Bridget is an accomplished transportation project and program manager who has dedicated 20 years of her career to the successful delivery of projects for the Illinois Tollway, including her recent role on the general engineering consultant (GEC) contract and her current position as Deputy Project Manager for the Tollway’s $4 billion Central Tri-State Design Corridor Manager contract.

What project has most impacted your career at ArchTam and why? I’ve had the unique opportunity to gain most of my career experience through my roles at the Illinois Tollway, starting as a field inspector and then working on all phases of project development—planning, design, construction management, and operations and maintenance. It’s through this work that I’ve earned the trust of my clients, and it’s here that I developed my expertise and pursued my passion for innovation. I created the Tollway’s asset management database and designed a 50-year program that allows the Tollway to make program repairs that are vital to maintenance and preservation of these assets. As a result of my project experience, I am one of ArchTam’s leading subject matter experts in the field of asset management.

As part of my recent work at the Tollway, including on its general engineering consultant contract, I introduced software for electronic design (Bluebeam) review and for virtual public meetings – all of which helped the CTS team transition to remote working during the global pandemic. I’m thrilled to continue my career supporting the Tollway and remain focused on innovation to help one of the world’s premier tolling agencies.

How has your work positively impacted the community? Over the past 10 years, I have led ArchTam’s internship program at the Illinois Tollway. As part of my leadership, I’m committed to placing diverse, qualified firms and people into meaningful roles on Tollway projects and initiatives. This has given me an opportunity to introduce women and minorities in the community to STEM careers. Our team has also hired many minority-, veteran- and women-owned businesses as subconsultants with key technical and management responsibilities.

Through ArchTam, I was also introduced to the American Corporate Partners program, where I mentor veterans. I’m on my third round with the program, helping those that have sacrificed so much for our country with resume development and employment negotiation. I also work with them to create understanding on how the workforce operates while acting as a sounding board on issues they are facing in their transition back to civilian life.

Advancing women in the industry Early in my career I was the only woman inspector at a highway construction site that was using a tunnel boring machine (TBM). Weighing over 1,000 metric tons, the TBM drills through hard rock and requires stringent installation procedures. Some on the site believed it was no place for a woman. I was fortunate to have the support of my manager and subsequently the client, who made sure I had the resources and respect to do the job I was hired to do.

I share this story because their support inspired me to take action on behalf of women in the industry. I’ve gone on to serve as president of the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) of Greater Chicago, whose mission is to advance the careers of women in our industry. Now as the immediate past president, I continue to support WTS’s formal mentoring program, and I’ve joined ArchTam’s newly formed mentorship program, to stay committed to helping others with their careers.

The post People Spotlight Series: Meet Bridget Malinowski appeared first on Blog.

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.

The post Women in Tunneling: Delivering complex underground projects appeared first on Blog.

Briefly tell us about yourself and your role at ArchTam.

I have been with ArchTam for six years as a virtual design construction engineer or Building Information Modeling (BIM) engineer.

I support projects in Dallas, Texas, over the entire construction process, from pursuit to construction to the project close-out phase. In my work, I manage and create digital representations of the physical characteristics of buildings. We build in 3D first and then we optimize the build, which means we get to know all the issues before we go to ground.

Essentially, we test new ways of building. This allows us to be a step ahead when we get to the site. Using virtual design helps flag areas that need to be addressed in advance or where we’ll have potential issues that waste time and resources.

By modeling the level of detail from design and fabrication to installation, we can create an accurate and data rich as-built model. We rely on the model and start building with certainty knowing the design has been tested. We basically build a project twice ― once in a virtual world and once on-site ― resulting in time and cost savings.

What is your legacy? How do you make an impact?

I hope to leave a legacy of “never stop learning.” This is what keeps me going, keeps my zest and zeal up and always motivates me to learn and adopt new tools and technologies.

The BIM industry is evolving every day with new trends emerging every moment. I feel proud when my work positively alters a project’s outcome and we deliver a lean project to the owner and the community. With the use of technology, sometimes the cost savings are huge and it is satisfying knowing I helped to do that.

What’s next in infrastructure for you? How do you see that trend shaping the work you do today?

There are a lot of new trends that are helping us with what we do every day when it comes to coordination through BIM technologies. To name a few, I seek to learn and grow more by using:

• 3D Printing: This helps us understand the dynamics, functioning and efficiency by analyzing a structure through its look and feel, which is not possible in 3D models.
• Prefabrication: This is something I see picking up speed in the near future where modular and prefabricated construction can reduce the time of the coordination project and increase its efficiency.
• Internet of Things (IoT): IoT has the potential to transform the entire BIM modeling and project installation process. IoT can simplify the process of data release to pre-fabrication workshops, general contractors and modelers. It can also help us a great deal in capturing real-time data that can be used to augment the design on the construction sites.

What advice would you give to someone pursing a STEM education or a career in the AEC sector?

Enhance your skill set: The AEC sector is dependent on specific technology tools. These tools are continuously being upgraded and new tools are being introduced into the market. My advice to the people wanting to build a career in this sector would be to keep up with the newest advancements and learn new tools and see how effectively these tools can be used on the projects they are going to work on.

Learn and apply: Applying lessons learned is another great advice which should be practiced as you are gaining experience from project to project. It would greatly affect the progression and completion of the project on-time and with good quality.

The post Building Legacies with Puja Sapru appeared first on Blog.

When I started my career as an electrical engineer, the traditional career trajectory was somewhat fixed. In recent years, though, I have observed changes in our industry that have created new roles and ways of working, while developing a more diverse and inclusive environment.

In the early part of my career, I worked mainly on industrial and mining sites — wearing high visibility clothing — designing and commissioning electrical and control systems for mining clients. Later in my career, I discovered new roles in the engineering industry; I managed projects, built teams, and innovated and collaborated with colleagues all over the world to solve engineering problems. Today, I rarely need my steel cap boots; I prefer to wear my favourite fashion flats.

In my current role, as ArchTam’s chief digital innovation officer in the Asia Pacific region, I’m working with our teams to transform our core engineering design services and to create new digital experiences for our clients, and better outcomes for the communities we serve. The new data platforms we utilize allow us to work anywhere and at any time. This flexibility in the way we work is a welcome change in the industry.

When I first joined ArchTam, a very wise engineer with more than 40 years of experience said something that has stuck with me: “As an organization, we have to accept that each new hire changes ArchTam in some way, and that’s something we welcome and celebrate.” This comment demonstrated to me that we have permission to be our authentic selves, to challenge the status quo and to put forward our ideas for the future.

Working with our teams to progress ArchTam’s digital transformation has provided me opportunities to develop, grow and also, in some small way, present a different view of a career trajectory for young women to pursue — or at least think about.

I always like to participate in International Women’s Day campaigns because I remember attending my first International Women’s Day event almost 15 years ago and hearing from the women leaders on the stage about their careers and the importance of networking. Before that first event, I had never considered the importance of networking and I had no knowledge of how to go about it. I am grateful for their insights.

Programs like our Advocate Sponsorship Program, which matches high-performing female leaders with members of our leadership Team, and our broader mCircles mentoring program, are helping cultivate leadership skills for the next generation of women leaders. I really enjoy mentoring and sponsoring women engineers at all levels by helping them to grow their confidence and work toward their goals.

My career path is an example of what’s possible and the different types of roles that women can aspire to — many of which might not even exist yet. For those interested in technology and in creating the solutions to some of the world’s most complex challenges, such as our global response to climate change, engineering could be a career for you — steel caps are optional.

The post Women in Innovation: From Steel Caps to My Favourite Fashion Flats appeared first on Blog.

Each March, ArchTam celebrates International Women’s Day globally. Why? Because women’s perspectives, experiences and ideas are critical. In my two decades in this industry, I have experienced both inadequate representation of women in leadership as well as more diverse leadership teams and have seen the difference it makes. I strive to identify and mentor the growing and developing talent in this business, while paving my own path.

In the past year, I took on a new leadership role focused on digital and innovation for ArchTam’s Design and Consulting Services Americas (DCSA). In addition to stepping into this new role, I also joined the DCSA leadership team and am happy to see that several other women joined me at that table this year too. These women lead national business lines and programs, strategy and, most importantly, our people. I could not be more honored to serve beside them. These women raise critical issues and ask important questions. They support and drive productive, meaningful dialogue in meetings so that we discuss issues and hear all opinions on our way to a resolution. It is an incredible experience to look around a room and see women leaders and peers on every side of the table. This is the active and engaged work environment I want and am proud to see at ArchTam.

The ArchTam team at Investor Day

It is no secret that the industry struggles with a lack of diversity, and some sectors, such as coding, are seeing fewer women enter the workforce. However, the evolving industry landscape means that some of the old gender-based power structures don’t apply in emerging fields. Now is the time for people with more diverse backgrounds to establish themselves as experts/leaders in the field. The Digital and Innovation team at ArchTam is working to exert a positive influence on this. We kicked off the Digital Innovation Initiative focused first around celebrating our innovative people and projects. We are working to ensure that our digital and innovation culture reaches every corner of our company and that our staff feel empowered to suggest new ways to solve problems. Internally, we are partnering with our HR Inclusion and Diversity team to develop a joint strategy for inclusion and diversity across the Digital and Innovation initiative.

Externally, our team is assessing opportunities to partner with nonprofits focused on increasing the number of women in STEM fields. I have been involved with the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) throughout my career and have found some amazing mentors through this organization. I am focused on paying that forward by mentoring women inside and outside of ArchTam.

Throughout my career, when I have so often been the only woman in the room, I have found myself gently educating my male counterparts on subconscious biases and generally my insight is well received. Recently, I spoke on a panel, Sponsors vs. Mentors, held at a large regional engineering conference. In response to a question from the audience, I used a few simple examples to demonstrate how meeting interactions often impact women. For example, I mentioned how the suggestions women make in a meeting are often unacknowledged and that several minutes later a man will make those same suggestions. I noted that women are more likely to be interrupted — interestingly by both men and women. I also discussed how many women, especially young women, often do not sit at the tables during meetings — and the impact that could be made if their colleagues invited them to sit with them at the table.

Penn State Transportation Engineering Safety Conference – Mentor V Sponsor panel

Nothing will change if we do not speak up, are not visible and do not take deliberate actions. I believe being a senior-level women in our company who is focused on digital and innovation helps other women within and outside of our company see what’s possible. Being highly visible through social media, conference speaking engagements and visiting our offices and encouraging women to step up also helps to drive gender parity.

Every day I see women taking the lead to bring about a better environment for our clients and for our people. To everyone celebrating IWD this year, should you have the title or just the influence, be the leader that you want to see in this business. That’s what I’m trying to do every single day and I would love to work alongside you.

The post Women in Innovation: The Impact of Visibility and Mentorship in STEM appeared first on Blog.

When I started my career, federal planning was a very male-dominated field and sometimes, it can still feel that way. It has been gratifying that some of the most challenging and rewarding projects of my recent career, such as the rebuild plan for Tyndall Air Force Base and the mission-resilience based Installation Energy Plans, have had female leadership from both ArchTam and our clients sides.

The cycle of mentorship, the presence of positive role models and even the less-than-desirable role models have inspired me to create nurturing and collaborative female relationships that focus on solution-oriented strategies to succeed. It has been rewarding to work with like-minded women, inside and outside the company. Rather than simply acknowledging a glass ceiling and stopping there, I choose to encourage female colleagues, looking for direction, to focus on what they can observe and learn from all types of leaders and then …ask! I remain a firm believer in the power of asking for what you want, rather than waiting to be noticed and “given” opportunities

I try to connect like-minded female clients to one another in hopes of fostering a culture of strong female leadership within the field. At ArchTam, we are helmed and directed by strong female role models. Their passion, guidance and strong desire to collaborate has enabled our employees to see their own futures reflected in their leadership and to ask for guidance and opportunity. To help promote and expand exposure to industry role models, we need to keep investing in and encouraging our female colleagues to participate and present at industry events. The Society of Military Engineers, Federal Planners Division and Energy Exchange are examples of great organizations for young female professionals to find role models, develop relationships with peers and grow professionally.

When I reflect on the impact my role models have had on my career, I understand the value of hard work, the impact of accumulated knowledge and power of strong communication skills. In the federal planning practice, military clientele are trained to respond to authority regardless of source. I encourage all aspiring leaders to find their voice to communicate knowledgeable authority and establish leadership agnostic of race, age, gender or sex. Speak up and Ask!

The post Women Role Models in Male-Dominated Industries appeared first on Blog.

When I graduated with my master’s degree in communications, I didn’t expect to join the architecture, engineering and construction industry. In fact, my studies ranged from product marketing and public relations to pop culture and hip-hop.

Since 2011, it’s been an incredible experience building my career in the transportation market and being part of the impactful work we get to deliver. During that time, however, it also became clear that there are not enough women in our sector.

Because I’m a communicator, I’m always watching for emerging trends across industries and searching for lessons learned that we can apply to ourselves. Going back to my graduate school work, I could not help noticing the gender balance similarities between our industry and hip-hop. Yes, they seem unrelated, but the hip-hop music industry is, historically, one of the most male-dominated professions in the world. And that’s where I found my most recent inspiration in the meteoric rise of one very notable female rapper – Cardi B.

Cardi B’s ascension to stardom will go down in the history books as she continues to chip away at hip-hop’s glass ceiling. Just to name a few accomplishments, she is first solo female artist to win best rap album at the Grammy Awards and the first female rapper with two Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs. Although she has sparked controversy with her opinions on politics and spats with other artists,  her approach to disrupting her industry has universal relevance. As women working in a world both designed and built by men, there are (at least) four things we can learn from Cardi’s challenge of hip-hop’s status quo:

1. Authenticity is a valuable asset. She built her brand by sharing personal reflections on social media, often on her struggle to survive in fields where the value of women is assessed by men. Often times, women are pressured to reign in our emotion for fear of being perceived as emotional – and that often extends to our relationships with other women at work. Being authentic about the struggles we face and overcome is not only valuable to our personal brands, but also opens the door to continual, transparent conversations about gender in the workplace that are vital to enacting change over time.
2. When you find your platform, use it. As women in a male-dominated industry, particularly when we find ourselves in positions of leadership, we should lean into the opportunity to hold the door open behind us to ensure that other women are able to walk through it. Whether this is serving as a mentor, allowing flexible schedules for staff to accommodate family needs, or supporting organizations that fuel young women’s passion for STEAM, we should leverage every opportunity to advocate for other women.
3. Power through your doubts. Cardi found out she was pregnant during one of the most critical moments of her budding career and publicly shared fears that having a baby would undo all of the success she worked so hard for. She reports that her then-boyfriend, now husband assured her that her success was secure due to her authenticity as an artist and relatability amongst her fan base; and he was right. Instead of giving into our doubts and fears amidst challenges, we need to surround ourselves with positive people who encourage us to power through and continue striving for greatness.
4. Make money moves. Cardi is not shy about saying that making money – lots of money – is why she works harder than anyone else in the business. In additional to institutional gender discrimination, one of the reasons women make less money than men in the same roles is because men tend to be more like to ask for more career-building opportunities, higher pay, etc. than women are. We should not be afraid to assert ourselves and advocate for our value in any space at the office, but most importantly during our yearly reviews. Women should be more empowered to advocate for ourselves at the professional level.

Cardi B, like so many of us, had a number of setbacks along her path to stardom, but she powered through regardless; often citing the desire to build a better life for her family as her reason for perseverance. Although our industries are different, I’m inspired by Cardi’s work ethic, dedication toward staying true to herself and overcoming obstacles in her quest to become the greatest at what she does regardless of gender.

The post Unexpected inspiration: What we can learn from women in other male-dominated industries appeared first on Blog.

Whilst there is a proven business case for greater diversity, the need for diversity is more personal for me. At the tender age of 16, I was struggling to identify what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I had picked math and science subjects for my higher education because I enjoyed these areas of study, and I had a natural aptitude for them. I loved seeing tall, majestic skyscrapers and sweeping bridges, as well as the smaller things that made our everyday lives just a little bit easier.

I had a somewhat romanticised view of civil engineering, and never truly considered it as a viable profession. Research into the profession confirmed my suspicions — girls like me generally don’t do things like engineering. In the U.K., engineering was all about Isambard Brunel and James Watt — inspiring figures who all seemed to fit the same mold and, fundamentally, did not represent me. This was the catalyst for me; if I wanted to see a change, I would have to become that change.

With the pressure mounting from issues such as climate change, adequate global sanitation, and limited food and water supplies, there is a clear need for more engineers and more creativity. To put this plainly, to respond to the wide range of economic, social and environmental challenges of the coming century, we need more engineers and, inherently, we need more diversity.

It has been reported that, with the huge amounts of expected growth in infrastructure needs in the U.K., we need about 87,000 new graduate engineers each year, but we only produce around 25,000. Whilst I have provided U.K.-based statistics, this is a global problem. The U.K., however, does present a special case in terms of its lack of diversity.

In 2014, women accounted for only 14 percent of engineering graduates, despite the fact that nearly half of physics general certificate of secondary education pupils were female. Add to this that more than half of the end users of the projects we undertake are women, and you start getting a scale of the issue. Even worse than this, only 7 percent of the professional engineering workforce in the U.K. is women and 6 percent come from ethnic minority groups^[1].

As engineers, we all strive for that eureka moment of finding the optimal solution. For me, so many of these moments have occurred in the middle of a brainstorming session or a conversation with my peers and colleagues. We all generate ideas using our understanding of the complexities of a problem as well as our past experiences. As individuals, we are the product of our personal and cultural experiences. A more diverse group, whether this is in terms of gender, race or socio-economic background, will provide a richer tapestry of ideas and innovation. It is imperative that the people designing the solutions for the problems of tomorrow reflect the diversity within our communities.

Now, after spending eight years as an engineer, I can see the small flutters of change in the attitudes of our professionals and the wider perception of engineering. The benefits of diversity are obvious; we can develop more creative and innovative solutions to problems all over the world. I believe if we want to drive engineering as a desirable profession, we must appeal to a wider audience and attract talent from all walks of life.

At ArchTam, we are in a unique position to tackle the stereotypes and push through boundaries in terms of engineering and diversity.  Being the largest global engineering design firm gives us a platform to lead the way in terms of diversity.

^[1]http://www.raeng.org.uk/policy/diversity-in-engineering/what-is-diversity

Nayera Aslam is a principal consultant on ArchTam’s transportation team in Birmingham, United Kingdom. She works on the preliminary designs of local and national highway schemes, which has included the 2012 London Olympics. Aslam’s inspiration to become an engineer was her father, who made her believe that being female should never restrict her ambitions.
LinkedIn: Nayera Aslam

The post #WomenExcel: Why do we need diversity in engineering? appeared first on Blog.

To provide some context on the importance of mining in Africa, the continent is richly gifted with mineral reserves and ranks either first or second  in its quantity of world reserves of bauxite, cobalt, industrial diamonds, phosphate rock, platinum-group metals and gold — with gold mining as the main mining resource. For many African countries, mineral exploration and beneficiation contributes significantly to their economic growth and gross domestic product. However, there are many challenges in attracting investments in Africa’s mineral industry due to the lack of infrastructure and availability of large pools of skilled resources to support the projects as well as socio-political instability.

The solution to these challenges for the global mining community — mining houses, engineering houses, investors and governments — calls for further development and a deliberate focus on a mining strategy for Africa. This strategy would need to provide for the building and maintenance of sustainable communities that will enable continued business beyond the scope of the projects and life of the mines.

In my experience working in the mining industry, this strategy has not been given the attention and focus it deserves. It is commonly referred to as “corporate social responsibility” or a “corporate social initiative,” which in my opinion, creates a bias toward this being a philanthropic effort rather than a sustainable, long-term business and industry strategy. By giving the right focus and attention to this strategy, the global mining community will create a sustainable environment for the future of mining in Africa. Not only does this create a sustainable environment, it significantly lowers the socio-political risks that often turn investors away from Africa.

There is, indeed, a greater role to play above ground with a strategy such as this that could pave the way for the future and also one that, in recent times, has been taken up by women within Africa’s mining sector. Women like Daphne Mashile-Nkosi, executive chairperson of Kalagadi Manganese Pty Ltd in South Africa, which currently owns the largest manganese sinter plant in the world, are setting the trend in advocating for mining strategies. These strategies are bringing about sustainable environmental solutions on water and carbon emissions, electricity supply, community infrastructure development, local supplier development, education, skills training and the setup of long-term community trusts or funds.

Women in Africa are influencing and driving these pivotal mining strategies particularly when it comes to the decision making, financing, investing, engineering and governance of mining projects in Africa. The mining industry in Africa still has a long way to go — with much of Africa’s resources untapped — and, as it evolves, the role of women in unlocking the present barriers and challenges will grow with it. There is no doubt that a need exists to bring about faster development and increased investor confidence, but the solution lies in looking at mining in Africa with a different perspective — one offered by the women who are leading the way.

What are your thoughts on women leading the mining industry in Africa? Comment below, and be sure to use the #WomenExcel hashtag when you share this post on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

Fadzai Nyamasve is a senior project engineer in ArchTam’s mining and metals business line in Africa. She has experience in mining resources projects in both Australia and Africa, and is passionate about mining and development in Africa.
LinkedIn:  Fadzai Nyamasve

The post #WomenExcel: Women lead the way in Africa’s mining industry appeared first on Blog.

I am always looking for ways to improve the quality of planning, collaboration and communication — three aspects that are essential when building a dam “in the wet,” which means that, during construction, the river is not being diverted away from the planned dam site. In the overall process, the pieces or shells that make up the dam are produced on land near the river, picked up by a Super Gantry Crane, placed on a cradle, then lowered into the river. The Catamaran Barge then picks up and transports the shells to their intended position in the river, and lowers them onto the prepared foundation.  The shells are set in place with tremie concrete that is pumped through the lifting frame legs to fill the void under the shell and cement it to the foundation piles. Due to the complexity of this project, my role as a productivity engineer is crucial to ensuring excellence on the project.

Natani Gourneau on top of the catamaran barge overlooking the Olmsted Locks project site.

One way I help to make it happen is by leading a team that focuses on productivity, which we call Operation Dam Excellence (ODE). We share a common goal — successful completion of the Olmsted Dam.  The team’s capacities include casting yard operations, heavy lift operations and marine operations.  The ODE team represents a diverse range of people, including safety personnel, management, field workers, engineers, superintendents, office staff and foremen — all of which are focused on separate but integrated parts of the project.  As a facilitator of ODE, a major aspect of what I do at the Olmsted Dam is to ensure all of these people come together to make the plan happen.  I conduct the daily 8 a.m. team meetings, where we discuss each operation’s scope of work for the day, shared resources, shared work areas and whether the goals from the previous day’s work were met and if not, why not.  This daily meeting is just one tool that I use to make sure that work is completed safely, efficiently, and as cost effectively as possible.

Olmsted Dam project site.

With all things that include such a wide array of people and aspects of work, come challenges.  Of all the challenges that I have come to deal with, the most interesting has to be creating an environment for collaboration, transparent communication and effective planning.   As an engineer, I knew I needed to be prepared for the technical aspects of the work, but when working with people, you need more people skills.  Fortunately, my “emotion-reading skills” make me very valuable to effective team situations. This is a trait that most women tend to carry and has come to help me in many professional situations.  My sense of intuition and ability to “mind read” has helped me more than I could have ever thought possible.

Olmsted casting yard, super gantry and catamaran barge.

In fact, I recently came across an article from the New York Times that supported this same aspect. The article titled, “Why some teams are smarter than others,” states that a distinguishing characteristic of the smartest teams is that “teams with more women outperformed teams with more men. Indeed, it appeared that it was not ‘diversity’ (having equal numbers of men and women) that mattered for a team’s intelligence, but simply having more women…partly explained by the fact that women, on average, were better at ‘mindreading’ than men.”  This skill has helped me to value each team member’s input and lead meetings in a forward direction.

Olmsted Dam project site, including piers and first Tainter Gate.

Therefore, I celebrate my learned skills and my innate abilities to help “make it happen.”  I am very proud to be an engineer at the Olmsted Dam project and the fact that what I do on a daily basis makes a difference on the project is extremely rewarding.  I feel that it is imperative to have more women on construction sites and in the industry due to the specialized skills that they bring with them.  Every chance I get, I encourage the younger generation of women to do what challenges them and ensure that they understand that there are no boundaries to what they can do to make it happen!

Comment below to share how you “make it happen” at work! Be sure to use the #WomenExcel hashtag when you share this post on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

Natani Gourneau, productivity engineer/construction engineer II at the Olmsted Dam Project, has been with ArchTam for five years, including multiple estimating internships. She is a Boise State University alum who studied construction management with a minor in business.  She also enjoys the company of her family and friends, spending time outdoors, exercising, listening to music, traveling and attending events.
LinkedIn: Natani Gourneau

The post #WomenExcel: Making it happen at the Olmsted Dam appeared first on Blog.