Berglund named Outstanding Graduate Faculty Mentor

Dr. Emily Berglund, Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering, received a 2018 Outstanding Graduate Faculty Mentor Award in the category of Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Engineering from the NC State Graduate School. Only one award was made in this category university-wide. Berglund was selected based on her exemplary track record of outstanding mentorship. Since joining NC State in 2011, she has advised two postdocs, eight Ph.D. students, six Master’s students and sixteen undergraduates. A number of her undergraduate students have continued to pursue graduate level degrees, and a current Ph.D. student who worked with Berglund as an undergraduate was awarded an NSF Graduate Fellowship. In addition, she is advising two other Ph.D. students who have been awarded NSF Graduate Fellowships. She has published 42 journal articles over the past eight years and virtually all have been with students as lead authors. Berglund received the award at the Graduate Student Research Symposium at NC State on March 20, 2019.

Dr. Emily Berglund, (front row, left) with her current advisees, all of which are Ph.D. candidates except one. Top row: Mohammad Ali Khaksar Fasaee, Jacob Monroe, Liz Ramsey, Jorge Pesantez. Bottom row: Emily Berglund, Michael Skarbek, Morgan DiCarlo

In addition to her scholarship and mentoring, Berglund conceived of and initiated the We are Women in Engineering (We are WE) program while an assistant professor and in her first year at NC State. Through this program, she brings female students who are considering graduate school on a recruiting trip to NC State. The visiting students participate in a two-day program in which they meet with faculty and graduate students in Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, and learn about graduate school and engineering careers. The WE program includes workshops, research symposia, a faculty panel, and a seminar by a distinguished female professor who is invited from another university. In addition to visiting students, our own female graduate students are included and this has served to create excellent camaraderie.

Panel members at the 2019 We are WE event.
Attendees at the 2019 We are WE event. Dr. Emily Berglund, who initiated the event 8 years ago, is seen in top row, second from left.

Now in its eighth year, the event has continued to grow and has served over 100 visiting students and more than 200 scholars on-campus to date. At least 12 of the visiting students have enrolled in our graduate program.

The CCEE department extends congratulations, and thanks, to Dr. Emily Berglund!