Lucie Killen

We asked Lucie…

I would recommend a career in civil engineering because…

It’s a great opportunity to be creative, using your knowledge to improve communities.

There are so many different projects and jobs within the civil engineering field. Everyone can find a role that’s best suited to their skills.

I always wanted to be a design engineer, but I've tried a few different sectors. What I like most about my career is the variety, creativity and problem solving. It’s a chance to be part of some amazing projects and see the results of all your hard work.

It’s a great feeling when I come up with a good idea to fix a problem, solve an issue or find an elegant solution. And seeing the building you designed come to life is an amazing work satisfaction.

What’s the biggest/most complex thing you’ve made out of Lego? How long did it take you?

As a kid I loved building houses of various shapes from Lego.

Complete this phrase: I’m a civil engineer, but I’m also…

I’m a civil engineer but I'm also a gardener. I’ve always loved nature and exploring different beautiful landscapes.

Recently I started growing house plants and started a little vegetable garden. I enjoy learning about plants and how to grow them, and spending time outside.

What about being a civil engineer gets you out of bed each morning?

It makes me feel useful. I get the chance to contribute to literally building something new.

I like the satisfaction I feel when I solve a problem and see my design go from paper to becoming a real building. I enjoy working in a team with fantastic people.

Which civil engineering project (past or present) do you wish you’d worked on?

The Eden Project. It’s a combination of my two favourite things: a great-looking, elegant structure housing an impressive garden full of beautiful plants.

Name one civil engineering myth you’d like to bust.

The myth that men are better suited to be engineers than women.

Everybody has a different way of looking at things based on their own experience and who they are.

If we build a more inclusive industry with better gender representation, we can encourage diversity of thought and attract new people that will bring new ideas and innovations!

What are you doing to help fight against climate change?

I’m very passionate about protecting our environment and designing sustainable structures with as little environmental impact as possible.

As a structural engineer I can make a bigger difference by reducing the embodied carbon in the structures I design than I could have by changing my personal life. That said, I try to reduce my personal carbon footprint wherever I can.

It’s great that we now focus so much more on the embodied carbon in our structures and how we can reduce it.

It’s becoming a much more important parameter in any structural design, and that thinking allows for more efficient and sustainable structures.

It’s always a challenge, and there isn't a simple answer on how to achieve low carbon design, but it’s an opportunity to be more creative and reduce the impact we have on the environment.