Meet Luke Russell P.E.
Discover the exceptional journey of Luke Russell P.E., CDR’s Stormwater Manager and Civil Design Engineer. Explore his vital role in shaping projects, his recent P.E. license achievement, and the significant impact he has made on challenging endeavors. Join us in celebrating Luke’s dedication, professional growth, and passion for engineering, as he reflects on his experience at CDR.
At CDR, our success is driven by the dedication and expertise of our team members. This quarter, we’re shining a spotlight on one of our exceptional team members, Luke Russell P.E., our Stormwater Manager and Civil Design Engineer. Luke recently obtained his P.E. license and is a vital part of the CDR organization.
Professional Growth and P.E. License
In his role as Stormwater Manager, Luke plays a pivotal role in every project at CDR, ensuring proper stormwater capture and water quality treatment designs for various cities, counties, and even other states. In addition to stormwater engineering in his Civil Design Engineer role, Luke also takes on design and grading tasks on land development projects. His commitment to professional growth is evident, and his recent attainment of the P.E. license has opened up even more opportunities within CDR.
“Luke’s exceptional contributions have set a high standard for our team at CDR. His dedication, expertise, and recent attainment of the P.E. license exemplify CDR’s values – the commitment to growth and excellence,” stated Aaron Albertson, Principal at CDR. “Luke’s passion for engineering and his role as a Stormwater Manager and Civil Design Engineer has not only elevated our projects but have also enriched our organizational culture. We are proud to have him as an integral part of our team and look forward to his continued success with us.”
Over Luke’s tenure at CDR, he has contributed to numerous projects, but when asked which of those were the most significant to him in his career thus far, he mentioned the challenges he faced while working on the Acoya San Marcos project, a senior living facility in San Diego County with extensive constraints and regulations to keep track of. In addition to that project, Luke also talked about his work on the Pollo Campero Bellflower project. This project marked an important milestone for Luke as he took on both stormwater and design engineering responsibilities, and saw the project through from start to finish.
“While collaborating with the team is always rewarding, being trusted to perform all the tasks related to the design of a project was very fulfilling as an engineer,” Luke explained.
Passion for Engineering
Originally from Laguna Hills, CA, Luke now resides in Irvine, where he finds the CDR culture and people to be the highlights of his work experience. He appreciates the balance between hard work and enjoyment, making each day a great experience. With a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Marquette University and a Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from San Diego State University, Luke is well-equipped to address the intricate challenges of his field.
Luke’s passion for engineering was born out of an insatiable curiosity about how things work. He was drawn to civil engineering due to the scale of projects and the responsibility it entails in shaping the infrastructure we often take for granted.
“The civil field was always the most appealing to me because of the scale of projects and the responsibility that comes with it,” said Luke. “Civil engineering projects involve things that most people take for granted like roads, buildings, infrastructure, and utilities. I enjoy being a part of the group that works behind the scenes to be able to ensure that all these things are designed to work correctly and safely.”
Family and Personal Life
Luke is passionate about sports, whether watching or playing, particularly basketball, football, golf, tennis, and soccer. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, visiting the beach, and walking his dogs, and he hopes to get more involved in the local leagues when time permits. While Luke feels that staying active is important, he also recognizes the value of downtime and makes sure to spend some time watching movies, TV shows, and sports games with his family.
Luke is the third of four siblings, including one older sister and two brothers, one older and one younger. While all the siblings ventured off to different parts of the country for college, they have come full circle, now living relatively close to their Southern California roots. Luke has remained close with his family and loves being an uncle to two nephews, aged 5 and 2 and a half. Currently, Luke resides in a full house including his brother and his fiancé, as well as two dogs and a cat!
Reflection on CDR Experience
Reflecting on his experience at CDR, Luke says, “Since I started working at CDR, I have felt myself grow as an engineer. The culture of this company is all about becoming better, both personally and professionally, and doing our best for ourselves and our clients. I have appreciated the opportunity to work here and become a part of the growing team.”
