I am a self-motivated and enthusiastic environmental and chemical engineer, passionate about examining how climate change, racism, and income affect access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services in low and middle income communities. While conducting research and shadowing a neurologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, I met a family from Lowndes County, just two hours from where I grew up, and became aware of the public health crisis plaguing Alabama. It is estimated that 90%of septic systems in Alabama’s Black Belt are functioning poorly or failing due to unsuitable conditions. Instead, wastewater is essentially directly discharged to the environment, leading to many public health issues. While I was primarily motivated to enter this field by the injustices that are persistent in my home state, I know that the problem of inadequate WASH services are not unique to Alabama. I am seeking opportunities to conduct research that will not only raise awareness of the conditions these communities face but will also allow me to pursue a career providing innovative low-cost solutions to address the root causes of many public health problems.