Spotlight – Natasa Williams

This months Spotlight is on Senior Engineer, Natasa Williams

Why did you choose a career in Structural Engineering?

I have always had interest in math’s and physics, but I also wanted to do something practical, that will have shape or form and have some kind of impact on the world we live in. So structural engineering was an obvious choice for me.

What has been the most memorable moment for you?

Finally being able to see construction taking shape on one of the project that I have spent months modelling and analysing, seeing the models being converted from my computer screen into massive real life structures.

What has been the most challenging part?

Working on older structures can bring unknown surprises. It can often lead to re-thinking the design, to work with the existing conditions that were previously hidden.

What do you like most about your job?

Being able to solve problems that haven’t been solved before. There are projects that have standard elements and you can adapt similar solutions to them, but we also come across conditions where standard solutions do not work and a new solution needs to be found.

What’s the best career lesson you’ve learned so far?

When finding solutions to a problem, always try to foresee any potential risks or issues whether be it in design, construction or maintenance related and eliminate them at early stages.

What’s your favourite structure in the world?

This is a difficult one only because I have many! If I really had to choose it would be Burj Khalifa, as it’s one of the many testaments of how engineering has pushed boundaries, being able to build bigger and better and it makes it exciting about what we will be able to achieve in the future. Plus it has amazing views of Dubai.

And lastly, what is one piece of advice you would give to someone starting out in Structural Engineering?

Take every opportunity to visit construction sites and get site experience – all this will give you valuable skills to help you solve future structural engineering problems.