Connecting with…Fares Aoun

Fares Aoun

Name: Fares­ Aoun
Title:  Project Engineer/Civil 3D Expert
Started at christopher:  2017
Current Town:  Fairfax
Alma Mater: Lebanese University, Beirut
Favorite DC tourist destination: National Gallery of Art
Favorite app: WhatsApp — it’s a great way for me to stay connected easily to my friends and family around the world.
If I had three wishes:
l. Go on a world tour.  I love travel and taking pictures, so this would be an amazing dream come true.
ll. Of course “world peace” would be wonderful, but what I really want is a more just world for everyone.
lll. I would like to have the satisfaction of knowing I took action to leave this world a better place than I found it.
If I had to eat one meal for the rest of my life:   Tabbouleh, Lebanese mezze, and mixed grill (chicken and beef).  Add to that the traditional Lebanese drink, arak, and it’s a perfect meal.
On Saturday you can find me: Outdoors, biking or hiking.  Indoors, writing or painting. Or at my children’s gymnastics competitions.

Fares’ life at christopher

Name a project you have enjoyed working on and why?
FA:  Sully Community Center. I especially enjoyed this project because I got to be involved in it from the beginning to the end with good teamwork. The design was very interesting, and I liked finding solutions to the project changes in the site layout and adapting to finish the project on time. It’s not the largest project I’ve worked on and designed, but we got to build the project entirely with Civil 3D. It’s a great example project for us in terms of how we can organize future work and use the full benefits of Civil 3D.

Fares biking at Burke Lake Park

What does a typical day of work look like for you?
FA: I start by checking my emails and calendar. I prepare for any upcoming meetings, and then start on my projects. Most of the time I’m doing the design part of the project. I enjoy getting really in-depth on the details of design. Usually I need to review some plans and respond to comments from the client and reviewers. We work a lot as a team and that is a good thing for brainstorming ideas and getting support. To do that, I spend time researching and looking up standards and guidelines that govern any particular design. And of course, I spend time addressing Civil 3D issues and testing new options within the software. I have been spending some time with the team preparing the standards for AutoCAD, and I’m so excited to start the preparation for the Civil 3D training.

What keeps you at christopher?
FA: The teamwork and the leadership. Everyone is friendly, and I like being in an environment where we’re all working together. The leadership at christopher consultants is strong and responsive. They do a good job of presenting the company’s goals and planning the direction of the firm.  It’s a pleasure to be somewhere knowing that good work is appreciated and that one can earn and receive more responsibility. And as much as I try to work and prepare ahead, rush deadlines on projects do come up, but since we’re all pulling together, I even enjoy that.

Summer vacation in Lebanon

What is your favorite company event, and why?
FA:  The summer cornhole tournament. It’s well-organized, competitive and a fun way to take a break together. I hear last year’s champion (Andy Gorecki) has been working hard to defend his title!

What is the best piece of advice you could offer someone considering a career in civil engineering?
FA: A word of wisdom given to me was, “As civil engineers we are dramatically changing or reshaping the earth. And we should be responsible about how we are doing it.”  We have to be good stewards and do a better job taking care of each other and the earth, from better ADA planning to better stormwater management, recycling, finding new building materials and communicating with our clients about the benefits of using best practices.