Remarkable Women in Engineering – a TYLin Memorial Endowment
Nicole B. Spieles [1972 – 2020]
Hayat Tazir [1961 – 2024]
The Remarkable Women in Engineering – A TYLin Memorial Endowment celebrates the extraordinary legacies of pioneering women engineers who embodied passion, purpose, and perseverance. With the uniting of Greeley and Hansen and TYLin, this scholarship brings together the stories of Nicole Spieles and Hayat Tazir— trailblazers who broke barriers and not only excelled in their fields but also opened doors for others to follow. Both women dedicated
their careers to building stronger, more connected communities, mentoring the next generation, and proving that engineering can be as compassionate as it is technical. Their combined legacy now inspires future women in engineering to dream boldly, lead with integrity, and create lasting impact in the world around them.
Their Legacy
Nicole B. Spieles (1972–2020): Born in Wiesbaden, Germany, Nicole attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where she earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering and M.S. in Environmental Engineering. After joining Greeley and Hansen, she advanced through roles in Detroit, Chicago, and Waukesha, where she excelled at building client relationships, leading project teams, and managing various major water and wastewater treatment programs across
the firm, ultimately dedicating her entire career to improving the environment, water and the quality of life for people around the world.
Her leadership was recognized well beyond the firm—she was an appointed board member of Detroit’s Public Lighting Authority and actively participated in the American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Federation. She was also dedicated to Detroit’s Water Action Volunteer Effort (WAVE), where she worked with other volunteers and city officials to assist Detroit’s residents in paying their water bills.
Known for her kindness, humor, and steady leadership, Nicole encouraged those around her to approach their work with empathy and excellence. She was a mentor to countless young engineers—especially women—guiding them to find confidence and belonging in a traditionally male-dominated field. In 2014, Nicole made history as the first woman to be named Principal in Greeley and Hansen’s 100-year history, a milestone that continues to inspire others to break barriers and lead with authenticity. Her legacy lives on not only in the projects she helped design but in the many lives she touched through mentorship, friendship, and her deep belief in the power of engineering to uplift communities.
Hayat Tazir (1961–2024): was an exceptional Bridge Engineer and Associate Vice President at TYLin, known for her technical brilliance, grace under pressure, and steadfast commitment to her teams. Born in Algeria, Hayat’s curiosity for math and science led her to the École Nationale Polytechnique in Algiers, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Engineerin g. Joining TYLin in 1997, shequickly distinguished herself as a skilled and dedicated engineer on projects of immense scale and complexity. From her early contributions to Boston’s Terminal Area Roadways at LoganAirport (part of the Big Dig) to her leadership on the seismic evaluation of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and the design of bridges across North America, Hayat’s expertise shaped the built environment in profound ways.
Her career was defined not only by the bridges she engineered but by the bridges she built between people. Hayat’s leadership on the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge Self-Anchored Suspension span and later the Samuel De Champlain Bridge in Montreal showcased her remarkable ability to coordinate international teams, manage complex design-build processes, and deliver excellence on a global stage.
She was a tireless mentor who shared her knowledge, generously, empowering younger engineers to step into leadership and find joy in technical mastery. In her passing, Hayat donated the entirety of her personal library to her alma mater the École Nationale Polytechnique in Algeris. Ensuring success for the next generation of engineers. Hayat’s dedication to connection—between people, places, and ideas—remains her most powerful legacy.
She demonstrated that engineering is, at its heart, an act of service: a way to bring the world closer together through innovation, integrity, and care.
Together, Nicole and Hayat exemplified what it means to lead with courage, intellect, and heart. Each in her own way broke new ground—Nicole in advancing sustainable water systems and championing women in civil and environmental engineering, Hayat in designing landmark bridges and executing complex structural projects with global teams. Their stories, now joined through this scholarship, symbolize not only the merging of two great engineering legacies but the shared vision of creating a more inclusive, connected, and inspired profession.
Continuing Their Vision
Endowed to honor their memory, this scholarship supports and empowers women pursuing careers in engineering, encouraging them to follow the paths that Nicole and Hayat forged with such determination and grace. Through this tribute, their impact endures—reminding us that when women design, lead, and innovate, they don’t just build infrastructure; they build a better world.
