Yusuf A.
- Title: Structural Engineer
- Alma Mater: B.Eng, University of Southampton (UK); M.S.C.E., Purdue University; Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh
- Hobbies: Soccer, fishing, traveling, and golf
I chose to pursue a career as a Structural Engineer because…
The thing I love most about my job is…
The thing I love most about my job is…
The opportunity to work on a variety of projects in and out of the state of Texas. I have loved every minute of my time on the job and have enjoyed learning from my co-workers. I also love how much everyone is willing to help one another. Professionally, I find that my job goes along with my main objective of making an impact. I have been a part of teams that have ensured that Texas and the country rides on safe bridges with the work that we do.
My favorite thing about TranSystems is…
The culture within the company and how the people are all willing to collaborate and work as a team irrespective of the office or project location. Since transferring to DFW from the Pittsburgh Office, I have gotten a chance to work on projects with our offices in South Carolina, Boston, Cleveland and Chicago. I also enjoy the variety of the projects that we do within the company.
Since joining TranSystems…
I’ve found myself developing within my profession with the various exposures I’ve had on projects and I have developed my leadership skills. I’ve also been given different responsibilities on projects that have enabled me to grow at a very healthy pace while avoiding burnout. My communication and presentation skills have also improved a lot since joining TranSystems.
6:00 – 7:00 AM – Wake up, log on and create a to-do list
I usually get up around 6 am. After I get up, I pray, take a shower and check on any project related emails to plan out my day. I come up with a to-do list for the day and prioritize the tasks to get done. I then pick up from where I left off the previous day.
8:00 AM – Work on current projects
I currently split my time between bridge inspection and load rating projects. I am currently working on the rating of some Curved Steel I-Girder bridges for TxDOT.
9:00 AM – Regular project check-ins
I regularly check in with the team lead, KeeRyde Talasan or Tom Radovich, depending on the project I am working on to help further track milestones. We occasionally meet to review any task that our team is working on and discuss issues or RFIs that need addressed ahead of any upcoming deliverables.
11:00 AM – Email responses to organization
Based on feedback from my project check-ins, I email the appropriate people to provide updates or request additional information.
12:00 PM – Check in with Professional Association committees
I usually work through lunch. I prepare my food the night before so it’s ready to warm and go. I like to use this time to check in with a couple of the professional associations I’m a member of, including the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). I plan to be more active with the committees and attend chapter meetings.
1:00 PM – Biweekly supervisor meetings
I check in with my supervisor, Muhammad Ammad, every other week to get advice on life, work outputs and areas of improvement to better my quality of work delivery and productivity.
2:00 PM – New projects kicking off
We have a couple of exciting design projects that are expected to kick off soon in the DFW area. We are preparing now, and I look forward to working on them more.
4:00 PM – Continue working on project tasks
I usually perform and review structural designs, write and review inspection reports, input data to create load rating modeling and perform QC checks on models done by other colleagues. For days that I am out on field inspection, we get site visits from TxDOT personnel to check in on the progress of a given inspection project.
5:00 PM – Log off for the day
I like to relax for a couple of minutes while checking personal emails and catching up on my text messages. I then hang out with my wife as we catch upon each other’s days during dinner.
6:00 – 8:00 PM – Study for PE license
Most evenings, I am studying for my PE licensure exam since I’m getting ready to take the test soon.
After that, I start the prep for my next day’s lunch and watch the news or a show on Netflix before bed around 11 pm.
