Environmental Engineering

Another interview completed by a 5th grader!  She interviewed her dad, an Environmental Engineer.  I had never heard of Brownfield redevelopment  before, have you?

I’m interviewing my dad, Rip.  His profession is environmental Engineering, specifically, Brownfield redevelopment.  That’s taking polluted sites and turning them in to clean places.  Before he was an environmental engineer, he packaged chemicals for disposal.  He changed his mind because he wanted to use his degree.  He chose this profession in college when he saw people restore a wetland.  He told himself “That is what I want to do for my job.”

My father went to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for college.  There he learned how to collect data to figure out what environmental problems exist and how we can fix them.  He also met my mom there and now then own a business together.  They are both the boss.

If you want to do this job, you would need to get a degree in environmental engineering and a professional engineer license.  Afterwards, you will need to do 30 hours of various science classes every two years to keep your license.  With your environmental engineering degree you don’t have to be in Brownfield redevelopment, you could be in water, sewage or an air polluntant designer.  Here’s a tip for my dad for success:  always think positively while solving problems, be creative, work hard, pay attention to details and always believe in yourself.

If you don’t like waking up early, this job may not be the best for you because my dad has to be at work at 6:00am.  That means he wakes up at 5:30am, and he does not get home until 6:00pm.  He must also work from about 8:00am-10:00pm most nights.  He doesn’t like those long hours and I agree.  He should take off at least 2 or 3 hours.  My dad says it is worth it.  It is a very rewarding job, but you must study a lot about math, science and writing.  That is what my dad (and mom) does for a living, they’re environmental engineers.  It’s a lot of fun!