Lauren Luck

regional engineer – UK Civils, John Sisk & Son

Expertise

Construction, Project Management

Location

United Kingdom

My highlights

Representative on the ICE Ethics Committee

Gaining chartered status in 2020

Past chair of the ICE Manchester Branch

A day in my life

My day always starts with a coffee. I’m an early riser but the extra boost on the way to work helps me plan my day ahead.

As regional engineer for our UK Civils division, my to-do list can vary greatly. The common thread, however, is good communication.

Internally, with teams of design managers, project leads and various departments across the business including work winning, commercial and communications. Externally, with parties including designers, specialist consultants and clients.

At any given time, I may be:

working on the development of a protocol relating to design management
analysing a live project
solving problems with our site teams
developing information on best practice and evidence for our work winning teams

There’s no greater joy than seeing a project develop from a design on a piece of paper to a piece of infrastructure that will be enjoyed and used by the public for years to come.

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

The Mary McAleese Boyne Valley Bridge

I was only 13 when this bridge opened to the public. I remember being struck by the beauty of the structure as we drove along the M1 motorway on our trip to Dublin.

A brief discussion with my mum about the possibility of pursuing a career in the design and construction of big infrastructure sparked my interest in civil engineering.

We asked Lauren…

I would recommend a career in civil engineering because …

There’s no greater joy than seeing a project develop from a design on a piece of paper to a piece of infrastructure that will be enjoyed and used by the public for years to come.

A career in civil engineering gives you a chance to change the world we live in for the better.

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

I’m not a huge Lego fan so can’t pinpoint any particular builds that I’d be proud of.

I have however always had an interest in crafts, and I was pretty pleased with a paper-mache volcano that I built as a young girl. The build included some dyed washing up liquid for the final eruption.

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

A hiker, a foodie, a keen reader and a mum to two beautiful boys.

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

The opportunity to solve problems. Who doesn’t love to fix things?

As a civil engineer working in construction, I get the chance to help build solutions to the problems and challenges we all face on a daily basis.

What’s one great thing that you love about civil engineering that you didn’t know until you started working in the industry?

I didn’t fully appreciate how diverse the world of civil engineering really is.

I’ve been lucky to work on a range of projects from nuclear to public realm improvements. I’ve worked on railways, highways and across green fields.

My job allows me to work with people from all walks of life and to understand people as well as the technical challenges of engineering.

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

The Queensferry Crossing

I was lucky to visit this project in 2016 and I was very impressed by the team of engineers and the scale of this landmark project.

Following my visit, I continued to keep up with the project progression and would’ve loved to have been involved.

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

Concrete isn’t boring!

I love to chat about the innovations in materials science and how that applies to real life applications. People often don’t think about how civil engineering applications really touch every aspect of their lives, and how what can seem like dirty plant and material can influence how we go about our lives.

Lauren's career path

First-class honours – BSc Civil Engineering with Diploma in Industrial Studies, University of Ulster, 2012
Graduate engineer, Graham Construction, 2012 - 2014
Design manager and temporary works designer, Graham Construction, 2014 – 2017
Design manager, John Sisk and Son, 2018 – 2021
Regional engineer, John Sisk and Son, 2020 - current