No two days are the same for Marica Thomas, whose work with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality ranges from planning for healthier waterways to creating maps and easy-to-use tools that help people learn about water quality.

A 2021 graduate of the College of Natural Resources, Thomas currently serves as the lead basin planner for the White Oak and Lumber rivers in North Carolina. Working with the Division of Water Resources, her work is dedicated to fostering stakeholder and community engagement relationships and initiatives.

During her time in the college, Thomas majored in environmental sciences with a concentration in sustainability and a minor in political science. In further pursuing her passion for sustainability, she served as a sustainability officer for the Wolf Village Council. 

Thomas also served as a Social Innovation Fellow, collaborating with NC Sea Grant to address North Carolina waterways’ plastic pollution issues by creating an app that allows residents to report spotted pollution and organize debris clean-ups.

After receiving her bachelor’s degree, Thomas continued her education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She earned a master’s degree in environmental sciences and engineering in 2023, strengthening her expertise in water quality and environmental planning.

In the following Q&A, Thomas discusses her day-to-day responsibilities at the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, how her time at NC State prepared her for the role and her advice for students entering the environmental field.

What is a typical day in your job like?

Marica Thomas: A typical day as a basin planner varies depending on the time of year and where my team and I are in the basin plan development process. Sometimes the focus may be reviewing grant proposals, making substantial progress on a specific basin plan chapter, creating infographics, developing StoryMaps, or, most recently, making updates to the newly anticipated Statewide Water Quality PowerBI Dashboard.  

What inspired you to study environmental sciences?

Thomas: For me, studying environmental sciences felt like a personal responsibility. My primary motivation in becoming an environmental scientist was to support a healthy environment, clean water and good public health — three things we often cannot have without the other.

Although there’s a lot of work to be done in the field, environmental science can also be practiced on an individual level. This means, despite the political atmosphere, as a human being, I can still always choose to be an advocate for the environment.

What impact are you making through your position?

Thomas: Through my position as a basin planner, my team and I are responsible for creating comprehensive basin-wide water resource management plans (basin plans) for each of the 17 river basins in North Carolina.

These plans are designed to inform the public, state/local agencies, researchers and other stakeholders about water quality/quantity issues, permitting information, non-point source pollution assessments, recommendations for best management practices and much more. The overall goal is to help protect and improve water quality/quantity across the state. 

How did the college prepare you for your current position?

Thomas: I would say the college primarily helped prepare me by creating a foundation of confidence in my skillsets. Thankfully, with the amount of research experience and course work that focused on project development, proficient writing skills and analytical analysis, it was not a challenge for those experiences and skills gained to translate into the real world.

What advice do you have for current College of Natural Resources students?

Thomas: My best advice would be to become an initiator, an explorer and a relationship-builder. I’ve found these three qualities have been the biggest positive contributors to my professional career. They can help propel you and expose you to new things, opportunities and ideas.

When it comes to networking and building relationships — whether you’re outgoing or more reserved — initiating conversations and getting to know new people can open doors you may have never had access to otherwise. Be curious, explore your interests and connect with others.