Molly, Environmental Engineer Student Spotlight

Meet Molly, Environmental Engineering Student from Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana.

Molly is a senior who is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering at Montana State University in Bozeman (MT).

Could you tell us more about Environmental Engineering and how it is studied?

Environmental engineers perform many different jobs, all with the aim of protecting and cleaning up the environment. I studied biology, writing, physics, and ecology in school. I use the knowledge I have gained in these classes to tackle large projects.

What inspired you to study Environmental Engineering

I enjoyed both STEM classes, such as science and math, and humanities classes, such as English and history. All of these skills and more are used in environmental engineering.I was interested in combining so many disciplines.

What did you know about Environmental Engineering as a child?

MSU students from the Engineers Without Borders club (or EWB for short) visited my fourth grade class when I was eight years old to tell me about their work in Khwisero. They worked with local organisations to build wells for schools without water. I was so excited, and I wondered if it was possible to join them one day.

I am now a MSU student and have been the leader for the EWB sanitation team for three years. I also traveled to Kenya in summer 2019. I hope to go back there in the summer of 2022.

What are some cool things Environmental Engineers do?

There are many exciting projects in Environmental Engineering. Rebuilding a river that was diverted by mine tailings is one of the most exciting projects I have been involved in or learned about. We were trying to determine the watersheds in which we would find drinking water. Also, we were using wetlands to treat our wastewater.

Tell us about any challenges that you’ve faced as a woman studying Environmental Engineering. What have you done to overcome them?

Engineering can be a challenging field for anyone. However, it can be even more difficult when there is no one in the class or room who looks or thinks the same as you.

It was helpful to practice answering questions in class even if it was nerve-wracking or not certain I knew the answer. I also found it useful to make friends with my classmates so I didn’t feel alone.

Overall, Ive been lucky to have very supportive peers and professors – many of whom are women!

Tell us about a failure you have experienced. What lessons did you learn? How did you move forward?

I am a researcher at the campus lab that studies algae for future biofuel. To make the algae grow better, we took a natural source and removed all microbes. We then added them back one by one to see which ones were most beneficial to the algae.

We tested dozens upon dozens of bacterias in the first year of the study. However, we couldn’t find any significant effect from any of them, either positive or negative. It was so frustrating. Finally, we tried more bacteria, from an algae source, and grew it in more stressful conditions, where it didn’t have as much light, nutrients, or food. We were able to find a few that helped it grow better.

We were able to overcome the initial frustration by thinking outside the box and trying different approaches to the experiment.

Can you speak out about the importance and positive contributions of women and people with diverse backgrounds to the Environmental Engineering field?

No matter your field of expertise, having multiple perspectives makes your work stronger. Engineering is no different. However, engineering has been a subject that was primarily limited to men for so long. MSU’s Environmental Engineering professors are overwhelmingly women. They inspire me and support me every day.

Can you describe a day of your life as an Environmental Engineer?

A typical school day will see me wake up at 7:00 am, eat breakfast, pack my lunch, and then walk to campus. My Ceramics class is where I make pottery, which fulfills my art requirement. I will learn about wastewater treatment and how to use computer software for floodplain modeling and stormwater management.

If I get a break, I’ll either do my homework or climb the climbing wall at the gym. I’ll walk home after class, catch up on my roommates, do some homework, and then go to Engineers Without Borders, Backcountry Squatters or Trail Junkies club meetings.

After that, I cook dinner with my roommates and wash the dishes. Finally, I finish any homework. Before going to sleep, I read, meditate and journal.

What do you love about Montana State University’s Environmental Engineering program?

MSU’s Environmental Engineering program is what I love the most. It allows me to feel connected with my professors, and my fellow students. I spend time with my fellow classmates to do homework and collaborate on group projects. Sometimes, we might go skiing, fishing and cooking together.

I know I can contact any professor with questions or concerns about assignments or what to do after college. We were a small group, so we all supported each other.

Do you have any advice for those considering studying Environmental Engineering?

I recommend that you start by looking for Environmental Engineering projects within your community. These could include water and wastewater treatment in your community, stream restoration in a park, or hazardous waste cleanup. You can find one that interests and then contact one of the engineers to ask if they are willing to talk to you or show you the project.

Environmental Engineering is a big part of community involvement. Many people will be glad to share what they have learned.