Zainab Haba
principal civil and structural engineer, Air Products Ltd
Expertise
Design, Construction, StructuralLocation
United KingdomMy highlights
Working on major infrastructure projects around the world
Becoming a Chartered Engineer in 2022
Working for one of the biggest gaseous hydrogen facilities in the UK
A day in my life
A day in the life of a civil engineer brings new ideas and challenges for us.
Every day is like the beginning of creation. If you had a bad day yesterday because you couldn’t find the solution, forget about it and be positive for the next new day to try a different method to solve the issue.
A new day is a birth for ideas and creativity, and I get excited for a new challenge.
Which individual project or person inspired you to become a civil engineer?
My father was the chief of all the power stations in Iraq.
He used to visit these projects from construction to commissioning as part of his job. As a child, I too got excited about these massive projects.
We asked Zainab…
Complete this phrase: I’m a civil engineer, but I’m also...
I'm a civil engineer, but I'm also a mother of two children and the wife of a company director.
My eldest son just graduated with a master's degree, and my youngest daughter is in her first year at university.
What about being a civil engineer gets you out of bed each morning?
A new day is a birth for ideas and creativity, and I get excited for a new challenge.
What’s one great thing that you love about civil engineering that you didn’t know until you started working in the industry?
From a young age, my favourite subjects have always been mathematics and physics. And with these, you can make sense of any civil work and the mechanism of structures.
Which civil engineering project (past or present) do you wish you’d worked on?
I would like to work on dam and space centre projects.
Any hobbies?
Yoga, swimming and playing piano.
Zainab's career path
My first eight years of experience were in building design for a wide range of projects in the building and construction industry for commercial, residential, retail, leisure centres, and industrial buildings.
Then, I have 17 years of experience in the engineering of oil and gas projects in the UK, Europe, and the Middle East.
Also, I have two years of experience in one of the UK's major infrastructure projects, Hinkley Point C, set to be the largest nuclear power station in the UK to produce low-carbon electricity.
I'm currently working for one of the biggest gaseous hydrogen facilities in the UK.
In terms of education, I have a BSc in Building and Construction Engineering from the University of Technology in Baghdad, Iraq (1992). Then, I obtained an MSc in Structural Engineering and Foundation (2:1 Hons) in 1998 from Westminster University, London, UK.
I became a Chartered Engineer in July 2022.
Major projects
- Hinkley Point C – EDF Energy and Nuclear New Build Generation Company working on the construction of the new nuclear power station in Somerset, UK.
- Future Growth Project (FGP) – EPC project for a large-scale expansion of capacity for oil and gas production at the existing Tengizchevroil (TCO) facilities in Tengiz, Kazakhstan.
