Katie Trevor is an Environmental Scientist with Tetra Tech Coffey based in Sydney, Australia. Based within our Site Assessment and Remediation team she commenced as a graduate in 2022.
What drove you to specialise in the area of Contaminated Land?
After graduating university, I knew I had a special interest in the interaction between people and their environment. The contaminated land industry became an obvious next step for me to investigate how sites have changed over time and to contribute to their remediation, while getting my hands ‘a little dirty’ at the same time.
You have only just started out in your career; do you have a highlight project so far?
I’ve had involvement in many interesting projects, but one highlight would have to be participation in the groundwater monitoring program associated with the Western Sydney Airport Station Boxes Tunnelling works. On this project I’ve been able to hone my sampling and data interpolation skills while contributing to a huge and exciting infrastructure project.
Has there been any one particular thing that has surprised you since you commenced work?
The variability of the work in the contamination land field – everyday there is a different task in front of you which presents new opportunities for challenges and learning. No two projects or sites are ever the same, so the work never becomes dull or boring!
What is your hope for women entering your field/where do you see the future of your field heading?
Early in my career I had the misconception that the contaminated land industry was a traditionally male-dominated sector, but I was pleasantly surprised to find this is not the case and there are more women in the field and in leadership.
Working at Tetra Tech I am surrounded by many experts who are experienced, supportive female colleagues, and we are continually looking at opportunities for providing mentorship or development. I hope that anyone who enjoys working outside and has an interest in environmental science considers joining the industry, as there’s potential for increased diversity of all kinds in the future.