2024 Women in Construction: Hilde Karpawich, Highpoint

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What was your greatest professional achievement or most notable project in the last 12 months?

The most notable project I have worked on in the past year is a $500 million life sciences campus in Devens, Mass. that comprises five biomanufacturing facilities and one shared amenity building for all employees. As the civil engineer for the project, I have worked on multiple phases of construction since 2021 from permitting through construction. Currently, I am working on a tenant fit out in this campus for a company who is researching low-cost green hydrogen that will reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

What is your favorite / most beneficial part of Women in Construction week?

 I adore that there are now enough women in construction to have a reason to celebrate! When I began my career in 2010, I was the only woman who had ever worked at my first two jobs and almost all of my meetings exclusively featured men from all related disciplines. In the last ten years, I have seen the number of women in construction escalate dramatically and it is inspiring to see improvement in what had previously been considered a highly sexist industry.

Who or what inspired you to join the AEC industry? I always wanted to build a career in a math and science related field, so I started college in an engineering program. I settled into industrial engineering during my sophomore year, and the more I delved into my classes, the more I understood that I belonged in an industry with more hands-on experience, client contact, and most importantly, some time spent outdoors and out of the office instead of confined to a warehouse. Despite the additional year of schooling required for the transfer to a civil engineering program, I have never once regretted taking that risk.