November 8, 2026
National STEM Day
Every STEM career starts somewhere, whether it’s a favorite class in school or simply a natural curiosity about how things work. To celebrate STEM Day, we asked employees what inspired them to pursue STEM, how they put those skills to work at Koch Fertilizer and what they’d tell students who might be considering a similar path.
Emilia Montemayor
Environmental engineer at Koch Fertilizer in Fort Dodge, Iowa
What first got you interested in STEM, and how did it lead to your role at Koch?
I’ve always been curious about how things work and enjoyed finding solutions to real-world problems. That curiosity led me to environmental engineering, where I found I could combine problem-solving with my interest in protecting the environment. As a recent college graduate, I was drawn to Koch because I could put what I learned in school into practice while continuing to learn and grow as an engineer.
How do you use science, technology, engineering or math in your work today?
As an environmental engineer, STEM is part of nearly everything I do! I use chemistry and engineering to understand our water, wastewater and air systems, and I use math and technology to analyze monitoring data and identify potential issues or opportunities for improvement. It’s rewarding to use STEM to solve problems that help support our operations.
What advice would you give a student who's thinking about a STEM career?
My advice would be to keep an open mind about what a career in STEM can look like. You don’t necessarily have to be an engineer or scientist to work in STEM because there are so many different career paths where you can use technical knowledge, problem-solving and creativity. Find what interests you, and don’t be afraid to explore opportunities you may not have considered before.
Anthony Dvorak
Production engineer at Koch Fertilizer in Beatrice, Nebraska
What first got you interested in STEM, and how did it lead to your role at Koch?
I had a knack for math, and I loved chemistry in school. I always found chemical manufacturing plants to be very fascinating, so in college I was looking for a process engineering internship. Going through the internship and early part of my career, I found satisfaction in learning and creating value using the talents I developed in high school and college.
How do you use science, technology, engineering or math in your work today?
I use every component of STEM in my job. As a production engineer, understanding the physical principles that underline all of the technology we use is critical for troubleshooting plant issues. I also use engineering calculations to determine theoretical performance of equipment and compare it to the data we see in the field to help optimize plant performance.
What advice would you give a student who's thinking about a STEM career?
Always ask “Why?” “Why does this happen when I do that?” “Why are things built a certain way?” The answers and insight you gain from exploring these questions form the foundation of the value you can create in the future.
