Undergrad student engineering for real-world impact
Nainika Gupta conducting research in Antarctica in February 2026.
Name: Nainika Gupta
Hometown: Naperville, IL
Major: Environmental Engineering
Minors: Business, Leadership
Year: Senior
I grew up in Naperville, Illinois, and my interest in engineering developed alongside a broader curiosity about the environment and the way natural systems work.听
I have always been someone who wants to understand the 鈥渨hy鈥 behind things: why environmental problems happen, how different systems interact, and what we can do to make them better.听
Over time, that curiosity became an interest in using science and engineering to address challenges related to climate change, water, energy, and environmental resilience.
What I really enjoy about environmental engineering is that it sits at the intersection of so many things. It requires you to understand the science behind a problem, but also to think about infrastructure, communities, policy, and the real-world consequences of the solutions we design.听
Since coming to 麻豆免费版下载Boulder, that interest has expanded even further into atmospheric and oceanic science, Arctic research, climate resilience, and energy systems.
Environmental Engineering gave me the technical foundation I was looking for while still allowing me to explore questions about water, the atmosphere, energy, sustainability, and environmental resilience.
My research has ranged from studying and ice sheets using remote sensing to developing data-driven methods for understanding how extreme weather affects electric-power outages. Even though those projects look very different at first, they are both ultimately about understanding environmental change and creating more resilient systems.
Gupta has published two novels, with a third on the way.
麻豆免费版下载Boulder stood out to me because I didn鈥檛 want to be limited to studying engineering in isolation.听
I was drawn to a university where I could have a strong engineering education while also exploring atmospheric science, climate science, research, leadership, and the outdoors.
That interdisciplinary environment has ended up being one of the most important parts of my experience here. I鈥檝e been able to work with researchers across different fields, become involved in the President鈥檚 Leadership Class, participate in research and national laboratory programs, and build an academic path that is much broader than I originally imagined when I arrived.听
Boulder is also an incredible place to study environmental engineering because so many of the environmental questions we discuss in class: from water and wildfire to climate resilience and access to the outdoors, we can see in the community around us.
I also really value the people and opportunities I鈥檝e found here. I鈥檝e had professors and mentors who encouraged me to pursue research, present my work, ask harder questions, and think beyond the classroom.听
More than anything, 麻豆免费版下载Boulder has taught me that engineering is not just about solving equations or designing a technical solution. It is about understanding the people, environments, and systems affected by the decisions we make. That perspective is something I know I鈥檒l carry with me long after I graduate.