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Interview with Marina D'souza
Environmental Engineer
Marina D'souza received a BS degree in Environmental Engineering along with a minor in Materials Science and Engineering from Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA, USA. While completing her degree, she had the opportunity to complete co-ops at 4 different insitutitons. Marina D'souza also served as president of the American Society of Civil Engineers - Drexel chapter for 2 years. She is incredibly passionate about water research and have been involved with projects relating to contaminant removal from water and wastewater.
What industry do you work/plan to work in?
​I'm hoping to work in the water/wastewater treatment for potentially the site remediation industry.
What is your major? How did you decide this was right for you?
​I'm majoring in Environmental Engineering. I wanted to get into a engineering discipline that had a direct impact on people's lives and I always loved chemistry. The career options with Environmental Engineering seemed more appealing to me than Chemical Engineering, another discipline I was considering.
What was your educational experience like as a STEM major?
​I've loved being a STEM major. I think with the variety of disciplines it covers, there's a lot to learn, and you can really find the niche subject area you're interested in. It can sometimes be challenging and definitely frustrating, but the sense of satisfaction you get once you've figured out a particularly difficult concept is unbeatable.
What has been your best and most challenging experience in the STEM field?​
​I've been doing research in Environmental Engineering for nearly 4.5 years now. I've worked on different projects, mostly relating to contaminant removal from water. I've found research work to be incredibly rewarding. The inherent open-endedness of research is sometimes baffling and you can feel a little lost. But working towards finding answers and designing experiments really hones your critical thinking and problem solving ability.
Did you notice a gender disparity within your college classes?
​Definitely. More so in my early engineering classes. it's heavily male dominated but that can also depend on the discipline. Environmental Engineering is a lot more balanced with respect to traditional genders, but I'm definitely seeing more women in engineering. I've had some wonderful female engineering professors and I truly hope that the number continues increasing.
Do you have any advice for young women (in middle/high school) that plan to major in STEM?
​Bias against women in engineering does exist, whether it's conscious or unconscious. Sometimes, you might even believe the people who say that engineering or STEM isn't meant for you. But everyone has to start somewhere; everyone was once a beginner who wasn't great at calculus or physics or chemistry or any other STEM subject. It's about continuously trying and making yourself better. There's no shame in working hard to improve yourself.
Huge thanks to Marina D'souza for being Pursue Her Passion's first interviewee!
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