The Shard in London, a 1,016-foot tall structure, required a novel top-down construction methodology for which Roma Agrawal designed the foundations and the signature spire. This massive project served as a foundation for her subsequent career as a chartered structural engineer, author, and communicator within the field of civil engineering in the United Kingdom.
Academic Background
Born in Mumbai in 1983, Agrawal spent time living in Ithaca, New York, before settling in London. She attended the North London Collegiate School for her A-Levels. Her academic credentials include a BA in physics from the University of Oxford, earned in 2004, and an MSc in Structural Engineering from Imperial College London, completed in 2005.
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Upon completing her master's degree, Agrawal joined Parsons Brinckerhoff, later WSP, in 2005. She qualified as a chartered engineer with the Institution of Structural Engineers in 2011. During her decade at WSP, she contributed to projects including Crystal Palace Station and the Northumbria University Footbridge. She moved to Interserve in 2015 as a design manager before joining AECOM as an associate director in 2017.
Public Engagement and Awards
Agrawal has leveraged her professional experience to promote engineering to the public. She authored the 2018 book Built: The Hidden Stories Behind our Structures. Her media presence includes appearing as a judge on the television program Lego Masters and as an expert on Mysteries of the Abandoned. In recognition of her contributions, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2018 and received the Rooke Award from the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2017.
Fast facts
- Born: 1983, Mumbai
- Citizenship: United Kingdom
- Education: University of Oxford, Imperial College London
- Notable Project: The Shard
- Appointment: Member of the Order of the British Empire (2018)
- Award: Rooke Award (2017)
- Primary Fields: Civil engineering, structural engineering
Questions readers ask
What is Roma Agrawal's primary profession?
She is a chartered structural and civil engineer.
Which major London building did she work on?
She spent six years working on the design of the foundations and the spire of The Shard.
Achievements
- Notable work: Building on the Edge
- Affiliated with AECOM and WSP USA
- Educated at North London Collegiate School, University of Oxford and Imperial College London
- Worked as structural engineer, civil engineer and physicist
