News & Events

By Regina Sibilia

February 11, 2020, is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. To celebrate #WomenInSTEM, Project Engineer Kayla Larson-Dubois shared her story about her career choice and how she has been influenced by other women working in the engineering industry.

Q: Tell us about your work as an engineer?

A: “I mostly do a lot of sewer and water projects and work on fluid dynamics. I obtained my PE two years ago, but when you first jump into the industry you’re learning on the fly. This job is more relational than the formulas you learn in school. You can look at the designs on paper, but you don’t really understand it until you’re in the field. Now, I’m in the office a lot more working on sewer design. I’m at the point in my career where I’m getting to oversee more people and coordinate their time in the field.”

Q: What inspired you to become an engineer? 

A: “I always excelled academically, especially at math and science. My father worked in construction, so I had a real interest in blueprints and figuring out how to design them. I feel like a lot of girls enter engineering because they know someone in the field. I didn’t feel out of place, but I hope more girls feel like they can enter the field (even if they don’t personally know an engineer) as they see more women working in engineering.”

Q: Are there other women in STEM that have influenced you?

A: “[At Tighe & Bond] I’ve worked with Vice President Tiffany Labrie and she’s been a great advocate for me. She really gets into the weeds of what you want to do with your career and she’s great at showing how to balance her technical knowledge and client relationships. Now that I’m working in our Worcester office, I’m working with Project Manager Emily Scerbo. She’s been a great role model for other women in the Water Business Line, showing us how to manage client relationships and maintain a work-life balance.”

Kayla Larson-Dubois serves as a Project Engineer and Assistant Project Manager, specializing in wastewater, water, and stormwater projects. Her experience includes design, data analysis, AutoCAD drafting, report writing, and construction observation.