Alison Wood

Dr. Alison Wood is an Associate Professor of Sustainability at Olin College of Engineering, with a focus on interdisciplinary approaches to sustainability challenges and educational system transformation. She currently serves as Director of Olin’s Grand Challenges Scholars Program and leads the Sustainability concentration within the Engineering major.

• Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin
• M.S. in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering from UT Austin
• B.S. in Civil Engineering from Rutgers University
• A.B. in Dramatic Literature from Harvard University

Her research integrates theater-inspired methodologies into engineering education to foster civic engagement and envision equitable futures, as demonstrated in her Constructive Dissent for Educational Change project. She actively contributes to strategic planning initiatives and workshop development.

Recent publications highlight her work at the intersection of education reform, sustainability, and systems thinking. Key themes include eco-sanitation adoption (2017), decentralized wastewater economics (2016), and liberal arts integration in engineering curricula (2020).

Dr. Wood previously worked professionally in theater and music before transitioning to engineering. She has collaborated with Engineers Without Borders and serves on the Engineering Change Lab USA programming committee.