Hi, my name is QinRui Pang, and I am one of the first class Torch Scholar.
With only two and half semesters left of my college career, I still can’t believe how time passes by so quickly. I can still remember the day I got my acceptance letter, how excited I was to finally be able to continue my education, and to study at a major university of the US.
Now, majoring in Civil and Environmental Engineering and minoring in Environmental Studies, I have never been more focused and determined to do better with my life, and use what I learned from school to make our city a better place to live.
I am currently on my third and last co-op, working in the Water Service Division at Camp, Dresser, & McKee Inc., a consulting, engineering, construction, and operations firm in Cambridge, Massachusetts. So far, the experience has been great. I was involved with so many projects, and I have learned a lot.
Recently, I was out in the field doing dye testing for the City of Somerville. Somerville, in an effort to clean up the Mystic River, is conducting an Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Program (IDDE). Contamination from improperly connected sewers made its way into the drain system and out in the river. The City is actively seeking out improper connections to reduce contamination and improve water quality in the river. Dye testing of residential sewer service is an easy and effective means of locating sources of contamination. With different color dyes, we were able to locate which resident’s sewer is improperly connected to the drain. Then, the next step would be to reconnect the sewer to its proper connection.
Working in the real life is totally different than learning at school; I am able to relate what I learn in class to solve real life problems, and that is an amazing feeling. The Torch Scholarship Program has given me this great opportunity to study at this great institution. With more to come, I am excited about the future, about senior year, and life beyond.
