Graduate Program in Public Policy Alumni Profiles
Margaret Cook
Summer 2013 Archer Fellow
Internship: Department of Energy, Office of Policy and International Affairs
Education
The University of Texas at Austin
B.S. Civil Engineering; May 2011
The University of Texas at Austin
M.S. Environmental Engineering, M.P.A. Public Affairs; December 2014
The University of Texas at Austin
Ph.D. Civil Engineering; December 2018
Career
Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Texas at Austin
Summer 2013 Archer Fellow
Internship: Department of Energy, Office of Policy and International Affairs
Education
The University of Texas at Austin
B.S. Civil Engineering; May 2011
The University of Texas at Austin
M.S. Environmental Engineering, M.P.A. Public Affairs; December 2014
The University of Texas at Austin
Ph.D. Civil Engineering; December 2018
Career
Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Texas at Austin
“My experience as an Archer Fellow made me a more versatile engineer and better suited to systems engineering positions that involve looking beyond the technical aspects into the policy and social implications.”
Q & A with Margaret
Please tell us more about your current position.
In my current work as a graduate research assistant, I am completing my dissertation on reducing total fresh water use in areas of energy extraction through policy, technology, and economic levers. My research involves water modeling, policy and economic analyses, and quite a lot of reading and writing.
What has been your general career path?
Most of my time since my undergraduate degree has been in academia. However, I have paused a few times to work in a few different settings. I interned in the Texas Legislature as an Energy Policy Analyst for Rep. Drew Darby before working at the Department of Energy as an Archer Fellow. I spent some time working for Austin Energy as a Municipal Program Professional and Apache, Corp. as a Water Systems Engineer.
How has being an Archer Fellow influenced your professional path and goals?
My experience as an Archer Fellow made me a more versatile engineer and better suited to systems engineering positions that involve looking beyond the technical aspects into the policy and social implications.
What do you value the most about your experience as an Archer Fellow?
I value the experience of working in policy research in D.C. and the friendships I made with other Archer Fellows as well as my fellow interns. Learning more about policy development while surrounded by those entities was more impactful than any previous policy class I took. The work I completed at the Department of Energy is featured in a technical report that was published the next year.
What was the most important thing you learned as an Archer Fellow?
I learned what a career in energy and water research could look like for me after I finish my Ph.D. It's not the path I am currently pursuing, but it is an option I could think about in the future.
What do you value the most about being an Archer Alumna?
I value the collaborative nature of the community of alumni. My class of Archer Fellows is very supportive of each other’s accomplishments. We also encourage each other to support the next classes of Archer Fellows to ensure they get as great or better experience of their time in D.C.
What is your favorite memory from the program?
I enjoyed the conversations I shared with my fellow Archer Fellows and friends I made in D.C. that helped me learn from their disparate disciplines, backgrounds, and experiences. Many of these conversations coincided with great adventures around D.C. that included kayaking, bike rides, hiking, food, and festivals. We made it a point to walk as much as we could on the weekends. I think that helped us take in a lot of the city.
Do you have advice for prospective students?
Do it. You'll get an amazing internship experience and learning opportunity, both in class and from your classmates. And you'll also have plenty of time to explore and take in so much of the exciting things about our nation's capital. You'll also likely leave with some great new friends.
Please tell us more about your current position.
In my current work as a graduate research assistant, I am completing my dissertation on reducing total fresh water use in areas of energy extraction through policy, technology, and economic levers. My research involves water modeling, policy and economic analyses, and quite a lot of reading and writing.
What has been your general career path?
Most of my time since my undergraduate degree has been in academia. However, I have paused a few times to work in a few different settings. I interned in the Texas Legislature as an Energy Policy Analyst for Rep. Drew Darby before working at the Department of Energy as an Archer Fellow. I spent some time working for Austin Energy as a Municipal Program Professional and Apache, Corp. as a Water Systems Engineer.
How has being an Archer Fellow influenced your professional path and goals?
My experience as an Archer Fellow made me a more versatile engineer and better suited to systems engineering positions that involve looking beyond the technical aspects into the policy and social implications.
What do you value the most about your experience as an Archer Fellow?
I value the experience of working in policy research in D.C. and the friendships I made with other Archer Fellows as well as my fellow interns. Learning more about policy development while surrounded by those entities was more impactful than any previous policy class I took. The work I completed at the Department of Energy is featured in a technical report that was published the next year.
What was the most important thing you learned as an Archer Fellow?
I learned what a career in energy and water research could look like for me after I finish my Ph.D. It's not the path I am currently pursuing, but it is an option I could think about in the future.
What do you value the most about being an Archer Alumna?
I value the collaborative nature of the community of alumni. My class of Archer Fellows is very supportive of each other’s accomplishments. We also encourage each other to support the next classes of Archer Fellows to ensure they get as great or better experience of their time in D.C.
What is your favorite memory from the program?
I enjoyed the conversations I shared with my fellow Archer Fellows and friends I made in D.C. that helped me learn from their disparate disciplines, backgrounds, and experiences. Many of these conversations coincided with great adventures around D.C. that included kayaking, bike rides, hiking, food, and festivals. We made it a point to walk as much as we could on the weekends. I think that helped us take in a lot of the city.
Do you have advice for prospective students?
Do it. You'll get an amazing internship experience and learning opportunity, both in class and from your classmates. And you'll also have plenty of time to explore and take in so much of the exciting things about our nation's capital. You'll also likely leave with some great new friends.
