#HispanicHeritage at DOE & PNNL

I’m originally from Uruguay and came to the U.S. for college. This summer, I had the opportunity to work at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in Washington, D.C., where I delved into nuclear waste cleanup, focusing specifically on groundwater modeling.

At DOE, my job was to model how contaminants from nuclear waste sites move through groundwater systems, helping predict where pollution might spread, and how best to contain or clean it up. It involved learning new software tools, understanding the geology and hydrology of affected areas, and running simulations to test different cleanup strategies.

As a Latina engineer, this work meant more than solving technical problems. It meant stepping into a space where environmental justice, public health, and community safety matter deeply. DOE’s work is not just about science; it’s about safeguarding people and ecosystems. For me, being part of that showed how much our voices and perspectives can contribute toward creating cleaner, healthier communities.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

I believe that protecting our environment should not just be a technical challenge—it’s also a moral and social one. Seeing how DOE balances policy, science, and public welfare inspired me, and reminds me of why I chose engineering in the first place: to make a difference.