"Water issues are a top concern of mine. I grew up in the dessert on the Rio Grande and later worked to eradicate water borne diseases in Sub-Sahel, West Africa with the U.S. Peace Corps. Unlike many of the desert areas where I've lived, Pittsburgh is in an ideal position to take control of the health of its surrounding rivers. Through education, research and action I hope that the people of Allegheny County will increase its awareness and its responsibility to restore and protect the Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela Rivers.

Currently my continued environmental efforts now surface through my research assistantship at 3R2N. 3R2N pulls people from around the United States to study and communicate the conditions of the rivers. Working here exposes me to people from diverse professions and practices. Despite the differences in our disciplines we share a common interest in the environment and are unified by our concern for the rivers.

I am also interested in the outputs of 3R2N. 3R2N's work reaches the academicians and beyond. The multi-disciplinary approach of 3R2N expands the awareness, perspectives and outcomes for both participants and stakeholders and offers a greater potential to address the general public in meaningful ways. I am fortunate to be apart of 3R2N and its work. I hope that the residents in the proximity of the three rivers can also learn from it and the supplemental response of the areas organizations tied to improving the quality of our nation's precious water sources."

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Maria Barron doing field work on the river

Maria Elena Barron

Research Assistant
Geographic Information Systems
Riverbank & Botany Database

M.S. Public Policy & Management, 2001
H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy & Management
Carnegie Mellon University