Main Discipline(s):
Main Professional Societies:
Affiliation(s):
- Hydraulic Engineering
- American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
- American Water Works Association (AWWA)
- Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Wayne State University
- Director, Healthy Urban Waters, Wayne State University
I received all my degrees (BS, MS, PhD) from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Although, I note that I started my degree journey at Jackson Community College – and have found Community Colleges a great way to start and education at a great bargain.
My research is focused on water in urban settings – and my real passion is the Detroit metropolitan region. I research water in pipes, rivers, lakes, and underground (ground water). I’ve recently been very involved with the International Joint Commission (IJC), as U.S. Co-Chair of the Great Lakes Science Advisory Board. Working with the IJC has really increased my interest in the transboundary issues of waters connecting the U.S. and Canada. Specific topics of current research interest include: the cost of water, urban flooding, emerging contaminants in the Huron to Erie corridor, and hydraulic modeling.
I credit my parents with that – many years of traveling along the Great Lakes – camping, visiting waterfalls, boating, swimming, searching for petoskey stones, and hiking. I grew up in northwest Detroit and have a lifelong connection to it… explaining my research focus on metropolitan Detroit.
I’ve been increasing my interest in environmental justice concerns and would like to continue growing in that area. I also have really enjoyed partnerships with researchers from the health professions, and plan to expand those.
My dad, Don Pomering is my favorite engineer. Although maybe I better say my husband, Steve Miller, is my favorite engineer. : )
Dr. Steven Wright is probably my role model….he also was my PhD Advisor at UM and introduced me to physical models of hydraulic phenomena.
I love doing most anything outside…tennis, hiking, biking, skiing, gardening (not great at this).
I love reading poetry.
Nothing is better than spending time with my family, especially my 2 daughters.