As we celebrate National Engineers Week, we’re launching a three-part interview series featuring various engineers here at RPA Engineering who are helping to shape the future of engineering. This year’s theme is “Design Your Future” and we asked our team to discuss how engineers tackle global challenges and build a better tomorrow.
Engineering is at the forefront of shaping a more efficient, resilient, and sustainable world. As emerging technologies like AI, renewable energy, and advanced materials continue to evolve, they are redefining how engineers approach design, construction, and problem-solving.
In this interview series, our panels share their insights on the transformative impact of these advancements, the innovative projects pushing the boundaries of possibility, and the critical balance between progress and environmental responsibility. From revolutionizing structural analysis with AI to pioneering net-zero energy solutions, these conversations highlight the role of engineers in building a smarter, more sustainable future.
How do emerging technologies like AI, renewable energy, or advanced materials reshape the engineering landscape?
Alex Lee:
AI and machine learning have evolved rapidly in recent years, fundamentally transforming the field of structural engineering. As a structural engineer, I see these emerging technologies revolutionizing how we design, analyze, and construct buildings and infrastructure. AI-driven structural analysis will enable us to optimize designs by quickly evaluating thousands of alternatives and predicting structural behavior under various conditions. This advancement will lead to more efficient, cost-effective structures while upholding the highest safety standards. By integrating AI, we can push the boundaries of innovation and create smarter, more resilient infrastructure.
Paul Parise:
For engineering design, some of these technologies allow us to obtain solutions for our customers quickly, which is good. At the same time, reliance on software in lieu of hard skillsets may not result in the same deep understanding of engineering judgement. That said, where sensible, the hard skills must serve as the foundation and the software is the tool to speed up the process.
For renewable energy and advanced materials, I feel there is much ground to gain. Barriers due to cost of technology or lack of infrastructure are starting to break. Electric Vehicles are a good example of this. What once appeared as theoretical solution to a problem is now something making its way into our daily lives. However, finding methods which truly rely on energy creation and consumption that does not shift impact from one area to another have yet to be realized, i.e. we shift demand from the gas pump to the grid, which still requires fuel consumption and resulting emissions. Continuing to push the boundaries in this arena will eventually get us on a better path. Advanced materials need to be created in manner that does not result in adverse consequences and at the same time these materials need to be on par with their more traditional counterparts in terms of longevity.
AI-driven structural analysis will enable us to optimize designs by quickly evaluating thousands of alternatives and predicting structural behavior under various conditions. This advancement will lead to more efficient, cost-effective structures while upholding the highest safety standards.
Can you give an example of an innovative project you’ve worked on that tackled a significant challenge?
Kate Harper:
Over the past few years, I worked on a project to modernize a century-old pipe manufacturing facility in Etna, PA, transforming it into a cutting-edge technology hub for Westinghouse’s eVinci microreactor. This facility will be used to develop and manufacture next-generation micro-modular reactors for decentralized, remote applications. The microreactors will provide emissions-free baseload power for over 8 years, with each unit reducing up to 55,000 tons of CO2 annually. The project presented numerous challenges, from upgrading infrastructure to meet modern standards and coordinating with utilities, to finding innovative solutions for adaptive reuse. However, it was incredibly rewarding to take a historic piece of Pittsburgh’s industrial past and modernize it to meet the global energy needs of tomorrow. The project was honored with the Engineer’s Society of Western Pennsylvania’s (ESWP) 2024 Project of the Year Award for Modernization.
Paul Parise:
I served as a Project Manager on a project for the Phipps Conservatory Center for Sustainable Landscapes for a Mechanical Contractor with oversight of Piping, Ductwork, Controls, Insulation and Balancing trades. At the time of construction, it was one of the greenest buildings in the world, designed to be a Net-Zero building while also achieving LEED Platinum, Living Building Challenge and SITES. Since being constructed, it has been qualified to other standards.
It was incredibly rewarding to take a historic piece of Pittsburgh’s industrial past and modernize it to meet the global energy needs of tomorrow.
How can engineers balance innovation with environmental sustainability?
Maclean Smith:
Innovation and environmental sustainability must go hand in hand for an engineer. Many current operations across all industries rely on ways of working that do not promote sustainability. As engineers create more environmentally focused innovations, we can gradually progress towards a more maintainable place.
Paul Parise:
Having sound engineering judgement around of developing technologies to a point where they can be responsibly employed is paramount. Understanding the pros, cons and – more importantly – the practicality of an intended technology should guide how it may be employed.
Check back for Part 3 of 3 for a discussion on Shaping the Future: Engineering, Education, and Innovation
Meet Our Panelists
