Major: Environmental EngineeringEdson Lopez

Hometown: Rogers, Arkansas

Activities and Involvements:
President of the Water Professionals Student Chapter
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
Boxing Club
CCEE Student Ambassador
CCEE Recruitment committee
USA Boxing Oversight Task Force Committee

Internships, Co-ops, and research:
Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program
McNair Scholars Program
Charbonnet Research Group at ISU studying the fate and transport of PFAS throughout wastewater treatment facilities
Carrasquillo’s Research Group at UC Berkeley studying Green Stormwater Infrastructures by and for Communities

Why Engineering: I chose engineering because it allowed me to work on projects that would positively impact communities across the country and the world. Also, growing up, I did not know any engineers. I want to help introduce more students from underrepresented backgrounds into engineering and help diversify the field because it is crucial to have different perspectives and diverse leaders making decisions that impact various communities.

Favorite ISU memory: Winning the College of Engineering Dean’s Leadership Award

Something Unique About Me: I am an amateur boxer with a record of 0-1 at the moment.

Words of Wisdom: Learn how to ask for help early on. The earlier you start contacting professors for help, the easier engineering classes will get. Going to office hours helped me get more one-on-one instruction from the professors and also helped me establish meaningful connections with many of them. There was only one instance where I had a bad experience during a professor’s office hours; all the other professors were exceptional.