This year's IWIED theme is #EngineeringIntelligence. How do you think you show #EngineeringExcellence in your work?
Engineering Excellence is about bringing creativity into the everyday, not just solving problems, but reimagining how we approach them. We use parametric modelling and AI tools to explore smarter design options faster and challenge assumptions earlier in the process. Good engineering judgement keeps it all grounded. At the end of the day, the tools evolve, but our commitment to delivering safe, buildable solutions stays the same.
So much has changed in the 50 years since Cundall was founded. What changes would you like to see in the next 50 years, and how do you think we'll get there?
I'd love to see engineering become truly inclusive, where diverse perspectives are built into how we design, not just who's in the room. I think we'll get there by normalising AI-assisted workflows that free engineers to focus on creativity and impact, and by investing in the next generation earlier. The best structural solutions come from different minds solving the same problem together.
What’s a myth about your role that you’d love to bust?
Probably the ones saying that we spend our days buried in calculations, talking to no one. Some of my best conversations happen in design workshops or convincing an architect that yes, that column does need to be there. Structural engineering is creative, collaborative, and occasionally dramatic. We're not the quiet ones in the corner, we're the reason the building doesn't fall down. You're welcome.
What’s one experience or milestone in your career that shaped who you are today?
Following a project from concept all the way to completion shaped me more than anything else. Early on, I was heads down designing beams and columns on my desk. But stepping onto site, seeing what I drew being built, and having the confidence to flag when something wasn't right, that built real ownership. It taught me that engineering isn't just about getting the design correct, it's about standing behind it.