10 Women Trailblazers of Civil & Structural Engineering

10 and 9- Two women who have undoubtedly made an impression on the Engineering field in the last year are Robin A. Kemper and Kristina L. Swallow, who are the official nominees for the office of President Elect of the ASCE. Also for the first time, the current president, Norma Jean Mattei (see below), will be succeeded by another woman.

10. Robin A. Kemper, P.E., LEED AP, F.SEI, F.ASCE

Robin A. Kemper, P.E., LEED AP, F.SEI, F.ASCE is a senior risk engineering consultant for Zurich Services Corporation in New York. Previously, she has worked within many aspects of the structural engineering realm, focusing on design, engineering, and forensics. Kemper is experienced in both new construction and historical preservation, and everything in between. Most importantly, Kemper’s largest priority is ensuring best practices for identifying liability and minimizing risk within the field of civil engineering. Learn more on Robin’s LinkedIn page. 

9. Kristina L. Swallow, P.E., ENV SP, F.ASCE

Kristina L. Swallow, P.E., ENV SP, F.ASCE is the program manager for the city of Las Vegas. As such, her focus is planning civil works projects and sanitary sewer projects. Swallow has also pursued her passion for public works projects by working in the office of Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM). While working towards position of President of ASCE, Swallow focuses on a big-picture approach to achieving the organization’s “Vision 2025,” which calls for the profession to sustainably enhance the global quality of life. Her approach calls for unity within the profession. Learn more on Kristina’s LinkedIn page.

8. Adda M. Athanasopoulos-Zekkos, Ph.D., A.M.ASCE

Adda M. Athanasopoulos-Zekkos, Ph.D., A.M.ASCE, is an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Michigan. Her most significant recent contributions to her field include her intensive studies in the seismic risk assessment of levee protection systems against flooding. Athanasopoulos-Zekkos’ work has earned her the Arthur Casagrande Professional Development Award from the ASCE. Learn more at about Adda at ASCE.org.

7. NORMA JEAN MATTEI, PH.D., P.E., F.SEI, M.COPRI, M.ASCE

NORMA JEAN MATTEI, PH.D., P.E., F.SEI, M.COPRI, M.ASCE is the President-Elect of the ASCE, and has been since May of 2015. Currently, she is the commissioner-member of the Mississippi River Commission. She is only the third woman to ever be elected president of the ASCE, and also only the third civilian to be called by President Obama to be a part of the Mississippi River Commission. She passes her long-acquired knowledge onto the next generation of civil engineers as a professor at the University of New Orleans. Learn more on Norma’s LinkedIn page.

6. Courtney Davis, P.E., M.ASCE

Courtney Davis, P.E., M.ASCE, works on the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal (IHNC) Surge Barrier project. This project, hosted by the Army Corps of Engineers, works to protect the southernmost regions of Louisiana from severe storm damage. This vital project helped reduce flooding in the region by up to ten feet and, ultimately, helped save lives. While Davis was one of the youngest workers on the project, she valued being able to see the field of engineering as a life-saving profession, not just another job. Learn more about Courtney at ASCE.org.

5. Sepi Asefnia

Sepi Asefnia is the president of SEPI Engineering, a North Carolina–based civil engineering firm, the 19th largest national engineering company. The Iranian-born Asefnia didn’t come by her credentials easily, but armed with confidence in her abilities, Asefnia began her own company in 2001 and now owns one of the top companies of its kind focusing on civil engineering design, sustainability, planning, and construction. Learn more at Sepi’s LinkedIn page.

4. Erica Antoine

Erica Antoine is a project engineer for Burns Engineering Inc. and is just 30 years old. She already has several transportation projects under her belt in the Philadelphia area. As a teenager, becoming an engineer was not always a dream, but her job at a car parts store and an inspiring physics teacher encouraged her to explore the civil engineering profession. Now she shares her story with other young women, encouraging them to pursue civil engineering. Learn more at Erica’s LinkedIn page.

3. Yvette Pearson Weatherton, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE

Yvette Pearson Weatherton, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, is a top educator in the engineering profession, and has been for over 20 years. Weatherton is a program director in the Division of Undergraduate Education at the National Science Foundation. She manages funds which benefit science education and workforce development. She has also worked to recruit and retain science, technology, engineering, and math students from orientation through graduation.She has also been named a Fellow by the ASCE Board of Direction. Learn more at Yvette’s LinkedIn page.

2. Jeanne M. VanBriesen, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE

Jeanne M. VanBriesen, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE is a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, and is a valuable mentor and advisor to especially her female students. She also mentors younger professors and professionals within the school and in nearby institutions. Her work to encourage women in the field of engineering has earned her the Margaret S. Petersen Award for her technical achievements, ASCE leadership, and commitment to mentoring women pursuing engineering careers. Learn more about VanBriesen at ASCE.org or at her LinkedIn page.

1. Elizabeth Ruedas EIT, ENV SP, A.M. ASCE

Elizabeth Ruedas EIT, ENV SP, A.M. ASCE, is a design engineer for CNC Engineering Inc. in the City of Industry. While this is impressive, her most significant mark on the civil engineering profession is her use of social media to bring new attention to the field. Ruedas has over 70,000 followers and 8 million views on her YouTube channel. Additionally, Ruedas is only 23 years old, and a first generation college graduate. She hopes to show young women what a day in the life of a civil engineer is like, to perhaps inspire them to pursue higher education or a career in a STEM- related field. Learn more about Ruedas on Youtube.