Throughout Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating some of the talented women at Urban who play a vital role in shaping the communities we serve.

We’re excited to highlight Kelly Hewton, PE, Project Manager in Urban’s Aviation Department. In the Q&A below, Kelly shares her passion for engineering, her experiences at Urban, and what excites her most about her work.

What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?

At school, I had always been drawn toward math and science subjects. My mother also worked in the STEM field and encouraged me to look into engineering programs when I was applying to college. The engineering courses appealed to me because they offered an insight into how our built environment is created and the science behind it.

What projects have you worked on at Urban that you're most proud of?

Two projects that stick out to me are the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station Design Project and the Pavement Study at the Delaware Coastal Airport in Sussex County, Delaware. The China Lake project involved almost every aspect of civil aviation design and was a project I worked on early in my career with Urban’s Aviation group. While working on this project, I gained exposure to a little bit of everything, and it was a great learning experience. The Delaware Coastal Airport was the first project where I got to spend extensive time on an airfield, assessing the conditions of the runway, taxiway, and apron pavements. I’m proud of the experiences I gained from both projects.

How does your work at Urban contribute to infrastructure and community development?

I support the site, pavement, and utility infrastructure at airports locally and across the country. Airports are unique transportation hubs involving many stakeholders, including the surrounding community. Providing strategic and safe design and construction services that positively benefit the public is very rewarding.

What is a recent or ongoing project at Urban that excites you, and why?

We recently finished the design of the TTN Terminal Replacement Project after a long permitting process and unforeseen hurdles, such as the pandemic. I’m looking forward to seeing the project go to construction and come to life. Urban was the prime consultant and was very involved with the coordination of the design for each discipline. It will be rewarding to see the project built, especially because it’s such a big part of the local community.

How does Urban support your professional growth?

Urban supports my professional growth in many ways by allowing me to try new things and learn new skills. I regularly attend conferences and get to network with other professionals. Urban provides opportunities for me to get involved within the firm and feel part of the business.