Emily Ammeraal knew early on that she wanted to be an engineer — but not just any kind. “I knew I wanted to do engineering related to water, but I didn’t want to go into something that was just wastewater or sanitary-focused,” she said.
When she discovered Oregon State University’s ecological engineering program, everything clicked. “It was very much rivers-focused, centered around restoring the natural environment in a way that better integrates ecological communities within a human-developed ecosystem,” Ammeraal said. “I was like, ‘That’s really cool — this is exactly what I want to do.’”
Originally from Los Angeles, Ammeraal chose OSU for both her undergraduate and graduate education because of its hands-on, field-based approach and close-knit academic community.
M.Eng. biological and ecological engineering ’25
Blue Primary, Yellow Secondary
Her undergraduate experience delivered on that approach, with highlights including white-water rafting the Klamath River with Desirée Tullos, professor of biological and ecological engineering. “Not many people can say they did that through school,” Ammeraal said. “Being able to go out in the field and actually see what we were studying was a core part of applying what I learned and understanding how a career in this field could help drive pivotal and necessary changes needed to protect valuable ecological resources.”
Going deeper with the Master of Engineering
As she considered graduate school, Ammeraal knew she wanted more applied learning without committing to a research-heavy path. The first time she heard about the college’s accelerated master’s platform (AMP) — an academic track that create a path to a Master of Engineering (MEng) degree as soon as one year after receiving a bachelor’s degree — she knew it was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.
“Financially, it can be hard to continue on and pay for grad school,” she said. “The MEng degree was a good balance—more school, but still a clear path to quickly entering the workforce from an even stronger position.”
For a lot of students, that's what makes the MEng path a great option. It's built for engineers who want to quickly enter the market in a stronger position. As explained in our article, MEng vs. M.S. degree: what's the difference, the MEng is often completed in under a year, allowing graduates to quickly transition into higher-paying roles without the extended research commitment.
The MEng program Ammeraal chose in biological and ecological engineering allowed her to specialize in a way her undergrad degree couldn’t. “I wanted to get a deeper dive into ecological restoration, stream ecology, and geomorphology — things that are covered in undergrad, but not in as much detail as I craved.”
Specialized program options and course plans are another strength that makes the MEng degree worth it. This breadth gives students a wide range of opportunities to enter high‑demand specialties or pivot into new technical areas. Students can also choose from several transdisciplinary engineering and non-engineering elective courses that may align with their professional goals and interests.
Between her undergraduate and graduate studies, Ammeraal secured a competitive Department of Energy Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) at the University of California, Berkeley. “I wanted to try out the research path and see how I liked it,” she said. At Berkeley, she worked on cloud climatology in the Upper Colorado River Basin, using tools like Google Earth Engine and Python. “That experience really expanded my knowledge and helped me understand the potential roles I could pursue in both research and industry.”
An extra year that made all the difference
Back at OSU, her MEng coursework — including geomorphology field trips — proved invaluable. “Grad classes really opened my eyes to what’s actually happening beneath the surface,” she said. “They taught me how to ask more intentional questions about the decisions shaping our work and the reasoning behind them.”
Today, Ammeraal is a water resources project engineer at Matrix Design Group in Colorado. She works on river design projects, often driven by the need for bank stabilization and infrastructure protection, taking projects from concept through construction. “I really like that cradle-to-grave perspective and the opportunity to grow my engineering knowledge, whether by being involved in the design or modeling phases of a project or performing construction oversight,” she said.
Looking ahead, Ammeraal envisions managing her own team and advocating for natural design solutions. Her advice for students considering the MEng? "Don't let the idea of it being a grad program be daunting. Everyone is there to help you succeed. It's just an extra year. What's the worst that can happen?"
For Ammeraal, that extra year at OSU proved to be the perfect bridge between academic learning and a fulfilling career restoring rivers.
