George Mason ESP Alum Turned Volunteering into Environmental Career of National Impact

When Michelle Ryan, PhD Environmental Science and Policy ’15, first earned her bachelor’s degree in economics, a future in environmental science wasn’t even on the horizon. But volunteering to protect the environment, impactful mentorship, and her deep-rooted love for nature ultimately changed everything.

Michelle Ryan is an environmental program manager at Tetra Tech, a global consulting and engineering firm specializing in water, the environment, and sustainable infrastructure. In her role, she collaborates with clients such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to address pressing water issues from coastal erosion and sea level rise to clean drinking water access.

Her path into this field, however, was not straight nor conventional. 

Upon earning an economics undergraduate degree, Ryan began her career in government contracting, working on large-scale business system modernization and improving back-end IT business operations. Yet on evenings and weekends, Ryan spent her time volunteering in the outdoors.

“I had my day job, but I spent so much time volunteering at the National Aquarium in Baltimore or with the several river keeper organizations in the Chesapeake Bay watershed,” Ryan said. “I enjoyed what I was doing and the people I was meeting and began to wonder, ‘What do I really want to do next?’ I was curious if my volunteer work could be something I turned into a career because I loved it so much,” she explained.

Ryan began taking one class at a time at Virginia Tech Northern Virginia campus while continuing to work full time, eventually earning her master’s degree in natural resources. Her thesis explored the role of citizen science in contributing to water quality programs, especially how data supported metrics were used by the EPA and state-level agencies. Wanting to deepen her research, a PhD became the logical next step.

Ryan reached out to George Mason’s Department of Environmental Science and Policy (ESP) and spoke with Professor Dann Sklarew. That phone call, she says, changed everything.

“As soon as I joined the George Mason ESP program, Dann invited me to present my thesis at a conference in Baltimore,” Ryan said. “He also introduced me to a group of Occoquan boat owners dealing with a potentially invasive species of snails and asked if I could take a look.”

Her study of this snail species would become the core of her dissertation research.

“I can't thank Dann enough for answering that telephone call,” she said. “He made a world of difference. He helped me acquire research experience on the freshwater side, which is where my true interests were and is what propelled me to where I am today.”

Over the past two years, Ryan has continued to grow at Tetra Tech, taking on the additional role of Environmental Science National Practice Leader. In this capacity, she works with program managers and regional leaders across the country to identify new opportunities and align environmental operations for clients ranging from local municipalities to state agencies in the water sector.

Even after graduating in 2015, Ryan’s connection to George Mason has remained strong. She returned to the university as an educator, teaching both undergraduate and graduate-level courses in topics ranging from environmental policy to invasive species management.

“George Mason meets students where they are and embraces what they’re trying to do,” Ryan said. “When you come to George Mason, you join a vibrant community that makes it easy to contribute outside of your classes and get involved.”

Her commitment to that community extends far beyond the classroom. Ryan currently serves as president of the College of Science alumni chapter and co-founded the Mason Science Mentorship Program, which connects alumni with current students to support career development and life skills.

The program primarily focuses on undergraduates, but Ryan hopes to expand it to include graduate students—especially those balancing work, school, and family life like she once did.

“I love connecting with students and sharing what my experiences have meant to me and how I’ve gotten to where I am,” Ryan said. “I also make sure to share some of the pitfalls I’ve encountered, in hopes others can leapfrog over them and reach their goals a little faster than it took me.”

Outside of her work, Ryan continues to actively volunteer throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed and the mid-Atlantic region. She credits volunteerism with giving her early exposure to environmental work and with building her confidence.

“Volunteerism is a great way to try new things and see how you like them,” she said. “It helped me move past the initial nervousness of starting something new and strengthened my public speaking skills. It’s a space where you can strengthen different skillsets, meet like-minded people, and, if you don’t like it, you haven’t lost anything.”

For Ryan, that first step into volunteer work became a life-altering journey. Now, she hopes to help other scientists at George Mason find their own path.

Congratulations to Ryan who was named the 2025 College of Science Distinguished Alumni in recognition of her career and impact on the George Mason community.