Jenna Bresler
TYLin Women Engineers

Jenna Bresler Career Profile

Jenna Bresler Career Profile

Meet Jenna Bresler, PE, an Associate with Silman, A TYLin Company. Silman excels at collaborating with owners, architects, and consultants for buildings and facilities projects, including new construction, adaptive reuse and renovation, historic preservation, sustainability and resiliency, and structural investigations.

We introduce you to Jenna Bresler, PE, an Associate with Silman, A TYLin Company. Silman excels at collaborating with owners, architects, and consultants for buildings and facilities projects, including new construction, adaptive reuse and renovation, historic preservation, sustainability and resiliency, and structural investigations.

What inspired you to join the architecture/engineering field?

When I was little, I wanted to be an artist. That quickly changed to an art professor, which quickly changed again to an architect. I grew up loving both Lego elements and puzzles, so my mother encouraged me to give engineering a shot in college. I couldn’t let go of my love of art and architecture, so I double-majored in Civil Engineering and Art, with a minor in Architectural Studies.

Architectural history has always been an interest of mine — I love hearing the generations of stories and lives experienced in buildings around the world. It is incredible how much a building or site creates a specific mark or identity on an individual, community, or culture. 

What's one thing the architectural and engineering industry can do to encourage more women into its ranks?

Better parental leave, parental care, and maternity benefits. Our society has done a lot to change the perception and stereotypes of parenting. However, there will always be a primary caregiver in a household. And if a woman must or chooses to be that primary caregiver, it should not prevent her from advancing in her career. Better maternity leave at the beginning of motherhood and continued better parental leave throughout is necessary to support a working mother or primary caregiver. This is not just specific to our industry, but it is crucial we address it.

What technical skills have helped you advance in your career?

Aside from the typical technical skills — basic engineering education, applied calculations to real-world problems and designs, development of advanced modeling skills — my technical writing and ability to format a paper/presentation/memo, etc., into a cohesive and visually appealing document have helped me advance in my career. I’ve found that it’s not only important what data you present, but also how you present it. No one will read a poorly formatted report, no matter how important the information.

For those of you who have not already read it, I recommend grabbing a copy of Edward Tufte’s The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. 

What personal traits or characteristics have helped you succeed in your position?

I’m the second oldest of five siblings and … we were not an easy brood. So, I have to say that I learned crisis management, problem solving, and compromise from a very young age. I also love tackling problems from multiple angles, which I have found is crucial to engineering.

Who have been mentors and advisors in your career?

Bob Silman has been a huge inspiration for me. I was lucky enough to start my career when he was working in the New York City office and then, by happenstance, he and I both relocated to Silman’s Boston office at the same time. He mentored just by being. He encouraged me to speak up and often encouraged that I take over the leadership of projects. 

What are two of the most memorable projects you have worked on?

One of my earliest and most memorable projects was working on St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. I was a part of the ancillary renovation projects, as the church restoration was almost complete when I started. However, through my time as staff engineer on the renovation of the Parish House and Rectory and the development of mechanical upgrades around the site, I was allowed private access to the crypt, roof, and steeples, and got an up-close review of the iconic rose window along 5th Avenue. It was the first project where I felt in charge of all aspects of design: conditions assessment, design, and construction administration services.

My second most memorable project was the Farnsworth House Flood Mitigation Study and Design in Plano, Illinois, that we did for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Bob Silman and I worked together on this project, and it allowed me to expand my role on a project beyond structural engineering.

This project addressed climate change, and I was able to work with owners/stakeholders and attend design charettes that talked about the holistic interpretation of the Farnsworth Site (which is located outside of Chicago). I also presented the findings at multiple venues throughout 2015 – 2018 and ended up publishing an article on the project in the 2019 Association for Preservation Technology’s special edition bulletin on Modern Heritage.

What advice would you give to young engineers who are interested in a position such as yours?

In the beginning of your career, be a “sponge.” Absorb as much information as you can. Even if that just means listening to what or how others in leadership positions conduct themselves in meetings, on project sites, etc. Also ask questions. A LOT. Speak up. Insert yourself into the conversation when you feel you have something to say. Don’t ever think that people will not listen to you because of your age. If you have something to say and are confident in it, people will listen.