2015 Undergraduate Cohort

I am interested in water resources management by the private sector and how business operations affect quality of and access to water supplies. I hope to learn more about the science of water integrity through this program.

Groundwater Movement and Quality, Cleaning up the Oceans and Capturing Storm Water for recharge into the Groundwater Table

I am a third year Mechanical Engineering student with a minor in Environmental Studies at UCSD. Having gone on several international service-learning trips, I have gained a passion for community development through collaborative participation and multidisciplinary education. I am interested to see how engineering design can create sustainable growth for humans and the environment and ultimately hope to have a career that focuses on reshaping water infrastructure within Southern California. I’m excited to be involved in the UPP Down Under Program and to learn more about water sustainability, public infrastructure, and our role as engineers and active citizens.

At the University of California (UCI), I am a third year double major in two different schools: the School of Physical Sciences and the School of Social Ecology. In the School of Physical Sciences, I will be earning a B.A. in Environmental Science and in the School of Social Ecology, I will be earning a B.A in Urban Studies. In addition, I am minoring in Global Sustainability, Public Policy and Native American Studies. I decided on the majors and the minors, because I want to make a difference in both the physical ways of the environment and in the policy making that governs the environment. I am determined to be the author of several policies that will contribute to a worldly global sustainable lifestyle. I applied to the PIRE’s UPP Down Under program because this program is right up my alley and because it compliments my interest in learning about environmental policy making. My knowledge gained from the program will assist me when I meet with various city planners/officials/developers and share different ways on how to grow their populations without placing a significant amount of stress on the environment. I look forward to participating in this program because it will tie together current knowledge with future knowledge. I have learned environmental issues affect anyone who is breathing. The exposure to international environmental policies, will contribute to my skill set as I continue to pursue the path to higher education.

I am currently a third year at UCI double majoring in Music Performance and Environmental Engineering. I am interested in researching renewable energy, water and air quality and water conservation. I am extremely excited to be involved with this program as I see it as an opportunity to develop as an engineer and to gain perspective on the similar water problems facing Southern California.

I am a third year Chemical Engineering student with an environmental focus. My current research with urban runoff quality and contamination persistence in storm drains has sparked my interest in studying stormwater capture and reclamation. I am also interested in urban water sustainability and finding ways to use water more responsibly. I think that learning about water sustainability challenges and actions both here and in other parts of the world is a wonderful way to create more effective solutions, and I am looking forward to exploring different water issues during my time in the UPP Down Under program.

I am a third year Environmental Engineering student studying at UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering. I want to advance the field of biofilter media transport and its implementation within urban environments. I see the widespread use of biofilters integrated into the sources and sinks of cities as a means to improve quality of life for populations as cities become denser.

I am a Math/Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences major and I am interested in learning about ways to tackle water related issues. As an intern on a campaign to fight California's drought, I have learned about the irreversible impact droughts have on communities and ecosystems. Thus, I have educated hundreds of students on ways to conserve water and help pass an initiative to replace water inefficient utilities with water-saving ones on my campus. I hope to learn about other methods to fight water challenges through field work and research and go on to an Environmental Engineering graduate degree.

Nicky Cuevas is an undergraduate pursuing a degree in Urban Studies and a minor in Global Sustainability. She has been a student assistant at UC Irvine’s Global Sustainability Resource Center (GSRC) since her first quarter on campus. She’s an aspiring environmental attorney, whose primary interests lie in environmental law, environmental justice, community organizing and water policy. Through taking part in PIRE's UPP Down Under Program, she hopes to bridge the gap between youth and professionals engaging in sustainability and water conservation efforts, understand the social implications of declining sources of clean water, and to inspire others to engage in questions and crises concerning drought and water management, globally.

I am a junior currently studying Environmental Engineering at UC Irvine. On a broader perspective, I am interested in promoting the growth of sustainable cities. My prospective research interests for this opportunity are in water sustainability, the effects of increased urbanization on water quality and biodiversity in wetlands and other natural water sources, as well as learning about the challenges on water availability in regions more vulnerable to drought. I am excited for this opportunity to work with other students who share a passion for education, and hope to narrow down my areas of interest in Environmental Engineering.

I am entering my senior year as a Civil Engineering major with a specialization in water resources. I'm interested in applying what I learn in PIRE to problems involving sustainability in Southern California. With the drought now entering its fourth year, it is now more important then ever to deal with water engineering issues in a smart way. My current research is through the Subsurface Processes Lab at UC Irvine and involves permeability changes in fractured rock. It's important to know what is going on beneath our feet to insure our ground water is not contaminated with pollutants.

I'm a fourth year student at UCLA, studying Environmental Science with a concentration in Environmental Engineering and a minor in Global Studies. I'm interested in the intersection of international development and environmental issues, with some of my current research through Engineers Without Borders being in providing clean water access to remote and developing communities. Another current research focus is understanding urban watershed pollution, its societal and ecological impacts, and its sources. I'm interested in the technical, community-development, and policy measures that will allow us to secure a safe and sustainable water supply in the face of new challenges, such as the impacts of climate change.