Mohamed Poptani, 38
Automation Engineer
CDM Smith
Boston, MA, United States
BS Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University

What Makes Mohamed is an Engineering Leader

Mohamed has demonstrated a commitment to giving back and advancing the field beyond his individual achievements. He has directly mentored more than ten colleagues on technical issues, project management, and career development through CDM Smith’s Career Compass program. Mohamed regularly engages in technical coaching for young professionals in both casual and formal settings. He exhibits strong leadership skills by motivating and guiding teams, fostering collaboration, and inspiring others. Recently, Mohamed has focused on building bench strength for telecommunication systems design services in the firm’s newer markets.

Achievements, Advancements & Career-related Industry Contributions

Mohamed has provided design and construction oversight for control systems in several major municipal water and wastewater treatment and conveyance facilities in New England. These projects include greenfield designs, modernization of existing facilities, and expansions of existing facilities, with control system project costs up to $10 million. His recent clients include the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority; City of Cambridge (Massachusetts); Manchester Water Works (New Hampshire), Brunswick & Topsham Water District (Maine), and the federal government.

Mohamed’s achievements led to his role as the Automation Design Area Coordinator for the Northeast Region. In this role, he ensures intellectual property is captured, sets and coordinates training for staff, tracks staff workload, determines recruiting needs, provides oversight of key R&D projects, assists other engineers in meeting project delivery standards, and oversees business development initiatives.

Mohamed is very active in leading CDM Smith’s new telecommunications initiative. He is involved in establishing telecommunications standards for the firm, leading projects in this area, assisting in pursuits, and mentoring others. His technical understanding of communications systems, wide professional network, and knowledge of project delivery mechanisms make him well suited for this role.

Non-work-related Activities & Hobbies

Mohamed dedicates some of his free time to home improvement projects. He has remodeled a room into a nursery, crafted maple wood shelves for his children’s playroom, and is currently working on a shoe storage cabinet. Engaging in hands-on projects such as refinishing furniture, installing shelves, or painting walls fosters a tangible connection with his living space. The satisfaction of transforming raw materials into functional or aesthetically pleasing elements is immensely rewarding for him. Mohamed is looking forward to his next project: adding cabinets to his kitchen this fall.

Interesting Details

Mohamed co-presented “New Bedford Water Pollution Control Facility: A New Approach to SCADA Design for the 21st Century” at the AutomaTech 2015 User Summit. This presentation discussed technologies used to enhance operations and improve control system reliability as part of a turnkey modernization project for a 20-year-old distributed control system. The technologies included resilient networking and fault-tolerant virtualized servers.

Mohamed has visited more than 30 countries. His top trip recommendations include Tanzania (his country of birth), Tokyo, and Andalusia. He enjoys seeing the sights, exploring different neighborhoods, learning about the region’s history, attending cultural exhibitions, and sampling the local cuisine.

Why Mohamed Chose This Career

This career path offers the opportunity to engage with evolving technologies, make a direct impact on the community, and experience a diverse set of mentally stimulating challenges—all while collaborating with great colleagues. Mohamed plays a crucial role from the conception to the completion of a project, being involved in the design, implementation, and optimization of control systems that regulate processes.

Moreover, control systems are ubiquitous, making his skills highly transferable. From traffic lights, HVAC systems, and robotics to smart cities, sustainable transportation, and even space exploration, there is a constant need for control systems expertise across various domains.

Do you have experience and expertise with the topics mentioned in this content? You should consider contributing to our WTWH Media editorial team and getting the recognition you and your company deserve. Click here to start this process.