Growing up in Hawaii, Noe Penney was fascinated by the delicate balance of nature at an early age. "On an island, it can be a lot easier to see ecosystem changes caused by humans, especially in as remote place where native species are greatly influenced by humans," she says. As a young teenager, Penney helped her parents build the family home and developed an interest in construction. Now majoring in Environmental Studies with minors in Sustainable Design and Environmental Science, she has found a field that marries these two passions.