Professor Paul Jowitt (ICE's 145th President)

Insights from an ICE past president

What makes a good ICE president?

Foresight and vision – they are not the same!

You need foresight to see what might be coming our way; and vision to decide what we want to do about it.

And passion.

The president must also have a track record of activity within the ICE, and have the capability of leading it, and be prepared to put the time and effort into the role.

What do you think is the most important quality in a leader?

Judgement.

Leaders have a variety of characteristics which reflect their own personality and the organisation they are in. There is no formula.

Did you learn any lessons during your presidency that you have taken forward in your career?

I think it reinforced some lessons already learned:

• If you make a mistake, acknowledge it and try to sort it out.
• Be patient – it doesn’t mean you have to be less determined.
• Enjoy life!

Which individual project or person inspired you to become a civil engineer?

I remember seeing a black and white TV programme about the Kariba Dam when I was nine years old!

But far more important were the people who inspired me or became my mentors/heroes as my career developed.

Brian Hutchinson was a structural engineer with Husband & Co (now Mott MacDonald) who I worked for between school and college. Brian showed me the importance of observation and sketching.     

And my academic mentors. Ian Munro, my PhD supervisor at Imperial College, and his great friends, Colin Brown from the USA and David Elms in New Zealand.

They introduced me to systems and systems thinking.

And if I were a young person starting out on their career now, I’d be inspired by Greta Thunberg.

What’s your #1 piece of advice for someone just starting their career as a civil engineer?

Be curious, observe what’s around you and ask questions. Keep a journal!

What are the most important skills for civil engineers today?

There is a great deal of emphasis on STEM subjects, but these are focussed on left-hand side of the brain thinking.

We need more right hand side of the brain thinking, so we need to add some 'A' - awareness, attitude, aptitude, application, aspiration, art! Some systems thinking! Some STEAM!

It’s important that engineers are technically competent and have ready mental access to their engineers toolkit.

But it’s equally vital that they understand the context of civil engineering and how it relates to the environment, society and the economy.

Tell us how you work with people to create or foster diversity in the workplace.

Higher education is a very diverse environment, certainly in terms of the students. 

My first PhD student was from Nigeria. Since then, I have had PhD students from China, Greece, Malaysia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Kurdistan and the UK.

I’ve learnt from all of them. 

When I selected my 12 ICE Presidential Apprentices, I ensured they came from a variety of countries and there was a gender balance. 

How do we address climate change?

I’ve been campaigning on this for over 20 years.

It was a key theme of my 2006 ICE Brunel Lecture and my 2009 ICE Presidential Address.

The most effective thing I can do is to persuade others – through my teaching, published papers, letters to the press, and face-to-face dialogue.

Do you have a core philosophy/motto?

Take a systems view of the world and make sure to set the system boundaries wide enough.

What do you think is the greatest challenge the industry is facing and how can civil engineers overcome this issue?

Providing the critical infrastructure upon which civilisation depends.

More bluntly - saving the planet and humanity’s place in it.