“It’s a great time to be an engineer. So much work needs to be done to our infrastructure. Not only will there always be jobs available, but it’s highly rewarding work, as you get to see the fruits of your labor. Civil engineer, mechanical engineer – it doesn’t matter. We need more engineers.” John Nelson, P.E., a vice president and senior project manager who works at Hanson’s Chicago regional office, offered this insight to high school students considering a career in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields during his keynote speech at Shadow Hanson.

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Cemetery restoration may not seem like a typical engineering project, but the opportunity to participate in this type of work is an honor and a privilege. Over the past two years, Hanson’s Florida project team has taken part in restoring two cemeteries in north Jacksonville, Florida — Hillside and Pinehurst — with work ongoing in the city’s Memorial and Old City cemeteries.

Diligence and commitment are two words that describe the professional philosophy of Jeff Alexander, CM, an aviation planner in Hanson’s Orlando regional office. “My dad has been a truck driver for 35 years and never went to college,” Jeff said. “Yet, he has instilled in me the meaning of hard work and dedication.”

Every summer of Hanson internships culminates in the students creating presentations about their accomplishments, with one intern earning a Hanson scholarship. The $1,000 scholarship is given each summer to an intern who goes above and beyond to demonstrate collaboration and teamwork within Hanson’s intern program. This year’s winner is environmental engineering major Mason Johnson, who graduated in June from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California, and is pursuing his master’s degree in hydrology and hydrodynamics at the University of Washington in Seattle.

The last few months have been busy for Hanson’s Corpus Christi, Texas, employees. May included a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a community fishing pier and park. Then, on June 29, they took part in another celebration, inviting clients and community members to an open house at Hanson’s recently renovated and expanded office.

Hanson received an Outstanding Special Project Award as part of the organization’s Outstanding Project Awards. The awards recognize member firms’ achievements in Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) studies and projects. Winners were recognized at the ACEC-FL Transportation Conference in Orlando.

Bill Bradford, who serves as a senior vice president and energy, sustainability and resiliency principal, joined Hanson in 1986. In March 2022, another Bradford came onboard — Bill’s son, Burns. Since his arrival, father and son, both mechanical engineers, have collaborated on several projects.

Where can you find a 3D-printed prosthetic hand, a floating concrete canoe and a self-driving car? These and a plethora of other exhibits greeted a group of Springfield, Illinois-area middle- and high-school students April 9 at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign’s annual Engineering Open House (EOH). Accompanied by Hanson employees and mentors from organizations including the Springfield Urban League and the Springfield chapter of Frontiers International, the students explored the diverse world of technology at the university’s Grainger College of Engineering.

Over the years, Hanson’s staff has included many family relationships — among them, parents and children, husbands and wives and siblings. With National Siblings Day falling on April 10, the time is right to spotlight several of our sibling pairs. How do they feel about working together? Where did they find their inspiration to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers? These strong family connections nurtured in childhood have flourished into productive professional relationships.