海角视频

Melanie Chamberland, Associate Principal based in New York

What’s your current role? What inspired you to become an engineer? 

I saw how there was opportunities and solutions to be more energy efficient and reduce our footprint. It needed people to make those things happen and I wanted to be a part of that happening. I felt there was so much more we could be doing and doing better, I wanted to spend my time and effort doing that over anything else. 鈥�鈥� 

I鈥檝e built a network that鈥檚 helping shape New York City into a more energy-efficient, resilient, and community-focused place.

This year鈥檚 INWED theme is ‘Together we engineer’. In what way are you shaping your city now? 

It鈥檚 taken time to truly feel part of the city since moving here 13 years ago, but I now feel deeply connected to my community. The way I spend my personal time and what I care about in the city has become closely linked to my work in energy efficiency and local laws. There鈥檚 a synergy I never imagined, but it鈥檚 developed naturally. Through the projects and buildings we work on and the friends I鈥檝e made, I鈥檝e built a network that鈥檚 helping shape New York City into a more energy-efficient, resilient, and community-focused place.

‘Together We Engineer’ emphasizes collaboration and inclusivity in engineering. How is inclusivity driving a better, more sustainable industry? 

Diverse teams coming from different backgrounds can lead to more ideas and innovation in a team. When everyone has a different lived experience or perspective, they see things differently and therefore can suggest different ideas to the rest of the group, truly harnessing the best solutions to challenges we face. Similar to a team collaborating on a problem, different personalities and ways of work are a benefit, diverse team members build on that and improve our potential.

Collaboration is key to making that a success so we can all work together towards the same goal, rather than clash because of our different approaches or perspectives.  

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Mikayala Hoskins, Associate Principal based in New York

What’s your current role? What inspired you to become an engineer?

I鈥檓 an Associate Principal on our Advisory team, where I lead the Strategy and Policy group. With an engineer for a father and an artist for a mother, I grew up with a deep curiosity about the world and a practical mindset for solving problems. Over time, my passion for environmental sustainability grew, and combining that with engineering became my path.

I am driven by working with our clients to set ambitious climate action or sustainability plans and by asking key questions about how these plans will get done.

This year鈥檚 INWED theme is ‘Together we engineer’. In what way are you shaping your city now?

As an engineer working in strategy and policy consulting work, I am driven by working with our clients to set ambitious climate action or sustainability plans and by asking key questions about how these plans will get done, what is needed for success, and how we can set them up for short and long term implementation. I am excited to continue seeing climate leadership and deep GHG emissions reductions as we get closer to 2030, a key milestone year for many cities.  

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Fernanda Escobar, Associate Principal – Electrical based in New York

What’s your current role? What inspired you to become an engineer?

I鈥檓 an Associate Principal and Electrical Engineer at 海角视频 NY, leading building design projects and coordinating with our teams in Poland and India to deliver innovative solutions. I became an engineer because I鈥檝e always been fascinated by how cities function – and driven to use that knowledge to create more inclusive spaces. 

I became an engineer because I鈥檝e always been fascinated by how cities function.

This year鈥檚 INWED theme is ‘Together we engineer’. In what way are you shaping your city now? 

I am shaping the future of the city through two transformative projects: firstly the New York Climate Exchange on Governors Island; the project goal is to lead global climate solutions, and secondly the Centre Pompidou in Jersey City; a cultural hub that鈥檚 bringing art and innovation to the community. 鈥�

I鈥檓 proud to help design spaces that inspire, educate, and empower. 

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Alex Nutkiewicz, Senior Consultant – Energy based in New York

What’s your current role? What inspired you to become an engineer?  

I’m a Senior Engineer on our Energy and Decarbonization team, largely working with public agencies to find practical solutions to achieving their long-range climate goals. However, I got interested in engineering through architecture.

I’m inspired by the sense of community a well-designed urban space can create and how that space is a direct reflection of our culture and our history. And while I’m not a great artist, I found that I could still influence the design of these spaces through the engineering behind them while accounting for the critical strategies needed to ensure their resilience in the face of climate change.   

I found that I could still influence the design of these spaces through the engineering behind them.

This year鈥檚 INWED theme is ‘Together we engineer’. In what way are you shaping your city now? 

I’m shaping New York, my current home, through the development of thermal energy networks to decarbonize how we heat our buildings. Thermal energy networks are interconnected heating and cooling systems that allow buildings to exchange heat between each other as well as leverage additional energy sources, such as rivers, geothermal boreholes, wastewater systems, or data centers, to improve their efficiency.

They have the ability to reduce grid strain, replace leak-prone gas pipelines, and equitably deliver clean, resilient thermal energy to neighborhoods. 

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Somto Uyanna, Senior Consultant – Strategy and Policy based in New York

What inspired you to become an engineer?

Growing up in Nigeria, I experienced the impact of infrastructure and the built environment on people’s lives. On my life. I saw how limited investment in clean water, power, and efficient transit contributed to a poor state of affairs. I also saw how even small interventions could have positive ripple effects. I became a civil engineer to be a part of such interventions and improve quality of life for those around me. 

I am working on a couple of resilience projects to ensure people and assets along the city’s waterfront are able to withstand and recover from future flood events. 

This year鈥檚 INWED theme is ‘Together we engineer’. In what way are you shaping your city now?

New York City faces significant stormwater and coastal flood risk as seen through the devastating Hurricane Sandy. Currently, I am working on a couple of resilience projects to ensure people and assets along the city’s waterfront are able to withstand and recover from future flood events. 

In particular, I am part of an incredible team of engineers, designers, and economists developing the plan to revitalize the historic Brooklyn Marine Terminal in Red Hook. The project aims to modernize the century-old port and create new opportunities for housing, commerce and waterfront access for New Yorkers. 

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Shivanie Rambaran, Engineer based in New York

What’s your current role? What inspired you to become an engineer? 

Growing up, I knew I wanted my work to leave a net positive impact on the world. That vision was nurtured by supportive role models along the way. First was my sister, who pursued chemical engineering and showed me that a woman from our humble background can lead in STEM.

Importantly, my high school physics teacher, who saw my potential and gave me the courage to chase it as a career. And then the mentors who reminded me why staying in this field matters, not the least of which being that we as engineers are essential in solving the climate crisis. With their guidance, I learned that engineering could be both my calling and my contribution to a better, healthier world. 

Circularity initiatives can鈥檛 happen in a vacuum; they require strong community support.  

This year鈥檚 INWED theme is ‘Together we engineer’. In what way are you shaping your city now?

One key way I鈥檝e been helping shape NYC is by supporting the city鈥檚 growing circular economy. I鈥檝e had the opportunity to be part of the project team and help shape implementation for SPARC since its early phases – this project being the first to pilot NYCEDC鈥檚 Circular Design & Construction Guidelines.

Circularity initiatives can鈥檛 happen in a vacuum; they require strong community support. That鈥檚 why I鈥檝e fostered engagement with RECLAIM NYC – sharing lessons learned, communicating local concerns, and helping facilitate material matchmaking workshops with BH.

To sustain this momentum, I鈥檝e also been advocating for local materials legislation that supports responsible material choices at scale.

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