Building Beyond Boundaries: A Civil Engineer’s Reflection on Black History Month

As Black History Month comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on the journey that led me here — from being born and raised in Nigeria to becoming a civil engineer working on major infrastructure projects in the UK.

Growing up, I saw firsthand how deeply infrastructure shapes our daily lives — from access to clean water and transport to safe housing and resilient roads. These challenges aren’t unique to one country; they exist globally. And while the issues may be complex, the role of civil engineering in addressing them is clear: we are the bridge between urgent problems and sustainable solutions.

As the world moves toward achieving net zero, our profession sits at the heart of that transformation. It’s civil engineers who design, build and maintain the systems that will reduce carbon, enable sustainable transport, support clean energy and create resilient communities for generations to come.

Black History Month reminds us not only of how far we’ve come, but also of the engineers who paved the way. People like:

• Dr. Aprille Ericsson, aerospace engineer and a trailblazer at NASA.

• Ursula Burns, an engineer who became the first Black woman to lead a Fortune 500 company.

• Elijah McCoy, inventor and mechanical engineer whose work revolutionised railway lubrication systems.

• Dr. Gladys West, the mathematician and engineer whose contributions were foundational to GPS technology.

Their stories inspire me daily — proof that innovation knows no boundaries and excellence exists across the diaspora.

As civil engineers, we have a responsibility to shape a more equitable, sustainable and resilient world. And as a Black woman in engineering, I’m proud to be part of a legacy that continues to build, uplift and engineer a better future for us all.