Judges

John is a Professor of Structural Engineering, in the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge. His research and teaching address climate emergency through interdisciplinary design. John has secured more than £11million in research funding – he was the first person in the UK to receive an EPSRC Early Career Fellowship in Structural Engineering, won an EPSRC Bright Ideas award, and led the EPSRC Energy Feasibility Study “MEICON” which examined the culture of design in structural engineering as it relates to embodied and whole life carbon.

John is passionate about teaching and has been instrumental in developing the first new undergraduate degree at Cambridge for many decades. This new degree brings together architecture, engineering, and materials science to give students the skills required to create new solutions to our present global challenges, including climate emergency.

John’s work with the IStructE Climate Emergency Task Group has included co-authoring the guide “How to Calculate Embodied Carbon”. John was also lead author on “Design for Zero”, published in 2021, which built on academic and industrial work to present a vision for a sustainable future.  

Will leads the Institution’s response to the climate emergency, bringing this action into all aspects of our work including the publication of best-practice emergency guidance. Prior to his current role, he was a practising structural engineer at Arup for over ten years, where he was responsible for key aspects of ambitious architectural projects across the world from the UK to Taiwan and Rwanda.

Will is Chair of the CIC’s 2050 Group, and helps lead the Institution’s Climate Emergency Task Group. In 2017, he was presented with the Institution’s Young Structural Engineering Professional Award for his design work whilst at Arup.

Matt is a Co-Founder and Director at Subteno.  He is a practicing ‘hands-on’ engineer with experience across a diverse range of sectors including offshore energy, commercial, retail, industrial and residential. 

Matt specialises in structural steel design, working closely with contractors over many years.  Within the offshore energy sector, he works predominantly within the 'brown field' sector, providing engineering solutions for rejuvination, end-of life decomplexing and decomissioning.

Matt has been actively involved with the Institution since the mid 1990's serving on numerous panels and committees, twice as East Anglian Regional Group Chairman, Council and the Board, as well as serving as President in 2023.  
 

Katherine is currently a Professor in Structural Engineering in the Department of Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering (CEGE) at University College London (UCL) and is also a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of both the Institution of Structural Engineers and the Institution of Civil Engineers. Prior to joining UCL in November 2022, Katherine worked as a Reader in Structural Engineering at Brunel University London, as a Senior Structural Engineer at the Steel Construction Institute and a Senior Engineer at High Point Rendel Ltd.

Her principal research interests lie in the area of structural testing, numerical modelling and the development of efficient design guidance for steel and composite structures. In particular, she has developed an expertise in the analysis of structural response during extreme loading conditions, such as a fire.  She is also actively engaged in researching the use of novel materials such as stainless steel, high strength steel and FRP’s in building and infrastructural applications.

Margaret is a Conservation Accredited Engineer and a founding Director of Integral Engineering Design. Since its inception over 25 years ago the practice has specialised in low carbon design, whether through building re-use or through using low carbon materials and integrated design to produce the lowest carbon footprint for the lifetime of a building.
 
Margaret is an acknowledged leader in conservation and re-use of buildings and was the 2021 winner of the IABSE Milne Medal, awarded to an individual engineer for excellence in structural design. She says “As engineers we should be trying to make ourselves redundant! The best thing we can do for the planet is to give existing buildings new life with as little intervention as possible.”  Achieving this requires strong skills in listening to clients and fully understanding their aims, challenging assumptions and creating strong working relationships with fellow designers.
 
 
 
 

Michael is a consultant to Buro Happold, having been a partner of the practice since 1994 and Chairman from 2011 to 2017. He is well known in the industry for his significant contribution to designing innovative buildings and enhancing the reputation of the profession. Mike is a former Vice-President of the Institution and is now Chair of their Climate Emergency Task Group. He was awarded the Institution’s Gold Medal for 2020.

In 2009, he received the IABSE Milne Medal for his contribution to structural design, and in 2017 he received an honorary Doctorate of Engineering from the University of Bath for his contribution to the profession. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and Adjunct Professor of Creative Design in the Department of Civil Engineering at Imperial College, London.

Kayin has been working as a structural engineer on projects worldwide, for almost 20 years, championing the creative design process, typically in complex and unusual design-led projects. He is the current IStructE Representative in Sweden and teaches at Chalmers University in Gothenburg. Prior to moving to Sweden 10 years ago, he worked at Arup in London. Kayin co-founded the Bridges to Prosperity UK Charitable Trust and is the 2014 winner of the Young Structural Engineering Professional Award.

Professor Ding is the Chief Engineer of Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd. Throughout his career he has demonstrated dedication to excellence in structural engineering design. Professor Ding specialises in steel structures, super high-rise buildings and long-span complex structural systems.

He has completed the structural design for more than ten high-rise buildings above 250m and more than 80 sports buildings. Professor Ding is a council member of the Institution of Structural Engineers and he was awarded the IStructE Gold Medal in 2018.

Ian is a leading expert in bridge design and construction. During his career he has been involved with world-famous bridge projects like the strengthening of the Severn Bridge, Erskine Bridge and West Gate Bridge, and the concept design of Stonecutters’ Bridge in Hong Kong, as well as many smaller pedestrian bridges such as the Inner Harbour Bridge in Copenhagen, Taplow Bridge near Maidenhead and the Sail Bridge in Swansea.

He is also a leading advocate of bridge-building charity Bridges to Prosperity and a Past President of The Institution of Structural Engineers.

Tanya is a Structural Engineer with nearly 30 years of design experience leading a diverse range of award-winning and landmark projects globally and is driven by an ethos of technical excellence.
Tanya is presently Aurecon’s Chief Engineering, Eminence and Innovation Officer, where she leads Aurecon's efforts to empower engineers and designers to consistently deliver technical excellence in a changing industry and attain eminence as leaders in their respective fields.
She is passionate about projects and collaborations that positively impact communities by applying engineering expertise, innovative approaches, and technology to create new solutions.
Celebrating the engineer's role in society is important to Tanya and she believes the Institution provides access to the community, resources, and technical progression that allow this to happen.

Marta is a dedicated professional known for her expertise in managing large transformation projects, such as the current 81 Newgate Street project. With a passion for sustainability and innovation, Marta's career is characterised by a commitment to engineering solutions that prioritise environmental responsibility and social impact.

Her approach to transformation projects emphasises collaboration, minimising environmental impact, and preserving architectural heritage. She integrates sustainable design principles into every facet of her work, aiming to create spaces that promote social interaction, inclusivity, and well-being.
 
Guided by strong values, Marta balances social impact and environmental responsibility in her projects, striving to create frameworks that enable growth and regeneration while mitigating environmental harm. In her pursuit of excellence, Marta embodies innovation and sustainability, shaping a built environment that meets the needs of today while safeguarding the future.
 

Tim was President of The Institution of Structural Engineers in 2015, and he is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. He has a passion for celebrating creativity within our profession, and for using this creativity to inspire students.

Tim has been Professor of Structural Engineering at the University of Bath since 2003, including a year's interlude as the Sir Kirby Laing Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Cambridge in 2017/18.

Martin is one of the leading UK architects specialising in the design of bridges and transport infrastructure and is a Fellow of RIBA and the Institution of Civil Engineers and an Honorary Fellow of IStructE.

He founded international bridge designers Knight Architects in 2006 and his practice has completed more than fifty bridges in the UK and internationally, including the award-winning Merchant Square Bridge in London, the iconic Lower Hatea River Crossing in New Zealand, and the 270m-long Ulm Kienlesbergbrücke in Germany.

Eric is a Technical Director at Goldwave Steel Structure Engineering and is passionate about structural  engineering. He received his professional training in the United Kingdom and has over 23 years of experience in major international practice. He is a chartered Structural Engineer and a Fellow of the IStructE, and has extensive design and construction experience across projects in Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, South East Asia & the PR of China.

His work includes the HZMB-Passenger Clearance Building roof structure. Other master works include: Wembley Stadium, Sutong Bridge, HAECO Hanger No. 3A, Marri Processing Plant, Olmsted Dam Development, KWH Hospital Steel Structure and Yuen Long Footbridges erection.

Sharjeel is a structural engineer with nearly a decade of experience in engineering design, project and interface management, design coordination, site supervision, and contract administration of large-scale multi-disciplinary building and tunnel projects involving the structural design of reinforced concrete and steel structures.

He is currently working in project management as well as leading a team of structural engineers in Aecom’s Hong Kong office and working on the Tung Chung Line extension, which consists of cut and cover tunnels, ancillary buildings, and temporary works.

Sharjeel is interested in technical excellence to promote best practices. He is a major advocate of equality, diversity, and inclusion and has championed initiatives during his employment. Sharjeel works actively to mentor junior engineers and promote passion in engineering. He loves the idea of total engineering and efficiency in design and advocates this ideology in all his designs and projects as part of lean and sustainable engineering

Michelle is a non-executive director of Civic Engineers and a Trustee of Skills4Stem, with nearly 40 years’ experience in structural engineering design. Previously, she was a Board Director of BDP and led their Civil & Structural Engineering group for 24 years. There, she led the redevelopment of the Royal Albert Hall and the 250-strong design team on the £bi Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster. Michelle's passion is for inter-disciplinary design, creating a platform for truly innovative, low-carbon design. 

In 2010, Michelle was awarded an MBE for services to the construction industry. She is an active Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and in 2011 was named Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year. She is a former ICE vice-president and former Chair of the Association of Consultancy and Engineering. She received an honorary Doctorate from the University of Bristol and Lifetime Achievement Awards in 2014 and 2020 from Women in Construction and Engineering. 

Toby is a structural engineer and established Allt environmental structural engineers in 2020, a firm concentrating on addressing the urgent need to decarbonise the built environment with a particular emphasis on carbon embodied in structures.

Toby’s career so far has been one based on providing practical yet technically sophisticated and holistic solutions to diverse projects in the built environment and concentrating on design from first principles. Having served a stint with Arup after graduation, Toby spent five years based in the studio of an architect/artist, before establishing TALL Engineers in 2005. After merging TALL with Entuitive in 2016, Toby remained as UK Director until leaving to concentrate on Allt.

Andrew has been Director of Concrete and Sustainable Construction at the GCCA since 2019. His responsibilities include the global whole life roadmap to net zero concrete by 2050, the GCCA Net Zero Accelerator Initiative and the GCCA EPD tool. He works with partners such as Federation International beton (fib), ACI, UNIDO IDDI, UNEP Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction as well as architects, engineers and clients to support delivery of a lower carbon and resilient built environment. 

From 2018 to 2022 he was chair of the Design Practice, Risk and Structural Safety Committee and a member of the Engineering Leadership Group at IStructE.  He had 10 years with Arup in building engineering where he worked in multi-disciplinary teams on international projects before 14 years leading The Concrete Centre in the UK.

Matt is a Principal Engineer working in AECOM’s South East Structures team and a chartered member of the Institution.

Matt’s career has focussed predominantly on the forensic assessment of existing reinforced concrete buildings and he is a member of AECOM’s reinforced concrete ‘Subject Matter Expert’ group. In this role, he is responsible for developing technical guidance specifically tailored to the analysis of existing RC frames.
He also has experience in the conservation, restoration, and transformation of historic buildings. He has been fortunate enough to work on the refurbishment of some of the UK’s most iconic Grade 1 listed buildings, including Norman Shaw North (the original Scotland Yard police headquarters) and the Elizabeth Tower (better known as Big Ben).

Matt was the joint winner of the Young Structural Engineering Professional Award in 2023.
 

Roger is the Head of the Structural Engineering team at Foster + Partners. He is a Fellow of The Institution of Structural Engineers and a licensed Professional Engineer and Structural Engineer in the United States.

He was awarded the Royal Academy of Engineering Silver Medal in 2010, and the IABSE Milne Medal in 2017.
 

Will is a chartered Structural Engineer working in the Humanitarian Sector. He holds an MEng in Civil Engineering from UCL and a post-graduate Masters in Interdisciplinary Design in the Built Environment from the University of Cambridge. Will previously worked for 9 years as a Structural Engineer at Price & Myers on projects ranging from community workshops to major pieces of national infrastructure. In his current role, Will leads RedR’s Climate and Engineering programmes with the aim of strengthening the capacity of humanitarian response around the globe. Will passionately believes that engineers have a vital role to play in meeting the needs of a rapidly changing world.
Will is a member of the Humanitarian and International Development Panel at the IStructE and also acts as Head of Secretariat for the WaSH Roadmap, an initiative to improve sectoral standards within the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene sector. Will is currently working on the publication of the third edition of the Engineering in Emergencies handbook, a vital tool for engineers working in disaster response.
 

SawTeen is President of See Robertson Structural Engineers and provides consulting design services; she is partly retired.

SawTeen was the Managing Partner of Leslie E. Robertson Associates (LERA) from 1991 to 2017. She has extensive experience in the structural design of the full spectrum of building types with particular expertise in tall building design and long-span structures. SawTeen was the partner-in-charge of the structural engineering of iconic structures including the Shanghai World Financial Center; the Lotte World Tower in Seoul and the Merdeka PNB 118 Tower, Kuala Lumpur.

Katie is Principal Advisor, Engineering, in the Building System Performance branch of New Zealand’s Minister of Business Innovation and Employment. She is leading the New Zealand Government’s work to reduce whole-of-life embodied carbon emissions of buildings. 

Katie is a chartered professional structural engineer in New Zealand and the UK, and has over 15 years’ experience designing building structures in both countries. She has particular expertise in assessing the embodied carbon of buildings and construction materials. 

Working as a consultanting engineer, she developed tools and methodologies to integrate carbon assessment into the building design process. She has also undertaken research work at Cambridge University on the application of environmental life cycle assessment in construction, and is the author of a number of academic papers on the subject. 

Peter has just stepped down after four years as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Institution of Structural Engineers. He is the founder of Terrell Group and currently President of their Supervisory Board. After early years with Ove Arup, Peter set up as sole practitioner in 1982 in Paris, building a practice that is today recognised as one of the leading structural and multi-disciplinary engineering consultancies in France, with over 120 employees in France, UK and the Middle East.

He has been at the forefront of many successful projects including the Doha Tower (CTBUH Best Tall Building Worldwide 2012), the DR Byen Concert Hall in Copenhagen, and numerous emblematic buildings in Paris.  He continues to be closely involved both with the evolution of his practice and the international development of IStructE.

Claire is a chartered structural engineer and passionate advocate for sustainable design within the built environment and the recipient of the Young Structural Engineer of the Year Award 2024. She previously worked as an Associate Engineer and Sustainability Lead at Civic Engineers in the UK and has recently relocated to Vancouver, Canada to focus on designing in mass timber and to be closer to the great outdoors. She believes that knowledge-sharing and collaboration are critical to helping the wider industry combat the climate crisis.

Over her career to date, Claire has worked on a wide variety of projects ranging from the refurbishment of listed buildings to new public realm developments/improvements, large scale residential and education projects and challenging temporary works schemes to support existing buildings undergoing structural alterations.
 
Claire has been appointed to the IStructE’s Sustainability Panel since 2023 and was involved with the NLA’s Net Zero Expert panel helping to draft new guidance to promote reuse of existing buildings in planning, reducing the volume of unnecessary demolition across London. Using her experience on innovative engineering projects, she presented at both the IStructE’s Climate Emergency and Reusing Existing Buildings conferences in 2023. Using her wider knowledge of urban realm and sustainable drainage design, she also delivered an interactive workshop at the Festival of Place on creating more equitable cities for all.