Marilyn S
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at Cornell University
Expertise
Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Leadership, Graduate school application, interview and career fair prep, Engineering
Bio
I am a PhD candidate at Cornell University, specializing in water resources engineering within the Civil and Environmental Engineering department. Prior to Cornell, I earned my master's degree in Environmental Engineering from Syracuse University and my bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma. At the University of Oklahoma, my research focused on using biomass-derived activated carbon for the removal of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water—a project I was passionate about due to its environmental and practical significance. During my time at Syracuse, I explored the effects of hurricanes on pipelines along the Gulf Coast and New York City. My master’s thesis examined the relationship between tropical cyclones and hazardous material pipeline (HMP) failures, revealing that increasing storm intensity could lead to a 5% rise in failure frequency by 2050. Beyond my academic work, I have interned at several engineering firms, gaining experience in both chemical and environmental engineering. In my free time, I enjoy outdoor activities, reading, spending time with loved ones, and giving back to my community. Fun fact: a bowl of cookies and cream ice cream is my go-to cure for a bad day!Project ideas
Using the engineering design process to solve a problem
Water contamination is a growing problem in our water sources. The main pollutants found at these sites are either organic material, inorganic material, macroscopic, microbial, or thermal. Some of these can be removed from water through physical processes with things that can be found in your home. This project would work to go through the engineering design process to design a water filtration system. Identifying the problem and potential solution.
Water Information Systems
There are so many things that can be learned through data systems, especially about our water resources. This project would involve processing large amounts of rainfall data and programing it in order to analyze the trends and make future predictions for compromised infrustrucre and agriculture.