Meet Michael Murray, Senior Hydrogeologist

Where are you from and where do you live now?

I grew up in West Linn, Oregon, and I now live in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

What do you do at MFA?

My technical background focuses on contaminant fate and transport in groundwater and sediment systems. Day to day, I put this into practice as program manager for a large industrial client involved with the Portland Harbor Superfund Site.

What’s rewarding about your job?

Helping clients move forward through complex regulatory and legal landscapes is both challenging and rewarding. I enjoy the collaborative spirit of my peers at MFA, and their diverse expertise teaches me something new every day!

Why is what you do important?

I am part of a team with the expertise and experience to execute environmental cleanups that provide lasting benefits for our community.

What skills do you bring to your work?

My scientific training and business experience underpin my ability to explain complex phenomena to stakeholders of diverse backgrounds in order to move projects forward. In June 2019 I graduated with honors from the University of Oregon Executive MBA program, which provided me a solid understanding of the business decisions our clients face. I also hold geology/hydrology licenses and am an engineer in training. Continually learning and achieving degrees and licenses makes me a better resource for my clients and a better, more innovative problem solver.

What do you like to do off the clock?

I enjoy spending time with my family, scuba diving, restoring vintage cars, and international travel (and combinations thereof).

If you were not a senior hydrogeologist, what would you be?

I would be a mad-scientist type of science teacher. I can make science fun, which, I believe, helps kids understand that science is everywhere!

What’s on your bucket list?

I hope to go scuba diving in Antarctica, and would like, while I’m there, to visit the McMurdo dry valleys—an alien landscape on Earth that’s as close to Mars as we can currently get!