By Mallory Goeke,
KDOT
Communications Specialist
The
Transportation Blog is starting a new series called, “Inside KDOT,” that will
highlight people and their roles at the agency that help keep Kansas moving.
KDOT employs about 2,500 people who each play a part in planning, constructing
and maintaining the state’s infrastructure.
The series kicks off with Catherine Patrick, State
Transportation Engineer for KDOT. She earned her civil engineering degree from
Kansas State University and has been with the agency for nearly 30 years.
We had the chance
to ask her a few questions for our new series: Inside KDOT. This new series
will highlight some of the individuals and roles that make up the agency that
helps keep Kansas moving.
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| Catherine Patrick, State Transportation Engineer |
Q: When did you decide you wanted to be an engineer?
A: I am not sure when the concept came together. I began taking
math and science classes and decided being an engineer would be a good use of
those resources. I started out studying electrical engineering, then quickly
found out I was a visual person, plus I enjoyed being outside, and I found
civil engineering was a good fit.
Q. How important are engineers to Kansas?
A. Transportation engineers are important to our society and economy.
Engineers design, build and maintain our roads, bridges and all modes of transportation.
These are all necessary as we continue to design and build to meet the future
needs for mobility.
Q. Why did you decide to work for KDOT?
A. KDOT was hiring field engineers and being involved with the
construction of roads and bridges sounded interesting.
Q. How did you move up in the agency?
A. I started as a project engineer for nine years then I was promoted
to Construction Engineer where I stayed for five years — all in the Kansas City
metro area. I decided to take a Professional Civil Engineer II position in
Topeka working in the Bureau of Construction & Maintenance in the Change
Order Section. I spent about a year and a half at that position. An opportunity
to go back to the field came up as a Metro Engineer in Topeka so I had that
position for another year and a half. I also had a small stint as the Metro
Engineer in Bonner Springs, followed by being the District One Engineer. At
that time there was a lot of movement in KDOT and folks were retiring. In 2007,
I came back inside as the Director of the Division of Operations and stayed in
that position until the summer of 2016 when I took my current position as State
Transportation Engineer.
Q. What are some major projects you have had the opportunity to
work on?
A. As a project engineer there were several projects in the Kansas
City metro area, one was the Quivira Road Viaduct over I-35 in Johnson County.
This was an exciting project because it was not just a reconstruction and
expansion project, like many of the types we do. This was a new alignment
connecting 87th Street to 91st over I-35 in
Lenexa. Another project in this same area was the 87th Street
and I-35 Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI) project.
Q. What is your favorite part about working for the agency?
A. My favorite part is the people that I have worked with at KDOT. I
have had an opportunity to work with many employees here and with others doing
work for KDOT. I have learned a lot and hopefully contributed to their learning
as well. I would say “variety is the spice of life” and every day there are new
challenges.
Q. What do you want to say to other women and girls who are
interested in becoming engineers? Any advice?
A. I would say “Why not?” It’s not about what you are, but who you
are as an engineer.
Keep a positive outlook, don’t sell yourself short, learn from
others at all levels, don’t be afraid to ask questions and always be open to
new challenges.
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