ICE Strategy Session: Ethics in practice – embedding updated expectations into your everyday

David Porter

David Porter is director of engineering with the Department for Infrastructure, which is Northern Ireland’s highways authority. In this role, he is also the chief highways engineer and head of the civil engineering profession in the Northern Ireland civil service.

Porter is responsible for the development of the department’s professional and technical staff, engineering policies and standards, and health and safety. He also leads on procurement and the internal consultancy.

Previously, he was chief executive of the Rivers Agency, Northern Ireland’s flood defence and drainage authority.

Porter has served on the ICE Council three times, twice as the Northern Ireland representative and once as a general member. He is a trustee who, until recently, held the learning society portfolio. He has also served on several institution committees and panels.

A fellow of the Irish Academy of Engineering, Porter was awarded the Poskitt Medal by ICE Northern Ireland in 2017 and the President’s Award by Engineers Ireland in 2018.

Katy Turff

With over 20 years’ experience in professional engineering institutions, Katy Turff leads the Engineering Council’s work on policy and standards. 

Five years after joining the regulatory body in 2011 as its head of international affairs, Turff took charge of its newly formed professional standards department. In 2023, she became deputy CEO and head of policy and standards. In this role she retains strategic oversight of international and external affairs; professional standards and guidance; and activities concerning ethics, sustainability and DEI.  

Her recent work has included revising the Statement of Ethical Principles for Engineering, which is informing the current review of the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC) and updates to her organisation’s guidance on codes of conduct and disciplinary procedures.  

A chartered manager with the Chartered Management Institute, Turff oversaw the Engineering Council’s work on a contextualised version of UK-SPEC for engineers and technicians working on higher-risk buildings as part of its response to the Grenfell Tower fire. She continues to lead on its engagement with regulation of the built environment sector.

Alex Garman

Alex is a chartered civil engineer with over ten years’ experience in the technical design and delivery of infrastructure and building projects in the UK and abroad.

Alex has worked on a wide range and scale of projects in the rail, master planning, nuclear and aviation industries, including a role as construction manager for HS2 and time spent working overseas in India. More recently, he has been involved in the design of complex flood defence schemes in Lewes, utilities master planning for Engie and strategic site feasibility studies for Berkeley Homes.

Alex’s breadth and depth of experience have also enabled him to advise on construction innovation consultancy projects. For example, Alex helped to lead the i3p Earthworks Tiger Team research project, which looked at opportunities to improve productivity and sustainability when undertaking major earthworks projects.

Alex feels passionately about actively contributing to the civil engineering industry. He is a chartership reviewer for the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and is a member of the New Civil Engineer Advisory Board. Alex also sits on the editorial panel for the Smart Infrastructure and Construction Journal, and mentors students through schemes run by the University of Bristol and the ICE to help inspire the next generation of engineers.

Maryam Adam

After completing her master’s in civil engineering at University College of London, she joined WSP as a graduate engineer in the bridges team. She is part of the early careers network as the vice chair of knowledge, coordinating and planning presentations and webinars for ICE members.

Paula McMahon

Paula started life as a civil engineering apprentice with her local council straight from school. At Sir Robert McAlpine she oversees the professional development of future ICE members and manages the Social Value for the A19 DBFO Project as well as effecting positive changes through several Affinity and leadership groups.

 Her career has been wide ranging and varied and has included significant roles on high profile projects including the Thames Barrier, Hinkley Point C and DUBAL Aluminium. She is a Chartered Fellow of the ICE and the Chartered Management Institute as well as being a Fellow of the Women’s Engineering Society.

 Paula strongly believes in inspiring our next generation of civil engineers and educating everyone to work towards an equitable and sustainable future. She is regularly invited to speak at national and international events on a range of topics including engineering, diversity and sustainability.