By Emily Steele
Sometimes water is only a drizzle or a trickle, while other times it pours and floods, but it is always there in the background, a steady and vital resource for all our lives. A core University of Illinois Extension program area — natural resources, environment, and energy — connects communities with resources on everything from wildlife to water. Eliana Brown empowers people to do their part for clean water through her work as a water quality and stormwater specialist with Illinois Extension and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, and director of the Red Oak Rain Garden.
What do you specialize in, and what motivated you to start working in that area?
I’m a water quality and stormwater specialist. I grew up fishing, swimming, and playing in the creek near my childhood home, which sparked my love of water and inspired me to pursue a degree in environmental engineering. First-hand experience with flooding motivated me to help others learn strategies to minimize their flood risks by improving their properties.
Source : illinois.edu