2018 40 Under 40: Robert Henderson, PE, CEng, LEED AP; 37

Associate, Arup, San Francisco

MEng mechanical engineering, University of Edinburgh, Scotland

Henderson is a mechanical engineer who works in Arup’s building engineering group in San Francisco. With more than 10 years at the firm, he has gained international experience in the design of prestigious tall buildings and other large-scale developments with acclaimed architects. Such projects include the Apple Campus 2, the Shard London Bridge Tower, Athens National Opera House and National Library, and the Parc 1 development in Seoul. He was promoted to Arup’s associate level in 2016. In 2018, he was asked to lead the mechanical group in Arup’s new Oakland office, which he now does in conjunction with his ongoing role in Arup’s San Francisco office. Henderson is passionate about assisting early-career engineers and architects develop their skills. He is a frequent lecturer at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, where he works with architectural graduate students to help them better integrate MEP systems within their designs. He also is involved with Engineers Without Borders and has helped guide a group of students from California Polytechnic State University as they developed a grain-milling solution for a rural area of Malawi. Henderson is heavily involved with Arup’s Diversity & Inclusion initiative in the San Francisco office. Along with a small core team, he helps to spread and facilitate thinking around how individuals’ differences make teams, the office, and the firm stronger. Outside of the office, he enjoys sunny beaches and mountains for skiing, and he manages to enjoy many of these as he systematically tackles United States National Parks. He is a keen golfer, undoubtedly stemming from growing up in Scotland. Henderson recently had his first child, a son, who now takes up the majority of his nonworking hours.

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