Before she started shaping a greener future for Washington, D.C., Andrea Herrera Krug tried to find her footing in a new country. She arrived from La Paz, Bolivia, in 2011—full of hope but facing the unknown: new culture, language and expectations. What she didn’t expect was that she’d find more than just an education at UDC. She found a community that believed in her.
Between 2014 and 2015, Krug earned a Master of Science in water resources management, graduating magna cum laude. The program’s focus on sustainability and practical application spoke to her values, but it was the hands-on experience that truly stood out. As a graduate research assistant, she helped lead projects that combined design, implementation and community outreach.
“That experience shaped how I approach my work now,” she said. “It wasn’t just theory—we were making real changes in the field.”
Today, Krug, who holds a professional engineering license, a flood plain management certification and is a certified Chesapeake Bay landscape professional, is an environmental engineer at the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE). Her responsibilities include reviewing stormwater, erosion control and landscape design plans to ensure they meet the District’s environmental standards.
She also leads the city’s Green Area Ratio Program, which promotes sustainable site design and helps reduce runoff. Her work extends beyond the technical aspect. Krug collaborates across multiple agencies—including D.C. Public Schools, the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Office of Planning and Zoning—to help integrate sustainable solutions across the city’s infrastructure. In addition, she contributes to policy development, mentors junior staff and is active in efforts to promote environmental justice throughout the District.
Krug says much of her confidence and direction traces back to UDC and the mentors who believed in her and supported her. One of the first was Dwane Jones, dean of the College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability, and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES) and Land-Grant Programs. He saw her potential early on and helped her land a key internship that launched her professional path.
“Andrea brought a rare combination of scientific rigor and heartfelt commitment to environmental sustainability,” Jones said. “Through the Professional Science Master’s Program (PSM), she not only deepened her expertise but also emerged as a leader ready to take on real-world challenges.”
Krug’s story is one of many to emerge from CAUSES, which has become a national model for urban sustainability education. Through CAUSES, students work on projects ranging from green roof installation to real-time water monitoring in D.C. streams. The college combines academic training with applied research and community outreach, addressing pressing issues like climate resilience, food access and water quality—especially in underserved urban areas. Its Land-Grant mission emphasizes local impact, ensuring that students like Krug don’t just learn theory—they put it into practice in the neighborhoods that need it most.
Krug also found strong mentorship from Professor Tolessa Deksissa, who taught her about water quality and urban systems. Deksissa also serves as director of UDC’s Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI), a nationally recognized leader in applied water research and student training. Under his leadership, WRRI has funded more than 40 research projects and trained over 90 undergraduate and graduate students, many of whom have gone on to present at conferences and publish in peer-reviewed journals.
The Institute manages the District’s only nationally accredited Environmental Quality Testing Laboratory, offering students like Krug hands-on experience with real-world water and soil testing—skills directly tied to pressing issues like stormwater runoff, emerging contaminants and public health.
“The PSM program is crafted to transform potential into power by equipping students with both technical and interpersonal skills for the real world,” Deksissa said. “Andrea's journey at UDC highlights the transformative impact of mentorship and the rigorous, hands-on approach of our PSM program. This embodies our educational mission—nurturing both mind and aspiration.”
Krug traces her technical foundation in hydrology and hydraulics to Professor Pradeep Behera, whose detailed, systems-based instruction helped her understand the movement of water through urban environments. The course explores the behavior of stormwater under different land use conditions, modeling runoff and analyzing how infrastructure interacts with natural flow—concepts she now applies when reviewing development plans and advising on citywide stormwater management.
Professor Rebecca Stack introduced her to stream restoration and low-impact development (LID), emphasizing nature-based solutions to urban water challenges. Through that class, Krug learned how design elements like bioswales, rain gardens and green roofs can reduce runoff, filter pollutants and restore ecological balance in degraded watersheds. Those early lessons ignited her passion for sustainable infrastructure—and foreshadowed the work she would one day lead as part of D.C.’s Green Area Ratio Program.
When asked what advice she’d give to current or future UDC students, Krug doesn’t hesitate. “UDC is more than a university—it’s a community. Study hard, stay curious and don’t wait for opportunities—make your own. Talk to your professors. They’re not just here to teach you; they want to help you grow.”
Krug’s journey from student to environmental leader reflects UDC's broader mission: to educate, empower and elevate the next generation of changemakers.