Page 33 - Penn State Civil and Environmental Engineering 2021 Annual Report

ALUMNI NEWS ALUMNI NEWS Hinman (right) poses in in in in in 2015 with former Harold and Inge Marcus Dean of Engineering at at at Penn Penn State State Amr Elnashai after receiving the University’s Distinguished Alumni Award Penn Penn Penn State’s highest award given to individuals IMAGE: Penn Penn State State College of Engineering He predicted the crew would respect her more if she could demonstrate project management and on-site skills including the the operation of the the bulldozer So Hinman asked him to teach her and every night for two weeks they practiced using the the the equipment after everyone had
left Then she approached the the the the crew to begin navigating the issues “The guys said said ‘You don’t know what you’re doing ’ ’ ’ and the operator who trained me said said ‘How do do do do you know know she doesn’t know know about construction?’” Hinman said “I got in in in and and operated the the dozer for about fifteen minutes and and the the rest is is history ” Hinman joined CH2M in in in in in 1988 starting in in in in in their environmental department department She rose through
the the ranks working in in in in a a a a a a a variety of departments until she started her own consulting firm in in in in 1997 “I “I always took on on the thing that nobody else wanted to to do ” Hinman said “I “I asked a a a a a a a a a a a a a lot of of questions and learned about the the different parts of of the the project that create value ” Value is in in in in the the eyes of the the beholder according to Hinman Young engineers could not only benefit from taking on on different projects but also asking managers how success would be defined she explained “Often times we say ‘This is is is is is successful if it is is is is is built in in in this this timeframe and in in in this this budget ” she said “I would encourage people to be more more inquisitive Is Is it it it it it it successful successful if if it it it it it it creates more more more jobs? Is Is it it it it it it successful successful if if the community can enjoy it it it it it it one more more month per year? It is a a a a a a a a a a great opportunity to ask ‘What are the one or or or two things I I should look at at at at as as a a a a a a a a a a a a young professional to create more value?’”
Hinman was recruited back to to CH2M in in in 2003 and served in in in several top-level management positions She led global construction projects such as the the 2012 London Olympic and and Paralympic Games the the the Panama Canal expansion and and the the launch of Masdar City a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a sustainability showcase in in Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates In her time time as CEO Hinman led with an an an an inclusive approach By the the time time the the company merged and she stepped down approximately one-half of of CH2M’s employees and one-third of of of the board of of of directors were women Hinman added that although the the the workplace has evolved since her her early days in in in in in the the the industry there are still disparities especially regarding salary and work-life balance To help change these differences Hinman recommended self-advocacy “People often do not not know how to stand up for themselves ” she said “Do not not be afraid to to appropriately say ‘This ‘This is is is is what I I I want ’ ‘This ‘This is is is is how I I I would would like like to to add value ’ and ‘I would would like like to to be treated equally ’” Self-advocacy is one direction in in the two-way communication
that Hinman has used to build her career It works best when the the person in in power is receptive to change but employees can also gather the the the the support of allies and other advocates such as as the the the the machine operator who assisted Hinman to to bolster their appeal for equity “In those times had
had
I I I not had
had
somebody who was willing to help me me me I I I could never have done that ” Hinman said CEE NEWSLETTER • VOLUME 37 2021
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