Her Story
About Ankita
Ankita Pawar is a construction professional with nearly three years of experience. She earned a bachelor's degree in architecture in India and later pursued a master's in construction management at ASU, drawn to the management side of construction and heavy civil projects after working as a junior architect. She began at The Lane Construction Corporation as a field engineer, advanced to senior field engineer, and recently transitioned to cost control analyst, where her responsibilities include cost management, labor production analysis, subcontractor oversight, and scheduling with tools such as Primavera P6. Ankita is a member of the Society of Women Engineers and Women in Construction. She also volunteers with a charity program supporting physically or mentally challenged children in playing baseball.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ankita
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being willing to learn, adapt, and put myself in situations where I’m not completely comfortable yet. Moving from architecture into construction and then into project controls meant constantly learning new sides of the industry. I’ve never been afraid to ask questions or teach myself something when I needed to. I also believe in taking ownership—if I see a problem, I want to understand it and figure out how to improve it rather than simply work around it.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
“Ask questions. There is no such thing as a stupid question.”
That advice has stayed with me because construction is an industry where there is always someone with more experience than you. I’ve learned that asking questions isn’t a weakness—it’s one of the fastest ways to learn. I would add one thing to that advice: don’t wait until you feel 100% ready. Some of the biggest opportunities in my career came from saying yes first and figuring things out along the way.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don’t feel like you have to change who you are to belong in this industry.
Construction can be a very male-dominated environment, especially in the field, and early in my career I learned that confidence doesn’t mean having all the answers. It means being willing to speak up, ask questions, take responsibility, and stand behind your work. Get to know the field, understand the numbers, learn from the people around you, and don’t be afraid to take on something you haven’t done before. You don’t need to wait for someone to give you permission to grow.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think the biggest opportunity is the intersection of construction, technology, and data. The industry is becoming much more data-driven, from BIM and drones to project controls, automation, and real-time cost and productivity tracking. Having experience on both the field and project-controls side has shown me how valuable it is to connect what is happening in the field with the numbers behind the project.
At the same time, the industry continues to face challenges with productivity, labor shortages, rising costs, and increasingly complex projects. I think the people who can understand both the construction process and the data behind it will play a big role in shaping how the industry evolves.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Curiosity, accountability, resilience, and staying true to myself. I’ve built my career by being willing to learn things I didn’t know and step into situations where I wasn’t the most experienced person in the room. I value taking ownership of my work, being someone people can rely on, and never being afraid to ask questions. Outside of work, I value the people and relationships that keep me grounded. For me, success isn’t just about how far I can go—it’s also about how I grow along the way and the people I can help bring with me.
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