Meet Scott Shi: North American senior project engineer and tunnel ventilation lead

We caught up with senior project engineer and tunnel ventilation lead Scott Shi to talk about the importance of fire and life safety and his experience working for Mott MacDonald around the world.

Tell us about your role at Mott MacDonald and what you’re currently working on

I look after the fire and life safety and tunnel ventilation team across Canada under the earth structures group. In my role I manage fire prevention and protection and ventilation systems above and below ground, which help improve air quality and manage fire and smoke during construction and operation. I'm currently working on THE LINE which forms part of NEOM. It’s a pioneering linear city that aims to be a sustainable urban environment combining the vibrancy of city living with green spaces and access to nature. Mott MacDonald has been appointed as the city infrastructure engineer for the first phase of THE LINE. 

What opportunities have you had to develop your career here?

I started my career with Mott MacDonald in New York, then moved to Toronto a few years ago and I’m preparing for a move to Saudi Arabia. Our global mobility opportunities and ability to work and collaborate across our global business are second to none. I’ve had many opportunities to work on global projects which have helped me learn from experts in different areas and different parts of the world. Working in and with diverse teams has pushed me to be more creative, and a better problem solver. At Mott MacDonald, we bring a lot of different perspectives to the table and it enables us to find solutions to our clients’ toughest problems!

What does a typical day look like for you at Mott MacDonald, and how do you find opportunities to excel in your role?

I live close to our Toronto office, so my typical day starts with a walk. It always involves meetings and time with my team (virtually and in person). I’m constantly looking for opportunities to improve team chemistry and our technical capabilities. Since I’m currently working on THE LINE, I’m working with colleagues in different time zones which means my days are very varied. No day is the same!

Tell us about a recent project and how you delivered excellence

During a recent tunnel ventilation system (TVS) rehabilitation project, as part of our North America TVS team, I helped resolve a challenge that we encountered. The National Fire and Protection Association (NFPA) made updates to an important calculation method on critical velocity and this update almost halted the project because TVS capacity needed to be upsized significantly.

We took the initiative to investigate the validity of the update. With our in-house expertise and understanding of the subject history, we were able to justify that the update was not applicable to the project, and it could continue. This made the client happy, and it helped strengthen our relationship for future collaboration.

As a result of this challenge, our team ended up publishing two technical papers on the topic, presenting at two industry conferences in Brighton and Stavanger, Norway, and we were recognized and celebrated by Mott MacDonald by being selected as a winner of the company’s annual Excellence in Thought Leadership Award.

How do you manage your safety and well-being at work?

Safety and well-being is core to my role overseeing fire prevention and protection, and ventilation systems above and below ground which help improve air quality and manage fire and smoke construction and operation.  I try to create a collaborative and supportive team environment, ensure the workload is manageable, and ensure safety is always at the forefront by asking team members to share a safety moment at the start of meetings.

Collaboration plays such a big role in today’s workplace. How are you able to collaborate with colleagues in North America and across the globe?

Technology enables really effective collaboration with fellow FLS, building, tunnel, and rail engineers across the organization. Working across different time zones can be challenging, so flexibility is also key.

What career advice would you give to someone?

Seek mentorship! And don't be afraid to make mistakes, but try not to make the same mistake twice.

What does it mean to you to be trusted to do brilliant things at Mott MacDonald?

To me, being trusted to do brilliant things means being able to work on exciting and varied projects, and encouraged to come up with innovative ideas. Mott MacDonald provides a lot of senior mentorship which has given me the confidence and support to do brilliant things.