Originally from Northeast Oregon, Martha graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2015 from Oregon State University where she studied Civil Engineering. Her capstone design project had two parts: a small water system for a rural school and composting toilets for an urban school, both in Ethiopia. She was also an active member of the Engineers Without Borders chapter at OSU, coordinating a water supply program in rural Kenya and traveling there in 2014 to monitor the project. Martha joined the Peace Corps in 2016, serving as a Community Health Facilitator and WASH Specialist in Vanuatu, a South Pacific island nation. Hemia nao!
After returning from Vanuatu, Martha worked at an engineering consulting firm in Northwest Washington, where she designed community drinking water and stormwater drainage systems. She decided to return to school to learn more about the role of civil and environmental engineers in promoting healthy communities around the world, and more specifically, their role in advocating for and supporting those populations which are most vulnerable to environmental health risks. She was attracted to the Engineering for International Development program at USF because of its focus on global competency and service learning. |