This article is part of SWE Magazine’s Spring 2017 Issue. To view it on your mobile device, download the SWE Magazine app! Download it on the App Store or get it on Google Play.
Growing up, civil aviation project manager Apiramy (Api) Appulingam, P.E., lived in five different countries and visited more than 20, developing an inquisitive spirit and love for travel and exploration that has remained with her. Raised in a traditional Sri Lankan family, during high school she was selected to attend the Texas Governor’s Honors program. Participating in this intensive three-week residential program, she acquired leadership, conflict resolution, ethical decision-making, and critical thinking skills that have continued to serve her well throughout her education and career.
Following in her father’s footsteps, Appulingam became a civil engineer, graduating from Texas A&M with her B.S. in civil engineering in 2004. After graduation, she joined RS&H, a facilities, infrastructure, and aviation consulting firm, and has devoted the last 12 years to the aviation industry. She has successfully managed projects in the U.S. and internationally, with clients ranging from general aviation airports to large-hub airports. Currently, Appulingam is project manager for the Stage 1 Airfield Development Project of the Philadelphia International Airport’s Capacity Enhancement Program, a multiyear, multibillion-dollar improvement program. Appulingam earned an MBA from the University of Dallas in 2012.
Who Are the Women Engineers We Should Know?
Quite often, those who are behind the scenes and out of the limelight make real change in the workplace and in our communities. It is our intention to recognize such women and make their efforts better known in our SWE Magazine series “Women Engineers You Should Know.”
Casting a wide net, SWE Magazine staff and editorial board members seek contemporary women whose lives have embodied the Society’s mission to: “Stimulate women to achieve full potential in careers as engineers and leaders, expand the image of the engineering profession as a positive force for improving the quality of life, and demonstrate the value of diversity.”
Through a variety of means, including fielding suggestions and conducting archival research, we will examine the stories of many women who have made a difference in these critical areas. Determining a final list is a daunting challenge, and our selections are in no way meant to be definitive. While some names you may recognize, many are not recognizable to most people. From a variety of perspectives, in different environments and moments in time, these women represent “ordinary” when doing “extraordinary” things. In saluting them, we are saluting all the women, known and unknown, past and present, who have advanced our mission.
Nominate women engineers to know for our next article. The deadline for submission of names is December 15, 2017. Submit nominations here.
With each submission, please include the following.
- Nominee info: name, why her, links supporting your nomination, areas of expertise, where is she located
- Nominator info: name, email, how you know the nominee
Thanks for your help, and look for the Spring 2018 issue of SWE Magazine.
