Major: M.S. in Environmental Engineering

Class: 2005

For years, Steve Botic worked as a foreman for a concrete coating company until health concerns made him reconsider that career.

"I began suffering from the effects of overexposure to highly volatile coatings," said Botic. "The symptoms became so severe I was hospitalized due to reduced lung capacity."

He began researching regulations only to find very few that protect people with sensitivities to chemicals. After some soul searching and career research, Botic decided to pursue a master's degree in environmental engineering at MSOE.

"I was determined to apply my knowledge to real-life situations that could benefit workers like me who were exposed to these little-known hazards on a daily basis."

For his master's capstone project, Botic studied workers' exposures to dangerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) off-gassed from products used during construction, such as caulk, paint and flooring. Many of which are classified as hazardous air pollutants that could pose serious health problems. His study was part of a larger project headed by faculty member Dr. Carol Diggelman, funded by National Science Foundation and Wisconsin's Focus on Energy program.

Botic then developed a tool to evaluate products for performance, cost and toxicity, making it possible to select those that are less harmful but work as effectively.

Botic, who now works as an environmental engineer, has presented his research several times, including in June at the International Conference on Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies at Coventry University, England.