Environmental Engineer, New York City

A woman wearing a hard hat walked into a Manhattan coffee shop. She was wearing a pair of large noise-cancelling headphones, muddy construction boots and exuded a tall order of confidence. Upon exiting she walked right by the “men at work” signs and live male specimen and entered a construction zone. I was intrigued. The WOW WOMAN idea was born that instant, with curiosity to ask questions and capture women at their best.

1. How did you get on this path? How did you end up working here, in this capacity? What is your story?

I started off in school pursuing a degree in biology with the hopes of going to medical school after undergrad. When I decided I might not want to be in school for another 10 years getting a specialized medical degree, I re-evaluated whether biology alone would lead to a career I that really interested me. As such, I decided to dive into the wild world of engineering. I chose environmental engineering to stay in a sort of scientific vein, and because my upbringing in Wisconsin was very focused on a love for and appreciation of the natural world, and environmental engineering seemed a great way to synthesize my passion for science, my drive to create things, and my desire to protect our planet. I immediately loved the challenge of engineering and solving problems. I went to a school that focused heavily on hands-on learning experiences, so I had three 6-month internships while still a student, which solidified my interest in my new path. I worked at a consumer products manufacturing plant, a private water utility company, and an environmental consulting firm. I enjoyed the client-based projects at the consulting firm, as it added another thing I love–interacting with people–into the mix. I stayed at that company part time while I finished school, and then worked full time with them once I graduated. I had a lot of awesome experiences there but wanted a more fast-paced challenge…which brings me to my current job in NYC! I manage remediation activities “from cradle to grave,” meaning I help developers and landowners evaluate their parcels for contamination, recommend alternatives for removing or managing the contamination, and then oversee the selected remediation techniques during construction activities. It is a great job that takes me all over the city and allows me to spend some time outside. I get to be a part of some of NYC’s most exciting construction projects.

2. Do you feel the need to embody less “feminine” traits to be taken seriously?

I do often feel that women aren’t taken seriously, at least at first. It is a fine balance between being “less feminine” and showing that femininity doesn’t make you less competent! I’ve always loved proving people wrong, so going onto sites where people have that mindset that I’m a less effective or knowledgeable contractor because I’m a woman is usually a sort of fun and interesting challenge. I certainly don’t have much room to be super feminine in my appearance, since we have to comply with a lot of safety regulations/wear hard hats/get super dirty, but I’m a woman, I know what I’m talking about, and I won’t let people mess with me!

3. Do you think you get a presumption of credibility similar to your male counterparts (assuming they do)?

I think a lot of the time, it’s more an issue of youth. A lot of my male peers at work have issues with contractors because they are young and don’t have a ton of construction experience yet, and they sense the fear! I definitely see people discrediting my opinion because I’m a woman, but I don’t let that slide very often, especially since a lot of my job is enforcing real environmental regulations that can have massive financial consequences if something goes wrong. A lot of people on sites also think environmental issues are an obtrusive waste of time, so that is sometimes more of a hurdle than being a woman, since a lot of construction workers find a woman’s presence…pleasing. But that combination can often be an issue.

4. Do you feel pressure to work harder to appear as competent as your male counterparts?

I definitely think I spend more time in understanding the background of my projects so that I can be as competent and confident as possible when I get to a site. I always want to know what I am saying to contractors and developers, and have full-bodied answers to their questions. I also tend to mentally prepare a lot–to be ready for situations where people try to pull one over on me, or bully me into submission (which is something a lot of men think they can easily do with women in this field)–and stay strong and confident in my position so we can get the job done right.

5. Do you have a difficult time building mentoring relationships with males (either as a mentor or mentee) for the fear of being misunderstood (i.e. date as opposed to a cup of coffee for networking/insight etc.)?

It is often difficult, as I have to maintain a delicate balance between appearing friendly and approachable and appearing “flirtatious.” Many men try to be flirtatious right off the bat, especially on sites (not as much on the professional end in our office), which can sometimes be advantageous but is a slippery slope and often exhausting, unwanted, and degrading. In that sense, it can be tough to build lasting client relationships with certain types of men. But our office is full of a lot of great people, and I don’t have an issue talking to any of my male superiors. I do, however, value having female mentors in this field because they know all the extra sh*t we have to put up with on sites and can really empathize with us. It’s great to have strong professional female role models to look up to.

6. Do you find it difficult to balance wanting to be treated like a woman sometimes (whatever that means to you) versus wanting to be treated like a boss?

And I do see that sort of seep over into my personal life sometimes–taking that hard facade home with me. I’ve noticed I am slightly more distrustful of men in general, and am a little more skeptical towards men who approach me in personal situations. That’s really the biggest issue–letting this job change me. I try to always be a boss in my work! :)

7. Do you think being a female helps you in certain situations (hurts you in others)? What are the advantages to being a woman in a male-dominated industry?

Certainly being a woman can help. People find me pretty approachable, so that helps at the beginning of new sites, getting into a comfortable groove with the workers. They usually are more interested in interacting with me and listening to me (whether they actually want to follow through on my directions) than they are with men. A lot of that interaction is harmless, and it is fun having so many people to talk to throughout the day. I have definitely had some frightening experiences, but typically people are just out there to do work, and if they are happy to see me, then that’s not too bad. A lot of people like to make little comments about my appearance and personality that definitely wouldn’t be brought up to a male consultant. It just gets exhausting at times to try to politely shoot those things down, and to not let it affect my self-worth.

8. What stereotypes about men at construction sites are generally true? Which ones are unfair?

It can sometimes get kind of scary at sites, especially smaller ones. Men think they can do what they want with/to women, even ones who are in authoritative roles (sometimes even more so then, as they want to “put us in our place” or what not). Once, a foreman gave out my phone number to all his laborers. I got a lot of weird texts and phone calls. It wasn’t very cool! But in general, I think a lot of construction workers get unfairly stigmatized as crude, dumb, etc…and a lot of them are very talented, intelligent, family men and military veterans who are cool and fun to interact with. Just like I don’t want them to treat me a certain way because I am a woman, I try not to ever go into a site and pre-judge the people there. They are building NYC for crying out loud! They do a lot of amazing, hard work, and many are a pleasure to work with.

9. How is it to work outside most of the time. It must be cold in the winter, and then really hot in the summer, can you elaborate?

It is usually a very enjoyable experience…for like 4 weeks out of the year when it is sunny and 75 degrees :) I love being outside, so I don’t mind a lot of the issues that come with outdoor work. Or getting dirty! It can be challenging to comply with all the safety regulations in the winter, because you have to wear specific liners under you hard hat and always have to wear steel toed boots (which get really cold) and have to have the neon safety vest. Luckily this year our company got us all these awesome neon field jackets, so we can be warm while not having to try to fit our bulky clothes under a vest! It also can be really challenging in the rain, because a lot of my job requires taking detailed field notes, and that is nearly impossible in a downpour!

10. Do you feel valued by your colleagues?

I definitely feel valued by my colleagues at my company. We all work extremely hard and have crazy hours, and so the company really appreciates people who are dedicated and knowledgeable. A lot of the issues I face at the construction sites are absolutely not problems at my office, which is great.

11. What are your career goals? Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years from now?

My career goals include getting my professional engineering license–that entails passing an exam for your engineer-in-training license (which I have), working for 4 years in the field under the supervision of professional engineers (I have 2 ½ years done), and then passing another exam–in the near future, then getting more technical design experience (I would love to do more engineering-based work, like designing water treatment systems). I see myself either staying in this field and becoming a managing partner, or merging this work with another field, like environmental financial consulting. We will see–NYC has limitless potential, and I have a lot of interests.

12. What are the challenges you face as a female managing men and what has helped you to overcome those challenges?

I think that definitely being taken seriously and seen as more than just a sort of sexualized object is difficult in this line of work, but you also have to remember that everyone you interact with is just a person, and being heartless and overbearing is not always the best path. I just really like people in general and enjoy that interaction, so I usually like the challenge of finding that balance between approachability and authority.

13. Does it matter that you are a female? If yes, why?

It does and it doesn’t. I am a woman and I am confident in myself. Some people see that as a distraction or a disadvantage, but it is just who I am. People treat me differently than they might treat a man, but I have confidence in myself and my abilities, and I typically just shrug off the haters!