Member Article

Tyneside engineer achieves chartered status

Tyneside civil engineer, Steena Nasapen-Watson, has been awarded membership of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).

ICE membership (MICE) can be awarded to a wide range of engineers practising in the broad area of civil engineering. Steena, who has met all the requirements of the ICE’s Chartered Professional Review, is now entitled to add the letters MICE to her name and adopt the Institution’s own protected title of ‘Chartered Civil Engineer’.

ICE’s professionally qualified grades of membership are internationally recognised and highly valued. Attainment of these is widely viewed as a significant achievement and a benchmark of an engineer’s competence and professional standing.

Steena was presented her membership certificate by ICE President, Professor Barry Clarke at an admission ceremony held at the ICE headquarters in Westminster, London.

Penny Marshall, ICE North East interim regional director, commented: “Civil engineering is an important engineering discipline sitting right at the heart of society. It is all about creating, improving and protecting the infrastructure that we all depend on in our day-to-day lives – from bridges, roads and railways right through to energy networks and water and waste infrastructure. The magnificent 2012 Olympic venues and surrounding infrastructure are also the work of our civil engineers.

“Achieving Chartered Civil engineer status is a significant personal and career achievement and we welcome Steena into the ICE.”

Steena, who works for the Environment Agency in Newcastle said: “Passing the review had a particular significance for me as a female engineer; it is a symbol that it can be achieved with hard work and good guidance.”

“My career highlight so far has been my site experience on the Redcar Flood Alleviation Scheme and Enhanced Landscape Scheme, a £30m project funded by the Environment Agency and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council. I was involved in the construction of flood defences consisting of a wave return sea wall and an articulated concrete revetment. This highlighted the need for civil engineering solutions to address the challenges on climate change.”

She added: “I would encourage school students to be curious and look around and ask questions: why, how and when. I would encourage them to take up science subjects which can lead to a career in engineering and also enable them to challenge behaviours towards the environment. They are the future and they should start thinking of how they can influence how they will be living.”

The opportunity to join ICE is available to civil engineers, technicians and technical/scientific specialists at every stage of their professional career, from students and apprentices to senior board directors.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Penny Marshall .