Name: Ross Towers
Age: 31
Job Role in Internship:
Environmental Scientist for ALCOSAN (Allegheny County Sanitary Authority).
ALCOSAN is the largest wastewater treatment authority within Pittsburgh, serving 83 municipalities. The organisation manages both wastewater and wet weather flows and is currently developing the first "Wet Weather Plan" for the county to eliminate sanitary sewer overflows and ultimately greatly enhance the quality and health of the river systems of Pittsburgh and beyond.
Education:
BSc Environmental Management
Experience:
My primary interest is environmental conservation and have worked for several organisations within the charity sector both in the UK and abroad. I have worked for employers such as English Heritage, BTCV (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers), CVNI (Conservation Volunteers Northern Ireland), CCC (Carribean Conservation Corporation) and the Ulster Wildlife Trust. These jobs have taken me from England and Northern Ireland to Turkey, Costa Rica, South Africa, and New Zealand.
Placement Expectations:
What you hope to achieve in the internship: Living and working abroad is an enriching experience and I hope to gain a broad knowledge and understanding of current and emerging clean technologies and green energy within the public and private sectors of America. My specific placement with Alcosan will develop my knowledge of natural resource management, in this case water, and the challenges we face with an ever increasing population and the demands that places on finite resources vital to human existence.