Jean Brownell
Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering
Degree pursuing: PhD Energy, Environmental, and Chemical Engineering
Where did you complete your undergraduate degree?
University of Rochester
Please provide your lab and description of research
I am in Dr. Kim Parker's lab where I study organic contaminants in drinking water
What played into your decision to get a graduate engineering degree?
I chose to return for my PhD following 5 years in industry because I knew that I wanted to transition my career into water quality research that influences policy and decided that a PhD was the right career move to achieve that.
Why did you pick WashU?
I selected WashU because I liked that the Environmental Engineering program was paired with Chemical Engineering (my undergraduate degree) as opposed to Civil Engineering, where it is normally paired. Additionally, I liked the research happening in the dept, the rotation program, and WashU has higher pay relative to some other PhD programs.
What is your favorite thing about St. Louis?
I love St. Louis! In my opinion it is a wonderful, underrated city. The cost of living is low yet it has so much to offer. I love the food scene and the large number of breweries of all sizes. I love sports, and I love how many professional teams there are and how accessible those games are (both in terms of cost and also being able to take a quick metro ride to go to them). There is a lot of good local music and local venues. I also love all of the architecture, and how it differs neighborhood to neighborhood!
What advice would you give to a new student?
My advice would be to explore St. Louis beyond the areas just off campus. There is so much the city has to offer!
What campus activities or groups would you recommend to a new student?
AGES (association of engineering graduate students) offers happy hours monthly! EECE's GSC (graduate student council) has activities throughout the year as well.
What are your plans for the future?
After my PhD I intend to continue working in water quality research, ideally research that influences policy either in industry or a government agency such as the EPA