Athira Nandakumar has worked for BG&E’s Perth Waterways team for over three years, developing hydraulic models for flood impact assessments and contributing to design projects.
Athira was involved in the major Marble Bar Road upgrade project, which saw her develop several hydraulic models to analyse the flood behaviour for around 200 kilometres of road, and design hydraulic structures alongside senior engineers.
She says, “This is the one of the projects which has given me good exposure to design procedures and challenges faced in engineering design.
“However, I have been involved in many projects in the past year – major and minor, and they have each helped me learn and understand real-life engineering.” Athira believes that her exposure to other areas such as Civil, Urban, and the Rail drainage space, in addition to her Waterways duties, has significantly enriched her learning and growth as an engineer.
“As a graduate, I would say BG&E is an excellent place to start my career with friendly colleagues and highly supportive team members. I can see myself growing as an Engineer with BG&E.”
While seeking to learn as much as possible from the wisdom of senior team members, Athira is excited about her generation’s alignment with fast evolving technologies such as Building Information Modelling and Artificial Intelligence.
She says, “I am aware that future generations will be even better than mine with technology.”
Athira’s aptitude for numbers and her above average memory has always supported her curiosity and ambition; her current focus is to excel in her field and, in doing so, gain the confidence to make substantial contributions to the technical world. However, she claims music is just as important as her cognitive abilities and skills development.
Athira says, “Music is my stress buster.”
Melodies are her backdrop for both work and walks in scenic natural locations, including the Mount Tamborine rainforest skywalk in Queensland, as pictured above. Unplanned trips to locations such as this are always a must whenever possible, according to Athira.
She also advocates the importance of time in the gym, prioritising fitness since commencing an office job.
Athira says, “I like to do something that makes me happy and relaxed in my downtime, enhancing performance during work and all other aspects of life.”