Gordian Celebrates Engineers Week

To celebrate Engineers Week, we are highlighting Gordianites with technology/engineering backgrounds and career paths. Monique Law, Brian Adams, Carrie Roberts, Barry Hutchinson and Antonio D’Aulerio shared stories and insights from their respective journeys in engineering. Here’s what they had to share:

Monique Law | Project Manager, IT

• What inspired you to go into engineering/technology as a career? “Growing up I loved science fiction – the imagined technology of the future, the logic, the diversity, the fantasy and the exploration of other worlds through ships, the aid of engineers, communication, doctors, pilots. I wanted to be a part of that exploration, creativity, problem-solving and the “uplifting” of mankind. In high school, I took a coding class, fell in love with it. So when I was deciding my major for college, I landed on Computer Engineering. Computers were, in my mind, to be critical in every aspect of life. To be on the creation of whatever that would look like, I wanted to be on that journey.”
• What do you strive to accomplish with your work? “Whatever my project may be, I attempt to provide my best:  To provide solutions of ingenuity, answers to unasked questions, transparency, efficiency and to be a partner to my peers, team members and customers.”
• What’s something cool that you have gotten to do at work? “The cool thing that I got to do, is to be a part of two innovative projects: I am the original author/architect of the Gordian data warehouse that sources Netsuite. Also, I captured critical historical data, collaborating with other teams, for our Artificial Intelligence engine. Both of these projects were highly experimental, high risk and highly visible. That is pretty cool.”
• How do the skills you have learned in your career influence your life outside of work? “These high-risk highs don’t necessarily translate well in real life. But my collaboration, the high-concept critical thinking and designing, and my ability to communicate and really listen helps me as a contributing and effective member of two non-profits I’m involved with: Greenville SC Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta where I’m the treasurer and Read-a-Rama where I’m serving the founder to prepare for nationwide execution of its programs.”

Brian R. Adams | Engineer, Data

• What inspired you to go into engineering/technology as a career? “As a young child, I always had a passion for fishing and the ocean. I also always had an interest in fixing and repairing things. My passion for the ocean and my interest in fixing things drove me to apply to Massachusetts Maritime Academy for my college education. During my time at the Academy, I had many experiences that molded my character and ultimately helped me to make the decisions that would shape my life and my career in Facilities Engineering.”
• What do you strive to accomplish with your work? “I try to assist people in maintaining building facilities and equipment with the most financially responsible and efficient methods available.”
• What’s something cool that you have gotten to do at work? “During my time with a local municipality, we were in the process of building a new high school complex. This high school was going to include a few synthetic turf fields. We were considering the same turf manufacturer that the New England Patriots used. Therefore, a few members of the building committee and I were invited to tour the field at Gillette Stadium. We were able to walk out on the field and got some instruction on how the field is prepared and painted by the grounds crew. It was pretty cool to be standing on the 50-yard line at Gillette Stadium.”
• How do the skills you have learned in your career influence your life outside of work? “I definitely always try to make sure that whatever I do is safe and the equipment that I use is maintained, whether it be around the house, on our boat, or in our vehicles. We do a lot of fishing and boating on the ocean here in New England. If you don’t maintain your equipment, things can go from bad to worse in a very short amount of time. I have learned that ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ and this absolutely applies to my career and my life outside of work.”

Carrie Roberts | Regional Director

• What inspired you to go into engineering/technology as a career? “I used to work part-time at a news agency when I was in high school. My boss there was a retired Engineer. He taught me a lot about engineering and inspired me to become an Engineer.”
• What do you strive to accomplish with your work? “I strive to learn something new each day and continue to grow professionally throughout my career. At Gordian, I always strive to build and maintain strong client relationships and ensure a high level of service to our clients.”
• What’s something cool that you have gotten to do at work? “I’ve worked on many large infrastructure projects throughout my career. I’ve had the opportunity to design and build roads, bridges, tunnels, etc. It’s extremely exciting and rewarding to see something that you designed through to construction.”
• How do the skills you have learned in your career influence your life outside of work? “Engineering has taught me to think logically and develop problem-solving skills, among many other skills, which can be applied to everyday, real-life situations. When I see a bridge, it’s more than just a structure that allows me to cross over to the other side. I see all the steps that went into planning, designing and building the bridge. It makes me see life in a much more intricate way.”

Barry Hutchinson | Associate CTC Engineer

• What inspired you to go into engineering/technology as a career? “My inspiration was the idea of turning nothing into something. I would see undisturbed land transformed into schools, shopping centers, buildings, houses and be truly amazed. Then, the thought was What will this development look like in 10 years? Was this a good decision? What surrounding factors drove the decision? Is the development sustainable? Is this profitable?  In finding those answers, I realized that this is exactly what I wanted to be doing in life.”
• What do you strive to accomplish with your work? “At Gordian, I strive to be the go-to person for questions regarding the Construction Task Catalogues that we produce. My current title is an Associate Engineer in which I am looking forward to the transition of becoming an Engineer. From the Engineer role, I plan on being more involved with day-to-day activities of our account managers in the field and the owners of various future projects. In addition, I strive to delight and impress all our customers with accurate and defendable data which is tailored to their specific location and needs. Furthermore, I’m ensuring my efforts along with my team assist Gordian in obtaining the top position when it comes to construction data and unit price books around the world.”
• What’s something cool that you have gotten to do at work? “At Gordian, I have been able to go out in the field and participate in roundtable discussions with general contractors, subcontractors, architects, design firms and owners on upcoming projects. I am also responsible for the development of Construction Task Catalogues© for our clients in the Great Lakes Region, Southwest Region, Four Corners Region and the Federal team. Prior to Gordian, I was a Project Coordinator for a General Contractor in which I was responsible for organizing and conducting site visits for different trades to view and bid on their specific scope of work. In addition, I have also received, reviewed and accepted proposals from subcontractors to perform work. As a Project Coordinator, I have also assisted in drafting budget proposals for projects.”
• How do the skills you have learned in your career influence your life outside of work? “The skills that I have, along with the ones that I have learned, allow me to look at the bigger picture while including the little details that are usually forgotten. Specifically, I have implemented my skills in a way that I have finished the basement of my home and took on several projects for other family members which included [evaluating] budgets, proposals and subcontractors.”

Antonio D’Aulerio | Engineer, Data

• What inspired you to go into engineering/technology as a career? “Early on in school, I developed a passion for math and science. I wanted to know how things work.”
• What do you strive to accomplish with your work? “To do my best to improve my results and be able to help others.”
• What’s something cool that you have gotten to do at work? “I have been able to learn and discover new technologies like LED lighting and renewable energy. Electrical Engineering is everywhere.”
• How do the skills you have learned in your career influence your life outside of work? “My work makes me more aware of my surroundings and improve my attitude to deal with day by day challenges in life.”