For the first time in history, the Idaho Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors includes a female engineer.
Governor Brad Little selected accomplished civil engineering Associate Professor Sondra Miller to serve a five-year term on the board. Miller, the first female board member, serves a term that runs through 2027 and is a continuation of having a board member who represents the Boise State University College of Engineering to fulfill the academic board member position.
“More than being the first woman, it’s an honor to serve my profession and the integrity and service to the public to provide safety guidance and pathways for career advancement,” Miller said. “I hope this opens the path for other young women to serve the profession and opens the doors to show them they can accomplish milestones in their engineering careers while still upholding the value of their profession.”
Miller assumes the role at a time where STEM-related fields of study and the workforce do not currently reflect the diversity of the country. She joined the Idaho board as a licensed professional engineer with experience as an associate engineer for the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality for two years prior to joining Boise State as an adjunct professor.
The College of Engineering welcomed Miller in 2005, where she served in leadership roles both in her department and at the college level. Miller’s field of research is in the fate and transport of organic contaminants in natural and engineered systems. She currently oversees environmental engineering research areas such as water and wastewater treatment, and air quality and pollution. She is currently leading a number of research projects sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the City of Boise, and working with a startup company to create concrete with byproducts of recycled lithium batteries.
Miller teaches multiple courses for the College of Engineering including principles of environmental engineering, water and wastewater treatment design, contaminant transport, air pollution, engineering statics, and assists graduate students with thesis development.
In her role on the board, Miller will work alongside other board members to evaluate applications for professional engineers and land surveyors and investigate professional complaints and cases of misconduct, while focusing on fulfilling the academic position by reviewing international applicants to assess their knowledge and educational backgrounds to meet national and state standards.
“As a board member, I look forward to helping strengthen the support and quality of professional engineers and land surveyors across Idaho as we expand our reach and processes,” Miller said. “I look forward to expanding my reach as an engineer and upholding the integrity of engineering in Idaho to position the current and future generations for success in their desired careers.”