Bobcat Radio Biographies for Spring 2016

Amelia Thaoxaochay – Project Manager

Amelia Thaoxaochay is a fourth year Psychology student. Amelia is the Project Manager of the Engineering Service Learning team, Bobcat Radio. She chose this team because she worked previously on the Bobcat Radio project last semester and would like to help the project progress even further while she is still at UC Merced. Academically, Amelia is interested in abnormal psychology, all aspects of management, and musical analysis. She enjoys playing guitar and soccer. Outside of her academics, she spends much of her time working on her family’s vegetable farm and at local farmer’s markets.

Florentino Martinez – Assistant Project Manager

Florentino is a third year Mechanical Engineering student. Florentino is the Assistant Project Manager of the Engineering Service Learning team, Bobcat Radio. He choose this team because it gave him the opportunity to help develop the UC Merced Community, through the creation of a medium that will bridge the communities of the city of Merced and the university. He also enjoys being outdoors and along with spending time with his family. Florentino plans to retain his leadership skills for a profession in the automotive industry. Eventually, Florentino would like to attend graduate school to further his knowledge in engineering.

Manjinder Kaur – Procurement and Finance Officer

Kaur is a third year Management & Business Economics student. Kaur wanted to be a part of the Engineering Service Learning team, Bobcat Radio so that she can participate in helping her community grow. Academically, she is interested in Psychology and Math. She is also an active member of Student Alumni Association and is the secretary of the Cognitive Science Student Association. In the future, she wants not only wants to be successful but help her community as she fulfills her dream. She also plans on traveling to see the world from different perspectives. Some of her pass time activities include bike riding, cooking, and gardening.

Ryan Burtzlaff – Intellectual Property Officer

Ryan Burtzlaff is a fourth-year Bioengineering student at UC Merced. He is working as the Intellectual Property Officer in the Engineering Service Learning team, Bobcat Radio. He chose this team due to a mixed interest in radio casting and music, along with the hope of improving local radio options. His interests are tabletop games, streaming, and food. His past work includes Gallo’s chemistry department, Dr. Kara McCloskey’s Tissue Engineering Lab, and in the COINS summer research program. Aside from those, he is involved with food chemistry and law in science.

DeVaughn Ogles – Communication Officer

Ogles is a third year Mechanical Engineering student. He is the Communication Officer of the Engineering Service Learning team, Bobcat Radio. He wanted to be a part of this team because he enjoys connecting with the community using engineering techniques. Academically, Ogles is interested in electrical engineering and MATLAB, this why he decided to take on a minor of Applied Math. He is also an active member of UC Merced’s Cheer Team and Campus Activities Board. Ogles enjoys spending time with his family on the weekends. Outside of academics, he enjoys weightlifting and a nice game of League of Legends. 

Christopher Guzman – Team Leader

Guzman is a second year Mechanical Engineering student. As part of his desire to gain more knowledge, his goal in the Engineering Service Learning team, Bobcat Radio is to familiarize himself with the design process. Guzman chose Bobcat Radio because he thought it would provide him the opportunity for hands-on experience. In addition, Guzman hopes to improve his public-speaking skills so that one day, he will be able to make himself stand out with his credibility and confidence. He also hopes to improve his mathematical abilities in engineering. Guzman enjoys running, listening to music and playing basketball in his free time, along with spend time with his family and friends.

Abraham Felix – Team Leader

Abraham Felix is a third year student at UC Merced, majoring in Cognitive Science with a plan on minoring in Psychology.  He joined the Engineering Service Learning team, Bobcat Radio because he has always profoundly enjoyed music, and working on a radio station is something that will help develop teamwork skills, as well as leadership while at the same time bring the community together over radio. On his spare time Abraham enjoys making art, such as drawing and photography.

Harjinder Kaur – Team Member

Kaur is a third year Bioengineering student. She wanted to be part of the Engineering Service Learning team, Bobcat Radio because she believe this will connect her to the Merced community. Academically, Harjinder is interested in organic chemistry, neuroscience, and would like to go to medical school after getting her bachelors. She is also an active member of the World Orphan & Foster Fund, Martial Arts Club, and Police Mentor Program. Harjinder is also fluent in speaking Punjabi and is learning to write it. She want to learn five languages by the time she is 40. Some of her other hobbies include running, biking with her sisters, playing volleyball, and sewing.

Noe Ramirez-Ontiveros – Team Member

Ramirez-Ontiveros is a second year student pursuing a degree in Applied Mathematics with an emphasis in Computer Science. He became a part of the Engineering Service Learning team, Bobcat Radio. He was interested in learning more about Bobcat Radio and seeing how it could affect the students of UC Merced so he decided to join the team. He would also like to improve his public speaking skills while working on this project. Outside of class, Noe enjoys designing homes on Google SketchUp and hanging out with his friends.  

Dyani Duran – Team Member

Dyani Duran is a second year student majoring in Management and Business Economics. Dyani is a member of the Engineering Service Learning team, Bobcat Radio. She chose this team because she saw a fundamental need for an essential medium of communication within the UC Merced campus. She hopes to work in the entertainment industry, primarily in the business sector, so this project will give her an opportunity to grow and gain experience. She is also the Arts Coordinator Intern and is hoping to get more students involved in art appreciation, especially when supporting the performers in the community of Merced.  

Rudra Aiyar – Team Member

Rudra Aiyar is a first year student pursuing a degree in Computer Science and Engineering with an emphasis in Software Engineering. She is a team member for the Engineering Service Learning team, Bobcat Radio. Aiyar has a passion for using technology to improve communities. She plans on using her experience with computers to contribute to the team. She is involved with other clubs on campus such as: Project Q (Android OPS) and South Asian Student Association. She also enjoys playing volleyball, violin, and painting.

Andrew Velasquez – Team Member

Andrew Velasquez is a first year Mechanical Engineering student at UC Merced. He is a team member of the Engineering Service Learning team, Bobcat Radio. He chose this team because he believes that the product would better the communication between the University and the city of Merced. It will not only provide valuable information between the city and the University, but will provide multiple forms of entertainment to the community as a whole. Outside of Academics, Velasquez loves to meet new people and play tennis.