by KARA SCHWEISS
Ryan Curtis believes in embracing and promoting a culture of curiosity. The architectural engineer explored the topic in his article, The Superpower of Curiosity, published in the August 2025 issue of Modern Steel Construction. “In the ever-evolving world of engineering and innovation, high-level curiosity often opens unimaginable doors,” he wrote.
“I think you can always pair up curiosity with willingness to step into the unknown. Those who are more curious — or thought-provocative or thinking about the way things can be or should be or could be — are also those individuals who are willing to turn the corner on things that you can’t see and just jump into new spaces. I think that means probably saying yes to some things that you know you may not have figured out,” Curtis said. “I’ve been inclined to always want to learn more, and I’ve also been willing to step into some probably unknown territories with career or projects or certain skill sets. Aside from the initial discomfort of all that, on the back end of all that is growth.”
He’s demonstrated that willingness to explore new things. Soon after earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architectural engineering, Curtis began working for Leo A Daly. In 2024, after nearly 18 years at the firm, he took one of those leaps, joining HDR where he was recently promoted.
“I’m in a position where I’m leading a team of over 200 different engineers with different specialties that all revolve around building engineering,” he said. “That is a pretty fascinating opportunity for me, to take a run with and lead it and kind of drive culture there. I think that for me, even just having that position at HDR is humbling. It’s also super exciting.”
His career success was preceded by dual responsibilities in college. While pursuing a demanding academic program, the 6-foot-8 Curtis also played basketball for UNO.
“So, there’s probably a challenge to being a student-athlete but also being in a college that’s really rigorous — some grit in there,” Curtis said. “But I think a lot of curiosity drove some of that desire to be really good.”
Curtis is a proud graduate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He remains connected with the university as a member of the UNO Alumni Association Board of Directors, currently serving as 1st vice chair. He has received the Nebraska Engineering Outstanding Alumni Award. Curtis has contributed to many industry publications, presented at numerous national conferences and was recognized as a Civil + Structural Engineer magazine Rising Star. Other professional accolades include being named one of the Omaha Jaycees’ Top 10 Young Omahans and a Midlands Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree.
“I believe, and I fully understand, that people never really become 100% completed of who they are. I think there’s always a work in progress, and we never cross the finish line, a fictitious finish line,” he said. “As long as we’re alive, we understand that we’re never going to be perfect, but we’re always evolving and always challenging and always changing. Change doesn’t mean good or bad, it means something different. Give yourself grace but really embrace the reality that we are always a work in progress.”
