Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month is celebrated each May to recognize the cultural, technological, and social contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the United States. In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, we spoke with Sai Thu, a project engineer II on our structures and bridges design team in Richmond. While talking with Sai, we learned where his story began and how engineering came to be such an important part of it.
Sai’s story began in Myanmar (Burma), where he spent his teenage years before moving to the United States 10 years ago. Growing up in Burma, Sai’s father worked as a mechanical engineer specializing in the design and maintenance of boats and ships. In Burma, the marine fisheries and fishing sectors are among the largest industries in the country, making his work a crucial part of the community’s economy. “I remember seeing his project plans and being so fascinated by them. I knew I wanted to be something like that when I grew up, and now, here I am a civil engineer,” Sai said.
Around 2014, Sai’s family made the decision to move to the United States to live with his aunt in Baker Street, California. As she began to reach retirement age, his aunt and family decided to make a final move to Raleigh, North Carolina. His academic journey in the U.S. led him to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he laid the groundwork for his career. After graduating in 2021, Sai joined Timmons Group and relocated again to Richmond to begin his career in civil engineering. Now, after three years in the industry and in Richmond, he says his favorite parts are the food and his team here. “It’s been great, especially the people I work with on my team. They’re so fun and make every day interesting.”
Sai visits the Pentagon Bridge project in Washington, D.C.
At Timmons Group, Sai’s role involves a diverse range of projects from bridge and foundation to superstructure and substructure design. “You get exposed to various projects—a lot of exposure to a little bit of everything,” he explains. One of their recent ventures included making updates to VDOT Chapter 32, focusing on the practices and guidelines of the Structure and Bridge Division for maintaining VDOT’s highway structures.
Another recent project of theirs is the Belle Isle access timber deck replacement project. Sai explains that “the goal of the project is to minimize the moisture exposure on the proposed deck for the City of Richmond, which has been a huge issue on the existing deck over the years.” This project allowed the bridge and structures team to innovate solutions to longstanding problems by redesigning the initially edgewise-oriented timber deck to flatwise in order to mitigate moisture exposure.
Sai and his team join forces for trivia at a Richmond brewery.
Before working on this project with the City of Richmond Parks and Recreation, Sai and his team had already established a strong rapport with the City through various smaller projects. “We performed a joint replacement on the Belle Isle suspension bridge that was well-received by the City, paving the way for us to conduct inspections on 18 pedestrian structures,” Sai explained. It was during one of these inspections that Sai’s team identified issues and made recommendations that resonated with the City’s team, ultimately guiding them to the timber deck replacement project. “This was my very first timber deck design project and I would enjoy working on more down the line,” he said.
Sai says there’s a unique satisfaction in tackling projects like those at Belle Isle, where he can witness the transformation from initial sketches to tangible structures within his own community. “I like working with local clients because the projects are often finished very quickly, and you can see the projects come to life.” Not only can he watch the implementation of his work in real time, but he can also see the direct benefits to the residents. Moreover, Sai and his team collaborate closely with our survey, geotechnical, and GIS groups, providing a comprehensive view of the project from inception to completion, which is an extra rewarding experience.
Sai and his wife Ni Ni celebrated their nuptials in Yangon City, Myanmar (Burma).
Speaking of rewarding experiences, Sai recently celebrated two significant milestones—his marriage to his long-time partner whom he was first introduced to in Burma through family and friends, and his United States naturalization. The exciting news about his naturalization reached him while he was on a project site with his team. Congratulations, Sai!
From Burma to Virginia, engineering has always been a big part of Sai’s life. Conversations like these help us open a dialogue that may not have been so accessible at one point in our industry, and Timmons Group is proud to lead inclusivity in that way. Sai’s story, along with many of our other employees, is unique because it gives us insight into family, culture, history, and the future of our communities.
