When a fatal earthquake hit the city of Christchurch in New Zealand in February 2011, the most severe in a series of catastrophic events, Kristen MacAskill was the other side of the world studying for an MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development (ESD) at Cambridge University. Woken by a text from a friend, she spent the early hours of the morning on the internet following news updates. As a New Zealander, her immediate thoughts were for the safety of her family and friends back at home – and she was relieved to get a phone call from her mother who had been stuck in a high-rise building in the centre of the city.
Today Kristen is working as an engineer for the “Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team”, a group dedicated to rebuilding the ‘horizontal’ infrastructure of a devastated city, covering roads, waste water management, water supply and storm-water services. “Our team comprises people from a range of organisations delivering vital work that will cost in the order of $NZ2 billion,” she says. “Witnessing the deconstruction of the central business district is emotional, but it also presents Christchurch with huge opportunities to implement changes and shape a world-class city. For me, the experience of playing a part in this critical work is tremendously rewarding.”
When more than 170 engineers gathered in Cambridge last month to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the University’s MPhil course in Engineering for Sustainable Development (ESD), Kristen, who was in the ESD class of 2010-2011, was among them. She was keen to meet up with old friends, meet mover and shakers in the world of sustainable engineering, and get up to speed with new developments and talking points in the field.
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Image: Kristen MacAskill at work in Christchurch, New Zealand
Credit: Kristen MacAskill
Reproduced courtesy of the University of Cambridge
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