Meet Adam Eaton PE, ENV SP, CFM
Ardurra Group, Senior Project Manager – Resiliency Lead
The ASCE Texas Section Board of Direction members were asked to fill out a questionnaire so that the Section’s members might get to know them a little better on a personal level. These are First Year Director at Large and the Co-Chair of the Government Affairs Committee Adam Eaton’s answers.
When did you first get involved with ASCE at any level (student chapter, local branch, section)?
I joined the Western Michigan University ASCE Student Chapter as a freshman when they were looking for new volunteers for the concrete canoe. I ended my senior year as the Public Relations and Outreach Chair, where I organized a Habitat for Humanity group build and a roundtable event for WMU students and local/regional industry leaders
Give us three words to describe what a civil engineer does
We provide solutions
What’s your most memorable project?
My most memorable project was a RAS pump station rehabilitation and improvement project for an industrial wastewater client. It was my project to run (I served as deputy PM, design coordinator, process mechanical task lead, site/civil task lead, client liaison, and construction phase liaison) at a level where most young engineers don’t get that much responsibility, which was a great learning and growing experience. It helped that I had a great PM to lean on and the client was one of my favorites. Not an overly complex project but developing the MOPO plan to keep two of three clarifiers in service while completing the work on the other was a challenge.
Give us your best 2-3 sentence piece of advice for the next generation of civil engineers
Consider a multidisciplinary career path that includes education, training, or experience outside of the technical aspects of engineering. The next generation of civil engineering leaders are going to need to be equal parts technical engineering experts, planners, analysts, engagement specialists, and policy experts in order to tackle the really big challenges headed our way. Take every learning opportunity you can to expand and enhance your capabilities.
Who is the most famous person you have met?
I met Barbara Bush while she was riding on her golf cart around the Bush Library. She warned me that her (very tiny) dog running alongside in the grass was “a biter”.
How do you order your eggs?
Depends: usually scrambled or poached (love a good Eggs Benedict).
What was your high school nickname?
My middle school English teacher told me I looked like Scotty Smalls from ‘The Sandlot’. Her husband was the high school PE teacher and my cross country coach; he called me “Smalls” on my first day of freshman PE class and it stuck.
What is your favorite band?
The Who
