[HKD TEST] Civil and Environmental Engineering Student Voices
Hear from current students and recent graduates about how they made the most out of their time on campus.
About
UMass Amherst engineering students are designing and building the sustainable and equitable infrastructure of the future—and you can, too.
We believe the best education doesn’t end in the classroom. Our students learn through close interactions with our world-class faculty, research experiences in a variety of fields, and engagement in internships, co-ops, service-learning opportunities, student groups, and more.
As you plan your own academic journey, we invite you to draw inspiration from some of undergraduate and graduate students, who share their UMass experience in their own words below.
Timothy Onuh, PhD, Chemical Engineering
Timothy Onuh is a PhD candidate whose research focuses on improving the removal of nanoparticles and other emerging contaminants from wastewater systems. Working in the Water Treatment & Environmental Nanoscience Research Laboratory at UMass Amherst, he develops predictive models to support more efficient and sustainable treatment technologies that protect environmental and public health. Beyond the laboratory, Onuh seeks to translate engineering research into evidence-based environmental policy and advocates for water equity and environmental justice. His accomplishments have been recognized with a 2025 Switzer Environmental Fellowship, an NSF ACADEME Fellowship, and participation in the NIH–UMass Biotechnology Traineeship Program.
Raphael Chukwuka Nnachi, PhD student, Civil Engineering
Raphael Chukwuka Nnachi is using wastewater surveillance to help communities better predict and respond to infectious disease outbreaks. In the Butler Lab, his research tracks COVID-19 immunity trends by measuring IgA and IgG antibodies in wastewater, helping identify communities that may be vulnerable to infection or reinfection before case numbers rise. Supported by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, he collects and processes wastewater samples from the Amherst wastewater treatment plant as part of the state’s SARS-CoV-2 surveillance efforts. At UMass Amherst, he received a competitive Engineering Dean’s First Year Fellowship, an NSF STEM Leadership Fellowship, and a Predissertation Grant, and he published a 2025 Clarivate ISI Highly Cited Paper.
Learn more about the Environmental and Water Resources Track
Angelina Caggiano, '26 PhD, Civil Engineering
Angelina Caggiano's research focuses on pedestrian safety and how drivers and pedestrians interact with mid-block crossing treatments, including Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons. Using naturalistic data collection and behavioral analysis, her work examines how crossing systems function in real-world settings and supports national roadway safety initiatives such as Vision Zero and the Safe System approach. In recognition of her research, leadership, and service, the Council of University Transportation Centers named her a recipient of its 2026 Student of the Year Award. Caggiano has also published research in the Journal of Safety Research and presented her work at the U.S. Department of Transportation Headquarters in Washington, DC.
Learn more about the Transportation Engineering Track
Gabriel Mesole, PhD student, Environmental Engineering
Gabriel Mesole is a PhD candidate in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering whose research focuses on emerging microbiological threats related to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), particularly waterborne pathogens and infectious disease spread. His work includes projects on antimicrobial resistance in drinking water systems, household water storage, seasonal coliform blooms in the Quabbin Reservoir, and water quality indicators. He has also conducted NSF-funded fieldwork in Kenya. Beyond his research, Gabriel has held leadership roles across numerous graduate student organizations and received the Professor John H. Bracey, Jr. Emerging Student Leader Award for his contributions to fostering a more equitable and inclusive campus community.