Osama Ali

Structural Engineer

Daniel Deng
POE Block 3
October 19, 2015

Submitted October 29, 2015

General Information:
Interviewee name: Osama Ali
Degree (Certification): Texas Board of Professional Engineers
Place of employment: Parsons Brinckerhoff
Contact information:
Email: AliO@pbworld.com
Direct Phone: (281) 589-5831
Initial Contact: College student in my church that was mentored by/ co-workers
with Mr. Ali recommended him as an interviewee. I emailed Mr. Ali

requesting an interview.
Professional Interview:
Q: Please describe the field of structural engineering, in general.
A: Ok, thats a really big question. Structural engineering is so wide that two big
distinguishers, I guess you would say, one would be transportation, the other would be
the way we would define vertical versus lateral. Vertical would be buildings, and lateral
would be bridges. So thats the big thing, so if you want to go into the field of structural
engineering, you would really need to decide which way you would to go, because once
you go one way, its really hard to go to the other field, so you have to decide whether
you want to do buildings, which is vertical, or lateral, which would be bridges. That
would be the big difference. And each field is different. In vertical, you would have
buildings, which could be concrete, steel, or it could be wood now. In lateral, you have
concrete bridges, and you have steel bridges. The field of structural engineering is so
wide that you really have to know what you want to do or what interests you, otherwise
you just cant master the whole field, youll master the concept, but you won't master the
whole field.
Q: What is your current job title?
A: Im a structural bridge engineer.
Q: Can you please describe your particular job and duties?
A: Basically I work for the transportation group, and what I do is basically design
bridges. We have roadway group, and we have a structural group, and we have a
drainage group. So typically these guys would get us the layouts for the entire highway,
they have certain pieces where you have roads that need a bridge. If they need a bridge
there, so they say from this point to this point we think we need a bridge, we go and
investigate and we see if they really need it or not and the limits of that bridge.
Q: What is your average work schedule?

A: [Extra information that did not pertain to the question] So a schedule is typically 40
hours a week, but sometimes you have to do overtime or extra-hours. It shouldnt go
more than 55- 60. Mainly, youre doing 40 hours a week.
Q: Starting with highschool, describe your educational background chronologically.
A: Im actually not born in the US, I was raised overseas, so Ive done most of my high
school in Palestine and Ive done the last year which is Senior year back in the US. So it
was really interesting to get to do a lot of things overseas. The math there is really
developed, by once you finished high school, youd already have completed calculus.
You had your physics, chemistry, all that in high school.

Q: If you had it to do over, related to your career or education, would you do anything
differently?
A: No, actually, initially I did not know what I wanted to do, and once I actually got into it,
my older brother did civil engineering, once I started, the first two years would be
general education, the last two years is when you focus. So once I started taking civil
courses, I got more interested in the structural, and from there I finished my bachelor's
degree and I actually wanted to do my masters degree so I did my masters degree in
structural engineering. So if I were to do it again, I think I would do the same thing. I
love what I do, and its really exciting to see that your design is actually being built.
Q: What advice would you give to me, as someone interested in pursuing a career path
similar to yours?
A: Okay, in structural engineering, the first thing I would sit down and think about is do
you want to do building or bridges. Once you make that decision, that would be the
biggest decision youll make. Again, once you go do one path, its really hard to go back

and go to the other field. Not because you dont know, its just people don't want to hire
you. Its because youll have experience in bridges that is not really useful in buildings
and vice versa. So decide what you want to do and go for it.
Extra Q: Did you know if you wanted to be an engineer in high school or did you make
that decision later?
A: I dont have that at the back of my mind, I was between medschool and engineering.
So actually there's a funny story. My brother, after he finished engineering, he got
accepted into med school, so he's a surgeon and an engineer. So I wasn't sure, but I
really got to like and enjoy the field of engineering.

Personal Reflection:
a. What surprised you most about the interview?
i. I was really surprised that the field of civil engineering (and
engineering in general) is so much more complex than I previously
thought. Not only are there sub-engineering fields, such as structural
engineering, there are also specific disciplines, such as being a bridge or
building engineer.
b. What was the most important piece of information that you learned from
the interview?
i. I learned that a civil engineer cannot easily transfer from one
field (buildings) to another field (bridges) easily. Therefore, one has to
make a decision and stick with that decision of which way to go.
c. How has this interview influenced your feelings about your future career?
i. This interview has made me more nervous about my future
career. I am afraid that I will choose a career that I will not enjoy, and then
get stuck there with low possibility of switching to something else.
d. How has this interview changed or confirmed your plans regarding your
future career?

i. This interview has confirmed that I do not want to be a civil