Julia Craven
Title of Program: Conservation and Ecopsychology
Title of Program: Engineering for Sustainability
E-mail Address: jcraven4@vols.utk.edu
Hometown: Franklin, TN
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2024
Description of Program: My major seeks to bridge the gap between Engineering and its larger impact on society through an environmental lens. Incredible engineering ideas, feats, and executions tend to fall short when observing how these implementations affect the larger community and environment. With a focus on renewable energy, I aspire to learn two main skills: technical implementation and communication. Technical implementation encompasses different engineering aspects, such as environmental engineering, how different renewables (such as photovoltaic cells) are created, and how engineers play a role in environmental solutions. Courses that emphasize how to communicate to different audiences such as engineers, the government, community members, and corporations entail the other core aspect of my major. Additionally, I will gain context surrounding political, environmental, and socio-economic factors that each play an integral role in energy distribution.
Departmental Emphases: Engineering, Sociology, EEB, Geography, Agricultural/Resource Economics, and Political Science.
Faculty Mentor: McKinney, Earth and Planetary Sciences
Plans after graduation (career, graduate/professional school, etc.): I aspire to attend an internationally focused graduate program such as Fulbright Scholars or Erasmus Mundus that will further enhance my global understanding of environmental problems and energy distribution tactics. I hope to better learn how to make the most significant impact in the energy sector without compromising the wellbeing of our communities and environment.
Other Academic Interests: Sustainable Architecture and Environmental Engineering
Research Experiences or Internships: I’ve been an intern at UTK’s Office of Sustainability since my freshman year, and my primary role is working to help implement Solar Tables throughout campus. Additionally, I’m an intern at UTK’s Compost Facilities where I’m working to design their future office building.
Part-time employment; Hobbies; Campus Clubs/Activities: I’m an active member of SPEAK, American Society of Civil Engineers, and the Society for Women Engineers. I serve as the Vice president for our campus Compost Coalition. I’ve been involved with the Committee for Campus Environment’s Sustainable Energy Working Group for most of my college career, and my largest role was working to draft a Sustainable Energy Recommendations proposal that was presented to Vice Chancellor Chris Cimino.
Additional Information: Outside of school you’ll most likely find me in the kitchen, either baking with my grandma or cooking a new vegetarian meal. Additionally, I love to hike, create art, travel, and spend time with my family.
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