Five minutes with Steven Wang

Name: Steven Wang
Job title: Building Services Team Leader
Organisation: GHD
Location: Auckland
Favourite chip flavour: Salt and vinegar

What motivates you on a tough day?

I have to admit that I'm an optimist – and I’ve got a story to share. In 2023, the Auckland Branch invited Sir Peter Beck – Founder and CEO of Rocklet Lab – to give a public lecture as part of the Pickering Lecture Series (honouring the legacy of Sir William Pickering). He described how they tendered the moon project without prior experience, got a call in the early hours of the morning (New Zealand time) notifying him they'd won the tender. It was a few minutes of joy, followed by “two years of excruciating pain” until they finally made it. "Failure was not an option," Sir Peter asserted. I believe that is the spirit that we should all strive for. On a tough day, I would take a moment to reflect on the kind people that I have encountered; the “thank you" messages I've received when my CV reviews or mock-up interviews at Speed Interviews had helped a young professional land a real job. Priceless.

Where has engineering taken you?

This is where I truly appreciate all the amazing projects that I've worked on with my talented colleagues at GHD across multiple disciplines as well as market sectors. I have literally worked on projects across New Zealand from Northland to Southland; from world-class recording studios, cleanroom laboratories to parliament buildings and many, many more. Outside of Aotearoa, I've had the pleasure of working with my GHD colleagues on projects in the Americas, Middle East, Europe, Asia as well as closer to home, Australia and the South Pacific. Some of my team members have visited building sites around the world – on one occasion, staying in the Taj Palace Hotel! To top it off, GHD also organises global internal technical conferences each year. Engineers in my team have been to Australia, the Philippines and Canada to present outstanding projects from New Zealand. I still find it hard to describe the winter’s day sunset up Grouse Mountain in Vancouver.

Who's someone in the profession you look up to?

There are so many! Where shall I start? I would first sincerely appreciate my engineering lecturers at Auckland University of Technology (AUT). They have never been too busy for us. Then again, I have so many lovely colleagues that are always keen to help, building the bond “in the trenches” while fostering a positive, diverse and inclusive culture. The senior leaders are always happy to strike up a conversation. Many colleagues and long-running, loyal clients that I have served alongside, who recognise he tāngata (the people) as one of the prime considerations when delivering engineering solutions. Lastly, the wonderful fellow Engineering New Zealand volunteers in the Special Interest Group for Immigrant Engineers (SIGIE) and Auckland Branch committees that I have had the privilege to work with, now and in the past.

What advice would you give to the next generation of engineers in Aotearoa?

I could go on and on, reflecting on some of the internationally acclaimed engineering feats by top engineers from Aotearoa, but to make it more engaging especially for the younger ones, I can’t go past this question without mentioning the Wonder Project. The chances are, many kids would have or have had the opportunity to explore STEM through these hands-on challenges with real-world industry engagement, whether it's the Rocket Challenge, the Power Challenge or the Water Challenge. The short story is, Aotearoa has some of the most respected engineers in the world, both current and future, and the next generation of engineers in Aotearoa are empowered by the Wonder Project to be the best they can be.

What do you do to unwind from work?

After work I'm very much a family man, being the taxi driver for my two boys – time that I treasure dearly. Apart from that, my wife and I are keen travellers – sometimes being a bit adventurous! You'd find the family trekking the Inca Trail, swimming with sharks, riding ATVs in the Sahara Desert. We often invite our parents to come along to savour some good times with their grandsons. I also enjoy a good craft beer after work – even better if I'm with a couple of close mates.