Sarah Blank is a graduate student in civil engineering with a water quality specialty. She is on campus this summer doing research and working for two other companies. She believes in pursuing the things that interest you and taking the chance on each opportunity that follows. We asked Sarah how she has managed to do it all:
Never say no to opportunity
I’ve gotten so many opportunities by simply saying yes and putting myself out there to learn and grow.
An important opportunity that I received last spring was when I was taking an English class. My major advisor knew that I was interested in publishing, so when “The Conversation” contacted Iowa State to have an article written for them, he thought of me. This is an instance where I put myself out there, communicated my goals early, and then jumped on the opportunity. Now, I have something published! It was a great experience and something I can add to my resume.
Right now, I have an internship at CRH’s Americas Material as an environmental engineering intern, conduct research at ISU by analyzing water treatment methods to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and I work as a water plant student operator at the Ames Water Treatment Plant, which is amazing because it allows time off for full time operators during nights and weekends. It is also a great opportunity because it is one of the only water plants that allows student workers.
Although the water treatment job and environmental engineering internship don’t directly relate to my research, I am still learning things that are helping me succeed in grad school and widening my variety of scientific knowledge and interpersonal skills.
Time Management and Organization
Saying yes to so many opportunities means that I must be aware of time management and be organized. That is something I have learned especially in these last few months. I use Google calendar and the notes app to stay organized, and these tools really work for me.
Do the things that interest you
My advice for those interested in similar paths is, don’t hesitate. I was a little worried about graduate school in civil engineering with a water quality specialization because my bachelor’s was in environmental science, but I went for it because it was something that interested me. Do the things that interest you! Research is especially cool because it allows you to specifically focus on something that you really love and dig deeper.