By Monica Cooney
Aleena Siddiqui, a rising junior with a double major in materials science and engineering and environmental and sustainability studies, has received the 2024 Udall Scholar award, which recognizes future leaders in environmental, Tribal public policy, and health care fields.
The prestigious award, which is conferred by the Udall Foundation, honors the legacies of Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall, whose careers had a significant impact on Native American self-governance, health care, and the stewardship of public lands and natural resources. Siddiqui is Carnegie Mellon University’s first Udall Scholar since 2009.
“I’m honored and thankful to have received this scholarship,” says Siddiqui. “It’s a very tangible culmination of my experiences at CMU that have supplemented my education in the classroom.”
Siddiqui is passionate about the research and development of ethical material manufacturing to create infrastructure that can have a positive impact on our environments.
“I found engineering to be a field where I could create solutions that are rooted in sustainable practices to address issues of environmental injustice that disproportionately affect marginalized communities,” Siddiqui says. “I decided to add an additional major of environmental and sustainability studies to center my education around doing ethically responsible work for the people and the planet.”
View the complete article on the CMU College of Engineering website.