Manager, Environmental Programs and Systems, Norfolk Southern
B.S./M.S. EAS 2016
Gardner
Kaitlin
Norfolk Southern
Atlanta, GA
Please briefly describe your current job
I am currently an air quality engineer/ consultant for Environmental Resources Management here in Atlanta. My team is responsible for helping companies in the southeast comply with environmental regulations (I work mostly with Air but also occasionally with groundwater) in a way that helps the company and the environment. We often are the liaison between the state and the companies which allows us to see the impacts of environmental regulations from start to finish.
What is your favorite part of your current position
Every day is different. Each company has its own issues and is facing a unique set of regulations and so working with each group of people is a new adventure. I get to problem solve every day so nothing is monotonous. I often get to visit facilities and see how things are made. I also get to work with people all over the country, I am currently working with a GIS expert in Anchorage!
How did your EAS education prepare you for your current job?
EAS electives helped me more than anything else. The EAS course curriculum in itself is extremely general. I finished my bachelors without feeling like I had really learned one particular thing very well. Luckily I had a minor in public policy, had been a TA, partook in 4 years of research, and had gone back for a Masters to specialize in something. I would recommend making sure to take advantage of the other classes besides your core classes. Working in a team is a piece of cake after so many group projects at Tech. I can also communicate very well. However, most teachers prepare you for scientific papers, often filled with technical terms and jargon, while only 50% of undergrads go on to become researchers. Technically I am also set. We do so much more complicated math in school.