Growing up in Buffalo, N.Y., Stephanie Houser witnessed the effects of pollution firsthand in Lake Erie and began to recognize the importance of clean water. Now, the longtime water aficionado has the chance to advocate for it on a larger scale.

Houser was recently chosen as a finalist for the prestigious John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Sea Grant Program. The Knauss Fellowship allows graduate students with concentrations in marine science or policy to spend one year working alongside leaders in Congress and teams from other federal agencies.

Houser, a PhD candidate in the Civil and Environmental Engineering’s Sustainable Water Development Graduate Program, is one of just 74 students across the country to be selected for the fellowship. While many fellows have a background in marine biology or conservation, she is approaching water management from a human health and environmental engineering perspective. This restorative approach to water management is clear in her various research areas.

Read the article on the UI Grad College website.