 What is your current job and what does it entail?
As a professor of environmental engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, I conduct research and teach courses in environmental hydrodynamics (the study of water motion). My ocean work mostly deals with flow through and around aquatic vegetation like salt marsh grasses and eelgrass. I examine how the plants impact water motion. I work in collaboration with an eelgrass biologist who studies how the water motion affects the plants.
I am also interested in how water moves in lakes and rivers, and how the movement of water can transport pollutants and pathogens from one place to another. Together with my student research associates, I conduct experiments in laboratory tanks and in the field. During a field experiment, we might release a non-toxic dye into a river and track its movement as the river enters a lake.
What was the key factor in your career decision?
Because I enjoyed science and mathematics, my father and grandfather encouraged me to pursue an engineering degree. During my sophomore year I took a course in fluid mechanics where we did a lot of laboratory experiments. The professor was very enthusiastic, and I really loved working in the laboratory -- using my hands and brain together. Looking for opportunities to do more experimental work lead me to graduate school and then on to a faculty position.
What do like most about your career?
I love designing experiments to answer scientific questions because I like solving puzzles. Creating a good experiment takes a lot of creativity. I especially enjoy using dyes or fluorescent particles to help me see how the water is moving. This is called "flow visualization." If you watch tea leaves floating in your teacup, they show you how the water is moving. If you stir briskly and then remove the spoon, the tea leaves will spin quickly and then slow down. Eventually, all the tea leaves will end up at the bottom of the cup clustered in the center. What does this tell you about the direction of the water motion at the bottom of the cup?
What do you like least about your career?
I hate meetings. Some of my colleagues can be insufferably long-winded.
What do you do to relax?
I spend as much time as possible with my two daughters.
Who are your heroes/heroines?
I admire strong women who lead elegant and interesting lives without reservation or hesitation, including Eleanor Roosevelt, Katharine Hepburn, Marie Curie and Isak Dinesen. I also admire my mother and father, who gave me the tools to create a happy life that includes an interesting career and a wonderful family.
What advice would you give a high school student who expressed an interest in pursuing a career in your field?
Get a good background in math and science, especially laboratory subjects. To learn more about environmental science/engineering you can volunteer with a local river or park association.
Are career opportunities in your field increasing or decreasing and why?
We will always need environmental experts, especially ones with a good understanding of how society can and should balance its need for development against the needs of environmental protection.
What will you be doing 10 years from today?
Hopefully I will still be active in field and laboratory research. I love research. The ideas and activities are always evolving and changing. And I love environmental research, because its goals are ultimately to protect our natural resources and benefit society.
Salary:$100,000 - $120,000
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