Client Spotlight: Delia Massey, Project Engineer for Aspect Consulting, LLC

For Delia Massey, Project Engineer for Aspect Consulting, LLC, a leading environmental, water resources and geotechnical consulting firm based in the Pacific Northwest, the opportunity to apply her chemistry expertise for solutions toward preserving our environment has been satisfying. While her initial focus upon graduation was aimed toward aquatic chemistry, it wasn’t until later, when she learned about environmental engineering, that she found her true career path.  

“My undergraduate studies focused on environmental aquatic chemistry and I had the opportunity to spend a summer doing research on one of the local lakes near the college. I learned about environmental engineering from a coworker and realized it was the perfect marriage of my analytical chemistry background and my interest in cleaning up the environment. This led to my Master’s in Environmental Engineering and helped launch my career in environmental consulting.”   

Massey joined Aspect almost 7 years ago, after completing her MS in Environmental Engineering from the University of Maine in Orono, Maine. Earlier, she also earned a BA in Chemistry from Colby College in Waterville, Maine.   

She continues, “Joining Aspect was my first job out of graduate school. I was initially hired as an Environmental Chemist managing environmental chemistry databases and validated data. I transitioned to Remediation Engineering after about a year.” 

Currently, Massey’s role in Aspect’s Remediation Engineering practice includes project management and providing technical expertise on various projects, including remedial investigations, feasibility studies, and cleanup actions throughout the Pacific Northwest. She designs and implements pilot studies and full-scale injection efforts using delivery methods and reagents uniquely selected for each site.  

She continues, “One of the favorite parts of my job is mentoring and training field staff. Sharing knowledge and experience with staff, and watching their grow is extremely rewarding. I also enjoy the collaborative nature of Aspect, and the ability to draw from our geologists, hydrogeologists and engineers.”   

When asked about the future of Aspect, Massey looks forward, knowing the company is poised for success in several key areas. She continues, “Aspect prides itself on its technical expertise, client care, and company culture, and will continue to build on that in the future. Since I started at Aspect in 2014, I’ve seen our number of employees almost double, and we’ve established new offices in Washington and Oregon.” 

When it comes to working with REGENESIS®, Massey appreciates their collaborative approach and commitment to client service. She shares, “I recently worked with REGENESIS on a site south of Seattle where we were using PetroFix® to target one remaining area of petroleum hydrocarbon contamination above cleanup levels, where it wasn’t feasible to excavate the source soil. This was my first time working with PetroFix. I really appreciated how responsive REGENESIS was whenever I had a technical question about design or implementation.”  REGENESIS products, PetroFix and ORC® have been used successfully to treat sites with petroleum hydrocarbons, and Delia mentions use of S-MicroZVI™ at a site in Seattle with chlorinated solvents.  

When asked about the most rewarding aspect of her job, she points to the variety in her work. She continues, “I like that every project is different and presents unique problems to be solved. The geology, hydrogeology, site logistics, land use changes, client needs, etc. are always site-specific and require unique and adaptive approaches.” And the most demanding part of her job? “I would say it is working on multiple projects at once and having a never-ending list of deadlines, deliverables, and field efforts to manage. There is certainly never a dull moment, which I prefer, but learning to prioritize and manage your time effectively (and when to say no) is key.” 

Recently married, Massey and her husband live on the outskirts of Issaquah, Washington, about 30 minutes outside of Seattle. Their home is a 3-acre farm site, complete with 2 cats, 1 Australian Shepherd puppy, and 4 pet ducks. She shares, “I got married last year in a very small backyard ceremony on our farm, and the ducks were my bridesmaids in the wedding, which added some comic relief when they all sat down and refused to actually walk down the aisle with me!”  

Outside of work, she and her husband enjoy the beautiful outdoors that make the Pacific Northwest so desirable. She continues, “I am an avid mountain biker, backcountry skier, backpacker, and hiker. I got engaged at the summit of Mt. Adams after we ski toured to the top, which is a pretty typical adventure for me and my husband! I used to race mountain bikes at the semi-professional level, although I am now mostly retired and ride just for fun.”  

REGENESIS is proud to have Delia Massey, Project Engineer for Aspect, as a valued client and partner in environmental remediation, and appreciates her expertise and enthusiastic approach to remediation engineering.