A civil engineer by training, he focuses on aligning community development goals with ecological and long-term climate objectives, designing integrated strategies that blend green and gray infrastructure to build safer, more adaptable communities. He has been instrumental in building and leading our coastal resilience team, bringing together engineers, scientists, and planners to tackle complex challenges and expand the group’s impact across the region.

Chris has led major projects for the Texas General Land Office, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), including serving as engineering project manager for the Texas Coastal Resiliency Master Plan since its inception. From storm surge protection and fast-tracked design following Hurricane Ike in Houston-Galveston to stakeholder engagement across coastal Texas, he brings a collaborative, forward-thinking approach grounded in technical excellence and a deep commitment to community resilience.

Tell us about what inspired you to work in coastal resilience.

I became a civil engineer because I wanted to work on projects that could directly benefit both the environment and the community. I’ve always been drawn to the idea of blending the power of our natural ecosystems with the practical side of engineering, and civil engineering felt like the right fit.

When I began my career, my work focused primarily on flood risk, with a particular emphasis on community resilience to flooding. Over time, I’ve been able to integrate that with my original interest in environmental stewardship. Looking back, that’s where my passion truly started. It’s been rewarding to bring those elements together under one professional umbrella, rather than specializing in just one area. I’ve always held onto the goal of doing work that helps comprehensively when possible, and that’s ultimately shaped the path of my career.

What is your favorite AECOM project that you’ve worked on and why?

My favorite project has been the Texas Coastal Resiliency Master Plan, which has also been a foundational project for our team. We worked with the state on the first plan iteration released in 2017, then updated it in 2019 and 2023, and we’re now working on the 2028 version. It’s been a unique and rewarding opportunity, as we’ve been able to support the Texas General Land Office on this plan since its inception. The plan includes over 367 miles of coast and 3,300 miles of bays and estuaries, addressing challenges such as storm surge, sea level rise, habitat degradation, and coastal erosion. It emphasizes nature- and infrastructure-based solutions, integrating innovative methodologies like living shorelines and sediment management. The plan has resulted in the funding of hundreds of millions of dollars for coastal resilience projects along the Texas coast. I like to think that’s because we’ve put a lot of heart and effort into it, making it representative of the coastal stakeholders and ecosystems of Texas.

This work demonstrates our strong commitment to the Texas coast, its communities, ecosystems, and the complex challenges they encounter. In partnership with the General Land Office, we continuously listen to and learn from the knowledge and experiences of stakeholders, professionals, and academic experts across the entire Texas coast. Through this collaboration, we have created a set of resilient design guides for stakeholder use that translate the plan components into actionable steps.

Through these connections, we find solutions that balance environmental needs with community resilience, addressing current issues while anticipating how challenges will evolve over time. It has been an incredible chance to lead and help shape the long-term vision for the Texas coast. It’s an ongoing opportunity to better serve the state, its communities, habitats, and ecosystems, improving resilience and making the coast as safe, accessible, and sustainable as possible – a coast that many generations can enjoy.

Why is it important to take a proactive approach to coastal resilience?

Unfortunately, it feels like we have a new flood or hurricane-related disaster far too frequently these days. It often seems like we’re stuck in this constant cycle of responding to the latest disaster. Our resilience practice is working to shift that mindset from reactive to proactive. Instead of waiting for worst-case scenarios to happen, many of which are unprecedented and unexpected, we want to think ahead.

Our approach to resilience considers both what has happened and what hasn’t happened yet. How do we develop solutions — whether engineered, nature-based, gray infrastructure, green infrastructure, or a mix — that go beyond traditional methods? It’s about building on our previous knowledge but also pushing the envelope to be more innovative and thoughtful. Recently, we assisted NASA with these specific considerations by working with them at the Kennedy Space Center to assess opportunities for enhancing site resilience against coastal surge and erosion. We aimed to do this by leveraging the natural beach and dune system along the Atlantic shoreline and living shoreline on the estuarine shores.

A big part of this is recognizing that we can’t just build stronger infrastructure. We also need to educate and inform communities, sharing knowledge and helping residents become responsible stewards of their environment — whether that’s the coast, river systems, or flood-prone areas. Fostering that awareness and centering it in a community’s culture is key. As an example, we partnered with FEMA and The Nature Conservancy in Puerto Rico to develop job aids for local communities, providing a technical foundation to assist them in transitioning from traditional infrastructure designs to natural and nature-based solutions along sandy shorelines, riverine streambanks, and urban stormwater systems.

Ultimately, the goal is to reduce the need to respond repeatedly to disasters by implementing measures beforehand. That way, when events do happen, their negative impacts are mitigated because proactive steps were taken. That’s the heart of what we’re trying to do with resilience.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

As an individual member of the public, a lot of the work our team does tends to be expected — or even taken for granted. People don’t expect heavy rainfall to disrupt their ability to get to work on any given day, much less cause loss of life. Often, we’re fortunate enough to expect those kinds of events won’t happen, or at least that they’ll remain extreme exceptions.

What we try to do is make resilience and hazard mitigation fundamental — something that happens quietly behind the scenes. In an ideal world, much of what we do goes unnoticed by the public because it’s so reliable. At the same time, we want people to become more knowledgeable and aware of these issues through education and outreach, whether it’s working with schools, running public campaigns, or providing resources.

It’s about cutting through some of the bigger challenges in society, like politics or funding limitations, and focusing on what matters most: projects that truly benefit the public. What’s critical to us is not just the technical excellence of our work, but also making positive impacts and changing perspectives. That way, awareness of resilience becomes less of an exception and more a part of how communities understand and prepare for their environment.

Share a piece of career advice.

First, as a young engineer, scientist, planner, or any other professional, it’s essential to diversify. Find opportunities that allow you to work in different spaces, take on different types of projects, and learn new skills. That versatility benefits you by keeping your career from becoming repetitive and provides a broader range of exposure to unique projects.

Second, take initiative. Do what’s in front of you, but don’t be afraid to express interest in other areas. If you hear about something that excites you, reach out — whether it’s within your group or another one — and have a conversation to learn more. Authentic interest is what makes a real difference. We want to work with people who are genuinely invested in the work, because that’s when you do your best work.

The post The importance of coastal resilience: Meet Chris Levitz appeared first on Blog.

Kerim brings more than 25 years of experience, a calm and grounded leadership style, and an eye for innovation — whether it’s navigating policy shifts or solving first-of-a-kind technical challenges.

What drew you into the renewable energy and storage space?

As a physicist, I appreciate the mathematical beauty of engineering. The Maxwell equations, they’re elegant. That’s what drew me in. It might be a bit of a French thing too, you don’t just look for function, you look for beauty.

I’ve always been interested in the stability of large systems, the kind of technical questions that sit right at the edge of physics and engineering. I earned a doctorate in transient stability of large power systems, essentially, how you model and understand what happens to country size grid in the milliseconds after a disturbance.

Over time, I could see that the biggest questions in the energy space were shifting. It wasn’t just about how to make the grid work better, it was about how to make it work differently. Renewables and storage fundamentally change the behaviour of power systems. So I made a deliberate move into this field… and I haven’t looked back.

What do you think sets Australia apart when it comes to delivering renewable energy projects?

Australia sometimes gets underestimated, but we shouldn’t be. Australian engineers are incredibly adaptable, especially those with backgrounds in mining and infrastructure.

That’s maybe the part that gets misunderstood: we have the capability here to deliver complex systems at large scale. We just don’t always communicate about it.

And the other thing? Scale.

In Australia, someone will say ‘we’re going to build a battery the size of an AFL field’ and no one blinks. In Europe, you’d spend ten years doing pilot projects first. Because of Australia’s mining experience, we’re used to building things fast, at massive scale, and just getting on with it and the issues as they emerge.

That kind of delivery mindset is powerful when you’re trying to lead the world in something.

How does AECOM play into that strength?

At AECOM, we have one of the strongest transmission and distribution teams in Australia and New Zealand, which is key, because battery storage isn’t just about the asset itself. It’s about how it integrates with the grid.

Not all the consultants have that deep capability. But we do, and we’ve proven it. Our work on Project EnergyConnect, VNI West and Central West Orana, shows the scale and complexity we can handle when integrating major transmission assets to the grid.

What excites you most about the future of energy?

To me, it’s simple, we’re about to rewrite the operating manual for the power grids.

For 200 years, power systems were built around rotating machines. Now, with renewables and storage, we’re entering the age of power electronics. It’s a completely different way of managing power, at a different time scale, and we get to help write the new rules.

It means rethinking everything, how we model systems, how we ensure stability, how we respond in milliseconds to change.

What advice would you give to young engineers entering the field?

First principles. Always.

You’ve got to be able to trace things back to the physics and the maths. You have to remember equations you studied, even if it was 25 years ago.

So learn it properly. And more importantly, remember it. That foundational knowledge will carry you a long way.

And finally, what do you do to recharge outside of work?

Cycling. I love getting out on the bike, but you won’t find any photos of me on Strava. I am old school and I don’t take my phone. It’s just about being in the moment. Same with engineering, sometimes you’ve got to put the distractions down and just focus on the road ahead.

I started riding in Tunisia, and in Grenoble where cycling is a big part of the culture. One of my favourite classic rides is Grenoble to Gap in the Alps, with decent elevation.

The post Transitioning Australia’s energy system: Meet Kerim Mekki appeared first on Blog.

Kelly has worked in the environmental field for more than 20 years. As Director of Environment and TechEx Lead (Environment + Energy) for Australia and New Zealand, she drives business growth, technical leadership and capability development across the region.

Kelly’s work spans complex State Significant Infrastructure, international environmental and social assessments, and project governance roles. She’s played a key role in establishing feasibility and securing environmental approvals for some of Australasia’s largest infrastructure projects, including WestConnex (M4 East and M4–M5 Link) in Sydney and the Purari Hydropower Project in Papua New Guinea.

Known for her people-driven leadership, Kelly brings a clear, outcomes-focused approach with strengths in stakeholder engagement, project directorship and aligning environmental performance with our clients’ broader infrastructure goals.  

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

I grew up in the 1980s during a time where environmental awareness was growing and the plight to protect our ocean mammals inspired a generation. My sustainability values formed by this exposure at a formative age, combined with frequent opportunities to spend time in nature, with my grandparents and wider family who were all gardeners and spoke fondly of these values.

I was lucky enough to spend my childhood visiting Oatley Regional Park, which contains 45 hectares of Sydney’s prime bushlands, 310 plants species and 107 bird species. The opportunity to study this biology and be part of protecting it was ultimately what drove me to make a career for myself in environmental consulting at a time when it was only burgeoning.

I started out as an ecologist, and early in my career developed a broad base of experience in smaller town planning and environmental consultancies. I’ve taken opportunities to gain experience in the full gamut of disciplines, from noise and air monitoring, koala surveys, water treatment, impact assessments, master-planning, project management, expert witness reporting, permitting, detailed design development and construction management. My ‘say yes’ mindset allowed for rapid growth in diverse skills and associated responsibility.

Having such a broad experience-base led me to realise that where I could make a material difference was by bringing an ‘ecosystem mindset’ to early phase project definition, connecting and collaborating with clients and in-house designers at an organisation like AECOM.

What is your favorite AECOM project that you’ve worked on and why?

My favourite types of projects overall are those where I can work collaboratively in shaping the project with a client. One that stands out was my role as the Australian Environmental Lead for the Purari Hydropower Project, a pre-feasibility project for a hydropower plant in Papua New Guinea (PNG). We assessed the potential to send power by cable from PNG and through a 1,300kilometre high-voltage transmission line to Far North Queensland (FNQ), Australia.

I collaborated closely with clients including EDF, Origin Energy and PNG Energy Developments Ltd, and AECOM’s trans-Tasman team. The feasibility project focused on identifying, evaluating and refining high-voltage transmission corridor and route options across remote Pacific island regions. This involved navigating challenging terrain, including large, dense rainforests and wild rivers.

I coordinated our team’s reconnaissance mission by light aircraft over the Torres Strait Islands and Far North Queensland — an unforgettable career highlight. We conducted fieldwork and extensive GIS mapping to inform the design and multi-jurisdictional planning approval pathways of the project, to meet World Bank Sustainable Development Principles and Australian Commonwealth standards. We also conducted extensive in-country social mapping, including Indigenous and stakeholder consultations in both FNQ and PNG. These insights directly informed the development of stakeholder engagement strategies and Indigenous Land Use Agreement planning for future stages of this multinational energy transition project.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

As Environment Lead, I oversaw the construction of a 17-kilometre desalination pipeline project through urban and contaminated areas, and across Botany Bay. This project delivered significant community benefits, most notably enhancing Sydney’s drinking water security during drought.

We engaged the community extensively during this project and embedded the local benefits we identified during this engagement. These benefits included the creation of a parkland on the shores of Botany Bay, adding beach accessibility platforms in the suburb of Kurnell and including public art along the pipeline route. Through our environment-led design approach, we successfully avoided adverse environmental and community impacts, while restoring native vegetation in the corridor adjacent to the nearby RAMSAR wetlands.

Our alliance that designed, permitted and delivered this project over a three-year period won several design and construction awards for our work.

Share a piece of career advice.

Say yes. Take on the less glamorous tasks and problematic projects, be collaborative and complete them well. You’ll reap the opportunities and choices that flow from this.

Don’t go dark on clients or your internal peers, especially if you have a delay or issue, get in front of it and show you’re acting fast to resolve it.

As you progress in your career, look for opportunities for your team and elevate their profiles in your networks, use your local, regional or global platform.

Lastly, stay curious, and think broadly about who else you can bring in to your team to solve your clients’ complex issues.

The post People Spotlight: Meet Kelly Pearsall appeared first on Blog.

Sarah Falconer has over 25 years of experience in the environment field, specializing in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and consenting for large complex infrastructure projects. Sarah is passionate about net zero and working with our clients to help them achieve their decarbonization goals. Sarah is responsible for growth within the Energy sector across our Environment and Sustainability range of services. She leads complex energy consenting/EIA projects and develops long term client relationships.

What inspired you to join the industry?

Upon graduating, I embarked on a career in environmental consulting, where I quickly encountered a diverse array of projects and gained a wealth of experiences that the field has to offer. It was this diversity, along with working in partnership with our clients to help them to solve challenging problems, that I found so motivating, and still do. It is a pleasure to help clients to navigate their way through complex and evolving planning processes as well as finding innovative solutions to environmental impacts that result from new infrastructure projects. No two projects are ever the same, and there has never been a more exciting time to work in energy. The urgency and scale of the energy transition make this moment truly transformative.

What is your favorite AECOM project that you’ve worked on and why?

I recently led two consenting projects for new hydrogen power development projects. It’s been exciting to see new technologies moving into mainstream developments. Any novel technologies always pose new and challenging consenting risks that need to be considered fully to give regulators and stakeholders comfort and buy in to the projects and this was no exception on these projects. As Project Director, I took ultimate responsibility for delivering to client satisfaction and ensuring that as a project team we met all regulatory requirements. It has been really satisfying to see both projects successfully progress through the consenting process and to receive positive client feedback on our collaborative working.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

Engaging with the local community is a critical aspect of any proposed new development. One of the rewarding parts of my role is working with AECOM and clients to identify opportunities for creating value for communities within new proposed developments. This could include bringing local small and medium enterprises onto the project team, using our AECOM volunteering days to support local initiatives, and supporting STEM training through local schools and bringing apprenticeships into the team. For example, we have recently been commissioned to deliver three large onshore wind farms for a renewable energy developer and as part of our submission we were proud to establish ten social value commitments which we will implement as the projects progress. These include the use of local supply chain, engagement with schools, colleges and universities, provision of support to local community energy groups and prioritizing local delivery.

Share a piece of career advice.

Be open and try to take every opportunity offered to you, even if it doesn’t seem like the obvious career step. We all learn from new experiences giving us the confidence to develop individual skills and careers further. Often, it is the unexpected opportunities that lead to the greatest rewards.

The post People Spotlight: Meet Sarah Falconer appeared first on Blog.

The built environment is responsible for over half of global emissions — yet the carbon impact of design and advisory work remains largely invisible. We are about to change that.

Meaningful climate action is about translating ambition into tangible outcomes.  In alignment with one of the impact goals for London Climate Action week, we came together as part of the “whole of society” engagement needed to support delivery of deep decarbonization and resilience.   

As advisors and designers, we help set the course long before a shovel hits the ground, yet current carbon emissions standards often overlook the emissions tied to our work.

That’s why we co-authored the Estimating the Greenhouse Gas Impact of Advice and Designs report. This 2024 publication, developed in partnership with industry leaders, represents not just analysis – it marks a shift in mindset: from indirect influence to accountable impact.

Read the full report

As a co-founding partner of Pledge to Net Zero, AECOM hosted “Celebrating Progress in Measuring Carbon in Advice and Design” exploring how professional services firms can accelerate carbon reduction in the built environment through collaboration with clients.

A panel discussion featuring David Riley (Anglian Water), Geraldine Badura (Gatwick Airport) and James Ingram (Transport for London) offered valuable client perspectives: 

• Carbon as business-as-usual: Carbon reduction must be integrated into standard project delivery, not treated as an add-on.
• Need for cultural shift: Success depends on organizational culture, skilled practitioners, and shared responsibility across the value chain, aligned with PAS 2080:23.
• Balance innovation and standardization: While prescriptive methods can stifle innovation, a shared set of principles allows flexibility with consistency.
• Metrics and progress tracking: We need meaningful metrics and year-on-year tracking to measure real progress – though the right metrics are still evolving.

Following the panel, cross-sector participants engaged in small group discussions on how environmental and engineering firms can reduce the indirect carbon emissions associated with their work. Key themes emerged:

Universal support for early engagement: Early-stage collaboration and opportunity workshops are essential for identifying carbon reduction opportunities.

Skepticism toward fee-based methods: Using fee as a proxy for carbon emissions lacks credibility.

Desire for practical metrics: There is a preference for emissions intensity over total portfolio emissions.

Digital tools are necessary but not sufficient: Tools like BIM are helpful but need better data integration and should complement, not replace, innovation.

What’s Next?

Based on the conversation, here are the recommended next steps each sector can take:

At AECOM, we are proud to lead by example through our ScopeX^TM approach — a PAS 2080:23-verified global program of best practices and technology solutions. We are changing the way we think and act to include, consider and balance the carbon impact of our work.

Get in touch to learn how we can help you find opportunities to reduce carbon emissions throughout the project lifecycle.

The post From influence to impact: A new approach to carbon accountability in the Environment and Engineering Professional Services sector appeared first on Blog.

Whether it be adopting energy management technologies like smart grids or implementing innovative energy management systems and storage solutions, significant energy investments that drive operational, economic and environmental benefits will continue to shape Canada’s energy future. The challenge going forward however will be balancing environmental commitments with immediate economic priorities.

Shifting geopolitical landscapes

While looming U.S. tariffs are forcing Canada to rethink its export strategies with greater interest in traditional energy sectors like liquid natural gas, Prime Minister Mark Carney plans to implement numerous financial incentives to promote sustainable energy alternatives. This is good news for organizations working to achieve net-zero targets, but their success will ultimately hinge on effective implementation while also navigating economic and political uncertainty.

On the global stage, similar challenges exist. In this recent Utility Dive article by AECOM’s Adrian Del Maestro, Resetting net zero: What next?, he cites a 2024 decrease in the growth rate of clean energy investment, particularly in emerging technologies like hydrogen and carbon capture and storage.  He also emphasizes the importance of grid modernization and the integration of renewable energy sources.

Embracing technology and innovative thinking

Even though today’s geopolitical landscape threatens collaboration and makes whole-systems thinking more difficult, we’re also experiencing incredible momentum for innovation. Organizations are embracing intrapreneurship to spark accelerated digitalization and a collective desire to create positive societal outcomes. What’s more, technologies that help store, transport and recover energy are transforming how we design, build, and operate today’s infrastructure and its supporting systems.

To align with these rapid technical advancements, we have reimagined how we work and lead in energy transition. Our Sustainable Legacies strategy not only defines the meaningful action needed within our organization, it outlines how we extend our deep technical expertise to best serve our clients.

Our global Water and Environment Advisory business led by Jill Hudkins is an example of where we bring together experts in digital water, asset transformation, strategic energy advisory, resilience planning, climate change mitigation, and ESG to solve our clients most pressing challenges. Their work supports high-growth needs in an increasingly resource-constrained world. Coupled with our world-class program management expertise, we’ve further elevated the value of technical excellence to meet the rapidly growing size, scale and complexity of today’s critical infrastructure.

For over two decades, we’ve helped evaluate and develop renewable energy systems — biomass, solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal — and continue to expand our capabilities in emerging areas like hydrogen, nuclear, and future fuels. Across Canada, we’re helping local partners upgrade aging grid systems, strengthen disaster resilience, and build new infrastructure to connect renewable sources to where power is needed most.

We also understand the significant role Indigenous communities play in energy transitions and are committed to implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Call to Action #92. This includes building respectful, long-term relationships; supporting equitable access to employment, training, and procurement; and advancing economic participation for Indigenous Peoples.

Our work with Henvey Inlet First Nation to deliver a 300-megawatt wind farm on their traditional territory is one such example. With approximately 15 percent of project staff coming from the Anishinabek Nation, we worked closely with the community on environmental assessments and workforce planning to ensure knowledge transfer on local ecosystems and species-at-risk. This project now delivers clean power to 100,000 homes annually.

Looking ahead, Canada’s energy future will be shaped by more than technology — it will be influenced by economic shifts, social and environmental priorities, and evolving public policy. By engaging with clients early and holistically, we evaluate regional opportunities, mitigate organizational risk, and build tailored roadmaps that drive enduring positive outcomes. We are transforming how we deliver — investing in AI, knowledge management, and digital tools that enhance how we work and maximize impact.

Ultimately the success of sustainable energy requires participation from everyone — regulators, industry, transmission companies, large-scale energy users, and public entities. It also demands an all-encompassing, systems-based approach that champions innovation, equity and collaboration. By integrating advisory services that are deeply rooted in technical expertise and a commitment to our Sustainable Legacies strategy, we are supporting communities across Canada and throughout the world in building a clean, resilient and inclusive energy future.

The post What lies ahead for Canada’s green energy sector? appeared first on Blog.

Joyce O’Donnell is a registered professional engineer with over 30 years of experience in process engineering. She holds a master’s degree in environmental engineering and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Based in New England, Joyce began her career supporting military operations and has since expanded her expertise across various industries, including oil and gas, petrochemicals, pulp and paper, electroplating and metal finishing.

During her 15-year tenure at AECOM, Joyce has worked across both Environmental and Water business lines, focusing on industrial wastewater treatment systems. Her roles have involved design, operation, and troubleshooting, as well as participating in regulatory audits and preparing permitting documentation. Joyce’s extensive experience also includes process safety and process safety management, demonstrating her versatility and commitment to the field.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry

My entry into the industry was shaped more by circumstance than intention. My background is in chemical engineering, and many chemical engineers enter the oil and gas industry. However, when I graduated from college, the oil and gas sector was experiencing a downturn. Consequently, I was hired by a small engineering firm in New England that supported metal finishing operations. New pretreatment regulations under the Clean Water Act had recently been issued for certain industrial categories, including the metal finishing and electroplating industries. As such, many industrial facilities in the greater Boston and Providence area were required to install new or upgraded wastewater treatment systems to comply with these new regulations. This is how I began working in industrial wastewater management.

Because those regulations were new, I had to learn them thoroughly, and this knowledge has stayed with me. Interestingly, those regulations haven’t changed much since then. Working at the small engineering firm was enjoyable because I had to handle everything, from answering phones, field sampling, and engineering design tasks. This experience marked the beginning of my journey in the industry.

What is your favorite AECOM project that you’ve worked on and why?

One of my favorite projects was for a small oil refinery in the southern United States where my involvement in the project scope continued from start to finish. We began by diagnosing performance issues in the wastewater treatment system resulting in violating discharge limits and recommended a new, upgraded, wastewater treatment system to reliably maintain compliance.  The new treatment system was also sized to handle increased flow capacity to support future expansion. We conducted thorough wastewater characterization and developed the basis of design. Following this, we proceeded with the detailed design, ensuring every aspect of the new system was meticulously planned. The design included wastewater equalization and transfer, oil/water separation (API Separator), dissolved gas flotation (DGF) with nitrogen blanketing, chemical addition, and sludge dewatering.  At the completion of the design phase, we developed the bid documents, evaluated the bids, and recommended an equipment vendor for all major process units.  Once the equipment was installed, we provided hands-on support during the startup phase. The treatment system is still running today, and the client remains very satisfied with the results.

This project stands out as a success story because we were involved from the very beginning, through design, installation, and operation. It was incredibly rewarding to see the project through to completion and know that it continues to operate smoothly. The experience reinforced the importance of comprehensive planning and execution in achieving long-term success.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

One memorable project involved conducting a safety audit for a paper mill in Florida. We arrived about six months after a hurricane had devastated the facility, and the employees were still recovering from the aftermath. The damage was significant, affecting both the mill and the local community. During the safety audit, we asked the staff to reflect on what went well — and what didn’t — during the hurricane.

The facility stores and generates a significant quantity of hazardous chemicals requiring an audit of their management practices under EPA’s Risk Management Plan (RMP) regulations.  AECOM had performed the previous audit at this plant three years prior and made several recommendations including the conduct of emergency preparedness drills and coordination with the industrial facility located immediately adjacent.  Since our previous audit, the facility had made notable improvements in how it manages hazardous materials and has conducted emergency drills — which proved vital during the crisis.  Their preparedness ensured that the release of hazardous chemicals was prevented, protecting the community.

Yet, despite their success in mitigating the risks, the experience left a lasting emotional impact. The team was eager to share their stories. My colleague encouraged the client team to discuss their personal experiences, giving them space to describe how the hurricane affected their lives and the wider community. This project was particularly impactful because it highlighted the importance of walking in our clients’ shoes. It remains a vivid memory, reminding me of the human side of engineering and the resilience of those we serve.

Share a piece of career advice

Adopt a positive approach by saying yes to new experiences. I recommend younger engineers spend time in the field to gain practical insights. Seeing equipment and talking with operators firsthand is invaluable. Moreover, personal interactions, even in the office, are essential in our digital age, especially after COVID. Direct conversations enhance communication and build stronger relationships and can often lead to your next professional opportunity.

The post People Spotlight: Meet Joyce O’Donnell appeared first on Blog.

She has expertise in developing approval strategies, leading the preparation of project referrals, coordinating environmental impact assessments and considering the potential risks and impacts posed by proposed projects with respect to their existing environments.

What do you enjoy about your role in the energy sector?

As an environmental specialist, I’m incredibly lucky to work on infrastructure projects across many sectors.

How has the industry evolved since you started working in offshore wind?

Since 2019, I’ve supported offshore wind projects in Australia, helping to navigate the complex approvals landscape. In the early days, there were no regulations, guidelines or precedents specifically for offshore wind — it was truly pioneering work. Since then, significant progress has been made, leading to greater clarity around assessment requirements and overall approval pathways, in parallel with the planned development of complementary infrastructure such as transmission networks and ports.

What’s a recent project you’re particularly proud of, and why?

Supporting Ørsted on the Gippsland 1 Offshore Wind Farm marine environmental surveys and assessments has been a career highlight. Not only is it a technically complex program, but the project is a game-changer for Australia’s clean energy future and it’s really rewarding to work with an industry-leading client.

What advice would you give to young professionals entering the energy field?

Say yes! There are so many opportunities across the board, from batteries and solar to wind and transmission. Your timing couldn’t be better to explore the field and get involved in as much as you can. Now is the perfect time to enter the energy sector!

What’s a surprising skill or hobby you have outside of work?

Hobbies, what hobbies?! When I’m not at work, you can find me with my three girls; watching Disney movies, sipping coffee at the playground or getting colourful and crafty…its messy, chaotic and (mostly) good fun!

The post Transitioning Australia’s energy system: Meet Kerrie Aldous appeared first on Blog.

What has shaped your passion for the energy sector and power systems engineering?

Ever since I saw my first transformer phase effective diagram, I was in. I haven’t looked back since.

My career has been shaped by my passion for the game-changing potential of solar energy and battery storage, which are growing exponentially each year. This duo is the cornerstone of Australia’s clean energy future, and it’s scalable, flexible and rapidly evolving.

What’s your career journey, and what kinds of projects are you working on now?

Having worked in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Bahrain, I bring a global lens to my work. But I’ve now settled in WA, where I’ve spent most of my career. I joined AECOM from a role at Western Power, which was a surprisingly smooth transition. I was impressed by how integrated the team is. There are no silos or barriers, we just get straight into the work. It’s genuinely collaborative.

We’re figuring out how to integrate AC and DC systems, how to expand existing networks, and do it all while navigating environmental and social concerns. It’s a real intersection of engineering and policy.

What makes AECOM stand out?

We can deliver the hardware that connects renewable generation to where it’s needed. We’re building our team here in WA, training them and making sure they’re ready for the scale of change ahead.

What challenges is the sector facing in Australia?

There’s a big skills gap. When I started, there was a 30-year gap between me and the next senior power systems engineer. We just hadn’t trained people in this space for decades, and now we’re feeling it.

Community resistance is also big. We all know of NIMBYs [Not In My Backyards]. Now it’s BANANA, which is Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything. Planning timelines are ballooning, and a lack of community acceptance is a huge barrier to getting the green light on projects.

Neither the government nor the private sector is stepping up to lead, creating a gap where strong leadership is missing.

What opportunities are there in the sector?

REZs (Renewable Energy Zones) are thousands of kilometres from where energy is needed. Our existing systems are near capacity, and system strength and frequency control are still unresolved.

I know this sounds like I’m just listing more problems, but these are exciting challenges that make it a good time to be an electrical engineer.

There’s more coming for batteries, because betting against them is a surefire way to lose money. We’ll see more virtual synchronous machines too, to help manage inertia.

So, how do you keep the balance? What do you like to do outside of work?

I’m obsessed with astronomy. It’s humbling. Looking up at the stars reminds me how small we are. I used to be one of the telescope operators at the Perth Observatory, taking people on tours of the night sky.

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Aimee Ruiter is a licensed civil engineer and sustainability professional with 24 years of experience in environmental remediation consulting. She specializes in sustainable remediation and leads multidisciplinary teams through complex remediation design projects. Her experience spans the full lifecycle of remediation – from site investigation and remedial alternative evaluation to design, construction, and site closure. Over the years, she has focused on the remediation design of former industrial sites, including manufacturing facilities, manufactured gas plants, railyards, and petroleum refineries.

A passionate advocate for sustainability, Aimee is an Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP) and holds a professional certification in Sustainability from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She plays a key role in advancing AECOM’s sustainable and regenerative remediation program. Her work includes development of internal guidance, tools, and training to support sustainable practices throughout remediation.  She also advises clients on updating their sustainability frameworks to align with evolving industry standards and business goals, making them more accessible and actionable.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

I originally majored in civil engineering with a focus on transportation. But my interests took a new direction when I read A Civil Action, a book about a 1984 lawsuit in Woburn, Massachusetts, where a spike in childhood leukemia was linked to industrial contamination of the local water supply. The case led the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to require two companies to fund what became the largest toxic cleanup in the Northeastern United States at that time.

That story hit close to home. The book also mentioned the McKin Company Superfund Site in Gray, Maine, my hometown, where a waste storage and disposal facility had contaminated residential wells with industrial solvents. That personal connection made the issue feel urgent and real, and inspired me to shift my academic focus to remediation.

Around the same time, I attended a presentation where environmental scientists were collecting sediment samples from a boat on a beautiful sunny day. Like environmental detectives, they used forensics to discover that there were actually two distinct contaminant plumes requiring cleanup. The project combined my love for the outdoors with complex problem-solving. It looked like fun and meaningful work.

After college, I joined AECOM and began working in environmental remediation, and I’ve been here ever since, for nearly 24 years.

What is your favorite AECOM project that you’ve worked on and why?

Rather than a single project, I’d like to highlight a current initiative that I believe will lead to many of my future favorite projects: embedding sustainability into our remediation practice.

Over the years, I’ve become increasingly passionate about sustainability and climate action in my personal life. I’ve volunteered with the Citizens’ Climate Lobby and serve as chair of my small town’s energy committee. Naturally, I wanted to bridge that interest with my professional work at AECOM.

With the incredible support of my supervisor, Kris Carbonneau, I was able to realign my career to better reflect my evolving goals. She encouraged me to pursue further education, and earlier this year I completed a Professional Certificate Program in Sustainability from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She also connected me with John Bleiler, our global remediation lead, who has been championing a framework and tools for embedding sustainability into our remediation work.

Although the concept of sustainable remediation has been around for over a decade, I hadn’t truly appreciated that connection, and I know I’m not alone in that. Remediation projects are uniquely situated to make a meaningful impact, as they intersect with land, air, water, and communities. For the past year and a half, I’ve been in a new role in which I’m working closely with John and a steering committee to help drive a cultural shift at AECOM — one where sustainability is embedded into every stage of remediation practice.

One of our key accomplishments is the development of our Foundational Standard: Sustainable Remediation Guidance, a practical “how to” guide. We encourage project teams to incorporate sustainable remediation best management practices (BMPs) and conduct lifecycle analysis to evaluate key performance indicators (KPIs). Many of the recommended practices are simple, cost-effective, and impactful –  such as optimizing excavation volumes, reducing soil transport distances, or using rail instead of trucks to lower greenhouse gas emissions. We’re also advocating regenerative remediation, which integrates ecological and community uplift into site restoration, transforming formerly blighted properties into valuable assets for both clients and communities.

AECOM’s sustainable remediation team has developed several internal digital tools to help practitioners incorporate sustainability into their day-to-day work:

• AECOM’s Sustainable Rem BMP Checklist: This web-based tool draws from a range of industry sources, including EPA and ASTM guidelines, to identify BMPs for sustainable remediation. Users input details such as project type, remedy, phase, and sustainability priorities. The tool then generates a tailored list of applicable BMPs for that specific project. These outputs can be used to guide internal teams and engage clients in conversations about integrating sustainability.
• AECOM’s Sustainable Rem KPI Estimator: This simple tool provides quick, high-level estimates of key sustainability metrics for typical remediation scenarios. It calculates greenhouse gas and air emissions, water and soil usage, and estimated field exposure time. Designed as a rough screening tool, it enables teams to rapidly compare different remedial approaches and identify opportunities to reduce environmental impacts.
• SiteWise^TM into ScopeX Automation: For more in-depth assessments, many of our practitioners use SiteWise^TM, an industry-standard remediation lifecycle analysis tool developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Navy, and Battelle. AECOM has created an automated process to upload SiteWise^TM results directly into the ScopeX Portal, AECOM’s internal digital hub for evidence-based decarbonization strategies, project carbon data and asset specific methods and workflows. This integration allows us to scale insights across projects, enabling teams to identify and implement more effective decarbonization solutions for our clients.

To support AECOM’s cultural shift toward more fully embracing sustainable remediation, we’re also building a strong support system. I’ve been leading a Sustainable Remediation Enterprise Capabilities Team, composed of international staff who are ready to assist remediation projects in integrating sustainability more effectively. In addition to the foundational standard and tools mentioned above, we’re also developing training modules and template language to help equip staff for conversations with clients and to build confidence in applying sustainable practices. I’m also excited to co-lead the new Sustainable and Regenerative Remediation Technical Practice Group Specialty Area — an internal community for AECOM staff who are eager to learn more, share knowledge, and advance best practices in this evolving field.

I’m excited to watch AECOM lead the industry in sustainable remediation and the positive impact we can create together.

Share a piece of career advice.

“Bloom where you’re planted.”

For a long time, I daydreamed about finding a career that directly addressed the climate crisis, without realizing I already had that opportunity right in front of me. Through my work in remediation at AECOM, I discovered I could drive meaningful change from where I was. I just wish I had realized it sooner!

People often ask how they can get involved in sustainable remediation. My advice? Start where you are. Look for ways to integrate sustainability into your current projects. Talk to your clients – many already have corporate sustainability goals, and we can help them achieve those through how we approach remediation.

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