Anna Hartig
Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering
Where did you complete your undergraduate degree?
The College of Wooster and Washington University in St. Louis (Dual Degree)
Please provide your lab and a description of research.
My research in the Emerging Contaminants Laboratory lead by Dr. Kimberly Parker focuses on the environmental fate of genetically engineered microbes (GEMs). GEMs are designed for a variety of environmental applications such as removing pollutants in the environment. I work on evaluating the effectiveness of a biocontainment strategy called a kill switch at preventing the persistence of GEMs after they have been released into the environment.
What played into your decision to get a graduate degree?
During my undergraduate career, I enjoyed the hands-on aspect of laboratory courses in which we were able to take concepts that we were learning during lecture and see the phenomena occur in the lab. Another priority for me was that my research and work would provide solutions in some degree to real world environmental problems. For this reason, I decided to pursue a graduate degree in engineering as the degree is the perfect intersection between hands-on work that enables me to expand knowledge in the science community.
Why did you pick WashU?
The Energy, Environmental, and Chemical Engineering (EECE) department at WashU was of high interest to me due to the way the department is able to combine many different interdisciplinary fields, allowing me to learn about research very different from my own.
What is your favorite thing about St. Louis?
Beyond the fact that my family is from St. Louis, I love exploring different restaurants, walking through forest park, and attending St. Louis City Soccer games with friends.
What advice would you give to a new student?
Graduate school is less about knowing everything there is to know about science, but rather being persistent enough when things are not going your way (especially when an experiment inevitably fails).
What campus activities or groups would you recommend to a new student?
Women in Engineering, AGES Events, Intramural Sports.
What are your plans for the future?
While I do not have set plans for the future, I am interested in pursuing either research that directly influences policy or teaching opportunities in engineering.