Hello! My name is Michaela LaPatin, and I am a PhD candidate at the University of Texas at Austin. I am in the Construction Engineering and Project Management program in the Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering department.

My dissertation research focuses on rural Alaska water infrastructure management and the associated workforce challenges. My master’s thesis focused on engineering ethics education, which is a research area that I continue to pursue.

I earned my Master’s degree in Civil Engineering Sustainable Systems from UT Austin in 2021, and a dual Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and Management from Bucknell University in 2014. Between those degrees, I worked as an Assistant Project Manager for a general contractor and earned my Professional Engineering license in the State of North Carolina.

I love teaching—whether it is in a classroom or on a construction site. In fact, my primary motivator for enrolling in graduate school was to pursue teaching. I have had great opportunities to hone my teaching skills in the past few years, and I look forward to more. I am eager to share my excitement for infrastructure, communities, and learning with all of my future students.