Why did you apply for the GRO

Fellowship Program?

I first heard of the Minority Academic Institution

(MAI) now known as Greater Research

Opportunities (GRO) Fellowship Program when

the Office of the Dean of the Environmental

Sciences Department at Alabama Agriculture

and Mechanical (A&M) University sent me an

information packet. After reviewing the packet

and Fellowship Program website, I realized this

was a wonderful opportunity. I decided to work

as hard as needed to make this opportunity

happen for me. I was struggling financially to

attend school while maintaining a family of four

children. I knew that if I received this Fellowship

I could focus on school and not finances to pay

for it. I also wanted to work at an EPA facility;

therefore, a required EPA Internship was to 

me a bonus. This gave me an opportunity to

experience the work I was already dreaming

about performing. 

Where did you intern?

What were your responsibilities? 

I interned at Region 4 Clean Water Act (CWA)

Enforcement Section, now known as Water

Management Division's Water Programs

Enforcement Branch. This was a great project

to experience an internship. The Section Chief,

Arthur Collins, directed that I would receive the

same type of training as an enforcement agent.

This gave me an opportunity to experience

almost all areas of work this section was

involved in. I was able to experience two multimedia inspections of chemical plants as an

assistant to the Water Enforcement Agent. The

first of these multimedia inspections was with

my mentor, Alenda Johnson. As an assistant to

the Water Enforcement Agents, I traveled to

North Carolina and participated in an inspection

of wetlands as part of the Section 404/Wetlands

Dredged and Fill Material Program. I also 

participated in the Atlanta Area Storm Water

Initiative. Working in conjunction with the

Region 4 CWA Enforcement Section and

Georgia Environmental Protection Department,

the section that I was involved with performed

storm water inspections on several hundred

locations around the Atlanta Metro Area. In all

of the above inspections, my responsibility was

to act as an assistant to the Water Enforcement

Agent. I served as an assistant to enforcement

agent, Chet Gala, on the development of two

enforcement cases against Publicly Owned

Treatment Works (POTW). This task included

reviewing Discharge Monitoring Reports

(DMRs), inspecting the facilities and reviewing

their documentation, compiling and developing

the appropriate documentation for submittal to

the EPA Attorneys, and working closely with the

attorneys in an effort to further develop the

cases. In my down time I reviewed documents 

such as Storm Water Implementation plans 

and National Pollution Discharge Emissions

permits.those climate conditions.

What school did you go to?

What year did you graduate?

I attended Alabama A&M University. I graduated in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science 

in Environmental Science and a minor in

chemistry. By focusing on education without

being concerned with finances, I was able to

graduate Cum Laude.

What were your expectations? 

Were they met? 

My expectations changed or evolved as I 

matriculated. When I began my academic

career, my expectations were to get a well

rounded education in environmental science

and to work either as a public health or state

environmental inspector. As I learned more

In this issue

2 Internship Reflections 3 2006–2007 GRO Fellows 4 Alumni Updates 

Continued on page 2 . . .

GRO

Environmental Protection Agency Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Undergraduate Student Fellowships Newsletter 

TheForum

Issue 2, 2006

ALUMNI INTERVIEW:

CYNTHIA WILLIAMS
2 The Forum

ALUMNI INTERVIEW: CYNTHIA WILLIAMS (Continued)

about the environment and the many 

environmental issues located in my backyard

and beyond, I wanted to be able to make a 

difference. When I learned about this Fellowship,

I knew this was an opportunity to fulfill that

desire. I feel that my education at Alabama

A&M, along with my fellowship and internship

prepared me to far exceed my expectations.

What was the most important thing

you took away from your internship? 

My internship gave me a greater understanding

and appreciation of the environment and the

work required to care for it. I also gained the

ability to interpret Federal Regulations. The

most important thing I learned in my internship is to be open minded and eager to learn. 

I found that if people see your enthusiasm for

the environment and your desire to make a 

difference, they are willing to go the extra mile

to explain a new concept or idea.

How did the internship change or develop

your perspective on the environment?

My internship was an eye opening experience. 

I did not see the big picture of CWA

Enforcement until I was able to experience all

the different areas. At the end of my internship,

I realized that all areas of a program work

together to meet the needs of a Region. I also

learned that caring for the environment is such

a large task that it takes everyone working

together to affect a change.

What advice would you give to future

GRO fellowship classes? 

My advice is work hard, learn your assigned

task, and develop a passion for the environment. Back this up with knowledge and 

experience that will assist you in reaching

your goals in the environmental arena.

What are you doing now?

How did you get there?

I have a very exciting job serving as an

Environmental Regulatory Specialist for the

Shuttle Environmental Assurance Initiative in

NASA? My job is to review new and proposed

environmental, health, and safety regulations

for potential impacts to the Space Shuttle

Program (SSP). When a potential impact is

identified, I work with all project elements of

the SSP to determine the known impacts and

prepare an integrated mitigation plan. This task

means providing guidance to the project element on the regulation, integration of known

impacts into a single document, and providing

comments to either NASA Headquarters or to

the regulatory agency.

My internship has played an integral part of my

environmental career. My first position was with

a small 8(a) woman-owned company. Part of 

my task was to work on small business opportunities at Region 4 EPA. It was also at this 

position that I first worked on NASA Marshall

Space Flight Center (MSFC) Environmental 

documents. My next position was as an

Environmental, Health, and Safety Coordinator

for another small 8(a) company located onsite 

at MSFC. Due to my internship at EPA, I was

given additional consideration for this position

because of my familiarity with government 

agencies. As part of this position, I was able 

to work directly with NASA Civil Service

Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) 

personnel. When my present position became

available, the connections I had formed within

the EHS community were able to give a recommendation on my ability to fill the position.

Tell me one interesting fact about yourself?

I have had the honor of serving on the last

four peer review panels for the GRO Fellowship

Program. Realizing the great impact the GRO

program has had on my career, it gives me

great pleasure to give back to the program 

by serving on the peer review panel.

From a career perspective,

what inspires you? 

My inspiration comes from a number of

sources. I am inspired to work hard so that my

children and grandchildren will have a safe

environment to live in. I am also inspired by

people who believed in me enough to give me

this Fellowship and Internship opportunity. I feel

that I have a responsibility not to let any of

these people down. Therefore, I am never 

satisfied with only pursuing the responsibilities

that I know I can accomplish, but strive to 

perform beyond my abilities.

REFLECTIONS ON SUMMER 2006 INTERNSHIPS

Callie Van Koughnett

Callie interned at the EPA Region 1 Office in

Boston in the Oceans and Coastal Protection

Unit. Her project involved ocean water sampling

and testing for bacteria and measuring the physical and biological parameters such as salinity,

temperature, and oxygen content for a survey 

of Bassings Beach in Cohasset, MA.

“Some of the most useful and practical experience I gained involved acquiring engineering

and city management know-how. I learned

about different sewage systems, how storm

drains and catch basins work, and more

importantly how to read the maps and blueprints on which they are depicted. And I was

able to gain competence using ArcMap, the

GIS mapping program used at EPA, which was

probably the most complicated and frustrating

part of my summer. All of these things will be

useful to me at school and in a future career.

Having such hands-on experiences can only

make me more valuable as an undergrad and

upcoming member of the work force. I was

able to draw on and apply topics and materials from my academic experience during 

the entire summer, which has helped me to

cement the ideas that I have learned in the

academic environment.”

Megan Skrip

Megan interned in the Monitoring and

Assessment Branch of the Region 2 EPA office in

Edison, NJ. Her internship encompassed work in

the office, laboratory, and field in providing direct

support for the aquatic monitoring program.
Issue 1, 2006 3

INTRODUCING THE 2006-2007 GRO FELLOWS

Leah Barth

Bradley University

Major: Biology

Research Interest: Microbial Functions 

in Wetlands and Agricultural soils

Evan Bredweg

Pacific University

Major: Environmental Biology

Research Interest: Environmental Toxicology

Megan Butler

Knox College

Major: Environmental Studies

Research Interest: Environmental

Conservation & Management

Frank Calvosa

Villanova University

Major: Chemistry

Research Interest: Analysis of

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in

Automobiles

Bianca Coley

Spelman University

Major: Environmental Studies

Research Interest: Biodegradation of RDX

Ashley DeBoard

Northern Arizona University

Major: Environmental Science

Research Interest: Water Consumption 

and Scarcity in the Southwest

Christopher Green

University of Missouri at Kansas City

Major: Environmental Science

Research Interest: Effects of Kansas City’s

Transportation Networks on Air Quality

Corinne Kluge

Calvin College

Major: Environmental Engineering

Research Interest: Antibiotics’ Effects on

Microbes in the Slow Sand Filtration Process

Cristal Lindell

University of Texas at San Antonio

Major: Chemistry and Biology

Research Interest: Chemical and Microbial

Analysis of Hydrothermal Environments

Michael Moore

Humboldt State University

Major: Environmental Resources Engineering

Research Interest: Water Resources

and Quality

Stephanie Morris

Alfred University

Major: Engineering

Research Interest: Glass Engineering

Science and Materials Science

Ivy Ozmon

Virginia Wesleyan College

Major: Environmental Science

Research Interest: Resource Conservation

Esthesis Smith

Tuskegee University

Major: Environmental Science

Research Interest: Effect of Land Use on

the Lower Tallapoosa Basin

Eric Vanderboom

Pacific University

Major: Environmental Biology

Research Interest: Environmental Geology

Carolyn Vogt

Ursinus College

Major: Environmental Studies

Research Interest: Sustainability and

Environmental Education

“My experience with the EPA has significantly

broadened my knowledge base and capacity for

fieldwork, providing me with a new repertoire of

skills. I have become more adept at invertebrate and fish taxonomy; am more familiar with

data collection techniques, protocols, and sample processing; and am capable of calibrating

and operating various types of field equipment.

I now possess greater practical familiarity with

boats and generators, and my field agility has

also vastly improved. This will benefit me greatly

as I pursue a formal study involving fieldwork 

in graduate school, and eventually a career in

ecology. I also now have a better, and more

personal, appreciation of watersheds and the

effects of development upon them.”

William Hardy

William interned in the Economics, Exposure,

and Technology Division at EPA Headquarters

in Washington D.C. As part of his internship,

he helped organize the Presidential Green

Chemistry Challenge Awards. He also created

a report expressing concern over the importance of college students role in producing 

a sustainable environment for the future.

“My experience as an EPA intern has been

truly a great adventure. I got introduced to

corporate America and had the opportunity

to discover our nation’s capitol. I learned

valuable lessons on the environment, chemistry,

leadership, and self-management. I met

many new people and made a variety of new

acquaintances. It was an experience I will

never forget, and I hope to use this knowledge

to propel me toward an environmentallyconscious career.”
4 The Forum

FIRST CLASS

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

RANDOLPH, MA

PERMIT NO. 35

el bal cyce R/ del cyce R

Printed with vegetable-based ink on paper that contains a minimum of 50% post-consumer fiber content processed chlorine free.

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and Development (8723F)

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Official Business

Penalty for Private Use

$300

EPA/600/N-04/198

October 2005

www.epa.gov/ord

ALUMNI UPDATES

Dr. Brandon Jones

1990-1991 GRO Undergraduate Fellow

MS Marine Science, University of Delaware,

1994 | Ph.D. Marine Science, University 

of Delaware, 2003 | Scientist in the

Environmental Protection Agency

Megan Mauter

2001-2002 GRO Undergraduate Fellow

BS Civil Engineering, Rice University |

BA History, Rice University | 2006 recipient

of STAR Graduate Fellowship, Yale University,

| Ph.D. Environmental Engineering

Dr. Brandon Jones (left) and Megan Mauter (right) attended and participated 

in the bi-annual EPA STAR Graduate Fellowship Conference in September 2006.

EPA FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Hello,

My name is Stephanie Willett and I’m the Team Leader for the Science to Achieve Results (STAR) 

and Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Graduate Fellowship Programs. We would love to help

you further your education by providing you with a graduate fellowship. If you are interested in

pursing graduate studies, you are encouraged to apply. The STAR and GRO graduate announcements are currently posted on NCER’s website. Pre-applications for these fellowships are due 

no later than November 28, 2006. For more information and to view the current announcements,

please visit our website, www.epa.gov/ncer/fellow/. 

If you have questions, contact me at 202-343-9737, or by e-mail at willett.stephanie@epa.gov.