Amber Spears

PhD Candidate in Civil Engineering at Jackson State University

I was always good at science and math, but it was an initiative called the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP) that really introduced me to the idea of a career in engineering. I won a scholarship to the University of Michigan’s College of Engineering after completing the Summer College Engineering Exposure Program (SCEEP) before my senior year of high school, and that set me on my present course.

Now, at Jackson State University, I’ve been researching how planting easy-to-grow and cost-efficient vetiver grass can mitigate soil erosion and shallow landslides during heavy rains. Not only is it cheaper than traditional solutions—which require heavy machinery to drive piles and build retaining walls, for example—it’s much more sustainable, since it can isolate CO2 from the atmosphere and store the carbon in the soil, while also absorbing heavy metals and other toxic materials.

In addition to my civil engineering work, I’ve always been interested in restorative justice and issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. I love an acronym I once read about, IDEA, which stands for Inclusion, Diversity, Excellence, and Advancement; you can’t have one without the others, and they all have to be put into action because otherwise, you’re just paying lip service to the concept. That interest actually ties into my civil engineering work: because vetiver grass is an economical and sustainable solution, it is one alternative for under-resourced and over-stressed communities that have increased exposure to natural hazards due to climate change.

Over the course of my studies, I’ve held both teaching and industry posts, and I’m very focused on practical, hands-on work. No matter where I go next, that will continue to be my focus, but my students will always come first, because they’re the key to the future.

I appreciate being a Faculty First-Look Fellow and want to especially mention Associate Professor Teresa Feroli, who oversees the program and made all of us welcome. I’ve known since I took part in DAPCEP that initiatives like these can be transformational.