Despite a childhood spent tinkering with electronics, a career in hydropower was not on the radar for Shanna M. Durham, until a chance internship with the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation took her down a new path.
Today, Durham is a senior mechanical engineer in Reclamation’s Technical Service Center in Denver, Colo. Her work focuses primarily on turbines that generate hydroelectric power or pump water, and she provides design, purchasing, factory inspection and on-site testing skills. She has been the technical team leader for more than 30 turbine overhaul projects and currently is the lead government engineer for the overhaul of three hydro units and the optimization of three additional units at the 6.8 GW Grand Coulee hydro project [the largest hydropower plant in the U.S.] in Washington State. In addition, Durham is a registered professional engineer in Colorado and serves on the conference planning committee for HYDROVISION International.
In recognition of Women’s History Month in March, and also of her successes as a female mechanical engineer in what is still a male-dominated industry, I recently spoke with Durham about her 20-year career as a mechanical engineer at Reclamation. She talked to me about her unexpected journey to hydroelectric power, the highlights of her job and her focus on mentoring young women in engineering.
Q: Women are often not particularly encouraged to enter the STEM fields of study. What led you in that direction?
A: My dad and grandpa are both engineers, and while I was growing up my dad encouraged me to take apart broken VCRs or cassette players around the house and see how they work. At 10 years old, my dad and I rebuilt a motorcycle carburetor, and before I got my driver’s license my dad taught me how to work on my car. To me, it was interesting to be a part of rebuilding components and having it work again like new after a few hours of getting your hands dirty. In addition to just rebuilding items, I have always enjoyed math and seeing how and why things work.
Q: You studied mechanical engineering, earning both your bachelor’s and master’s degrees. What appealed to you about this area of study?
A: My dad is an electrical engineer, and my grandpa was an aeronautical engineer. I like mechanical engineering because I can physically see and touch the equipment, find the problem, and fix it, or at least advise others on what needs to be done to correct the problem. With electrical engineering, it was hard for me to grasp something you cannot see. I thought of going into aeronautical engineering but liked how mechanical engineers cover such a broad range of engineering and it didn’t limit my career opportunities. Mechanical engineers can work with anything that moves; the choices are endless.
Q: At the time you graduated, did you anticipate working with hydroelectric power? If not, how did you come to this career path?
A: When I was in my last year of college for my bachelor’s degree, I didn’t know where I should apply for a job. I was working as an intern at IBM, and all the interns were let go due to budget cuts. A family friend who worked for the Bureau of Reclamation introduced me to their internship program. I applied for a summer internship because it sounded interesting. I honestly did not know what Reclamation did at that time. I had heard of Hoover Dam, but I didn’t know how much infrastructure Reclamation has in the western United States. After working as an intern, I learned about the amazing capabilities of Reclamation engineers and scientists.
Also, the renewable energy aspect was really appealing to me. I have always been interested in flight and forces on an airplane wing, and during my internship I learned the same principals are applied to the hydroelectric turbine runner blades. When I was in college, my professors briefly discussed hydroelectric generation, but it wasn’t until I worked for Reclamation that I learned how interesting and powerful this type of generation can be.
[Editor’s Note: Reclamation covers 17 western U.S. states and brings water to more than 31 million people. As the second-largest producer of hydropower in the U.S., its fleet includes 77 hydropower facilities that generate about 40 million MWh of electricity each year.]
Q: You’ve been with Reclamation for nearly 20 years. What drew you to that organization?
A: What drew me in about Reclamation is the people and the mission. We have some of the most talented and intelligent engineers and scientist in the industry, and they are the most genuine people to work with. When I worked in private industry, I felt like people were not willing to share information because they were afraid you would take their jobs. But at Reclamation, we are all a team working for the same goal: to bring water to the West and serve the American public. I also really appreciate the work-life balance at Reclamation and the support from management when it comes to career development.
Q: What have been the main areas of focus in your career with regard to hydropower?
A: My focus is runner replacements and turbine overhauls. In my position, I get to scope out operations and hydraulic designs for new runners with higher efficiency and increased operational flexibility. Most of our turbine-generator units were installed before the 1970s and are beyond their useful life. It’s exciting to rehabilitate a generating unit, conduct a performance test, and see the benefits that these new runners will provide over the next 50-plus years.
Q: In 2022 you were named Reclamation’s Federal Engineer of the Year. What did that honor mean to you?
A: This was a huge honor to me and one of my ultimate career goals. About 13 years ago, a fellow mechanical engineer received the Denver office Engineer of the Year award, and I remember being in complete awe and incredibly proud of his achievement. From then, I knew I wanted to strive for that award. I just never thought I would have received it at this early stage of my career, and I am truly blessed to be recognized for this award.
Q: What do you enjoy most about working in the hydroelectric industry?
A: I love that every day is a challenge, and after almost 20 years I am still learning. The equipment we work on might be old, but the engineering advancement and growth is exciting. I love that hydropower is one of the most efficient energy production sources we have and is a low-carbon source of renewable energy. I also enjoy that every power plant has different operations, restrictions and requirements, which makes every unit unique.
Q: What have been your biggest challenges as a woman in a male-dominated STEM-oriented career?
A: I would say that in the beginning of my career I was not taken seriously as an engineer. My parents taught me if you work hard and show people the quality of work you produce, you will earn their respect. Also, my former mentor was a great leader and I saw that he always was caring, respectful and helpful to everyone at our office. He taught me that even if the task is not within your job description, helping others to meet Reclamation’s goal will yield a great career payback in the end.
I was also very shy in the beginning of my career and afraid to speak up in meetings. But as I have gained respect and hydropower experience, I have grown in my confidence and now contribute to critical conversations.
Q: I understand you give your time to mentor young women in engineering. Why is this an important focus for you?
A: When I started at Reclamation, fewer than 10% of the people working in engineering at my office in Denver were women, and now we have just over 30% women! All of my previous mentors were men, and I believe they have a different perspective than women. I feel it is best to have more than one mentor in your career, and having a variety of perspectives can help guide you in your career. It’s important to help young engineers gain the confidence and have someone they feel they can trust to discuss work issues and help them advance in their careers. I enjoy being a mentor, not only from the technical side but in regard to supporting work-life balance, improving professional confidence in meetings or projects, and providing guidance when dealing with difficult personalities at work.
