About Parsons Brinckerhoff

A self-described "engineer at heart," Scot Coleman says "pride in building things, creative teamwork, and analyzing data" are what he enjoys most about his work in complex road, mining, and other infrastructure projects. "And meeting environmental and social challenges makes successful delivery that much more rewarding," he adds.

During his recent role as Parsons Brinckerhoff's Project Manager for the new Jacinth-Ambrosia zircon mine in South Australia, Scot met a wide range of challenges. Developed by an alliance between the mine owner and Parsons Brinckerhoff as its engineering, procurement, and construction management partner, the mine was completed ahead of schedule, under budget, and with an excellent safety record. The project broke new ground in acquiring environmental permits, developed cost-effective engineering solutions, and included a workforce that was more than 20 percent indigenous Australians.

Another major project Scot helped lead was the Gallipoli Underpass—an AUD $118 million grade-separated road intersection in Adelaide. Scot was Design Manager for the alliance-style project in which Parsons Brinckerhoff (the designer), the client, and the contactor worked as an integrated team. "The team came up with many innovations because of the good understanding of the client's needs and direct constructibility and costing input from the contractor," says Scot.

Scot's career highlights include his involvement in upgrades to remote Aboriginal community housing and infrastructure—aimed at improving the health of indigenous Australians. "In some cases, we helped people move from temporary accommodation with no water or power to new houses with full services," he says. "Engineers can change people's lives. To do this we need smart teams, smart ideas, and good management, including of the impact that our projects have on the environment and community."

Scot has a bachelor of engineering (civil) and a graduate diploma in computer science, both from the University of Adelaide.

Regularly invited to speak at industry conferences around the world, Steve Denton is a passionate advocate of innovation and technical excellence and an internationally recognized expert in the development and implementation of engineering standards and structural design guidelines.

Based in Bristol, UK, Steve heads Parsons Brinckerhoff's Technical Leadership Team and is Engineering Director, Civil and Structures, for the Europe/Middle East/Northern Africa operating company. He oversees a wide range of research, design and specialist advisory projects. These projects include his significant role in implementing the recent transition to Eurocodes - the technical standards adopted throughout Europe for the structural design of buildings and other engineering works. "This has been described as the biggest ever change in structural engineering in the UK ... and we are at the forefront," says Steve, who chairs the international committee responsible for bridge design standards.

During his 18 years with Parsons Brinckerhoff, Steve has been involved in numerous research projects including the development of refined analysis and assessment techniques for bridges that make it possible to demonstrate their true strength. He led a project for the UK Highways Agency that saved millions of pounds on unnecessary strengthening of bridges. Steve has also advised the Highways Agency on climate change adaptation and procurement strategies.

Steve is internationally acknowledged for his innovative work using lightweight and corrosion-resistant fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP), which are used to strengthen existing structures and in new construction. This work includes an award-winning footbridge over the railway in St. Austell, Cornwall - the first all-FRP bridge on the UK rail network - completed in 2007.

A visiting professor at Bath University, Steve has also taught at Bristol University and at Cambridge University, from which he holds an M.A. and a Ph.D. in engineering. Steve is the author or co-author of several books and more than 100 papers.

Greer Gillis, the Area Manager of Parsons Brinckerhoff's Washington, D.C. office, has been helping shape transportation in the city for nearly two decades. "I enjoy serving the community that I live in by providing better transportation services," she explains.

Greer, who leads the office's business management and oversees a wide array of projects in the D.C. area, joined Parsons Brinckerhoff in 2002. She brought expertise in traffic operations, traffic simulation, and transportation planning, as well as experience in project and program management.

In one of her assignments at Parsons Brinckerhoff, Greer led a multidsiplinary team to develop a multimodal transportation plan for a 4-mile (6.4-kilometer) section of Georgia Avenue NW as part of the District of Columbia's Great Streets Initiative to encourage economic development, improve quality of life, and expand mobility choices in the local neighborhoods. Other projects included: transportation and mobility studies for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; traffic calming studies in Washington, D.C.; corridor safety studies and HOT (high-occupancy toll) lane development in Virginia; and traffic management plans for the Washington Nationals Ballpark completed in 2006.

A career highlight was her service as transportation lead for the Presidential Inauguration in 2009, while she was Deputy Chief Engineer for the District of Columbia Department of Transportation during a two and a half-year hiatus from Parsons Brinckerhoff.

A role model and advocate for women and people of color who aim for advancement in management, Greer has authored or co-authored a number of publications and presentations. She also participates in many professional associations including the Institute of Transportation Engineers, Women's Transportation Seminar International, and the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials.

Greer holds a bachelor's in civil engineering and an M.S.C.E. in transportation, both from the Georgia Institute of Technology and is a registered professional engineer in Virginia and D.C.

Cited by Engineers Australia in 2007 as one of the most influential engineers in Australia, Doug Maconochie provides technical and management leadership to Parsons Brinckerhoff's tunnels group in Australia and New Zealand.

Doug has practiced engineering for more than 40 years on four continents. He started his career in Australia and then moved to the UK, where he performed geotechnical and lining design studies on the Channel Tunnel and published one of the earliest in situ measurement results of ground movement around the face of an advancing bored tunnel.

After returning to Australia, Doug led an engineering consultancy with extensive involvement in mining and transport. In the 1990s, he managed the design and construction of tunnels for major transit programs in Southeast Asia, including the Blue Line in Bangkok and the light rail transit system in Kuala Lumpur.

Doug joined Parsons Brinckerhoff in 2001 and led the design team for the tunnels and launch box in Queens, New York, for the East Side Access Project. He went on to play major roles in a series of billion-dollar road tunnels in Brisbane, Sydney, and Auckland for which he recommended changes that reduced costs and led to successful tenders and early completions. "Functional performance and synergy between disciplines should drive our design efforts  and demonstrate our ability to manage the built environment," he says.

Doug is active in numerous professional associations and has authored or co-authored many reports, articles, and papers. In addition, he has experience in international intellectual property protection and patents - thanks to his high-speed yacht design hobby project that was awarded three patents.

Doug holds a civil engineering degree from Melbourne University and a master's degree and a Ph.D., both from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Vincent is the Managing Director for Buildings, China Region, where he has managed and contributed to the design of skyscrapers throughout Asia, including many mega-size and super-tall buildings.

His portfolio of world-class projects, built over a 30-year international career, includes such notable projects as the 2,073-foot (632-meter) Shanghai Tower, the 1,988-foot (606-meter) Wuhan Greenland Centre, the 1,995-foot (608-meter) Tianjin Goldin Finance 117, the 1,815-foot (550-meter) Shenzhen China Resource Headquarters Tower, the 1,750-foot (530-meter) Beijing Citic Group's Headquarter Tower and the 1,738-foot (530-meter) Guangzhou CTF Centre. Not content with working on the tallest, Vincent has also contributed to some of the region's biggest complexes, including the largest integrated resort in the Asia-Pacific, the 14 million-square-foot (1,300,000-square-meter) Venetian Macao Resort; Singapore's iconic Marina Bay Sands Resort; the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre; the Beijing China World Trade Center and the Shanghai International Finance Centre.

Vincent has spent almost all his career at Parsons Brinckerhoff. An advocate of mentoring, he is keen to pass on his knowledge to the next generation, "I truly believe that it is our duty to develop the potential of our aspiring professionals - and the best way to do this is to provide opportunities for them to push the envelope, and to challenge themselves to deliver state-of-the-art solutions to engineering problems."

When not busy on projects, Vincent contributes to the engineering community at large. He was named the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers' (ASHRAE) Vice President in 2006-2008, and has served as a Distinguished Lecturer for the society for more than 12 years. Vincent is currently the Board Director of Haven of Hope Christian Services. He has also previously held positions as Vice President for the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE), and chaired the HKIE/Hong Kong Fire Services Department (HKFSD) Liaison Committee and Building Services Division. He holds a master of science degree in building services engineering from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom.