A Social Justice Engineer, Positive Deviant, Scholar Activist, Consultant
Creating connections across industries to
revolutionize
engineering practices and change communities.
The just and equitable way.
This is me
My name is Maya Elizabeth Carrasquillo (or Maya E. for short). I'm an interdisciplinary trained environmental engineer focused on researching, educating, and implementing just and equitable solutions to address systemic issues connected to critical infrastructure in Black and Brown communities. I work across sectors, disciplines and industries and focus on bridging connections, and gaps in current practices to re-imagine how we conduct engineering and to improve the quality of life in and with communities influenced by the systems we create.
I'm currently an Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at University of California, Berkeley and the Principal Investigator of J.E.D.I. (L)ab.
Management Consulting Writing
Scholarship and Activism
Speaking Water Systems Management
Redesigning Systems of Critical Infrastructure
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Critical Race Theory & Environmental Justice
Creative Interdisciplinary Solutions
I create & consult on projects that engage individuals, communities and systems towards collaborative solutions.
Social justice and engineering are treated like oil and water, when they should be treated like cookies and milk! Social justice engineering is the merging of humanities concepts with engineering applications, as a way to solve some of the world's most pressing issues. Interdisciplinary research in engineering that connects to the non-STEM disciplines, is an opportunity to create lasting impact for communities, in the areas that matter most to them, including heath, education, safety, arts, music, and so much more!
I identify as a hybrid professional or a generalist. Engineering is all about creative problem solving. My way of doing this is by creating connections and building bridges (figuratively) between people and disciplines to develop the most creative and holistic solutions to some of the most pressing problems. I should also emphasize that while we work towards collaborative solutions, I focus on the process of identifying gaps, and understanding history, culture and people to develop targeted and relevant solutions in the appropriate context. My approach shifts from the attempt to develop a standardized model and focuses mostly on applying the process.
I love building new connections and partnering with new organizations! Whether to speak, mentor, consult or to befriend :) I believe that through the challenging and uncomfortable spaces of connecting people and ideas that often don't mix, the best solutions are on the other side of reconciliation, when we can get there together!
Clients &
Collaborations
Some of the businesses, and organizations I have previously or currently collaborate with representing various sectors including community organizations, non-profits, academia, and private industry.
Recent Blog Posts
![Walk Out [in deep water]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/390380_4027bc072ac541869fa05551c96972d9~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_292,h_292,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/390380_4027bc072ac541869fa05551c96972d9~mv2.jpg)
