Women have and continue to contribute to the field of engineering in countless influential ways, working in mechanical, material, architectural engineering and more. In honour of International Women in Engineering Day, we interviewed Jordan Dick, an accomplished Historic Preservation Engineer currently working at Ramboll – a global engineering and architecture agency. Jordan is also an Edinburgh University Alumni who obtained her Masters in Architectural Conservation in 2018. Through her experiences and ideas, we can learn vast amounts about what it is like to be an engineer, as well as the importance of women in the field.
So, you may be wondering, what exactly is a Historic Preservation Engineer? We asked Jordan to expand on this for us before we asked further questions, where we dived into her career, her inspirations and her advice to those pursuing engineering.
Qu: What is a Historic Preservation Engineer?
“A historic preservation or heritage/conservation engineer is an engineer who understands and cares for historic buildings, preserving built heritage for future generations. What this means in my job is that I look at specific elements of a building (usually focused on the exterior of the building), and try to understand the condition, what has failed or needs to be repaired, and why this has happened. This usually involves a combination of visual, hands-on, and intrusive surveys to understand the building or element fully. I then recommend and design repairs and oversee the construction of the repairs. When working with historic buildings, it is crucial to plan for the building long-term, keeping in mind the durability of the materials, as well as how visible or legible those repairs will be, their authenticity or honesty, and wherever possible, making them reversible.”
Qu: What drew you into studying engineering?
“My inspiration for my career came when my family bought a historic home in Maine (in the northeastern-most part of the US) when I was 14. Our house, one of the smallest in a community of beautifully crafted summer mansions, had originally been built to house the workers building those large houses, and was never intended to be permanent. It lacked a proper foundation, instead being set on piles of dry-laid stone, and had several extensions added in different architectural styles and of varying quality. We were fortunate to be able to repair and modify the house exactly how we wanted, that is – “to make it look like it had always been there”. I was very involved in the process and loved learning about how the house had been built, helping to design a new addition, choosing interior finishes, and learning about custom-milled beadboard. I knew then that I wanted to restore historic buildings, and with that passion, coupled with my love of math and science, decided to pursue a degree in civil engineering.”
Qu: What is your favourite part of your career?
“The best part of my career is getting to go on site and see and touch buildings. I love evaluating materials, figuring out why they have failed, and seeing repairs that I have designed be built. The hands-on experience and getting to see something firsthand is rare these days, in a world so filled with digital tools, and it is also really satisfying to see something you’ve worked on come to fruition.”
Qu: What is one specific project / historic building conservation that you are proud of or feels important to you?
“My favourite project, and one that I am very proud of, is my current work at Clandon Park. Clandon Park is a National Trust property and 1730s mansion in Surrey that suffered from a major fire in 2015, resulting in complete loss of the roof structure, most floors, and almost all interior finishes. Our work involves structural stabilisation of the remaining shell, and I am specifically working on the brick and limestone masonry and remaining plaster. I’ve learned an incredible amount on this project so far, and it has been an amazing opportunity to do a lot of material testing, including innovative work that has never been done before.”
To read more about the wonderful work at Clandon Park, please follow this link: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/surrey/clandon-park/the-project-at-clandon-park
Qu: Who is your biggest inspiration?
“My biggest inspiration professionally is my former boss and mentor from my first job in the US. I was fortunate to work with him closely for 11 years on many conservation projects, and admire his immense knowledge, passion for excellence and for teaching/sharing that excellence, and uncanny knack for calming down a room of frustrated contractors or clients when something isn’t going well on a project, when doing so seems impossible!”
Qu: Why would you say it is important to encourage women to join the field of engineering?
“Women are really important in engineering! When I studied engineering at Cornell University, they were really pushing for more women in the field, and Cornell was the first University (definitely in the US, and I think in the world) to enroll 50% women in engineering, a few years later. That is one of the main reasons I decided to study there. In my career so far, I have found that men and women often have different skillsets, and having both in teams and working on projects provides a much better balance than working on a project where I might be the only woman. I’ve noted many times that on the Clandon Park project, one of the reasons why I think it is so great is that there are a lot of women working on it. Fortunately, the conservation field is actually female dominated!”
Qu: What would you say to those who are pursuing and/or are thinking of pursuing a career in engineering?
“I would say that for any career, it is important to follow your passion and be dedicated to what you are doing, especially if, like me, you’re lucky enough to know what you want to do from an early age. Don’t be afraid to try new things, change your mind, or fail, as these really are the best ways to learn.”
We are extremely grateful to Jordan Dick for taking the time to share her personal experiences and insight into her career in engineering. Her passion for her field truly echoes through all her answers. It is clear how important it is for women to be in the field of engineering, not only for their diverse skill-sets but also as encouragement to more women interested in engineering to go for it!
Featured image: Jordan Dick at Clandon Park.
Written and interviewed by Colleen He, a 2nd year Medicinal and Biological Chemistry student at The University of Edinburgh and EUSci Secretary.
Edited by Emma Walsh, a 2nd year Biomedical Sciences student and EUSci Online Editor.
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