ROD Design Engineer, Angelo Sicilia.
I studied civil engineering at Universita degli Studi Mediterranea or University of Reggio Calabria as it is also known. I have a particular interest in river and maritime engineering, which is linked to the fact that the Calabria region in southern Italy is almost entirely surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea.
When I was in secondary school, my class visited a local university, where a professor of engineering brought us to see a huge wave-generating machine in the water laboratory. As we looked through the glass walls, the machine made the waves build up, crash and then build up again. The professor explained that engineers could use equations to predict both the shape and the behaviour of waves. It sounded magical to me!
At university, I studied under an important figure in the field of maritime engineering, Paolo Boccotti, who taught maritime hydraulics. Paolo is known for formulating a theory to interpret wind-generated waves, and his work heavily influenced the university’s engineering syllabus.
After graduating, I worked for a contractor in my hometown for five years. Although I enjoyed the work, I eventually wanted more of a challenge, so I moved to Dublin to look for a job in an engineering consultancy. I spent months searching recruitment websites for a suitable role, but it was actually over a pint with friends that I heard about Roughan & O’Donovan’s (ROD) graduate development programme. I submitted my application and, after several interview stages, one of which involved building a bridge from spaghetti, I landed a place on the programme. I was delighted, even though it meant sacrificing some pasta to get there!
At ROD, I have worked my way up to design engineer, and I am currently involved in the A6 Dungiven to Drumahoe dualling scheme. While I am glad I made the move into a consultancy when I did, my previous experience working for a contractor has been beneficial. It has given me a good understanding of where the different parties to a project are coming from when requests are made.
My decision to come to Dublin has been hugely positive, but I have to admit that I miss the sunshine every day!
