Ask how she became interested in the environment and Niva Kramek (B.A. 2006, Master of Environmental Studies 2008) will tell you about growing up around East New Brunswick, New Jersey—and in Tel Aviv, Israel. To address a serious situation with flies in a marshy area along the border shared by Israel and Jordan, scientists received a special permit to cross freely between the countries and work together on the problem. Kramek carries two ideas from that situation: first, environmental issues aren’t contained within national boundaries, and second, concern for the environment encouraged two countries to find ways to collaborate for the greater good. She’s been hooked on it ever since.

Kramek now works as an Environmental Protection Specialist with the Department of Environmental Protection (EPA) in the Washington, D.C., Office of Pesticide Programs, Field and External Affairs Division. As she researches the impact of people’s actions on the environment, Kramek loves the challenge of finding a balance between formal and less-formal non-regulatory programs, as well as natural and human-created processes.

After completing her B.A. in Environmental Studies at Penn, Kramek felt her best option was to pursue the Master of Environmental Studies degree (MES) through the College of Liberal and Professional Studies (LPS). “I really enjoyed the undergraduate program,” says Kramek. “Many of those courses were also available through the LPS program, which made it very easy to continue with my education. LPS courses also offer an exciting mix of people because students come from all walks of life. Some of us continued from our undergraduate work at Penn. Others were professionals gaining education that would increase their chances of promotion. I’ve been in class with lawyers, architects, and people changing careers. Everyone wanted something more—to improve their knowledge base about environmental issues or find a new challenge in their lives. It was a fantastic experience.”

Field trips, guest lecturers, and team-based projects in Penn’s LPS courses offered Kramek opportunities to interact with her peers and experience situations she wouldn’t have encountered anywhere else. In addition, professors such as Stan Laskowski, a retired EPA Deputy Regional Administrator, contributed to Kramek’s exceptional Penn education. “Professor Laskowski devotes his time to teaching and to students,” says Kramek. “He knows what he’s talking about because he shares his real-world experiences from working at the EPA. Professor Laskowski was able to get us into places we would never have seen otherwise, like Philadelphia’s wastewater treatment plant and other infrastructure locations.” Discussions about water issues for cities in the western U.S., landfill space needed by New York City, and transportation and energy concerns in Philadelphia demonstrated to Kramek what it takes to run a large city.

The inspiration for Kramek’s capstone project on environmental management for malaria prevention was her selection to a team of graduate students and faculty awarded a Provost’s grant for an international and interdisciplinary project addressing a real-world problem. Her environmental studies background rounded out a group that included a nutritionist, a nurse, a social worker, and an educator. Kramek helped conduct a baseline health and environmental assessment for a village in the West African country of Cameroon that wanted to establish a safe drinking water system. The team collected the data and reported their findings to the local administrators who will use it to seek funding for the water system.

“My experiences in Penn’s College of Liberal and Professional studies help me feel more comfortable tackling big projects, breaking down the elements, and figuring out what to do next,” says Kramek. “I’m also able to conduct academic-style research—read and analyze a subject and deal with contradictory information and new developments. Penn students are also very good at making presentations of all types—orally, electronically, in writing, in groups. We get lots of practice in class, so we’re well prepared for what we’ll face in our professions.”

Kramek considers her Geographic Information Systems (GIS) class one of the most useful—and a good example of Penn’s LPS programs. “GIS is a very rigorous course, but the professor was dedicated to helping us succeed. That’s typical of LPS, where faculty are very supportive and want to make sure students do well in their individual programs and in their specific courses. They help you any way they can.”