Aditi Patel M.Eng. ’10 has spent almost eight years of her career on the project of a lifetime: helping to connect the Long Island Railroad to New York’s iconic Grand Central Terminal. One of the largest infrastructure projects in the country, the $13 billion East Side Access project, which was completed in early 2023, includes 40 miles of new underground track, a gleaming new train terminal and greater access to Manhattan for more than 160,000 commuters. And some relief for an overcrowded Penn Station. As vice president and director of Virtual Design Construction and Operations at The LiRo Group in New York, Patel leads a team that uses high-tech tools — including laser scanners, virtual reality and game engines — to create virtual models for their projects, informing everything from design to construction to budgets. Her leadership earned her a spot on City & State’s “2023 Above and Beyond: Women” list, which recognizes 50 remarkable women who are improving New York City.

Continue reading in the fall 2023 issue of Stevens Indicator