What is your current position?
I’m an Associate at Arup. I lead a team in Ireland that is focused on the interaction between built environment and climate effects. The team consists of a small group of highly talented people who have knowledge about a broad range of topics, including the wind and climate, structural systems, mechanical ventilation, experimental testing and numerical modeling. We use this combined knowledge to undertake sophisticated analysis and help develop efficient and effective solutions. We use a range of tools to do this, including computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
I also hold the position of wind skills leader for Arup’s Europe region and I’m responsible for growing and developing our wind engineering expertise throughout the region.
What are the biggest challenges you face professionally?
The biggest challenge is finding the smart adaptable people with the appropriate knowledge and skills. It can be difficult to find the right mix. I need people with good technical knowledge who are also comfortable working and communicating with less technical people. Smart, talented people are so precious, even when you find the right person they can be difficult to retain. There is a good deal of competition in the marketplace for people with this combination of skills.
Why did you pursue this career path? What motivated and attracted you to it?
Early in my career, I was involved in the design and construction of roads and bridges, and I became interested in wind interaction with bridges. I was struck by the limitations of the design code and how many circumstances were not covered by the code. I was eager to learn more and I decided to pursue a research master’s to improve my understanding. It was the thoughtful and personal response to my email from Nick Jones, the Dean of Engineering at the time, that made me decide JHU was the place for me.
What attributes, skills or knowledge are needed to be successful in your field?
It’s important to continue to learn and digest new technical topics. We work across a wide variety of disciplines and you acquire more and more knowledge with experience. It’s a key skill to take these complex topics and distill them down into simple terms for others to understand. The aim of the work we do is to find more effective and efficient solutions compared to conventional design approaches. It’s essential that you can communicate the value of your efforts to others.
We also undertake sophisticated analysis and modeling, so this requires a reasonable knowledge of numerical solutions, coding, and computers.
What are the biggest challenges in your field – not just you, but for all leaders in this area?
The biggest challenge is finding smart talented people and holding on to them.
The next challenge is acquiring reliable data. The emphasis these days is on gaining insights through digital analysis of data but the analysis is only as good as the underlying data. In wind engineering, we often depend on measurement and testing carried out from the middle of the last century. These were excellent tests for their time, but technology has quickly evolved. The importance of robust testing and experimental measurement remains.
What role has your educational background played in your success?
The education I received at JHU was pivotal in the success of my career after graduating. At JHU, I learned about wind engineering and CFD. My experience allowed me to join a specialist team focusing on CFD upon my return to Ireland after earning my master’s. It gave me the foundation to grow my expertise in this area and has allowed me to find innovative solutions to a broad range of problems.
My knowledge of wind engineering set me apart from others and has allowed me to build and grow a team within Arup. I am privileged to do interesting work with smart and talented people.
We would love to hear about any noteworthy professors or pivotal experiences you had at Whiting School?
I found the approach to teaching in JHU like nothing else I had experienced before. I remember an exam question that consisted of a single photograph of a tree with fallen leaves around it. We were asked to use all our knowledge to explain the leaf pattern.
I also recall Prof. Ben Shafer’s class where he would teach for the first 20 minutes and work with us to apply this learning for the rest of the class.
What advice would you offer students preparing for a career in your field?
I would advise them to follow their passion. Explore the things they find interesting. I find people will always go the extra-mile to learn more when they are truly interested in the topic.