Rubina Hasanat

 My parents grew up in a country where basic infrastructure (clean water, reliable electricity, safe roads) was not readily available. Through the stories they told me of their childhood, I learned how blessed I was to be living the life I had, and I knew from a young age that developing infrastructure for communities that needed it was what I wanted to do in life. I chose to study civil engineering at UMD, and my experience here has been absolutely eye-opening. I never realized just how closely intertwined my discipline was with socioeconomic factors, or how vital sustainable initiatives are for our future. I learned about how black communities' infrastructure needs have historically been often neglected in America, and how climate change has worsened the damage that natural disasters wreak in seaside countries like where my parents are from. As an American, I know I need to help remedy the injustices of the past, and as a global citizen I must work towards mitigating climate change. I'm sure that studying at the University of Maryland will help me to contribute to a more equitable and sustainable world. Currently I am a sophomore, and am a member of the Society of Women Engineers, American Society of Civil Engineers, a couple of South Asian cultural clubs, and Engineers Without Borders.