Meet our Ducks Unlimited Fellows: a Q&A with Stevens Charles


Tell us about yourself: Where did you grow up? Where did you go to school?

My name is Stevens Charles and I was born in Port-au-Prince Haiti. I moved to Jacksonville at the age of two and went to Florida International University.

How’d you become interested in resilient infrastructure?

My interest in resilient infrastructure rose from my need to implement environmental engineering and civil engineering into one field. Throughout my undergraduate years, each environmental engineering class I took mostly focused on just wastewater treatment, and I felt like each civil engineering course only focused on man made infrastructure using steel and concrete. After being introduced to green infrastructure, I fell in love with the concept, in particular infrastructure that solves both environment/climatic problems along with urban problems using natural processes. With the current state of the nation’s declining infrastructure, I believe this is the future and I am glad that I can provide value in the advancement of green infrastructure.  

How does the Ducks Unlimited Graduate Fellowship fit into your goals?

Ducks Unlimited focuses on conserving and restoring habitats that can help both humans and wildlife, which is a value that I want to follow throughout my career. With similar values I feel like I can grow and learn while also helping Ducks Unlimited move closer to their goals.

What’s next for you?

As of right now, I know that I want to be involved with a water related field, though I’m not sure yet of the exact title. I hope that these next couple of years will help me decide on an exact path.

What are some potential projects you’d like to pursue during your fellowship?

Currently I am completing a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering. Spring 2023 is my first semester and I am still discussing my thesis with my major professor, Dr.Felix Luis Santiago Collazo.

As of right now, I hope to either work on the Henderson Creek project, or with the crevasse restoration in South Louisiana.  In terms of the crevasses, some of the questions that can be looked at include but are not limited to: the longevity of crevasses, how they impact the environment, and the impact of sedimentation and wetland development rates from crevasse restoration.

What’s the most exciting part of this fellowship for you?

The most exciting part of working with these projects is the novelty. Each day I can go in and have a chance to learn something new. Green infrastructure/resilient infrastructure is a newer field so there is always a possibility to see things from a different point of view.

What’s the most challenging part of this fellowship for you?

The most challenging thing as of right now comes more from simply being a graduate student. This is my first semester as a graduate student and I am going through the transition phase of learning how to balance different aspects of my life.

This graduate assistantship was funded thanks to our partners at Ducks Unlimited.