Hey, I’m Savannah Roth! I am a junior majoring in Biosystems Engineering and dual minoring in Geographic Information Science and Watersheds.
I just completed my second summer as a Pathways Student Engineer with the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Tennessee’s Area 2. From surveying over 50 conservation projects to designing multiple streambank stabilization structures, I loved assisting the engineering team in helping landowners conserve Tennessee’s wonderful natural resources.
In the above photo, I’m inspecting the construction of a grassed waterway in Lascassas in Rutherford County, Tennessee. Rutherford County was one of the 26 counties in Middle Tennessee that the Area 2 engineering team provided technical assistance too.
I learned a variety of technical skills that you don’t typically learn in class, unless you take technical electives in that subject. It felt very valuable to be able to know how to use Civil 3D, design a streambank stabilization structure, put together the design reports for the package, and finally send it off for it to get built. I never thought something with my name on it would be built when I am only nineteen years old. I also found the leadership and mentorship I had to learn to give to the new employees an invaluable experience. It really made me more confident in the skills I was using and strengthened a bond between me and the other UT students who were interns at my job. I hope we will be able to continue those friendships when we get back to campus.