Matthew Dawson is a transportation engineer and technical design lead for local infrastructure projects in the Peoria office of Hanson Professional Services. As he manages and guides junior-level engineers and technical staff during the design and production of final construction documents, he continues to leave his mark on transportation infrastructure projects that are critical to Illinois’ growth, viability, safety and sustainability.
Committed to learning, Dawson returned to school to complete his master’s degree in civil engineering while working full time and raising a family. He was awarded the Doug Pollock Graduate Student scholarship and earned his Professional Traffic Operations Engineer certification, which is obtained by fewer than 2,400 professionals nationwide.
Dawson also excels at sharing his knowledge and technical know-how with others. He has been active with the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Central Illinois Section and Illinois Valley Branch, holding leadership positions with both groups. He has served on the board of directors for the Illinois Valley Branch since 2000, and was president for two terms. He also helped start the organization’s annual canned-food drive, now in its 10th year. Dawson has served on the Central Illinois Section’s executive board since 2002, and for 13 years, has been an active participant in ASCE’s Index Card Bridge Building contest targeted at middle-school students.
Additionally, Dawson has led and assisted in several outreach events at local grade schools to encourage students to consider engineering careers. He has served as the practitioner adviser to the Bradley University ASCE Student Chapter for more than eight years, providing guidance to officers, presenting information on his profession, and planning annual joint meetings between the students and local professionals. He was named the ASCE Outstanding Practitioner Adviser of the Year for Zone III after being selected from nominees representing 14 states and Mexico.
Dawson was a member of the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce Community Leadership School Class of 2011 and is an avid volunteer at Riverview Grade School. iBi
