Elissa Foster, E.S.E. 2016

The comprehensive education and experience Elissa Foster received in the Environmental Science and Engineering doctoral program made her an expert in environmental sustainability. Her dissertation on product life cycle assessment and usage in the apparel industry gave her skills to evaluate environmental effects of textile and apparel industries, including raw material extraction, knitting and weaving, dyeing, manufacturing, distribution, usage, disposal and recycling. Now, as a senior manager of product responsibility for Patagonia, Foster is responsible for developing sustainable strategies at the apparel company. Her challenge is to consider how the company can continue to make great products — apparel, equipment, and accessories ­— to satisfy high demand while reducing environmental impact.