• STEM Hero Awards •

As a Research Environmental Engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the Engineer Research and Development Center in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Dr. Edith Martinez-Guerra is passionate about water chemistry. She has been instrumental in the research and development of a mobile grey water treatment system that can remove 99% of contaminants and total suspended solids.  This system is encased in a small, easily deployable, simply operated and maintained trailer adaptable even to the most remote and rugged locations that require clean, potable water.

Dr. Martinez-Guerra is a subject matter expert in environmental engineering.  Her skills as a civil engineer, as well as her fluency in Spanish, allowed her to contribute greatly to relief efforts when she volunteered for deployment to Puerto Rico in the wake of the devastation of Hurricane Maria. Her experience with disaster relief led her to the opportunity to join Army missions to Latin America and the Caribbean to discuss USACE relief efforts and methods with local military officials.

Her scientific acumen is demonstrated by the innumerable technical publications, reports, book chapters, and conference papers she has authored and co-authored. Her talent has been recognized with numerous awards including the ERDC Outstanding Team Effort Award, the American Society of Civil Engineering Young Engineer of the Year 2017 Award, and membership in Bagley College of Engineering Student Hall of Fame.

Among her many professional affiliations, Dr. Martinez-Guerra is a distinguished member of the American Chemical Society, ASCE, SHPE, the International Honor Society Phi Theta Kappa, and the Society of Women Engineers where she helps inspire young girls to pursue careers in STEM.  

Born in El Salvador and raised by her grandparents there, Dr. Martinez-Guerra joined her parents in the U.S. when she was 15.  She overcame the difficulties of a new country and a new language to excel in her high school studies and become part of the National Honor Society. She received her B.S. in Civil Engineering from Arkansas State University and went on to earn both an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering-Environmental from Mississippi State University.