Environmental engineering senior earns community impact award
Anjali Velamala is a senior double majoring in environmental engineering and applied math and is a 2025 recipient of the Community Impact Award from the College of Engineering and Applied Science. She is also being recognized by the Environmental Engineering Program as one of two Outstanding Graduate Award honorees.
What are your post-graduation plans?
I am planning to do a process engineering summer internship at a water treatment plant. Then I will be living in India for four months, traveling to many countries (Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Algeria, Ghana, South Africa) and then living in Europe for the rest of the year. After a year(ish) of traveling I plan to go to graduateschool, law school, or jumping into a career in engineering or consulting.
What is your favorite memory from your time at С Boulder?
This one was hard, but I would say finishing the ukulele I built from scratch in Bill Rumley's string instrument building class (through the art department). The moment I tuned it up and played it for the first time was so peaceful and satisfying.
What accomplishment are you most proud of, either academically or personally?
I’m most proud of the quiet, intentional rituals I’ve built around crafting a sustainable life. I'm proud of the first wooden spoon I carved in Marseille while visiting my aunt whose girlfriend is a luthier. That moment sparked a love for handmade objects.
Since then, I’ve spent countless hours expanding that craft. Many of the utensils in my kitchen—and in the kitchens of those I love—have been shaped by my hands. I eat off plates I sculpted and fired myself, sit on furniture I built, and read science nonfiction while my sourdough rises—made from a starter I’ve nurtured for six years.
These rituals aren’t just hobbies; they’re a reminder that sustainability isn’t just something I study—it’s something I live, one small, intentional act at a time.
When did you felt like you hit your stride or felt like you were “officially” an engineer.
I’m not sure I’ve ever had a moment where I thought, ‘I’m officially an engineer.’ For me, it’s in the small moments of problem solving where I really feel my knowledge show up. Recently, I was helping a friend study for a math exam for welding school, and as I looked at the questions, I realized how naturally the concepts came to me—and that now I'm in a position to teach them. It made me recognize that my knowledge has taken years to gain and I have learned so much more than I realize.
What is your biggest piece of advice for incoming engineering students?
I like to emphasize the importance of trying new things and building real community—values I truly embraced during college. One powerful experience was going to an African dance midterm one of my friends invited me to. Despite my nerves, stepping into that room changed me. The joy, openness, and support I felt gave me confidence and helped shift my mindset from individualism to community.
I took African Dance I and II after that experience.
Nii Armah Sowah, the professor, taught that while we can move fast alone, we go farther together. A quote from class stays with me: “A human being needs help.”
In a society that often encourages isolation, I found hope in knowing authentic community still exists. My advice to students: try new things with an open heart. Community will follow.
What experiences or qualities do you think led to you receiving the Community Impact Award?
I think receiving this award reflects my commitment to interdisciplinary learning and honoring the human side of engineering. My educational journey has been… less like a straight pipeline and more like a questionably-designed greywater recycling system—messy, looping, and beautifully sustainable.
Beyond my majors in environmental engineering and applied math and my art practices minor, I’ve explored everything from linguistics and biology to geology, computer science, business, and dance. I’ve come to believe that good engineering doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens through curiosity, collaboration, and care.
I value the liberal arts ideals that have shaped my thinking: asking better questions, listening closely, and making space for nuance. These values have guided my academic work, my community engagement, and my vision for how engineers can serve a more interconnected, just world.