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A NSBE President A By Theresa sullivan Barger Goes to Washington t Tulane University, Lisa P. Jackson served as vice president then president of her NSBE chapter and earned her bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, in chemical engineering. In January, she was ap- pointed by President Barack Obama as administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the first African-American to hold the position. Before taking this job, she had served for two months as chief of staff to New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine. Before that, she was commissioner of New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). From 2002 to 2006, Jackson served as assistant commissioner for Compliance and Enforcement then assistant commissioner for Land Use Management with the DEP. She began her 15-year career with the U.S. EPA at its headquarters in Washington and later worked at its regional office in New York City. Jackson has a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Princeton University. Born in Philadelphia, Pa., she grew up in New Orleans. She is married and is the mother of two boys. Jackson talked with NSBE Magazine about her career as an engineer working for a cleaner environment, her professional success and how President Obama’s environmental policies will likely affect the demand for engineers. NSBE: How did a chemical engineer end up as the head of the EPA? JAckSON: Like a lot of engineers in my time frame, I was recruited by the National Action Council for Minorities and Engineering. I thought I was going to go engineering, pre-med. I liked engineering. I was really good at it. I decided I didn’t want to be a doctor. …I wanted to find a way to help people. It was the late ’70s, early ’80s; the Love Canal and toxic waste sites were in the news. I knew chemical engineers could make the waste; we could probably help with cleaning it up. …In college, I did my senior thesis on wastewater treatment. If I didn’t (pursue my master’s degree) right away, I didn’t know if I’d go back. …I had the opportunity to go to Princeton on scholarship. While at Princeton, I worked with the Center for www.nsbe.org Environmental Studies, which was part of the engineering department. I was doing work on groundwater. …You just start getting involved in helping people, and after awhile it takes over. …I grew up in the 9th Ward (of New Orleans, one of the neighborhoods hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina). My mom was still there. I drove her out of New Orleans (before the flood). …That all shapes you. I spent a lot of time working on issues of environmental justice. A clean environment is a right for all Americans. If you’re poor or a person of color, you’re entitled to a clean environment. Environmental protection is not something for other folks. NSBE: What kinds of engineering jobs do you expect will grow in demand as a result of the priorities and policies of the Obama Administration? lisa p. Jackson, Administrator, u.s. Environmental protection Agency Continued on page 42 nsbe magazine • fall 2009 • 41

NSBE - Fall 2009

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