In celebration of International Women In Engineering Day on June 23, this year we are sharing the accomplishments of the incredible women on our team: what they are most proud of so far in their careers, and what they are most looking forward to as they progress in the world of Engineering. Read more below about our Trailblazers, Collaborators and Thinkers.
Lucía Delacoste Griñó
Project Engineer | M.Eng.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
I feel very lucky for the opportunities I’ve had so far working in this field. I have had the chance to work on very varied projects that range from single family homes to museums to art pieces, across three different continents. In this journey, what gives me greatest pride is the fact that I have been able to adapt to the different situations and environments that have been presented to me and managed to quickly understand the key issues within the context I was in.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
I am very excited about working with mass timber at the moment. I feel like wood is the construction material of the future and I am eager to take part in this process. Humanity has enormous challenges ahead regarding the environment and as engineers we have a mandate to manage resources in a responsible way; advocating for efficient, elegant and economical wood buildings is certainly a way to do so.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
I feel very lucky for the opportunities I’ve had so far working in this field. I have had the chance to work on very varied projects that range from single family homes to museums to art pieces, across three different continents. In this journey, what gives me greatest pride is the fact that I have been able to adapt to the different situations and environments that have been presented to me and managed to quickly understand the key issues within the context I was in.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
I am very excited about working with mass timber at the moment. I feel like wood is the construction material of the future and I am eager to take part in this process. Humanity has enormous challenges ahead regarding the environment and as engineers we have a mandate to manage resources in a responsible way; advocating for efficient, elegant and economical wood buildings is certainly a way to do so.
Aishling Browne
Project Engineer | M.Eng., E.I.T.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
I’m quite proud of my accomplishments while working in different countries. While based in Paris at the start of my career, I had to learn to work in French, which was quite an achievement considering I could barely hold a conversation! In the UK, during the construction stage I briefly contributed to the Wimbledon Court No.1 redevelopment. It was exciting to be on site for such an iconic sports venue. And now in Canada, after two years, my first completed project is about to open to the public – the Malahat Skywalk on Vancouver Island.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
I’m looking forward to the construction and completion of my first bridge project – the SeaAndSky Pedestrian Bridge in Squamish.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
I’m quite proud of my accomplishments while working in different countries. While based in Paris at the start of my career, I had to learn to work in French, which was quite an achievement considering I could barely hold a conversation! In the UK, during the construction stage I briefly contributed to the Wimbledon Court No.1 redevelopment. It was exciting to be on site for such an iconic sports venue. And now in Canada, after two years, my first completed project is about to open to the public – the Malahat Skywalk on Vancouver Island.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
I’m looking forward to the construction and completion of my first bridge project – the SeaAndSky Pedestrian Bridge in Squamish.
Ilana Danzig
Associate | P.Eng., Struct. Eng., M.Eng., PE, SE
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
When I think about my accomplishments, I see flashes of images from throughout my career: I remember speaking in Germany at an international timber conference when I was relatively new to the field and on an otherwise all male panel with experts, rising to the challenge and crushing it, and feeling that first spark of passion kickstarting my love of public speaking. I think about getting feedback from my fellow Aspectians about a really nicely detailed connection, feeling in those moments like the effort I put in has really been seen by a group of people who share my values. I think about all the engineers I have gotten to mentor along the way, helping them learn the craft, and feeling like I am making an impact. I think about the projects I have worked on, large and small, where all the analysis and theory and work have contributed into these solid tangible buildings. And I think about when my 5 year old daughter told me that boys can ALSO be engineers and I know that I am a role model in what I do.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
Setting aside, for a moment, all of the post-pandemic goals I have, like greeting people with hugs and hand shakes, in many ways, I am looking forward to more of the same. The challenge of this work and why it keeps me going is that each new project is a brand new clean slate and an opportunity for accomplishments, growth, and impact. I look forward to rising to these challenges, and facing them with curiosity. This is equally true for supporting and mentoring those I work with in meeting their own challenges.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
When I think about my accomplishments, I see flashes of images from throughout my career: I remember speaking in Germany at an international timber conference when I was relatively new to the field and on an otherwise all male panel with experts, rising to the challenge and crushing it, and feeling that first spark of passion kickstarting my love of public speaking. I think about getting feedback from my fellow Aspectians about a really nicely detailed connection, feeling in those moments like the effort I put in has really been seen by a group of people who share my values. I think about all the engineers I have gotten to mentor along the way, helping them learn the craft, and feeling like I am making an impact. I think about the projects I have worked on, large and small, where all the analysis and theory and work have contributed into these solid tangible buildings. And I think about when my 5 year old daughter told me that boys can ALSO be engineers and I know that I am a role model in what I do.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
Setting aside, for a moment, all of the post-pandemic goals I have, like greeting people with hugs and hand shakes, in many ways, I am looking forward to more of the same. The challenge of this work and why it keeps me going is that each new project is a brand new clean slate and an opportunity for accomplishments, growth, and impact. I look forward to rising to these challenges, and facing them with curiosity. This is equally true for supporting and mentoring those I work with in meeting their own challenges.
Briana Rogers
BIM Technician | Architectural Technologist
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
I’m most proud of the growth I’ve made in my career since moving to Switzerland 5 years ago. Creating drawings in a new language and adapting to a new country’s building standards has definitely presented challenges, but I’ve adapted and learned so much more than I could have expected.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
I look forward to expanding my knowledge and really focusing on the timber side of the industry. Building with timber is something I have always been interested in and it’s a material I want to be able to advocate for with as much information as possible.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
I’m most proud of the growth I’ve made in my career since moving to Switzerland 5 years ago. Creating drawings in a new language and adapting to a new country’s building standards has definitely presented challenges, but I’ve adapted and learned so much more than I could have expected.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
I look forward to expanding my knowledge and really focusing on the timber side of the industry. Building with timber is something I have always been interested in and it’s a material I want to be able to advocate for with as much information as possible.
Tanya Lee
Proposal Coordinator | B.A. Psychology & Commerce
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
I had started my career in Hong Kong as an advertising and marketing communications professional. Around 4 years in, I realised that I had a passion in understanding how places came to be. Hong Kong and Asia Pacific in general are very susceptible to climate changes such as monsoons, tsunamis, typhoons, and earthquakes. While I was l living there, there were always talk about building resilience into structures. It was then that I decided that I wanted to be part of the conversation and that meant I needed to pivot my career. A lot of sleepless nights before the big step, but I am happy where I am today learning all there is about structural innovation.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
I have just only started my career in the AEC industry. As a proposal coordinator, my responsibility is to help the company bid for projects. What I am looking forward to most is seeing my first ever successful bid complete construction, and to know that I have been a part of the process. In the future, I am also looking forward to being able to pass by construction sites around the City and be able to recognize the structural system used.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
I had started my career in Hong Kong as an advertising and marketing communications professional. Around 4 years in, I realised that I had a passion in understanding how places came to be. Hong Kong and Asia Pacific in general are very susceptible to climate changes such as monsoons, tsunamis, typhoons, and earthquakes. While I was l living there, there were always talk about building resilience into structures. It was then that I decided that I wanted to be part of the conversation and that meant I needed to pivot my career. A lot of sleepless nights before the big step, but I am happy where I am today learning all there is about structural innovation.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
I have just only started my career in the AEC industry. As a proposal coordinator, my responsibility is to help the company bid for projects. What I am looking forward to most is seeing my first ever successful bid complete construction, and to know that I have been a part of the process. In the future, I am also looking forward to being able to pass by construction sites around the City and be able to recognize the structural system used.
Eva Chau
Project Manager | P.Eng., M.Eng.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
I have been very fortunate to have been able to work on a variety of projects throughout my career. More recently, I am very excited about working on mass timber projects which is something that has always been a passion for me. There have been many moments that I am proud of recently such as being the Engineer of Record for the first time for a mass timber restaurant, getting involved with managerial duties for our Toronto office, and helping to mentor others in the office. These achievements demonstrate the confidence that the company has in me and the confidence that I have in myself and shows major progression in my career.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
I am most looking forward to being able to look around me and continue to see the impacts that my work has on the cities we live in. This could be accomplished in many ways such as designing buildings that have a lower carbon footprint, involvement in projects that directly benefit a community such as community centers, affordable housing, and schools, and continued mentorship of younger engineers to become successful in their work.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
I have been very fortunate to have been able to work on a variety of projects throughout my career. More recently, I am very excited about working on mass timber projects which is something that has always been a passion for me. There have been many moments that I am proud of recently such as being the Engineer of Record for the first time for a mass timber restaurant, getting involved with managerial duties for our Toronto office, and helping to mentor others in the office. These achievements demonstrate the confidence that the company has in me and the confidence that I have in myself and shows major progression in my career.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
I am most looking forward to being able to look around me and continue to see the impacts that my work has on the cities we live in. This could be accomplished in many ways such as designing buildings that have a lower carbon footprint, involvement in projects that directly benefit a community such as community centers, affordable housing, and schools, and continued mentorship of younger engineers to become successful in their work.
Julia Fatkullina
Human Resources
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
I’m happy and proud that I followed my long-term passion for working with people and made a transition to the Human Resources department (from the Accounts Management side). I feel very blessed to do what I love and work alongside so many talented, intelligent, and unique people!
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
I have a vision of our company being one of the best workplaces in the industry: a flourishing inclusive culture, great work-life balance, and outstanding performance in every project-related and non-project-related aspect. And even though we are very close to this vision already 😉 there is always room for good HR work to keep our people happy, fulfilled, and productive. On a personal side, I’m looking forward to completing my Human Resources Certificate with Simon Fraser University and getting my CPHR Designation.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
I’m happy and proud that I followed my long-term passion for working with people and made a transition to the Human Resources department (from the Accounts Management side). I feel very blessed to do what I love and work alongside so many talented, intelligent, and unique people!
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
I have a vision of our company being one of the best workplaces in the industry: a flourishing inclusive culture, great work-life balance, and outstanding performance in every project-related and non-project-related aspect. And even though we are very close to this vision already 😉 there is always room for good HR work to keep our people happy, fulfilled, and productive. On a personal side, I’m looking forward to completing my Human Resources Certificate with Simon Fraser University and getting my CPHR Designation.
Meike Engel
Project Engineer | B.Eng., E.I.T.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
So far in the early stages of my career, I am most proud of the work I have done to help start up our erection engineering tools and standards for mass timber projects. This is a relatively new scope for Aspect and it has been exciting to dive into the world of construction engineering, element sequencing, and all of the aspects that help to create a safe, efficient, and successful project for contractors. This work has been extremely collaborative with different stakeholders of the project and has taught me a lot about what to consider in the design of structures, both in the temporary and permanent state and in terms of constructability. In the past year, I have been able to contribute to this scope in various different scales and complexities, including at an elementary school in Vancouver constructed using mainly CLT, an architecturally complex boathouse constructed using glulam frames, and several high profile mass timber office buildings in California.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
In the future, I am looking forward to learning more about mass timber construction and design. I am particularly interested in mass timber construction since I am inspired by it’s environmental benefits in comparison to other more conventional building materials used today. I also believe that it will contribute significantly to building happier, healthier, and more sustainable communities in the future; a goal which we should all be striving towards in our industry.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
So far in the early stages of my career, I am most proud of the work I have done to help start up our erection engineering tools and standards for mass timber projects. This is a relatively new scope for Aspect and it has been exciting to dive into the world of construction engineering, element sequencing, and all of the aspects that help to create a safe, efficient, and successful project for contractors. This work has been extremely collaborative with different stakeholders of the project and has taught me a lot about what to consider in the design of structures, both in the temporary and permanent state and in terms of constructability. In the past year, I have been able to contribute to this scope in various different scales and complexities, including at an elementary school in Vancouver constructed using mainly CLT, an architecturally complex boathouse constructed using glulam frames, and several high profile mass timber office buildings in California.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
In the future, I am looking forward to learning more about mass timber construction and design. I am particularly interested in mass timber construction since I am inspired by it’s environmental benefits in comparison to other more conventional building materials used today. I also believe that it will contribute significantly to building happier, healthier, and more sustainable communities in the future; a goal which we should all be striving towards in our industry.
AnnaLiza Rivero
Administrative Assistant
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
I’m proud of my ability to adapt, maintain a positive attitude, stay open to learning and build on my experiences.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
I am looking forward to gaining continued understanding of the industry in order to support to the best of my abilities.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
I’m proud of my ability to adapt, maintain a positive attitude, stay open to learning and build on my experiences.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
I am looking forward to gaining continued understanding of the industry in order to support to the best of my abilities.
Ornagh Higgins
Project Engineer | M.Eng., E.I.T.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
To date, I am most proud of a project I worked on while living in the UK, Harpenden Leisure Centre. This was one of the first large projects I acted as lead designer on. As well as the construction of a new sports and leisure centre, the project included the refurbishment of an existing community centre into a theatre, and this change of use presented many design challenges.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
I am most looking forward to completing the project I am currently working on which uses CLT modular construction for the gravity portion of the structure and EBFs for the lateral system. This is my first project working with mass timber, and one of my first experiences designing for seismic loads, which is still relatively new to me having just moved to Canada last year. The use of CLT walls combined with EBFs has presented many challenges, and I have learnt a lot while looking at solutions for this with the senior engineers on the team. I am looking forward to progressing this design further and seeing it be constructed in the coming years.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
To date, I am most proud of a project I worked on while living in the UK, Harpenden Leisure Centre. This was one of the first large projects I acted as lead designer on. As well as the construction of a new sports and leisure centre, the project included the refurbishment of an existing community centre into a theatre, and this change of use presented many design challenges.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
I am most looking forward to completing the project I am currently working on which uses CLT modular construction for the gravity portion of the structure and EBFs for the lateral system. This is my first project working with mass timber, and one of my first experiences designing for seismic loads, which is still relatively new to me having just moved to Canada last year. The use of CLT walls combined with EBFs has presented many challenges, and I have learnt a lot while looking at solutions for this with the senior engineers on the team. I am looking forward to progressing this design further and seeing it be constructed in the coming years.
Marta Cygan
Director of Finance Systems & Business Analytics | CPA, CMA; B.Comm
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
Reaching a point in my career where I am providing a solid, tangible impact for the organizations that I work with. For myself, it is more of a reflection on the various wins I have had over the years and how they have compounded into the value I am able to provide today. It is the journey that I am most proud of.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
I look forward to continuing to push the envelope within the Finance and Analytics function in a leadership capacity. Leading the charge to find ways to make things easier, create more time for value-added activities, as well as highlight trends and provide visibility into areas that have not been considered.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
Reaching a point in my career where I am providing a solid, tangible impact for the organizations that I work with. For myself, it is more of a reflection on the various wins I have had over the years and how they have compounded into the value I am able to provide today. It is the journey that I am most proud of.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
I look forward to continuing to push the envelope within the Finance and Analytics function in a leadership capacity. Leading the charge to find ways to make things easier, create more time for value-added activities, as well as highlight trends and provide visibility into areas that have not been considered.
Natalie Kosikowsky
Marketing Manager | Bachelor of Applied Arts, Interior Design
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
Though there are many moments and projects that I’ve been proud of throughout my career, I’m most proud that I have let my curiosity guide me and have been flexible in my path, rather than stick to a rigid plan. I have been presented with opportunities which pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I was brave enough to take those leaps and expand my knowledge throughout various industries, despite sometimes feeling that I wasn’t qualified. I think in general women struggle with confidence and imposter syndrome in the workplace, and so to really push through that and be rewarded with continued learning and growth is a big accomplishment. I’m also proud that I followed my heart back to my passion for architecture after working my whole career in other fields, and I’m proud of all I’ve learned so far as part of the Aspect team.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
I’m honestly really looking forward to the continued growth and accomplishments of our team as a whole, and then (hopefully) taking some fun and unconventional approaches to how we tell the Aspect story.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
Though there are many moments and projects that I’ve been proud of throughout my career, I’m most proud that I have let my curiosity guide me and have been flexible in my path, rather than stick to a rigid plan. I have been presented with opportunities which pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I was brave enough to take those leaps and expand my knowledge throughout various industries, despite sometimes feeling that I wasn’t qualified. I think in general women struggle with confidence and imposter syndrome in the workplace, and so to really push through that and be rewarded with continued learning and growth is a big accomplishment. I’m also proud that I followed my heart back to my passion for architecture after working my whole career in other fields, and I’m proud of all I’ve learned so far as part of the Aspect team.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
I’m honestly really looking forward to the continued growth and accomplishments of our team as a whole, and then (hopefully) taking some fun and unconventional approaches to how we tell the Aspect story.
Gina Sheppard
Principal
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
While maybe a “small” thing, one that stands out for me was the first time someone told me they specifically wanted to work at Aspect because of our diversity and female representation across the team. I felt like it was a very affirming moment for our team and our values.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
Hitting and exceeding the 30 by 30 goal set by Engineers Canada. That number represents a major positive shift in the industry, and a healthy(ier), strong(er) team.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of at this point in your career, and why?
While maybe a “small” thing, one that stands out for me was the first time someone told me they specifically wanted to work at Aspect because of our diversity and female representation across the team. I felt like it was a very affirming moment for our team and our values.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in future?
Hitting and exceeding the 30 by 30 goal set by Engineers Canada. That number represents a major positive shift in the industry, and a healthy(ier), strong(er) team.
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