Winning the impressive Outstanding Projects and Leaders (OPAL) award from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) may not have been Susan Hou's goal, but it was a result of her focus on hard work, integrity, excellence, her relationship-building approach, and her drive to learn and grow continually. In 2017, Hou was also selected as the Top 25 Newsmaker for the Engineering News Record (ENR). When describing the impact of this lifetime achievement award, Hou noted how her work and her aspirations for the future have shaped her career as Regional Project Manager at the SFPUC. "This prestigious award was made possible by the dedicated Calaveras Dam Replacement project team, and support from SFPUC management, the Commission, and our Bay Area Water Supply & Conservation Agency customers," Hou said. Notably, the Calaveras Dam Replacement project itself has won a number of national awards through partnering with a world-class team of experts.
Originally from Hong Kong, Hou came to the US "with a goal to get the best education possible." After earning her master's degree at Cornell University, she started as a consultant involved in small-scope civil engineering projects. Over time, Hou became intrigued by the idea of seeing an entire project through from planning, design, and execution to completion. This brought her to the SFPUC in 2005, where she soon immersed herself in overseeing dozens of projects within the Water Enterprise Capital Improvement Program (WECIP) and the Water System Improvement Program (WSIP), the largest water infrastructure program ever undertaken by San Francisco. And as the project manager for the $800 million Calaveras Dam Replacement Project since 2013, Hou has seen that dream come true.
When asked about her working philosophy, Hou frequently mentioned the importance of mentorship and sharing experiences and knowledge with others in the industry. She notes that she was fortunate to have great supervisors who guided her career. With her belief in the value of growing the next generation of leaders, Hou also mentors a group of young professionals – both high school and college students - outside of work. In addition, she has been invited as a guest speaker by numerous organizations and institutions and presented technical papers at different national and local conferences.
For the past 10 years, Hou has been the guest-lecturer for the Global Infrastructure Projects Seminar at Stanford University. Her advice for young girls and women looking to enter the field is to look for mentoring relationships that foster growth opportunities proactively. "No matter what your race and gender is, work hard and get yourself prepared for the next opportunity," she explained. As a female Asian engineer, being a part of the SFPUC allowed her to move beyond cultural and other barriers and bring her career to the next level.
Hou highlighted the importance of this award for the SFPUC as well. "It demonstrates our staff competency and commitment in delivering mega-size projects and the trust we've gained from the public," she said. While it is relatively common for contractors and consultants to win recognition at the national level, this award demonstrates the value of public service work and what it means for an organization to be a leader in the field. She hopes this award will encourage and empower SFPUC staff and attract even more talent to join our workforce.
Asked about what's next in her career, Hou replied that "as a public servant, it's our duty to go above and beyond to support the next generation and share our experiences with others in the industry." She added that she will continue to focus her efforts on mentoring as many people as possible while hoping to inspire more staff to step up to become great project managers and engineers. For Hou, it is particularly important for young women to have access to role models in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers. "Moving forward, I would love to become a better leader and help the SFPUC continue to be the best in class to serve our community."