Michaela Foster

Michaela is a senior in BSE from Durham, NC. She is on the ecological engineering track and is minoring in Geographic Information Systems. Her career goals include enhancing ecosystem health and water resources management practices that benefit both communities and the environment.

Two summers ago, Michaela worked as a water/wastewater intern with Mott MacDonald. She assisted with Civil 3D plan drawings for water main replacements and wastewater treatment plant refurbishment projects. This past summer she worked at Kimley-Horn as a civil engineering intern and got to assist with erosion and sediment control plans and stormwater pond modeling.

On campus, Michaela works as a research assistant in Dr. Bell’s lab, assisting with ecological engineering projects relating to water treatment and contaminants. Michaela is also involved in the ASCE concrete canoe design team, Galileo and Hypatia Engineering LLC, and Club Jump Rope at Virginia Tech. She is a mentor for the BSE department and an active member of American Society of Agriculture and Biological Engineers (ASABE). Michaela’s favorite things to do around Blacksburg include hiking, camping, line dancing, going to football games, and watching sunsets.

As a BSE ambassador, Michaela hopes to share the engaging classes, hands-on opportunities, and strong academic support that make BSE unique. Majoring in BSE has been one of the best decisions of her college experience, and she hopes to inspire future students to pursue the major and join the student community.