Harrison Roakes, PE has been selected as the 2021 Young Engineer of the Year by a jury of his peers from New Hampshire’s engineering societies. The American Council of Engineering Companies of New Hampshire (ACEC-NH) nominated Harrison for this prestigious award based on his engineering accomplishments and his impressive contributions to local and international communities.
Harrison is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire environmental engineering program (’12, ’14G) and joined Sanborn Head in 2014. Over the past six years, he has steadily advanced in his career and is currently a project manager responsible for numerous projects for private and public-sector clients.
Within the local environmental engineering community, Harrison is well-respected and was the recipient of the Environmental Business Council of New England’s Ascending Leader award in 2019. In addition, he has been instrumental in building Sanborn Head’s visibility and reputation within the environmental profession nationwide by becoming one of the firm’s leading experts in per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) fate and transport, among other emerging topics. “Harrison’s dedication and passion has led him to become one of New Hampshire’s outstanding young engineers,” said Sanborn Head President/CEO Barret Cole, PG. “It has been a pleasure watching his career develop and grow over the years. I’m sure he will continue to inspire others by contributing to the betterment of our company, environment, and community.”
Harrison is a strong believer in giving back. Since 2012, he has made trips to the Dominican Republic with teams from the University of New Hampshire and University of Rhode Island to develop safe and sustainable water resources at schools. In 2019, their most recent trip, the team designed and installed a water treatment system for a public school with about 1,200 students. Locally, Harrison contributes to engineering outreach and education through elementary school visits, university guest lectures and student mentoring, and professional presentations and guidance documents.
“Harrison always goes above and beyond both at work and through his volunteer endeavors,” said Sanborn Head Project Director Jennifer Sanborn, PE. “He is an active mentor to staff and students alike, and he uses his engineering skills to make a significant impact on the lives of others. Harrison is a great role model for all of us.”
Harrison resides in Manchester, New Hampshire with his fiancée Jihyon, and they look forward to being married by their former professor, mentor, and friend, Dr. James Malley. When Harrison is not working or volunteering, he enjoys hiking, camping, and visiting with friends and family.
COVID-19 concerns have delayed the award presentation. Harrison will be officially honored at the 2022 Engineers Week Awards Banquet & Exhibition.
