Hannah Gelfant is one of two women engineers on the SAFE Space construction team. She works for Consigli—the general contractors on our new crisis shelter. We caught up with Hannah this month to get her perspective on choosing engineering as a career path and working in a traditionally male dominated field.
DC SAFE: What is your name/pronouns/job title/role on the SAFE Space Project? And can you tell us a fun fact about yourself?
Hannah: I am Hannah Gelfant (she/her). I am an Assistant Project Manager and will be managing costs and material deliveries to align with schedule on the SAFE Space project. My first project in construction was the Hollywood Hardrock (the guitar shaped hotel in South Florida).
What sparked your interest in engineering/construction? Was there a particular moment that you realized this was the career path for you?
My dad and brother are engineers, so I went to school for industrial engineering. Going to college in Miami made me aware of all the new construction and high rises that were being built in the area, and I was very interested in the way buildings were constructed and wanted to learn more. I also knew that construction was still very old-school in some respects so I thought that my industrial engineering major could help some of the practices on construction sites be more efficient.
What is it like to be a woman in your field? Do you feel that your gender gives you a different perspective and experience from your male counterparts? Any advantages? Any misconceptions?
I think that it is becoming more common to see women in construction, more so in the project management side, but we are definitely still a minority. I would say the biggest disadvantage as a woman in construction is that you have to prove your knowledge more than some men. Men seem to trust their own gender more, so as a woman you sometimes have to work harder to show that you are just as capable. But on the other hand, as a woman on a construction site, you stand out more when you are doing well and sometimes get acknowledged more.
What advice do you have for women interested in your field? For women in general?
Don’t let your gender hold you back from pursuing whatever job it is. If you are passionate about something, your gender should not affect it. I think that more women need to be in the construction industry, especially starting at a younger age, to help balance the gender of the upper management roles (as it is mostly men in these positions within the construction industry).
What does it mean to you to be working on the SAFE Space Crisis Shelter project?
I am grateful to be on this project and feel fortunate that I am able to help others. It is a very special project that will make me feel like I made an impact on someone.
What do you look forward to most on the job today?
I look forward to seeing the exterior façade going up and then eventually the interior finishes being done. Seeing in the inside come together will be special because I know it will be a space that will make others feel comfortable and feel like they are at home.
