Robin Ridgway, Director of Environmental Health and Safety Regulatory Compliance, Finds Motivation From Her Numerous Furry Companions
The Purdue School of Sustainability Engineering and Environmental Engineering (SEE) is dedicated to research of both Classic Environmental Engineering and Industrial Sustainability and celebrates offering both the No. 10 Undergraduate Program and No. 10 Graduate Program in the U.S. made possible by more than 20 faculty and staff jointly appointed in SEE and 7 schools or departments across Purdue University.
The impact of SEE is clear, but many don’t know about the companions that keep the SEE team motivated to help solve challenges in the built environment and enhance our understanding of the interactions between human and natural systems.
Robin Ridgway, who is currently serving in a courtesy appointment with SEE and as the Director of Environmental Health and Safety Compliance, has four horses and eight cats in her family.
“Our horses are Keeper, Trucker, Harvey, and a friend’s horse, Mancha,” said Robin. “Our cats, Taco, Kiwi, Ittybittykitty, A Boy Named Sue, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Oreo, and Pecan, all live in the barn, but it’s a pretty cushy job since they get fed twice a day and sleep in our tack room at night.”
When asked how her furry-family members help Robin stay motivated and encouraged in her professional work, Robin shared:
“The animals give me a rhythm in my life. Every day, twice a day, they need to be taken care of. I have long conversations with them all which is fun for me, but probably boring for them. I try to give them all their best life possible, so it makes me happy when they are happy.”
Robin said that there are many ways that her pets inspire her, and said that their unique personalities can make her laugh.
“My horse Keeper has the personality of that friend who would go into battle for you…if there were a barfight, she would be right at your side, beating off assailants. Harvey calls his mom every day just to check in on her as he is her favorite son. He is sweet and a little bit shy… Trucker is a pony and he is definitely the smartest in the bunch. I think he moonlights as a code hacker…Mancha is everyone’s best friend and has never had a bad word to say about anyone. For the cats, Taco is now 18 years old. He just wandered in one day many years ago and has spent his time with us teaching kittens manners, teaching other cats manners, chasing off dogs, but never has hunted or caught a mouse in his life. Cash is the high school heart throb…Sue is sweet and happy to be petted…Kiwi and Itty are shy and would prefer not to make eye contact. Loretta kills everything that crosses her path, including full size rabbits and squirrels…Oreo and Pecan are relatively new and are adjusting to barn life. They really aren’t sure what’s happening right now but are keen on their two meals a day.”
Comparable to Taco’s efforts in teaching, Robin’s future goals include working with younger staff to develop their skills so they can eventually take over some of the work that she does and can be another set of eyes in important situations.
“My professional career is winding down compared to theirs, so I need to invest my time in teaching them,” said Robin.
Robin’s pets keep her both busy and grounded.
“I remember one time I was having hay delivered and my hay guy had a terrier dog. That dog took off after my cat Taco, chasing him into the barn,” Robin shared. “I was really afraid for Taco’s safety so I ran after them, only to be faced with Taco chasing the dog BACK out of the barn, all fuzzed up growling and skittling sideways. That’s probably one of my favorite animal stories.”
Robin navigates challenges in her work with synonymous dedication that leads to great positive impact for SEE, Purdue, and beyond.
The most challenging part of my job is trying to make sure everyone understands how to comply with regulatory requirementsBut the most rewarding [moments] are when I can help people out of a sticky situation; I love doing that. I also love teaching the students about rules and regulations. They dont have any idea how important it is for their work until they have a chance to learn about it.
To learn more about the Purdue School of Sustainability Engineering and Environmental Engineering (SEE), visit: https://engineering.purdue.edu/SEE.
