Dr. Megan Harris
IGC FELLOW GRADUATE | Global Change Center
VT GRADUATE December 2025 • Civil and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests: systems modeling, hydrology, environmental modeling frameworks, equitable infrastructure, system interdependencies
Advisor: Dr. John Little
megstephh@vt.edu
Megan Harris
Dr. Megan Harris successfully defended her Ph.D. dissertation in December 2025. She is currently a Postdoctoral Research Scholar in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at North Carolina State University.
Megan was a Ph.D. student in the Environmental and Water Resources Engineering program at Virginia Tech, where she worked with Dr. John Little to develop systems-based modeling frameworks for complex watershed systems. Her research integrated environmental processes and institutional structures using systems modeling approaches. In particular, she applied model-based systems engineering and network modeling techniques to represent nutrient dynamics and interdependencies across the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
Megan earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin, where she double-majored in Environmental Engineering and Spanish within the Liberal Arts Honors Program. As an undergraduate, she worked on projects examine stormwater infrastructure adoption in Austin, watershed restoration strategies in Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, and the impacts of harmful algal blooms on recreation decisions in Lady Bird Lake.
Through the IGC program, Megan expanded her interdisciplinary perspective on environmental challenges and strengthened her skills in communicating complex scientific ideas to diverse audiences. She is also passionate about science outreach and mentorship, helping to lead the Girls on Outdoor Adventure for Leadership and Science (GALS) program, which introduces high school students to scientific research and outdoor field skills through immersive backpacking experiences.
Last updated March 2026.