CEE Spotlight: Purva Bommireddy

Hometown/County: South Plainfield, New Jersey, USA

What drew you to Civil and Environmental Engineering?

I was immediately drawn to Civil and Environmental Engineering because, at the heart of this department, we do work that puts people and the planet first. I’ve always felt in tune with the natural world and find my time outdoors to be deeply grounding, whether it be watching sunrises on the beach or hiking on local trails. From a young age, I also got involved in environmental projects at school and in the community. This commitment to sustainability has motivated my professional goals too. At CMU CEE, the emphasis on design and innovation rooted in environmental justice resonates with me. In the future, I hope to work in spaces that balance cutting-edge technology with conservation, and I believe that CEE is giving me the tools to pursue this dream.

How did/does your identity influence your decision to pursue engineering/STEM?

My parents both inspired me to think both critically and creatively from a young age, and engineering is the perfect space to hone and channel both of those skills. At home, I am surrounded by strong Indian women who encouraged me to be ambitious, to push the envelope, and to question societal norms. Growing up, I also loved learning and creating things even outside of school. I was fascinated by an article on how the world’s greenest homes are designed in my Nat Geo almanac and developed a bioplastic from tapioca in my free time after learning about environmental degradation.

My identity has driven me to not just pursue STEM, but to feel excited about the opportunity engineering gives me to address global issues. While there is much work that remains to be done, it brings me joy to see the growing diversity in engineering and STEM.

How did your lens on diversity, equity, and inclusion take shape both as you grew up and as you entered adulthood and academia?

I was the only Indian-American student in my grade at my elementary school and I often felt like my voice was underrepresented or misunderstood. Having often been in the minority has shaped me to seek out diversity, equity, and inclusion. There are a lot of days at CMU where I walk into a room knowing that I will be the one with the least experience or technical knowledge there, yet I have always felt welcomed and encouraged. I hope others can similarly feel included, heard, and seen in such spaces. The meaningful dialogue exchanged, inspiring ideas generated, and connections made when we include people from diverse backgrounds are invaluable. So many of my peers and friends are international students or have completely different backgrounds than me. Getting to know and work with them has expanded my worldview. There are so many unique perspectives to be voiced and heard, and I believe bringing them to the table equips us to make a world of a difference.

In your position as a graduate student, how do you advocate for inclusion?

I advocate for inclusion in a variety of ways here at CMU. As the Community Outreach Chair for Sustainable Earth, I work with several Pittsburgh coalitions to bring their diverse voices and perspectives to campus. This energizes students about climate action and sustainability. I also work as a research assistant with Teagan Danforth and Professor Destenie Nock to address energy burden for vulnerable populations in the US based on an air pollution intervention model. Most importantly, I advocate for inclusion in the everyday. I am enthusiastic about meeting people from different backgrounds and make a conscious effort to ensure others feel included.

Do you have any advice for incoming (students, faculty, or staff)?

I encourage getting involved with a research project that resonates with you, as there are many research opportunities for students. Don’t feel intimidated to reach out to professors - they are incredibly supportive. Explore classes, projects, and research outside of CEE too, especially because of how interdisciplinary CMU is.

There is most likely a way that you can blend your interests together to do work that you care about. Clubs are also a great way to meet new people and balance school work with hobbies. Most importantly, put your well-being first and try to balance the academics here with activities that help you relax and de-stress.