Rowan & Roots

I’ve always loved helping people, but when I first chose engineering, I wasn’t totally sure how those two things would fit together. I was good at science and math, and people encouraged me to try engineering. Rowan felt like the right fit—it was close to home, affordable, and had small class sizes where professors really knew their students. It wasn’t until I was at Rowan that I realized just how much engineering could connect to my desire to help others. In clinic, I worked on projects that made a real impact on people, and that’s when it clicked for me.

Do you have a favorite memory from your time at Rowan Engineering?

The friendships. We spent so much time together—a lot of it was studying and working on projects, but we also played sports, had big family-style dinners, and just built strong bonds. Some of my closest friends today are the ones I met at Rowan.

Was there a professor or class that shaped your path?

Several professors really made an impression on me. Dr. Jahan, Dr. Mehta, and Dr. Sukumaran each showed me in different ways how engineering could be used to help underserved communities. Their encouragement helped me see that engineering wasn’t just about equations, it was about people.

What’s the most valuable skill you learned at Rowan that you still use today?

Breaking down big problems into small, doable steps. That approach has carried me through everything, from complicated project logistics to figuring out how to design pumps with very limited resources.

What engineering problem or project have you worked on that you're most proud of?

One project that really stands out from my time at Rowan was The Helping Hand. My grandfather had limited mobility in his hand, and I wanted to design something to help him. I created my own clinic project and put together a fantastic team of fellow students. Over two years, we developed a writing tool that eventually earned a grant and a patent. That project was really meaningful because it showed me how engineering could directly improve someone’s life.

A few years after graduating, I worked on my first water and sanitation project in Guatemala. I saw firsthand how something as simple as safe water and basic sanitation could completely change the rhythm of daily life for a whole community. That experience made it clear that this was the kind of work I wanted to dedicate my career to, and it’s the path I’m still on today.

How has your career evolved since graduating? Any surprising twists?

Definitely had a surprising twist. After graduating Rowan in 2005, I worked mostly in consulting. In 2008, I took a trip to Guatemala, where I saw what life looked like without safe water in a rural community. That experience changed everything for me. I stayed in consulting, but took extended leaves of absence to volunteer all over the world, working alongside communities on water and sanitation programs. After I got my PE, I made the jump to nonprofit work full-time with Hydromissions. As a student, I definitely didn’t expect my career would take me from an office in New Jersey to drilling wells across five continents.

Engineering with Impact

It’s everything. A well might just look like pipes and pumps, but it’s really health, opportunity, and freedom. I’ve seen kids go from hauling water every day to having time for school, and entire communities get healthier because they were no longer consuming contaminated water. Engineering makes that possible.

What advice would you give to current Rowan Engineering students who want to make an impact?

Find your passion and dig in. Impact doesn’t look the same for everyone—it might be medical devices, renewable energy, water systems, or something else. When you find that sweet spot where your skills and passion overlap, the work won’t just feel like a job. It’ll feel meaningful.

Your Engineer’s Lens

Water. When I turn on a faucet, I think about everything behind it (the pumps, the pipes, the treatment) and I think about the people around the world who don’t have that simple access. Something that feels so ordinary here is still such a luxury in so many places.

If you could design or improve anything in the world — no limits — what would it be?

I’d want a water filter that could remove everything, without power, without consumables, and built tough enough that even rats couldn’t chew through it.

Quick Hits

NJDOT Construction Department. Specifically, the United States Avenue Bridge project in Lindenwold.

Neither, I was terrible at all-nighters! I survived on snacks instead. :)

My Leatherman tool.

Don’s Bagels (which shows my age—it’s Ry’s Bagels now).

Adaptive

“I became an engineer because…” I wanted to help people.