Tchelet Segev (18 MEng 18) graduated from MIT in civil and environmental engineering. She had always aspired to become the UN secretary-general. Since then, she has added many other dream jobs to her list. She laughs, "I applied to NASA to be an astronaut"Segev's global interests are not surprising considering her upbringing in Israel, South Korea, Taiwan and Israel. She completed three projects with the MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives and MIT D-Lab in the summer following graduation. These projects dealt with environmental and health problems in Italy, South Africa and Puerto Rico. She has also learned a new appreciation for domestic problems in her current position as a project engineer with the United States Forest Service.Segev was responsible for the restoration of California's Powerhouse Fire, which ravaged 30,000 acres. This was her first assignment with Forest Service. She was also responsible for overseeing large-scale projects to rebuild roads and campgrounds, as well as monitoring invasive species, building new fire stations, and preparing for future fires.Segev states that climate change must be considered in any project. I think about flooding when I am thinking about infrastructure. Or choosing a material that can withstand extreme weather conditions.Segev's thesis at MIT was about analyzing drinking water quality in Maine with the Passamaquoddy tribe government. This work cemented her interest and passion for the collaborative management natural resources. She says she was able to manage people and projects in leadership roles at MIT, including the Undergraduate Association and International Development House.Now, she manages trailhead construction and environmental rehabilitation projects in Alaska's wilderness. Two years of hard work has paid off and one of her main projects is now in construction. Portage Curve Multimodal Connector, which spans eight miles, will add four trailheads and other features that connect to the 120-mile Southern Trek section on the Iditarod National Historical Trail.She says that being able to travel in an area so unexplored and still have bears and glaciers around is amazing. It is a wonderful place to live and work.
