Rebecca A. Bowman builds career across engineering, law and ethics

Rebecca A. Bowman, Esq., P.E., has spent more than five decades working as an engineer, attorney, forensic expert and ethics leader in McMurray, Pennsylvania. Her career highlights the growing importance of combining technical skill with legal insight, professional responsibility and leadership in complex construction disputes.

Why it matters: - Rebecca A. Bowman’s career shows how one professional can bridge engineering, law, forensic analysis and ethics in work that affects construction disputes, professional standards and public trust. - Her path also reflects the long arc of women entering technical fields and the ongoing push for stronger professional responsibility.

What happened: - Bowman, based in McMurray, Pennsylvania, has built a career as a private practice attorney, professional engineer, certified forensic engineer, arbitrator, mediator and engineering ethicist. - She has worked in engineering since 1976, when she began practicing at age 19. - Bowman now maintains a self-directed practice handling construction disputes from engineering, forensic and legal perspectives. - She also serves as an arbitrator and mediator. - Bowman travels about 90 to 120 days each year to lecture professional and technical organizations on engineering ethics and professional responsibility.

The details: - Bowman earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering with a concentration in Structures from the University of North Dakota. - Her undergraduate studies also included minors in Mathematics, French, German and Piano Performance. - She later earned an MBA in International Finance from the University of Oklahoma. - Bowman earned a Juris Doctor from the Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University. - She also completed a postgraduate certificate in Sustainability Policy at Penn State University. - Her credentials include Professional Engineer, Esquire, Diplomate of Forensic Engineer, and Certified Arbitrator and Mediator. - Bowman has been a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers since 1974. - Her other memberships include the American Society of Civil Engineers, the National Academy of Forensic Engineers, the American Bar Association and the American Arbitration Association. - While working on international construction claims negotiations at Westinghouse, Bowman was encouraged to attend law school to strengthen her ability to handle complex disputes. - At Duquesne University, she studied intellectual property, real estate and employment law. - Over the past decade, Bowman has developed her practice as a certified forensic engineer. - She also served as Senior Director of Ethics and Professional Practice at the National Society of Professional Engineers. - Bowman describes her professional identity as an engineering ethicist. - She says that title reflects a commitment to pairing technical competence with ethical responsibility. - Bowman left home at 16 after a difficult childhood, an experience she says helped build resilience and independence. - She entered engineering when women were still a minority in the field. - Bowman credits her husband of nearly 44 years, a nuclear engineer, as an intellectual peer and partner. - She also cites faith as a source of peace, resilience and perspective. - Bowman’s advice to herself has been: If something looks like fun, try it. - Her advice to young women in engineering is to be fearless about asking questions and volunteering. - She encourages volunteering for difficult assignments, unattractive tasks and charitable work as a way to create opportunity. - Bowman believes asking questions helps professionals avoid assumptions, seek mentors and eventually mentor others. - She says integrity means reliability, accountability, honesty and fidelity. - Bowman expects professionals to communicate when deadlines or problems arise rather than requiring constant monitoring. - She views asking questions as a sign of responsibility, not weakness.

Between the lines: - Bowman’s career suggests that engineering and law can reinforce each other rather than compete. - Her focus on ethics points to a broader message: technical expertise alone is not enough in high-stakes professional work. - Her comments on women in engineering reflect both progress and concern, with Bowman saying the profession has seen setbacks in recent years. - She places her own experience in a longer history that includes women in industrial roles during World War I and World War II.

What's next: - Bowman continues to work in construction disputes, forensic engineering, arbitration and ethics education. - She remains focused on helping professionals do their jobs responsibly while encouraging the next generation to ask questions, volunteer and lead with integrity. - More information is available through her Influential Women profile.