A highlight of our orientation day welcoming incoming MSEM students each year is connecting them with alums working in the field. This year, we’re glad to have Eric Canteenwala (MSEM, ‘21) returning to campus to share his perspective. Eric has been working at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for 10 years – before and after completing the program – where his work brings together several different disciplines and skillsets. We recently caught up with Eric to learn more about his work and get a sneak peek into some of the insights he’ll share with the incoming cohort of students.
Tell us a little about your current role at the EPA. What is your scope of responsibilities? What does your day-to-day look like?
I work in the Superfund Division as a Superfund Project Manager for US EPA Region 9, which covers CA, AZ, NV, HI, the pacific islands and 148 sovereign tribal nations. As a Superfund Project Manager, I lead interdisciplinary teams of scientists, engineers, community involvement coordinators, and attorneys to advance the long-term cleanup of hazardous waste sites such as abandoned industrial facilities, mines, and landfills. These are some of the most toxic waste sites in the country, with extensive soil, air and groundwater contamination that threaten human health and the environment. The Superfund cleanup process can take decades and begins with a remedial investigation to characterize the nature and extent of contamination. Next, different cleanup technologies and options are compared in a feasibility study at which point a cleanup remedy is selected and documented in a Record of Decision. Remedial design and construction follow after funding has been secured. Throughout the process, EPA solicits input from the community through public meetings, social media, newspaper notices, and other community involvement strategies.
My day-to-day activities can vary significantly. I spend the majority of my time in the office reviewing or drafting environmental reports, managing grants and contracts, analyzing environmental data, and completing administrative tasks. However, about a quarter of my time is spent in the field collecting environmental samples, attending community meetings, and providing field oversight for construction projects. I have donned waders for collecting benthic macroinvertebrates in streams one week and worn business formal clothing to present at a local City Council meeting the following week. I also have a number of collateral duties including serving as the Superfund Division’s representative on the Environmental Justice Council, deploying to national environmental emergencies such as the 2023 Maui wildfires, and mentoring new employees. There are ample opportunities at EPA to take on collateral duties that fit your interests outside of your normal workload.
How has your experience and career trajectory at EPA evolved over time?
I started my career with the US EPA 10 years ago as an Environmental Protection Specialist working in the Children’s Health and Environmental Education programs. I have traveled to almost every corner of Region 9 and worked on varied projects ranging from responding to natural disasters and environmental emergencies to running grant programs that provided tens of thousands of low-income students with hands-on opportunities to learn about how they can protect their environment. I have had the honor of working directly with dedicated teachers, community leaders, public servants, and environmental advocates in diverse communities disproportionately impacted by pollution.
I have held two different positions during my time at EPA and expect that I will work in other programs or divisions throughout my career. Over time, I have taken on additional leadership positions and have been tapped to mentor new staff and called upon to support high-priority Superfund cleanups with sensitive community involvement challenges. Under President Biden, the EPA has enjoyed the largest budget and staff increase in its 50 year history. For the first time, there is now significant legislation to address climate change. It’s an incredibly exciting and rewarding time to be at the EPA. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the US EPA and plan to continue my career with the agency.
When and why did you decide to pursue your MSEM degree at USF? How did the coursework intersect with and impact your professional work?
During my undergraduate education at UC Berkeley, I majored in Political Science and minored in Conservation Resource Studies. After working at US EPA for about 4 years, I realized my professional development opportunities at EPA were constrained without a hard science or engineering degree. Most managerial positions as well as more than half of all staff positions require a technical degree. In addition to opening doors to new positions within the Agency, I was keen to develop the scientific background and skillset to more meaningfully participate in technical discussions with my colleagues on various topics ranging from environmental risk assessment to statistical evaluation of environmental data.
I selected the Environmental Health and Hazards concentration in the MSEM program because it best complimented my work in hazardous waste cleanup in the Superfund program. The courses I took were directly applicable to my work at EPA, and I often used my EPA work or environmental data for course assignments and term papers. Environmental Chemistry, which covered contaminant fate and transport, environmental risk assessment and risk management, environmental engineering, water treatment, and advanced data analysis were incredibly useful.
I often reference class notes and text books and apply what I learned in the MSEM program every single day at work. In addition to coursework relevant to Superfund Site cleanups, I also took a number of courses in climate change. This has given me the opportunity to branch out from my regular duties and review grant applications for the Inflation Reduction Act’s Solar for All program, which seeks to boost access to low-cost solar power in underserved communities throughout the US.
What did you focus on for your Master’s Research Project? What did you most like about that experience?
My Master’s Research Project focused on carbon biogeochemical cycling in the Sierra Nevada and examined how different forest management practices such as prescribed burns and thinning can optimize carbon sequestration in Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forests. It was nice to select a topic outside of my normal workload because it opens the door for a career transition outside of hazardous waste cleanup should I want to in the future. I enjoyed interviewing professors, USFS officials, and forestry experts to hear different perspectives on how we can best maintain our Sierra Nevada forests as a net carbon sink over the long-term.
What advice do you have for incoming / continuing MSEM students?
Be academically curious and enjoy your time in the program! MSEM students, alumni and professors provide an extensive network of environmental professionals in the private, public, and non-profit sectors. As a student, you have a unique opportunity to informally consult this network on research, career/internship opportunities, and other general career advice. Leverage this network as much as possible.
While the fields of environmental justice and climate change policy are growing, the majority of jobs in the environmental industry are still centered around traditional fields such as regulatory compliance, hazardous waste management, NEPA permitting, water treatment, and grant writing/management in the non-profit sector. Taking courses outside of your concentration can open doors to pivot within the environmental industry should you decide to do so later in your career.
Being persistent during the job application process and following up with the individuals that you interview with can lead to additional opportunities down the road. That was partially how I landed my first position at the EPA. Understand that it can take several months for the hiring process to unfold and continue to follow up!
