Lauryn Spearing

Lauryn is an Assistant Professor in the Civil, Materials, and Environmental Department at the University of Illinois Chicago. She grew up in Houston, TX. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with her bachelors in Civil Engineering, she worked as a roadway design engineer in Dallas, TX. She went back to UT Austin to get her masters and doctorate. Outside of work, Lauryn enjoys hiking with her husband and dog, Reggie, and trying new food. 

Her research interests include infrastructure system management during uncertain contexts (e.g., disasters, pandemics) and improving the level of water services received by end-users (e.g., water access in underserved communities). She uses a systems thinking approach, involving both qualitative and quantitative methods, to understand complex problems at the intersection of technical, social, and natural systems.