New Mexico Tech and the EPA have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to guide opportunities for partnership between the two organizations, according to a press release last week by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The MOU covers areas such as mentoring, recruiting and environmental justice.

The MOU outlines several ways to enhance cooperation between EPA and NMT, such as sending EPA representatives to career fairs, identifying mentors for careers in environmental public service, organizing workshops, and offering NMT opportunities to engage with EPA’s environmental justice work.

“New Mexico Tech graduates complete their studies with skills and expertise that directly correlate to many areas of EPA’s work, such as designing and engineering remedies for contaminated sites and analyzing and assessing land, water and air quality issues,” Regional Administrator Earthea Nance said in the release. “We are excited about creating more opportunities for partnership, which will benefit both organizations as well as the communities we serve.”

As a science-based agency, EPA consistently needs highly trained, diverse professionals in relevant fields. NMT offers over bachelors, masters, and doctoral programs in areas including sciences, technology, engineering, and management, with research specialties such as hydrology, atmospheric physics, and petroleum recovery.

The MOU establishes ways for qualified students and graduates to participate in EPA programs and to raise awareness of national employment opportunities.

“We all have a shared responsibility to protect our environment and it is through agreements and partnerships like this that we set the foundation for advancing mutual interests and goals for generations to come,” Regional Administrator KC Becker said. “This not only provides Tech students and faculty access to EPA expertise in the fields of science and engineering but also in gaining a better understanding of potential opportunities and in applying for internships and job opportunities at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.”

Nance and Tech President Dan Lopez signed the MOU at this year’s League of United Latin American Citizens national conference in Albuquerque.

Chieftain Staff Report