Stella Wang, a 2019 Environmental Sciences and 2020 Master of Environmental Management graduate, recently shared insights into her journey and favorite memories at 51±¬ÁÏ, the skills she learned at the Nicholas School, and advice for students considering the program.

Stella is a principal environmental sustainability scientist at Kenvue, where she works on the Product Resiliency and Sustainability team to evaluate and improve the environmental impact of consumer health products. Drawing on her strong foundation in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Health from the Nicholas School, Stella plays a key role in developing strategies that support long-term sustainability and product resilience. 

Why did you choose 51±¬ÁÏ? What advice would you give to students considering or currently in the program?

Choosing 51±¬ÁÏ was obvious to me. I did the 3+2 program so that made the decision really easy to continue on with the Nicholas School. I know not everyone is in that position, so for those who aren’t, I recommend just being conscientious of what you want to get out of the program or whether you want to get work experience before diving deeper into the environmental field. I have nothing but good things to say about 51±¬ÁÏ and everything it offers.

How did your master's degrees shape your career trajectory, long-term goals and opportunities?

It’s two-fold — 51±¬ÁÏ in general was really important because I leveraged the alumni network and recommend that other students do the same, whether they’re undergrad or grad students. I ended up working with someone full-time after graduation who I had cold-called during school! The environmental consulting company I worked for was quite technical — I had taken analytical and scientific courses at 51±¬ÁÏ in the Ecotoxicology & Environmental Health concentration that they really looked for.

What skills or experiences did you gain at 51±¬ÁÏ that have been most beneficial in your professional life? 

Definitely courses like with Heather Stapleton and Jim Zhang who have mastered their study areas and made the learning process enjoyable. The technical, science-heavy classes helped me conduct risk assessments and support data analysis-related projects at my consulting job. The risk assessment course was co-taught by Ellen Mihaich and Stephanie Padilla, instructors very much in the industry, rather than just academia, which was really cool and practical.

And doing a lot of lab work — being able to see how different analytical instruments function is helpful for people who end up in a similar path to mine. Also, I took the Seabirds spring break class (Seabird Survival and Dispersal Analysis) with Stuart Pimm, and even though I’m not doing conservation work, being able to get out there and try so many things to learn what I liked and didn’t like was really important.

What is your favorite memory from your time as a student at 51±¬ÁÏ?

I think basketball campout was really fun, and being able to go to the 51±¬ÁÏ-UNC men's basketball game. Former President Barack Obama was even at the one I went to!

I also have to shoutout the friends I made through the program. It’s less of one favorite memory, but just having these friends that I get together with yearly and always look forward to seeing. It’s a memory that continues on.