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LEED Lab Biographies for Spring 2017

Stephen Schug

Project Manager

Stephen Schug is a third-year Business and Management Economics major. Schug is the project manager of the Engineering Service Learning team LEED Lab. He chose it because it gave him a meaningful opportunity to learn more about modern facility management and sustainability. Academically, Schug is interested in economics and adapting business practices to ensure survival in a rapidly changing future, and plans on applying his experience from LEED Lab towards his family’s business. He enjoys spending time pursuing powerlifting instead of doing homework or any sort of cardio. Schug also balances his coursework and academic career with his career as a United States Marine.

Ben White

Assistant Project Manager

 

Mahak Saini

Team Lead

Mahak Saini is a fourth-year Mechanical Engineering student. Saini is the team leader of The Engineering Service Learning LEED lab. She chose LEED lab because it gave her an insightful opportunity to solidify the reputation of the University of California Merced for being a 100% environmentally friendly campus. She is passionate about sustainability and hopes to gain hands-on experience in the operations and maintenance of the buildings. When Saini is not being passionate about sustainability, she loves spending time with her dogs and reading.

Oscar Huang

Team Lead

Oscar Huang is a fourth-year Material Science & Engineering student. Huang is the team leader of Energy and Atmosphere subteam for the Engineering Service Learning team, LEED Lab. He chose it because he wants to learn more about green certification that the buildings on campus have and the importance behind them. Huang is interested in going to graduate school after his undergraduate education, and eventually into academia with the skills that he will learn from this experience. Huang loves to go out and enjoy nature, but at the same time, he also enjoys staying home and play video games.

Marqose Saephan

Team Lead

Marqose Saephan is a third-year Mechanical Engineering student. He is a team lead of the Engineering Service Learning team LEED Lab and chose this team because it gave him a chance to learn more about LEED and energy efficiency. Saephan is aiming to work in either the automotive or robotics field after he graduates and also a dedicated educator pursuing a minor in Natural Science Education with Teaching Credentials. He mentors for two competitive high school robotics team in Merced, one of which he founded. Saephan’s goal is to provide local Merced youth with opportunities that give them extensive hands-on experience.

Catherine Montes

Communications Officer

Catherine Montes is currently a second-year Mechanical Engineering student with a minor in Writing. She is the Communications Officer in the Engineering Service Learning team, LEED (Leadership in Energy &Environmental Design) Lab. She chose the LEED Lab team because of her growing interest in sustainability and plans on building a career around it. As a member of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, she volunteers at a local high school working on robotics and mechanics with students. During her free time, she enjoys music and spending time with her friends.  

Jesus Pulido

Intellectual Property Officer

Jesus Alejandro Pulido is a first-year Mechanical Engineering student. Pulido is the intellectual project officer of the Engineering Service Learning team LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Lab. He chose it to gain experience working within a team in a professional environment, learn more about green efficient buildings and the steps that need to be followed for a building to meet requirements and be certified under USGBC. Pulido is interested in mastering coding and the programs used out in the mechanical engineering field. He hopes to one day apply his skills and work with a vehicle manufacturer on designing engine parts that will improve the vehicle's performance and prolong the life of engines.

Linda Fu

Procurement and Finances Officer

Linda Fu is a fourth-year student pursuing her Bachelors of Science in Biology with an emphasis in Microbiology and Immunology. She is the Procurement and Finance Officer for Engineering Service Learning team, LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Lab. Fu chose this lab because she enjoys learning and being able to apply things into practice. Academically, she is interested in learning about a wide range of biological topics: from algae fuel to antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Outside of academics, Fu likes to fence, travel, and cook.

Johny Xiong

Johny Xiong is a first-year Computer Science Engineering student and UC Merced. Xiong is a member of the LEED Lab, an Engineering Service Learning project. Johny has a strong passion for learning and critical thinking. Because Xiong has worked around with technology in his life, the most comfortable workplace suited for Xiong is the computer. He hopes to gain hands-on experience of working on a professional team and designing a product that will be used by real people. He wants to use this experience in order to help him in any future career. In his free time, Xiong enjoys playing games of all genres, particularly strategy games.

Jessica Truong

Jessica Truong is a fourth-year Biological Science major with an emphasis in Molecular & Cell Biology. Truong is a member of the LEED Lab, an Engineering Service Learning team. Truong is participating in the LEED Lab to explore and learn new skills to use in the future. This is Truong’s first semester participating in an engineering service learning course and she is very excited. She has an interest in pursuing a second degree in Mechanical Engineering because of her interests in mechanics. Truong spends her leisure time traveling and exploring new places.

Stephanie Mose

Stephanie Mose is a fourth-year student pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science in Material Science and Engineering. Mose is a member of the Engineering Service Learning team, LEED Lab. She joined the team because she saw it as an opportunity to better understand the sustainability practices being implemented on the UC Merced campus. It also serves as a chance to understand the process of “green” certification. Mose has developed a strong background in collaborative work through her experiences with volunteering at various on-campus events and community projects back home. She enjoys learning how to play various instruments and reading art books during her free time.

Merari Cisneros

Merari Cisneros is a Third Year Bio-Engineering student. He is a part of the LEED Lab engineering service learning team dedicated to the LEED certification of UC Merced’s buildings. Cisneros chose this team because he believes that through innovative conservation techniques we can live in a world where we can do what we want while minimizing adverse effects on the environment. Cisneros comes from San Diego, California where he attended the Preuss School UCSD. Whenever Cisneros has free time he enjoys playing videogames, running long distances, and reading books. Cisneros hopes to one day become a professor at a university.

Isabella Beltran

Isabella Beltran is a fourth-year Environmental Engineering Student. Beltran is a team member of the LEED Lab, an Engineering Service Learning team. She chooses it because she hopes it will give her the needed experience for her career path in Sustainable Development and Planning.  As a member of the UC Merced community, she has managed countless projects and programs including the Campus Community Garden, the food literacy program Bobcat Eats and the on-campus farmer's market, the Bobcat Market. Aside from her academic and professional life, Beltran enjoys spending time and taking walks with her cat Simba.

Adi Parvatharjan

Adi Parvatharajan is a first-year computer science and engineering major with a minor in economics. Parvatharajan is a member of the LEED Lab team, as part of Engineering Service Learning. Parvatharajan chose to join the LEED Lab team because he is interested in the preservation of the environment and also hopes to learn how certain architectural practices can contribute to an overall greener infrastructure worldwide. As an avid technology and vehicle enthusiast, Parvatharajan enjoys “tinkering away” and participating in local engineering solutions events. He enjoys using his creativity both in the engineering field, and when playing any one of seven instruments.

Florentino Martinez

Florentino Martinez is a fourth-year Mechanical Engineering student. Martinez is a team member of the Engineering Service Learning team LEED Lab. He chose it because it gave him the opportunity to develop the UC Merced Community, through the 2020 project green building goals. He also enjoys being outdoors and spending time with his family. Martinez plans to retain his leadership skills for a profession in the automotive industry. Eventually, Martinez wants to return to graduate school to further his knowledge in engineering.