masons and re-bar installers. The design allowed for a maximum number of reinforced concrete structural elements and masonry walls, conventionally used worldwide in powerhouse design, to be replaced by structural steel sections and prefabricated concrete panels. These prefabricated structural elements were produced in urban centers, delivered, and quickly installed and erected on site.

This approach clearly identified upfront certain critical aspects of construction that would impact the schedule, along with the design’s advantages and limitations compared to a conventional powerhouse. One of the greatest challenges we were able to overcome was maintaining the same level of reliability and length of service life as a conventional powerhouse. For example, since the replacement of a significant volume of reinforced concrete by structural steel meant that the new optimized structure was lighter than a conventional structure, our teams had to address potential global stability issues all while ensuring that the lighter structure was not subject to excessive vibrations and potential resonance with the electro-mechanical equipment.

Romaine 4, the last of the four powerhouses, is currently under construction. Once complete, these four powerhouses will have a total installed capacity of 1,550 megawatts and will have the ability to supply 8 terawatt hours of clean, affordable power to approximately 1.6 million homes.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

The Montreal team has a long history of working on major hydroelectric projects and is a key player in the development of multiple powerhouses with a total installed capacity of over 15,000 megawatts for the James Bay Project in Northern Quebec starting in 1971. I’m proud to be part of such a legacy knowing that our teams have worked on renewable energy projects – supplying millions of homes with clean, affordable energy over the past decades.

It is equally satisfying knowing that our clients also take the environment to heart and that our multidisciplinary teams collaborate with them to provide important mitigation measures to protect wildlife habitats and heritage sites.

Share a piece of career advice. I have had the privilege of working with many exceptional people throughout my career, many of whom had extensive experience and specializations in their fields. They were always very willing to provide guidance and mentorship. My advice is to be humble and never underestimate the knowledge you may gain by truly listening to and respecting those around you.

Be open to criticism because if given in a constructive manner, it can benefit both your professional and your personal growth. I believe that we have something to learn from everyone at every level, and I am truly grateful to all the people I met along the way who helped shape me into the engineer I am today.

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Based in our Kitchener, Ontario office, Jay Harris is the Indigenous market sector lead in Central Canada for ArchTam’s Water business. Jay is driven to advance drinking water projects to improve community health, and wastewater projects to enhance environmental performance. He is dedicated to strengthening and fostering Indigenous infrastructure opportunities and business relationships.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

I’ve had an eclectic career path. At the start of my career, I joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) as an aircraft maintenance technician reaching the journeyman level. I served in Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta before moving on to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). As an RCMP constable, I was temporarily posted to Nunavut to carry out relief staffing in various communities. I later re-enlisted with the RCAF and was invited to contract with an Aboriginal police service to cover staffing and investigation shortfalls. Two years later, I accepted a position at a First Nation in Ontario.

While living in Ontario, I applied for a position at a nuclear power station and eventually earned my Supervising Nuclear Operator qualification in fuel handling. In 2011, I became the first Canadian Aboriginal person to attend the World Nuclear University program and continue to be an active member of the Canadian Nuclear Society.

After retiring from nuclear operations, I provided informal advice and consultation on many energy issues relating to First Nations, while continuing to be a strong proponent of small nuclear reactor technology. These opportunities sparked my interest in energy technology of all types, particularly in water infrastructure, cutting edge technology applications and their impact on human society.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

Since joining ArchTam, I have been leading business development activities for the Water business, primarily in Ontario. Though I can’t point to a specific project or assignment I’ve enjoyed the most, the favorite part of my job is knowing that I am advancing access to safe, clean drinking water for First Nation, Métis and Inuit communities. Many have been challenged with long-term drinking water advisories and I’m grateful to be helping to support community infrastructure projects to build a sustainable foundation and increase reliable access to clean drinking water for generations to come.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

Working in a large, global organization like ArchTam, I’m grateful for the robust capabilities and resources we can offer. That said, I’m pleased that we can support on-reserve infrastructure throughout the project lifecycle from planning, design, construction management all the way through addressing operations and maintenance needs. More importantly, the transfer of service delivery supports Indigenous communities and organizations by building capacity and readiness – ultimately promoting self-determination for First Nations.

Share a piece of career advice.

I’ve often seen people getting stuck in the wrong career. Sometimes their work doesn’t feel meaningful anymore, or their industry has drastically evolved, or their values and interests have changed. Wherever possible, do something that you like and that makes you feel good. If you think the grass is greener somewhere else, go to the other side of the fence and try chomping on some grass. Always follow your passion!

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Anna Cleaver is the market sector leader for wastewater in Ontario, Canada and a process engineer who focuses on biological wastewater treatment design and operations. She is a former student of ArchTam’s Water Academy, a global advanced training program that nurtures and develops emerging water technical leaders at every stage of their career with the company. Anna has recently taken on the role of co-director of the Water Academy’s Wastewater Treatment: Liquid Stream program and hopes to inspire budding wastewater process engineers across the globe.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry

I grew up on a farm in southwestern Ontario, where my family was fortunate to have a good well on our property, whereas many well sources in the area contained hydrogen sulfide. I understood at an early age how water quality could significantly influence one’s quality of life.

After doing a school project on dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (commonly known as DDT), I was inspired to develop alternative biopesticides to lessen farming’s impact on the environment. I pursued chemical and biochemical engineering at university, which led me to hydraulics in the oil and gas industry in Calgary, Alberta. This experience provided me with an opportunity to eventually move back to Ontario and work in water distribution. In this new role, I worked closely with a wastewater engineer who loved these ‘little bugs’ and I immediately became curious about biological wastewater treatment. I was thrilled! I had finally found my way back to improving water quality for the public and protecting the environment. Without any formal education in this area, ArchTam’s Water Academy provided me with the knowledge to launch a career in the field. I am certainly grateful for this training and support in developing my skills and pursuing my passion — utilizing biology to reduce peoples’ impact on the environment.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

The upgrade, expansion and optimization of the Greenway Wastewater Treatment Centre in London, Ontario is by far my most memorable work experience. Greenway is in the heart of the city, adjacent to the very popular river path and equally popular off-leash dog park. Although the surrounding area is owned by the City, it was important to the public to contain the treatment plant within its existing boundaries. I was excited by this challenge and to be involved in this project from the start — from its beginnings in the planning phase through to final construction and optimization. The project increased the plant’s treatment capacity within the existing site boundaries while mitigating raw sewage discharges to the Thames River. Our team repurposed poor performing clarifiers with square concrete tanks for chemically enhanced primary treatment of wet weather flows. The increased plant capacity delayed the need for a new wastewater treatment plant in the City’s southeast. After construction was successfully completed, our team continued to work with the City to evaluate the sewershed and satellite plants to best use available capacity at all plants and avoid the need for future large capacity upgrades.  

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

I am acutely aware that in Canada, the water infrastructure that ArchTam designs is funded by public money. I work closely with all levels of wastewater operations to ensure the decisions I make provide value. Large capital upgrades are necessary to sustain our infrastructure – and I search hard to find the balance of spending and improving. The highest value isn’t necessarily the highest cost option. I look to provide infrastructure that the client will use to improve the effluent quality, minimize overflows and simplify operational procedures.

Share a piece of career advice.

A mentor once told me, “You can have 20 years of experience, or you can have 10 years twice.” I work hard to ensure I’m on a 20-year career path. Careers are built one day at a time. With that in mind, never be comfortable with your current level of knowledge or consider your work to be routine. Always be curious, ask questions, follow up with operators and find learning opportunities in everyday tasks.

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Since 1998, Cathy has worked exclusively on large, multi-faceted remediation projects at abandoned mine and military sites in northern Canada. After 10 years of being based in Alberta, Cathy made the north her home, moving to ArchTam’s Yellowknife office in 2012.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

I didn’t know what engineering was coming out of high school and was sadly never pointed in that direction of study, despite excelling at science and math. I came to study engineering after three years of other university studies, learning about it through friendships with engineering students. Prior to studying engineering, I’d spent three summers tree planting in northern Ontario, living and working in very rugged conditions. I loved the work environment, so I picked geological engineering as my discipline for the prospects of continued remote, rugged work. My first job out of grad school — initially taken for research opportunities — exposed me to the remediation of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line military radar sites in northern Canada. This incredible experience hooked me on remote site remediation projects.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

I have no favorite project, but what does continually appeal to me is the beauty of northern, remote projects.

Historically, in the Canadian territories, operators leased land parcels from the federal government, with minimal bonding requirements for restoration. Sites were typically abandoned when no longer used, and responsibility for them reverted to the federal government. Remote sites are like small communities with their own fuel storage, power supply, communication equipment, and other operational infrastructure. Re-supplying them is very costly and done annually by barge or ice road. Abandoned sites usually date from a time when environmental protection was not a consideration. Consequently, abandoned sites typically have a high volume of waste remaining, deteriorated infrastructure with hazardous materials, considerable soil contamination from poor operational practices, chemical impacts to land and water from waste rock and tailings, and unsealed mine openings. The territorial sites are almost all on Indigenous land claim areas, where local people continue to live traditionally off the land.

 For remote sites such as these, there are no prescribed solutions and they all require effective integration of multiple disciplines to achieve a comprehensive, tailored remedial solution — making efficient use of on-site resources and creating remedial design strategies that address multiple issues at once. Designs must also be simple to build to maximize local, often inexperienced employment, offer permanent solutions with no maintenance requirements, and ideally, restore the land to allow for traditional Indigenous land use. Every job provides the opportunity for creative thinking and application of innovative solutions.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

Every site remediation project that I’ve provided resident engineering services for involves a mostly Indigenous contractor crew from small, isolated communities. Whenever interacting with the workers, I make the extra effort to explain to all of them — from heavy equipment operators to laborers — the reasoning for the remedial measures they are implementing. It’s my way of developing interest in science and engineering for people who, not unlike myself prior to university, have not been exposed to engineering or science work opportunities. I’ve mentored multiple keen, young people over the years, providing references for entrance to local college programs, or when applying to job opportunities.

Share a piece of career advice.

I’m a strong believer in witnessing how designs translate to construction, and of soliciting feedback from experienced contractors executing the building. I have become an infinitely better design engineer from overseeing construction and seeking input from contractors on how the design constructability could be improved. Collaboration is key to success.

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Amadou Thimbo, Ing, M.Sc.A, is a structural engineer who graduated from the École Polytechnique de Montréal in 2018. Bilingual in English and French, he specializes in numerical modeling, seismic engineering and structural dynamics. Since joining ArchTam, Amadou has been involved in various hydraulic and hydroelectric assignments in Canada and Africa.

What inspired you to join the industry? When completing my master’s research project, I was able to work and collaborate with passionate engineers who specialized in dams. During this time, I had the opportunity to visit several dams and hydroelectric facilities in the province of Quebec, Canada. The complexity and size of these structures fascinated me and continued to be of great interest. These initial site visits helped me acquire and develop many skills, both professionally and personally, from a structural engineering and team-building perspective.  

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why? One of my favorite projects since joining ArchTam has been the stability study for the Rivière-des-Prairies power plant. Located between the shores of Montréal and Laval, this facility is one of the oldest Hydro- Québec power plants in the province of Québec. The mandate involved closing off the hydraulic passages for the intake structure. As a young engineer, I had to be creative and forward thinking in my execution approach. I was able to put my engineering spirit into action using my structural knowledge and interest in complex structures. 

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community. Dams play an important role in economic and energy development across the world. In addition to producing hydroelectric power – one of the oldest and most reliable forms of renewable energy – dams also control river flow and regulate flooding.  As a structural engineer, I have an important role in ensuring the safety of these structures, specifically through my work in design and dam safety analyses. I’m proud of my contributions in enhancing energy infrastructure – particularly now, as the world shifts to green energy and focuses on renewable sources.

What piece of career advice would you like to share? For young engineers, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. In your first few years of your career, it’s important to take the time to discover your strengths and weaknesses. These years are very critical in exploring what’s essential to becoming a good engineer.  Do not hesitate to work on complex projects because these are the best assignments to learn and strengthen your skills. In addition, maximize teamwork because this is the best way to understand and exchange ideas while having fun. For me personally, I thrive on working with others – engineering certainly is more fun when you work in a team.

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Steve is a senior rail consultant with more than 30 years of experience. Before joining ArchTam, he worked for Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) and Bombardier Transportation. Throughout his career, Steve has focused on all aspects of operations. His work has progressed through the years from a Director role in CP’s Network Management Centre to being the General Manager overseeing operations in Manitoba and in Northern Ontario. Steve’s experience as a contractor expanded through his work with several government agencies. Specifically, in his role as the Director of Operations and Maintenance Canada, he worked closely with Metrolinx to make sure GO Transit and UP Express fleets were operated and maintained to achieve peak performance.

What inspired you to join the industry? Growing up, I was surrounded by railroaders. My father, sister and brother-in-law all worked at CP. Their dedication to railway operations was something that resonated with me. Through the changing seasons and operational difficulties, they never relented in their determination to “keep the trains rolling,” as my father would say. The fact that this industry was so integrated with our economy was something that I also found fascinating. The volume and variety of goods that move by rail in Canada is impressive and when the trains don’t move, our store shelves aren’t full, and many people are affected.

As a second-generation railroader, I guess I was born into the industry. When I started working summers on CP’s track maintenance crews, I knew I had found a great place to work because of the camaraderie. There was a real sense of teamwork and collaboration when working on the railway. Everyone understood that safe, on-time train performance was our main objective.

With experience at a Class 1 railway, followed by roles as both a contractor and now a consultant in the rail industry, I know my career choice has been the right one for me. There are so many interesting aspects to the railway industry and I’m not sure that any one person can experience them all in one career.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why? I have had the privilege of working on several projects since joining ArchTam. However, launching our Railway Operations and Simulations Centre of Excellence (COE) is a special project for me. The COE provides both internal and external clients with a complete package of rail modeling services including train performance and network capacity analysis, terminal operations, and operating and capital cost estimates. We use multiple simulations and modeling tools to provide in-depth analysis of a railway’s operation including RTC, RailSim, OpenTrack, and AnyLogic.

While based in Canada, the COE team serves and collaborates with ArchTam technical teams and clients around the globe. As we rolled out the COE across ArchTam, I was able to connect with several regional teams throughout the Americas. This helped me create an awareness of the COE and the services provided, while also establishing a broad network of people—many of whom have since become COE clients.

In my experience working with one particular railway, our team provided direction on capital investments to enhance their operational performance. As a result of our simulation work, this railway was able to more confidently support its capital investment program knowing that it would achieve its operational goals.

I feel fortunate to collaborate with this highly technical team and operate world-class railway simulation software. Our team members strike an effective balance between simulation outputs and practical railway experience. It is truly a privilege to lead such a talented and passionate team.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community. Since joining ArchTam I have had the pleasure of working on several light rail transit projects in Ontario.

The Hurontario Light Rail Transit (LRT) project is one that I believe will have a significant impact on the communities it will serve. Located in Peel Region, Ontario, this LRT line will help to address the regions growing population and its increasing demands for improved mobility. The region has a 50% projected population growth by 2041 and new transit will be key to managing this growth. Being involved in the operations planning for this project gave me a real sense of just how important the LRT will be to local residents and how it will positively affect their future quality of life.

What career advice would you like to share? Never assume that you have all the answers. Asking questions helps people understand and grow and allows you to gain greater insights into everything you do.

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In his more than 10 years of industry experience, John has mainly focused on electrical engineering projects delivered for Canadian federal government agencies. This work has included numerous extensive electrical renovations to national defense hangars, a cyber security center, and various Canadian Armed Forces bases. John has provided a wide range of services including condition assessments, feasibility studies, concept design, schematic design, design development, preparation of tender and construction documents, and construction administration.

What inspired you to join the industry? As a teenager and in my early twenties, I had the privilege of travelling to different parts of the world. In the various countries I visited, I witnessed a lack of proper electricity distribution systems and saw how this caused numerous problems and challenges in the everyday lives of those who lived and worked there. Through this experience, I realized how important it is to have adequate electrical systems that are fundamental to the quality of human lives. This inspired me to focus my studies on creating safe electrical systems and ultimately led me to this industry.

Moreover, growing up I was always interested in interior design and creating unique spaces. As I began my career in the industry, I realized that the electrical systems that I was designing are a crucial part of creating fascinating and functional interior spaces in all sorts of unique buildings. This too has influenced my career choice and is also part of the reason why I chose to work in the electrical engineering consulting field.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why? The project that I really enjoyed working on the most is the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security in Ottawa, the capital city of Canada. The aim of the project was to create a new space with cutting edge infrastructure built to accommodate and perform the various tasks needed to ensure the cyber security of our nation.

As I worked on this project, I started appreciating the fact that I was actually making a positive contribution to the safety and security of my country. As a result, I began to experience a significant sense of personal and professional satisfaction from my work. I also really enjoyed creating high-tech infrastructure designs that are not common in today’s typical buildings. And although the project introduced many challenges and learning curbs for me to overcome during the design, I was able to use those obstacles to become more knowledgeable and experienced in the specialized systems I was working on. I’m glad and grateful that I had this opportunity to work on such an interesting and unique project.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community. Soon after I joined ArchTam, I worked on a project to build a central bus station that would serve as a transportation hub for a newly planned city center, connecting a new subway station to a new rapid bus lane system.

Our team was focused on building a new station that would be intuitive, convenient, accessible and enjoyable for the public to use. It would also provide seamless interconnection between the rapid bus system and the subway system. Now that it’s constructed, this station has benefited the community and its residents with an enhanced public transit system that is faster, more reliable and provides greater mobility for local transit users. By providing members of the community with better connections to their jobs, schools and recreational activities, this project elevated the quality of life for those who live and work there.

What career advice would you like to share? As you go through your chosen career path, there are many obstacles and factors that could be frustrating and discouraging. Try to have a few personal goals or objectives that you can apply to each of the projects you work on and do your best to find project elements that align with these goals and objectives. This will give you the drive to overcome hindrances and successfully finish a project that you can be proud of in the end. As you gain more of these positive and meaningful experiences, you will appreciate your career even more.

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A part of our team of over 500 tunneling professionals, our female leaders bring a unique perspective to this traditionally male field, from their upbringings around the world to their technical training and vast project experience. We sat down with the women who are helping to shape the future of the industry to discuss their inspirations, favorite projects and what they think is next for women in this profession.

Nooshin Falaknaz, P.Eng. Senior Tunnel Engineer, Canada

Nooshin specializes in Rock Mechanics- Geotechnics

What inspired you to join the tunneling industry? This job brings various challenges, particularly when it comes to working with difficult ground conditions and geological situations. The gratification of overcoming obstacles during field investigations, underground design and field works is my greatest motivator.

What is your favorite ArchTam project and why? I recently became involved in the Metro Blue Line Extension in Montreal. Of the projects I have designed, my favorite is the Blue Line Metro because it allowed me to draw on my past experiences and play a hands-on role from start to finish on various design elements and technical challenges.

How are you helping to advance women in the tunneling industry? As a young woman in the tunneling industry it has been common for me to be the only female on a project. As a result, I always encourage female students and younger colleagues with backgrounds in geotechnics and rock mechanics to consider a career in tunneling. I share my positive career experience, and I offer to mentor them and provide technical support to help them succeed in their project work and advance their careers in tunneling.

What do you see as the next major advancements in the tunneling industry? I believe we can expect a range of projects from expansion of existing underground transit systems to entirely new tunnel construction. Deep rock tunnels are being considered to enable rapid transportation between cities and urban highway tunnels may offer a convenient opportunity to reduce pollution. Advances in tunneling engineering and technology will be crucial to delivering economically constructed, functional and sustainable environments. I believe we will use more new and innovative technologies for site characterization, design and analysis of underground excavation, tunnel excavation methods, and during field works to minimize risks and expedite project completion.

Theodora (Dorina) Vovou, Tunnel Engineer, US East

Dorina specializes in Tunnels and underground structures design and management

What inspired you to join the tunneling industry? Growing up in Greece, a country with significant mineral wealth and a historical background of tunneling, I found the tunneling industry an appealing challenge for engineers. I was motivated to pursue a career in tunneling while I was a student, after seeing the construction of Greece’s first subway system and the challenges that went along with it.

What is your favorite ArchTam project and why? My favorite ArchTam project is the Réseau Express Métropolitain (REM) project in Montréal, Canada. I have been part of the project team from its conceptual design – which began about 4 years ago – to its design and ongoing construction. As part of the team, I have paid attention to every detail as the project developed and seeing it progress has reinforced my dedication to its completion.

How are you helping to advance women in the tunneling industry? I am a member of Women in Tunneling, a group affiliated with the Underground Construction Association (UCA) of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME). As part of our efforts to advance women in the industry, we organize virtual and in-person networking sessions while also discussing and developing measures to encourage more women to become involved in the field and promoting women engineering students to pursue their careers in tunneling and underground construction.

What do you see as the next major advancements in the tunneling industry? I think we will be seeing more underground space used for recreation, in the form of underground streets, pedestrian tunnels and shopping malls. I also believe there will be an uptick in subway systems around the world and an expansion of existing subway systems resulting from increased transportation demand in urban areas.

Kiranmayee (Kiran) Akunuri, P.E., PMP Tunnel Engineer and Project Manager, US West

Kiran specializes in geotechnical engineering for tunneling and project management

What inspired you to join the tunneling industry? I have been fascinated by underground structures since childhood, possibly because of all my excursions to historical places with underground structures and caves in India, where I grew up.  Over the years, this interest drove me to learn more about them and ultimately, to pursue a career in underground structures.

What is your favorite ArchTam project and why? My favorite is the Delhi Metro Rail Program where ArchTam was a design consultant for over six packages and projects. This was my first tunneling project in which I had an opportunity to be part of the segmental lining design of twin tunnels for Earth Pressure Balance Shields – Tunnel Boring Machine (EPB-TBM) tunneling. I was also able to make several site visits during the construction of the tunnel and underground stations to observe firsthand the implementation of my design. This project has been acclaimed for its international recognition.

How are you helping to advance women in the tunneling industry? As a member of the Society for Women Engineers (SWE) and Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), I motivate and encourage more women to join the tunneling industry by sharing my experiences and challenges and making them aware of the opportunities and recognition this industry could bring to women engineers and professionals who are driven and passionate about the industry.

What do you see as the next major advancements in the tunneling industry? Underground high-speed rail systems and the Hyperloop will change the transportation industry globally. We have to be ready for this transformation.

Amanda Foote, P.E., Tunnel Project Engineer, US West

Amanda specializes in Wastewater Conveyance Tunnels

What inspired you to join the tunneling industry? I was introduced to the tunneling profession through a project manager who was responsible for leading a tunneling project in Akron, Ohio, when I was only a few years out of college. My experience on the project team for the Akron tunneling project, along with the mentorship of my project manager, led me to fall in love with the tunneling industry and the various aspects of a tunnel design and construction. After the Akron project, the same project manager brought me into work on other tunneling projects to continue to expand my experience.

What is your favorite ArchTam project and why? My current project with the Michigan Department of Transportation Interstate I-75 Segment 3 Design Build job is my favorite. I am the project engineer on the 14’ diameter drainage tunnel for the project. As my first design build job, I’m enjoying the collaborative relationship with the contractor where we can share ideas and tunneling experience firsthand.

How are you helping to advance women in the tunneling industry? As a woman in a male dominated industry, it is not uncommon for me to be the only female in the room for project meetings. I have worked to identify other young women that may have an interest in tunneling to join the industry and helping to bring them onto projects when opportunities are available.

What do you see as the next major advancements in the tunneling industry? I see the tunneling industry advancing into more underground high-speed rail systems to connect larger cities.  As metropolitan areas continue to grow, I also expect that extensions to already constructed wastewater and stormwater tunnels will be needed to handle increased flow demands and reduce the impact on the environment.

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