Uniting
Research and Policy

Samantha Volkmeier is a second-year MPP student at the Harris School of Public Policy from St. Paul, Minnesota. Her policy interests include transportation and energy decarbonization, management and protection of natural resources, and environmental justice.

Before arriving at the University of Chicago, Samantha worked as a Research Associate at the Institute for Defense Analyses in Alexandria, VA. There, she primarily supported the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of SAFETY Act Implementation, providing technical evaluations of the capability and effectiveness of anti-terrorism technologies.

Samantha holds a Bachelor of engineering in environmental engineering with a minor in ecological engineering from the University of Minnesota. During her undergraduate studies, Samantha served as the President of University of Minnesota section of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE).  SWE is an international professional society and nonprofit organization that provides resources for and advocates for women in engineering and technology. Samantha has been an active member for more than seven years; she served a term as the President of the Baltimore-Washington professional section of SWE, and she is currently serving as Mentorship Chair for the Chicago-Regional professional section.