Emily Lawson-Bulten, E.I.T. is a direct to PhD student in Contextual Engineering through the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering. She is interested in the contextual applications of international engineering in specific reference to water infrastructure projects. In her research, she hopes to identify ways large organizations, such as NGO aide organizations, can apply contextual engineering to increase efficiency and applicability in water systems.

Emily received her B.S.E in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Calvin University with a minor in International Development Studies. There, she was active in international work as a research fellow of the Clean Water Institute, working with organizations like Reach Beyond in Ecuador, as a McGregor Fellow researching water policy in the Western United States, and with the Umm el-Jimal archaeological reservoir restoration project in Jordan.

After graduation from Calvin in 2017, Emily briefly worked in industry at Holland Engineering doing Natural Gas distribution design and environmental inspection. In January of 2019 she began working at Kent Conservation District as a Natural Resource Engineer under the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). At NRCS, Emily was privileged to work directly with landowners in 19 counties of Western Michigan, learning how to adjust engineering designs for their circumstances and operations. Through this work she reached out to the Contextual Engineering Team at Illinois and chose to pursue a degree under Ann Witmer in this new and innovative field.

Surge Fellowship at University of Illinois

B.S.E. in Civil and Environmental Engineering w/ minor in International Development Studies from Calvin University 2017