September/October 2021 - 89

MEMBER PROF I LE
Shawna Munn, a Young Engineer
Solving Real-World Problems
The quality that characterizes Shawna
Munn, design engineer/project
manager at Isherwood Geostructural
Engineers the most, and underscores
her decision to pursue a career in
geotechnical engineering, is " solving
real-world problems. " At Queen's
University, Kingston, Ontario, her
interest in math and science morphed
into pursuing a bachelor's degree in
applied science, with an emphasis on
geotechnical engineering. She was
supported in her efforts by Mark
Diederichs, Ph.D., P.Eng., who helped
her find her niche in this engineering
field. Another important influence in
her studies was the late W. Alan
Gorman, Ph.D., whom she describes as
" someone that taught me how to
actually look and see things that were
right in front of me. "
Isherwood Offers Great
Opportunities
Isherwood, and particularly its president,
Nadir Ansari, is known for bringing
young engineers along, providing
them with unique opportunities for
professional growth. Munn completed
two summer internships at Isherwood
while still a student at Queen's. Upon
graduation in 2010, she joined the firm
full time at its offices in in Mississauga,
Ontario, Canada. She cut her eye
teeth on some very challenging projects,
including Toronto's Union Station
Revitalization Project. She proved to be
a very fast learner possessed with a
deep respect for the complexity of the
work, and considers herself fortunate
to have participated in challenging
projects early on in her career.
AUTHOR S. Scot Litke, Hon. D.GE
DEEP FOUNDATIONS * SEPT/OCT 2021 * 89
It Helps to Have Help
Munn relates, " Professionally I have
been blessed. When I started at
Isherwood I was lucky to work with
many talented people. Isherwood
Senior Engineer and Partner Jakub
Hudler took me under his wing as an
engineering intern. I remember sitting
on the floor with drawings alongside
his desk asking, 'Wait, how do you
design a waler again?' - sometimes not
without exasperation. His patient
guidance proved invaluable to me. "
Over the years, Hudler has worked
with Munn extensively. He has
witnessed her development as a young
professional from having basic
engineering knowledge to taking a
leadership role on large projects such as
the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail
Transit and the One Bloor Street West
Tower in Toronto.
Hudler relates, " Shawna has
remarkable enthusiasm and has
become a quarterback on the Isherwood
team. She has a talent for providing
elegant solutions and communicating
them to clients and colleagues in a clear
manner. Shawna's colleagues, clients
and friends truly enjoy her problemsolving
skills, team cooperation,
companionship and strong ethical
principles. Gratefully, I am one of them. "
Munn also credits Chandru Hira
with helping her hone her skills. Hira is
a highly respected engineer with over
50 years of experience across the entire
spectrum of geostructural design and
construction. He was brought on by
Isherwood to serve as a " mentor/helper "
to the staff. Munn considers Hira to have
been a godsend in helping her learn the
fine art of structural detailing. She feels
that the real work and love of any
geostructural project is in the details.
She smiles when saying, " Chandru is so
smart, it makes my brain hurt at times
trying to keep up. "
Hira appreciates Munn's growth.
" Over the past 13 years, Shawna rapidly
picked up the practical side of design,
project management, and dealing with
clients and on-site personnel. Her
quick learning curve has allowed her to
deal with complex jobs. She has a very
engaging personality and, in my
opinion, is a credit to the industry. "
Munn loves helping people, and
consistent with the theme of this profile,
continues to enjoy solving problems. She
says she feels fortunate to be able to do
both in the cooperative team environment
fostered at Isherwood. Munn
muses, " Finding a solution to a challenging
site geometry is especially fun, like
creating art and solving a jigsaw puzzle
at the same time. " Colleagues admire her
for being able to catch every detail in
1,000-word reports, often resulting in
valuable design modifications.
She is also quick to point out how
much she appreciates Nadir Ansari's
willingness to allow her to pursue her
passions. She notes that " Nadir always
has found the time to answer my
hundreds (thousands) of questions. "
September/October 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September/October 2021
