Meet Water Resources Engineer Emily Beacham

Favorite ecosystem:

My partner and I bought a house 2 years ago and our first ‘home project’ was the installation of a small pond in our urban backyard. It’s approximately the size of a very luxurious bathtub and is my favorite mini-ecosystem. It has been really fun to watch it develop over time and change through the seasons. This spring it received a lot of bird attention, which I loved.

Emily standing in the pond mid-build!

Favorite thing to do when not working:

I enjoy running, cooking, and reading and I listen to a lot of podcasts and audiobooks. I recently completed my first half-marathon, still TBD on whether or not it will be the last.  I am a vegetarian and a huge fan of cooking hearty soups.  I am always looking for new recipes for all vegetarian meals, so please send suggestions my way!!  My most read/listened genre for books is likely science fiction; although I’m trying to start consuming more nonfiction.

Stowe, Vermont, January 2023

I love to ski and scuba dive!  Even though I hated it at the time, I am very thankful that my parents taught me to ski as a child when falling mid-run was less terrifying.  Scuba diving is a newer hobby, I got certified in 2019 and passed the 30-dive milestone last year.

Most memorable experience in nature:

I’ve seen a number of nurse sharks while diving,  but they have always been sleeping/resting/hiding under rocks.  On a dive in Miami we had a nurse shark swimming around less than 10 feet from us – definitely a more intimidating experience when they’re moving!!

Cozumel, Mexico, May 2023. Emily is the one on the left in the full wetsuit.

Favorite book:

The Overstory by Richard Powers. 5 stars, 10/10 recommend.

Pets:

We have a small brown dog, named Dany. She has only fallen in the pond once and she hopes never to repeat the experience.

Dany standing next to the pond about 2 months post-construction.