Thornton Tomasetti’s Post

Congratulations to Project Engineer Sena Kizildemir, Ph.D., who has been named one of Professional Women in Construction, New York's 20 Under 40 honorees. This recognition from PWC’s founding chapter highlights her technical expertise and leadership in advancing the future of critical infrastructure. A specialist in nonlinear finite element analysis, Sena focuses on modeling how structures behave under extreme events, from collapse and fire to blast and impact scenarios. Her simulations support the development of critical infrastructure solutions that safeguard lives, protect assets, and improve performance under the most demanding environments, bridging the gap between advanced research and real-world engineering. At Thornton Tomasetti, her work has been key on such high-profile projects as the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan. Her analyses have addressed both structural safety and security, quantifying risks associated with electric vehicle integration, such as thermal runaway, fire propagation and blast events, enabling the team to adopt performance-based safety strategies that also advance decarbonization goals. Sena earned a master’s degree in civil engineering and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Lehigh University. Recognized for her technical expertise and leadership, she advances the engineering industry through her roles chairing, organizing and presenting at international conferences as well as advocating for greater diversity in technical roles. Well done, Sena!