Mott MacDonald flood risk and water quality technical director, Sun Yan Evans, has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng), the highest professional recognition in UK engineering. The Fellowship honours outstanding engineers for their contributions to research, innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership in the field.
With a career spanning more than 25 countries, Sun Yan is internationally recognised for her expertise in flood risk and water quality modelling. As technical director, former global practice leader and Mott MacDonald’s inaugural Fellow, she has led specialist teams delivering pioneering projects that have influenced both national and international water management standards.
Her contributions include advancing dam breach flood inundation modelling, hazard mapping, and smart solutions for assessing overtopping risks in flood defences and reservoirs. These methodologies have informed guidelines for the UK Government and the World Bank, shaping approaches to water safety and resilience worldwide.
Sun Yan has published more than 40 technical papers, contributed to the Institution of Civil Engineers’ State of the Nation reports, and co-authored several books and guidelines. She has also received over 20 industry awards, including the prestigious Women in Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Award. Her expertise is frequently sought in public inquiries, legal cases and high-profile infrastructure projects.
Her leadership is defined by technical excellence combined with a strong commitment to inclusion, knowledge-sharing and innovation. James Harris, chair of Mott MacDonald’s Executive Board, said:
That’s leadership at its best.
Richard Risdon, executive board director and regional managing director for UK and Europe, added:
Everyone at Mott MacDonald congratulates Sun Yan on this brilliant achievement and honour. From her early engineering research in China in the 1980s, which helped establish national water quality standards, to her global impact on flood risk and environmental challenges, this Fellowship recognises her career-long innovation and dedication.
Sun Yan joins fellow Mott MacDonald leaders Chris Dulake, Mark Enzer, Simon Harrison and Tony O’Brien as Royal Academy of Engineering Fellows, underlining the company’s continued contribution to engineering excellence.
