We’re celebrating Women’s History Month throughout March by highlighting some of Urban’s talented women who play vital roles in improving the communities we serve.
Laurel Welch is a Construction Engineer who has been with Urban for over 10 years. In her role, Laurel supports the Construction Services Department and oversees several essential projects for the City of Philadelphia. To learn more about Laurel’s unique career path, check out the Q&A below:
What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?
Since childhood, I have always been curious about a wide range of subjects, from classic literature to scientific papers. As a student at the Massachusetts Academy of Mathematics and Science, I discovered the possibilities of serving the public through technical solutions. This experience really pushed me to pursue a degree in engineering. More so, I wanted to focus on sustainability within engineering practices, which led me to study civil engineering at the University of Florida.
Can you describe your role at Urban?
I recently celebrated my 10th anniversary at Urban, and my role has changed greatly during this time. As a construction engineer, I support our construction services team by managing several projects with the City of Philadelphia and supporting constructability reviews, value engineering, and construction inspection services for different agencies. I began my career as a transportation design engineer. This background allows me to have a unique perspective on solving problems during construction.
What projects have you worked on at Urban that you’re most proud of?
Right now, I am working on the construction management team for the $16.7 million Island Avenue Project for the City and PennDOT. This opportunity highlights the importance of coordination between clients, designers, contractors, and community partners to ensure projects are achieved to the highest level of quality.
How does your work at Urban contribute to infrastructure and community development?
My work continues to provide me with opportunities to give back to the community through infrastructure projects, from design to construction. As a member of the construction services team, I support constructability reviews and value engineering for several infrastructure projects to ensure community impacts and usage needs are considered and meet technical and project management requirements.
What is a recent or ongoing project at Urban that excites you, and why?
I’m excited to be working as a construction manager on the Broad, Germantown, and Erie project in North Philadelphia. This project involves roadways, signals, multimodal, and safety improvements to a critical corridor by incorporating bike lanes and pedestrian crossings.
How does Urban support your professional growth?
My work at Urban provides me with many opportunities to experience the diversity of engineering projects to ensure that I am a well-rounded engineer. In my time on both the design and construction side, I have gained experience working on infrastructure projects ranging from roadways to railroads to airports. Urban’s diverse clients and collaborative environment between departments allow young professionals to work on various projects to hone their skills and incorporate them into future projects.
Urban continues to support my involvement in several professional organizations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Construction Managers Associate of America (CMAA) Mid-Atlantic Chapter, and the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC). Through my roles on these boards, I continue to improve the management and organizational principles I incorporate into my work as a construction engineer. I am also pursuing a dual MSE/MBA at Purdue University and greatly appreciate Urban’s support through its tuition reimbursement program.