Dr Martin O'Dell - MAKING A DIFFERENCE - A CIVIL ENGINEER'S WORLD

 

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MAKING A DIFFERENCE - A CIVIL ENGINEER'S WORLD

HARDBACK 250 photographs in text 393 pages

UK

                   HARDBACK £22  & UK postage £4.50

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Conquest of the 7th continent

The family: Rowan, Oscar, Kylie and
Nicholas at back with Robyn, Ava and myself seated

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                                   REVIEWS: 

Making a Difference is highly recommended reading.   S M Braint

Few books about engineering engage the general reader. Engineering work is considered too specialized for the general reading public and engineers are given little credit for the work they do. Or as Martin O’Dell writes, while medics deservedly get praise, ‘engineers often go unsung’. Making a Difference is the exception.

Meet the engineer who sets out to rectify the omission, an attitude that reflects his approach to some of the most daunting engineering projects around the world. If there is a problem: solve it. If something is lacking: fill the gap. If the dam wall leaks fix it. 

Martin O’Dell, a civil engineer, has written a compelling adventure story about his work in twenty-one countries, constructing, amongst other things, mega-sized dams, sewerage plants, and village water supplies. The word ‘adventure’ is used advisedly. One of the most attractive features of the book is the way it generates the author’s enthusiasm and optimism about the countries he visits, even in the face of physical danger and bureaucratic procrastination. Life is an adventure full of challenges and opportunities and he meets life full on. The result, as the title promises, is that he has made a difference to the lives of millions of people. 

It is a transformative book. After reading, you can never again take for granted having a shower, flushing the toilet, or turning on the tap for a drink of water. What is a ‘norm’ for us, however, has been denied to so many communities around the world. Martin O’Dell and his teams set out to make these basic amenities possible, bringing sanitation and water to underprivileged peoples, changing their lives forever.

While this book deals with the technological problems involved in building dams and sewerage systems (quite a specialized interest) it is above all a book about people. Throughout his career, Martin consulted with local engineers and local communities as an essential part of his projects. He was always conscious that no job could be satisfactorily completed without the aid and co-operation of local expertise.

He listened to what people wanted and when engaging with a new project readily accepted advice from local experts. People were central to success, whether it was co-operating with Zulu Chieftains in Southern Africa, or members of the Snowdonia Board in North Wales, or the Palestinian Surveyor (Abdul Latif) in Saudi Arabia. 

Martin was appointed the Deputy Project Manager for building the Mudhiq Dam in Saudi Arabia and he gives a telling insight into the complexities of such an undertaking: ‘…roads and tunnels; bridges; huge concrete pours; large-scale mechanical works; major temporary works; building works; survey and monitoring; and the need for innovative design.’ 
One of the more distressing aspects of his work was learning to accept the customs of societies very different to his own. For example, the occasions when he was faced with what to him were draconian Sharia laws that could not be appealed. ‘The right hand was amputated for theft. For murder, rape, or drug offences the sentence was beheading.’  He reports the situation with a typical dry, ironic humour: ‘“Chop square” saw action on many Fridays.’

Dr Martin O’Dell was no armchair academic. During his late adolescence, with few academic qualifications to his name, he was at a loss as to what career path to follow. A chance encounter with his school’s Deputy Head turned out to be fortuitous: ‘You are good at Latin, Larry (his nickname), so why not consider civil engineering?’  Quirky advice and he never did understand the link between Latin and engineering.  But the world can be grateful that he took up the challenge.   S M Baint
 

If you are technically minded, about to embark on a career, and fancy seeing the world, then Dr Martin ‘Larry’ O’Dell takes you through an outgoing, challenging life as a civil engineer lived in many countries around the world where clean water supply or sewage management have required civil engineering expertise. 

Lucky to have survived his early years after a golf club caved-in his skull, and a lesser, but significant accident when his ankle completely snapped, he went on to test his luck further by escaping perilous risk when leaping from a bucking survey ship in raging seas onto a Liverpool dockside.  With an adventurous spirit he went on to put his engineering skills to effective use in several countries both before and after emigrating to Australia where he met his wife, Robyn.
 
He summarises his working career as around 25 years spent away from homes in  UK and Australia, on engineering projects in well over a dozen countries/regions ranging from Wales/ Saudi Arabia/ South Africa/ Indonesia/ IndoChina/ China and various Pacific islands finishing on Samoa, and on projects ranging from large dams to both major city and minor village water/sewage developments. So, the book title “Making a Difference” is well justified.  Alan Bayly                                                       
Stephen Henningham (Historian and Author) who, some years ago, as Australian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and as Australian High Commissioner in Samoa gained some sense of the challenges and achievements of Dr O’Dell and his colleagues in those countries.
 

That Dr Martin (Larry) O'Dell has made a real contribution and difference, both in his profession and more widely in community affairs, is well appreciated by his many friends and acquaintances, but many of us have been sketchy about the details. So, it is good news that he has set out the story so far. And this well written and presented book certainly does not disappoint indeed, it is of great potential interest to many people beyond those who have had the good fortune to be acquainted with him.

After some career false starts (forestry, anyone?), and encouraged by a helpful schoolmaster, the author settled on civil engineering, attaining a first degree and then a PhD, and specializing mainly in water storage and supply and wastewater and sewerage management. In a long and varied career, extending well beyond the usual retirement age, he had the privilege and faced the challenges of working in demanding environments across the world. And meanwhile, he fitted in much travel and many adventures. 

Some autobiographies charting a professional life are addressed to a narrow readership. Not so this book. There is fascinating detail on engineering projects and challenges, but the language is clear and non-technical, and thus accessible to the layperson, and there is much else in the book to interest, inform and amuse.

Some autobiographies get bogged down in too much detail but this one cuts to the chase, while nonetheless presenting many insights.  We learn how the author, with others, contributed to the improved management of dredged silt in the Mersey estuary, resulting in significant cost savings; how to spit roast an ox African-veldt style, even if the improvised roast equipment sagged a little; and how the author confirmed the characteristic concave/convex shape of high sand dunes by driving rapidly up one side and then flying (literally) down the other (don’t try this at home).
Some mysteries remain however, including the connection between Latin proficiency and the discipline of engineering – is it to do with discipline and attention to detail? – and whether elevated nocturnal champagne consumption is an effective prophylactic against a nasty African waterborne disease.

Some autobiographies make poor use of photographs and other illustrations, but not this one. Numerous illustrations are skilfully integrated into the text – many of them author’s own photos – to enhance and illuminate the text.

Some autobiographies are written in a fashion intended to ‘big up’ the role and achievements of the author. Not so this one. Any claims made are backed up with evidence – some of it literally ‘concrete’ evidence, with respect to dams and other structures built. Moreover, this most civil of civil engineers generously acknowledges those who have helped along the way, both in the main text and in an appendix listing several key people. They include, of course, his wonderful spouse Robyn and their impressive sons.
The author’s reflections on and insights into the implementation of development projects in China, Vietnam, Laos, Samoa and elsewhere are of particular interest. As well as technical challenges there were linguistic and cultural issues. And navigating and eventually mastering the arcane bureaucratic forms and procedures of the Asian Development Bank was a further challenge. The author demonstrates that to succeed in this sort of work, high-level professional technical skills need to be fully complemented with cultural awareness and social and people skills.

Sometimes the progress delivered by a successful project was not an unmixed blessing. The author gives the example of the village women who had reservations about the provision of improved water supply when they had been comfortable enough with walking several kilometres to collect water from a well or a river, chatting with friends, exchanging gossip and useful information with the other women, and having a break from their overbearing husbands. Distorted aid donor priorities were also a problem. One example was the funding and building, on more than one occasion, of impressive sewage management works, which could be opened with ribbon-cutting, media coverage, and much fanfare, while the essential task of constructing a sewage delivery system to feed into the works was neglected. 
So, finally, two more points – first, this book would be an ideal gift to a young person embarking on an engineering or related career, especially if they have a sense of adventure and want to work in international locales; and second, it would be a very welcome addition to a personal, school, university or other library.   
 

A wonderfully human story and adventure

I very much enjoyed this book, not only from the Civil Engineering point-of-view, but also from the obvious humanity and care that has been a hallmark of Dr. O'Dell throughout his career. To balance what could be a very dry engineering synopsis if it was just left at that, his introduction and occasional referral to his family, together with his descriptions of the cultures he experienced, made this very much a human story. Dr. O'Dell is in many ways the reluctant hero of this book, but one shouldn't forget the love and support received from his family. His wife Robyn is equally heroic in her dedication to Martin's career, for without this, much of what Martin achieved just wouldn't have happened. As so many reviewers have noted, young STEM students should read this marvellous book to inspire them to aim high in the rest of their professional and private lives.   David Willison

                            Splicing work with adventure

When Dr O'Dell tells you that he didn't really know what he wanted to do before falling into a career he loved, you know you're in for an honest appraisal of how it turned out. This book should be an inspiration to young people looking to splice work with adventure. Each part of his life was a short story in itself, and he covers the places, the people, the projects, the achievements and the challenges with remarkable recall, even when the requirement to keep pace with some cultures' hospitality sometimes caused overnight amnesia. Civil engineering gave him a chance to experience many cultures in interesting parts of the world while earning a salary, and he took full advantage of it. Don't be surprised if you feel a little envious by the end of his story.   Peter Gerstrom

Engineering is Ingenuity

The title says it all, with one man’s hands-on experience, making a huge positive difference working on crucial engineering projects in developing countries. Dr Martin (Larry) O’Dell recounted many interesting facts and insights leading teams involved in civil and hydraulic engineering projects across South Africa, Middle East, Asia and culminating in the Pacific islands over a career spanning 38 years to 2015.

The adventurous spirit and commitment to assist less fortunate societies commenced with Martin (Larry) O’Dell achieving the Queen’s Scout around 1962. That “doing a good deed” scouting theme certainly shines through in Larry’s choice of the civil engineering profession. His organizational and ingenious skills, combined with an affinity for working with cultures of all persuasions has enhanced countless lives for generations in many parts of the world.

This fascinating book Dr. (Larry) O’Dell has written demonstrates his skill and encourages others to follow in providing a healthy world, with basic water and sanitation sortedI found this a fascinating account of a working life well spent contributing in so many ways to the benefit of others. It shows the variety on offer in an engineering career that illustrates a highly rewarding profession in which he combines work, family and friendships. I highly recommend this book as a very engaging and entertaining read and encourage younger engineers to read and discover the many opportunities out there and the job satisfaction that follows. A remarkable achievement.  John F Kell BE (Civil), M App Sc, MICE (ret), MIE Aust

Engineering does not have to be mundane and tedious (although, like all careers, it sometimes is). Dr. (Larry) O'Dell's tales of water engineering planning and projects across many parts of the UK and Asia provide fascinating views of the highs and lows of major projects. The highs are often working alongside the wonderful local counterparts and the lows are usually associated with institutions and bureaucracies - especially where subtle translations are an added trap. The book is an interesting mixture of the personal and professional, and the many photos (of varying quality) sprinkled through the text provide striking interludes in the narrative. If you know a bright young person who is looking for a different type of career, then this book could be an excellent present.   David Hanrahan

An unusual career

A most informative book which combines a lifetime of travelling adventures with international engineering experience. It is well presented, clearly structured and written in a most pleasant way filled with amazing anecdotes. Photographs incorporated within the text enhance the reading experience. In addition, it presents a lot of details for those who are interested in an unusual career.  Dr Bert Gergen
 
Dr O’Dell spent most of his working life as an expatriate engineer in many countries around the world. His book ‘Making a Difference’ describes in detail the work involved, the highs and lows of an expatriate engineer’s life. From personal knowledge Dr O’Dell is an exceptional water/wastewater engineer as is clear from the contents of his book. He worked diligently on many schemes and his professional knowledge resulted in their success. The book reads well and is well illustrated by Dr O’Dell’s personal photographs. I worked in some of the countries where Dr O’Dell worked, and we became firm friends. I too was an expatriate water engineer for over 30 years. Dealing with numerous clients with differing objectives is not easy but Dr O’Dell patiently overcame many of these obstacles before the schemes were completed. The detail of his work is well documented in his book and needs no further comment.
My final comment is that Dr O’Dell did make a difference to many communities around the world. He should be proud.   John Sinclair MICE, FIWES (retired).

For those with experience or interest in water engineering this is a fascinating read of a lifetime "making a difference" to the water supplies in many locations throughout the world particularly in developing countries. Dr O'Dell recounts his career over almost 45 years mainly for international consulting firms based in the UK and Australia. Much of his experience was in Asia. Many with similar experience will enjoy the nostalgia of work and living in surroundings that are full of unfamiliar and rewarding encounters.
The book is full of details of water engineering projects and the associated interaction with local people and their customs. It is a very personal account which must have given him great satisfaction in recording a lifetime helping to improve the lives of those in need and his appreciation of the relationships with all those he worked with. Written in a very readable style with much detail but possibly a little too personal by inclusion of his family life and leisure trips which, although important to him, may not be of interest to those who do not know him.  Peter Moody Consulting Water Engineer
 
Dr Martin (Larry) O'Dell has condensed his long and outstanding professional career as a Civil Engineer working in many countries around the world into a truly fascinating and inspiring memoir which will appeal to a broad audience of all ages. It helps us to understand the role of a Civil Engineer and the impact that Engineers can make on the health, prosperity and life of people all around the world, particularly in developing counties in great need for urban and rural infrastructure. It will hopefully encourage young people to take up a career in Civil engineering and to see the world.

Dr O'Dell's important work in some 21 countries on a range of infrastructure projects from the massive scale of large dams and major city sewerage systems to small scale village water supply and sanitation systems is a great credit to him and to the local and international teams working on those projects, often under challenging living conditions. Larry's wife Robyn and their sons Rowan and Nicholas shared these adventures over the years and were a great support.   Geoffrey A Piggott

 
A FASCINATING READ”
A truly remarkable description of the author's journey through life, this book will be of interest not only to engineers but to anyone within travelling & the wider world.   Peter Aylmer
 
This book recounts the adventures of Dr O'Dell, a civil engineer, as he tackles challenging water engineering projects across continents, spanning from the UK to Africa, the Middle East, Australia, and Asia. Alongside delving into the technical aspects of his work, the narrative skillfully integrates interesting anecdotes of his travels and encounters with diverse cultures. Dr O'Dell has clearly greatly enjoyed his lengthy career and can truly take pride in the real difference he has made. As a retired civil engineer myself, sharing similar experiences, I very much enjoyed reading this book. I hope that younger engineers embarking on their career paths discover this book and be inspired to seize opportunities in developing countries and make a difference too.  Richard Baker FICE

This book is a story of one person’s career as a civil engineer working and travelling the world, from the UK to Africa, the Middle East, Australia, and Asia.  Dr O’Dell traces his life and his work as a water engineer, with a very interesting and remarkably detailed narrative of his experiences from being a young 'green' engineering graduate to becoming a sought-after engineering expert and manager.  His narrative brings together the technical aspects of his work, written in a most understandable way for the layman, with the cultural and social aspects of living and working in many parts of the world.  He has managed to illustrate his book with some remarkable photographs covering the length of his career.  He has also managed to bring out his love for his work and the enjoyment and satisfaction he and his family have experienced from his work and travels.

Dr O’Dell’s experiences demonstrate the large scale of opportunities and roles that exist in the civil engineering industry and that the rewards are many-fold - seeing the world, developing lasting friendships and leaving a legacy of improvements to the lives of many.  And it’s not all work and no play. This book provides many compelling reasons demonstrating why a career in civil engineering can be the greatest job in the world.

In total Dr O’Dell worked in 21 countries and travelled through many more. However this is much, much more than an autobiography of projects, countries and dates. It’s a thoughtful insight into the clash of cultures when the less developed world comes up against societies which have been developing since the Industrial Revolution. In the early stages of his career the writer found it difficult working with multilateral banks – “for all their loan conditions, they were unquestionably just banks wanting to loan money. And governments wanted projects with the opportunity to skim off the top. All too often the local contribution to a project would not be undertaken”.

On the Mudhiq dam site in Saudi Arabia, there was another clash of cultures: the French contractor’s distilled spirit “didn’t taste too good” whereas the British red and white wine “using all locally available ingredients was always drinkable”!

Many of us must occasionally ask ourselves the question “did I make a difference?” Having read Dr Martin O’Dell’s book, the answer is definitely “Yes he did”!   Alison & Martin Walshe

 BOOK

From an inauspicious start of not knowing what career to embark on, wading through multiple options and initially receiving uninviting job offers, Martin (Larry) carved out a remarkable life as a civil engineer in the water sector. He worked in many parts of the world, undertaking challenging projects, and meeting engaging people along the way. 

Martin’s memoir weaves the technical aspects of his work with wonderful experiences of living and travelling through countries with diverse political and social cultures.

Martin grew up in St Albans, Hertfordshire in the period after the war when children could be carefree. They were expected to go out and play in the street or the woods from morning until dusk and come home for tea!

There were few restrictions, no one worried, and we were OK. No bike helmets, no concern about hitch-hiking, no seat belts and no drink driving laws! How did we survive?

After six years at university in the revolutionary years of 63 to 69 (Beatles to Woodstock), Martin headed for the big wide world, starting in Africa, and rarely returning to the UK. He met his wife Robyn in Australia and together they explored the world. Two children along the way made travel a challenge on occasion.

Martin and Robyn live in Melbourne close to their two sons and two grandchildren.

Martin and his wife Robyn on an artic adventure

PREFACE

This is an adventure story for surely that is what life is supposed to be. It describes the highlights of my lifetime as a civil engineer in the international arena and the many varied challenges and pleasure opportunities it has afforded. It is a personal adventure starting with the uncertainty of what to do with one’s life, as I imagine many do.

My career spanned the construction of large, heavy civil engineering projects, through to small water supply schemes, engaging closely with village communities. It covered a forty-five-year time period, twenty-seven of those working overseas in twenty-one different countries, contributing to the improved livelihoods of millions of people in the developing world. It also witnessed huge technological changes from slide-rule to laptop.

The engineering projects have been presented in scale, range and the unusual, rather than technical detail. All have had their highlights; few have had downsides.

I have revelled in my career and all the fascinating experiences that have come with it. Such pleasure was enhanced by my wife, Robyn, who was able to embrace the years living abroad, occasionally in difficult circumstances, and who had to put up with me being away from home, sometimes for months on end. Our sons, Rowan and Nicholas, survived their upbringing. They enjoyed their time in foreign countries, what they can remember of it, they certainly added to our experiences.

I have written my story primarily for myself, to enjoy it all over again, and again, and again – with each subsequent edit! It would also be a shame not to document the experiences of a lifetime for children and grandchildren and for anyone else who might be thinking of heading along a similar path. Of course, these are my memories and they may not always be entirely accurate. So, forgive me if anyone believes I have bent some truths, but who lets facts get in the way of a good story.

BOOK LAUNCH, AUSTRALIA,  APRIL 2024