FER Profile: Terrie Litzenberger

Terrie Litzenberger is the Program Coordinator and Senior Lecturer in the Environmental Technology and Management Program within the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University.  She has been teaching three laboratories; Water Quality, Indoor Air Quality and Plants Soils and Natural Systems as well as advising and mentoring undergraduate students for almost 20 years.   Before coming to North Carolina State University, she was employed as Laboratory Director of a full-service environmental laboratory as well as involved in environmental consulting for over 15 years.  Her experience allows for the application of modern environmental field and lab equipment and technologies in her teaching.

What is your favorite course to teach?

I love teaching all my courses, but my favorite by far is Water Quality Lab.  I enjoy teaching students how to use equipment in the lab and field that professionals use to monitor water quality.  Once the results are obtained, I like to teach how to interpret and communicate data that have been measured.

How did you get into your field?

Since a small child, I have always been interested in natural sciences.  I later became interested in health sciences and environmental chemistry especially lab and field monitoring. After College, I was fortunate to work in environmental testing and consulting for many years before coming to teach at NCSU.

What is most exciting about your position?

It is most exciting when I am contacted by Alumni that I have taught, mentored and advised about their current professions and their career success.

What led you to teaching at NC State?

After leaving the environmental consulting industry, I came to work at NCSU at the Center for Applied Aquatic Ecology doing research and water testing. Later was approached by Ted Shear to contract teach a Water Quality Lab in the newly established Environmental Technology program at that time the Department of Forestry.  I enjoyed teaching and loved the students and the program and my experience in this field was a good fit for what the program needed.

What advice would you give students interested in your field of study?

There are a multitude of valuable experiences through internships, undergraduate research and volunteer services. Don’t be intimidated to talk to people and to seek these out.    If you are unsure of your future path in the environmental industry, seek out a range of experiences that include field work, lab work, data collection, report writing, etc.  It takes a lot of self-reflection and experiences to determine your future career path.

We heard you are retiring this year. Congratulations! What are your plans for retirement?

I plan to garden and to do some crafts as well as to work on home projects.  I also hope to be able to do some traveling to visit family in the pacific northwest.