Jessica Mehl is from a rural area of Northern Virginia, not too far from Washington, DC. In May 2005, she graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.S. in civil engineering. She is now currently working on her M.S. in environmental engineering through Michigan Tech’s MI program and anxiously awaiting a Peace Corps assignment beginning sometime next summer.

As a result of Latin American heritage and various service-learning opportunities, Jessica is determined to use her engineering skills to benefit others. Her primary interests are in clean drinking water and sanitation for all, as well as sustainable communities integrated into a healthy global environment. She believes that fighting off environmental degradation is a big step in the direction of eliminating poverty. Other than a fascination with traveling and other cultures, Jessica enjoys the outdoors, running, cooking, and just about anything she has yet to try.