POWER MOVERS Robin Sylva and the Hawaiian Underground BY PAULA BENDER
How did you get your job with Hawaii Geophysical Services? I started with HGS for the first time in 2018. They brought me on as a temporary laborer for a vacuum exca- vation project and they would periodi- cally fly me up from time to time. That all changed about two years ago where my employment with them went from just another side job to full-time. What’s a typical day on the job like for you? Typical days in the field are anything but ordinary. I use data provided by clients and specialized equipment and techniques to help our clients either avoid or find subsurface utilities and other anomalies. What’s the most interesting thing you’ve discovered while investigating a site? For me, the most interesting thing would be the practice of dowsing or witching — taking two metal rods to locate buried utilities or groundwater. The whole stigma around the skill/craft is extremely interesting to me. It is still widely used and I am very interested in seeing what will become of the practice in the future. Can you give an example of how working with you benefits potential customers? Pretty much every job we do as private locators helps the client with time, money and hardship. We have a running joke at the office: We can tell if we did a good job if we are forgotten until they need us again. Where did you grow up? The Big Island. Believe it or not, before working with HGS, I only left
the island one or two times in my life. Growing up, my family moved around a lot but Kailua- Kona is where I spent most of my life. I went to Kealakehe High School for a few years and received my GED since I needed to enter the workforce at a young age. I attended Staking University in Illinois where I received my certification in electro- magnetic utility locating and ground penetrating radar systems. What do you do in your spare time? I try to keep up with family and close friends. I also do a lot of research on my own into emerging technologies and technical schools. Now that I can afford to go back to school, it is some- thing I would like to accomplish. Where is your favorite place to go for a plate lunch? I’m easy. L&L BBQ mix plate and Kim Chee Restaurant #7 [for their] meat jun and fish jun plate. What’s your favorite TV show? “The Mandalorian.” What advice do you have for others who aspire to become engineers? This is my favorite question. The advice I would have for anyone, particularly the younger generation that would like to enter the world of subsurface utility engineering, would be to absorb as much knowledge from all industries as you possibly can. Construction, engineering, archi- tectural design, drafting, surveying, mapping and utility industries are all important to do this type of work. Keep the mindset that we can learn something new every day.
ROBIN SYLVA, LEAD TECHNICIAN & VAC TRUCK OPERATOR HAWAII GEOPHYSICAL SERVICES LLC
“Power Movers” highlights standout employees who embrace company culture, work passionately and are all-in when called to participate in company activities. Let us know who to feature next via email: jason@trademediahui.com .
110 | BUILDING INDUSTRY HAWAII | JULY 2023
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