Ala Hammad
Underground Visionary
I am a Civil and Tunneling Engineer with a passion for the vast buildings and structures we use every day. I apply my creativity to working on incredible infrastructure projects, like Crossrail, High Speed 2, and Tideway.
How I became a civil engineer
I completed a Structural Engineering degree at Cork Institute University, followed by a Master’s degree in Transport Planning.
What inspired me to work on building and tunnel projects
I’m Irish-Palestinian and I’ve been fascinated by transport, tunnels and large infrastructure from an early age. I enjoyed learning about designing and making from my grandfather, who was a carpenter. This led to my curiosity about how other things like buildings and tunnels are made, and inspired me to pursue a future in engineering. When I’m not on site, I enjoy running and travelling the world.
Factfile
- Role
- Civil engineer at Tideway
- Favourite part of engineering
- Getting to work on infrastructure that will serve people for years and years to come
- Qualification path
- Structural Engineering degree at Cork Institute University, followed by a Master’s degree in Transport Planning
Ala Hammad, civil engineer
Tunnelling project
Looking at designs with a colleague
Underground infrastructure
Ala Hammad, underground visionary
Engineering
Having been given advice at school that didn’t reflect my interests, I want everyone to know that they can follow their interests into engineering and that it’s accessible to everyone.
"I’ve been fascinated by transport, tunnels and large infrastructure from an early age"
— Ala Hammad, civil engineer
Career timeline
School
University
Structural Engineering degree at Cork Institute University
Master’s degree in Transport Planning
Current role
Civil Engineer at Tideway
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