Supportive, dynamic, and collaborative. Those are the three words I would use to describe Rice’s research environment. Coming into college my freshman year I was eager (another word for stressed out of my mind) to find a research position in the many labs and centers. Now, I am a sophomore majoring in Civil and Environmental Engineering and have had the opportunity to get involved in a variety of research areas. In the environmental engineering field, I’ve worked on research and development at the Nanotechnology Enabled Water Treatment Center and laboratory-based research in environmental nanotechnology. I loved chatting with experienced PhD students about the science behind these projects and applying my critical thinking skills in developing experiments and processing data.


I now intern at the Center for Energy Studies (CES) with the Baker Institute of Public Policy combining my interests in the environment and public policy with my background in engineering. I was first exposed to the nuances of the energy industry through taking CEVE 307: Energy and the Environment with Dr. Dan Cohan. The course not only taught me about the fundamentals of energy, but also gave me the opportunity to work closely with a Houston-based energy company on a practical techno-economic analysis of a potential fuel production pathway. It was through this experience that I became familiar with using the life cycle assessment framework for evaluating carbon-emissions. This just so happened to become a valuable skill I am now able to bring to the table in my project at the CES.

My current project is a comprehensive report discussing the Electric Vehicle ecosystem through a life-cycle assessment framework - which I was able to help develop using the knowledge I’d gained from my work in CEVE 307. I love how truly interdisciplinary this job is and that I am able to apply my engineering thinking, creativity and communication skills at work. To my surprise, I’ve found that my research in federal and state PVC use regulations, EV incentives, and energy economics and policy has also helped me succeed in a number of my engineering classes. Much like the plethora of opportunities at Rice, my work at the CES has helped me grow my skills holistically.
- Lily L., Will Rice '25
Keep Exploring
International student Juliana, Sid Richardson ‘26, learned so much from her Alternate Spring Break trip that she decided to apply for a Loewenstern fellowship! As an active member of the Rice community, Juliana shares her journey from Brazil to Texas and eventually to Argentina.
Radhani is a senior at Rice studying Operations Research. She spent last summer in the UK studying abroad at the London School of Economics. Learn more about how she leveraged the resources available through Rice’s Office of Study Abroad to make the experience possible!
Delaney, a senior at Rice, completed a summer internship in Madrid through one of the study abroad programs offered through the Department of Modern and Classical Literatures and Cultures in the School of Humanities. Discover how this immersive opportunity further enhanced her Rice experience!
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