2018 Women in Construction: Rose Mary Su, Acentech

Name: Rose Mary Su

Position: Principal Consultant in Acoustics

Company: Acentech

Years in the A/E/C Industry: 16

What associations or organizations are you a member of? Institute of Noise Control Engineering, Acoustical Society of America, Boston Society of Architects

Why the A/E/C Industry? I grew up in an A/E/C household. My father is a structural engineer and still practicing in Taiwan. I also grew up in an artistic household. My mother taught piano in her 20s and dabbled in fine art. Acoustics Engineering was a natural amalgamation of the two. I enjoy the work process in the A/E/C industry, starting from the vision all the way to the completion of construction. It is fulfilling to see an idea come to fruition through the collaboration of so many people.    

Advice/Keys to Success: Patience and diligence are two traits that I value greatly to achieve excellence in my work. Listen to our clients, colleagues, and the construction team. There is always something new to learn.

What was your most notable project in 2017? The UMass Amherst John W. Olver Design Building was the first cross-laminated timber (CLT) academic building in the US. The UMA Building Construction Technology (BCT) department played a key role in guiding the A/E/C team in developing this idea. The design and construction team was able to carry their vision into a successful, highly functional, and award winning building.  

If you had a mentor in your career, who was it and what did they teach you? I have had a few great mentors in my career. Chris Savereid, a retired principal consultant at Acentech who also worked on the UMA Olver Design Building project, taught me a lot about communicating clearly, working with a high level of rigor, and achieving high efficiency. He had such a high level of focus!