Skip to content

Vernal Pool Reserve Team for 2015 Spring

Scott Walker, Project Manager

I wanted to be part of the Vernal Pool Reserve team again this semester so that I would be able to take up the mantle of leadership for the first time. I have never been a team leader before and was really looking forward to experiencing the role of management. From being on this team I hope I can gain the skills to become a successful and confident leader. I am sure I will make a few mistakes but through them I hope to achieve a greater understanding of what it means to be a leader. Beyond gaining experience as a leader I also wanted to see more of the Vernal Pool Reserve. The last time I was able to see the reserve was in the fall, when most of the land was too dry to show the wonders it can produce. I anticipate that seeing it again in the spring, its peak season, will provide better results.

Patrick Isaac Coldivar, Assitant Project Manager

One of the reasons I chose UC Merced as my first choice was due to its hands-on experience opportunities.  As a student, I considered the Vernal Pool Reserve Team as an opportunity to expose myself to engineering fieldwork.  By working with a team, our collaboration and background knowledge is to serve for the prosperity of the campus and Earth’s ecosystem. While I attend this university, I wish to make an impact that will benefit the campus positively.  I became aware that the environment in many regions on Earth are extremely polluted and may complicate living conditions.  The idea that repairing an artifact harming an ecosystem can be physically healed motivated me to pursue the field of Environmental Engineering.  

Jenna Heckel, Inventory and Procurement Officer

When I found out that there was a Vernal Pools Reserve team here on campus, I felt it was a great opportunity for me to apply my background knowledge in biology to a tangible engineering service project. My first visit to the reserve was in my second year of college and I am hopeful that this project will improve the overall function of this diverse and valuable ecosystem. After graduation, I plan on pursuing a career where I can manage land resources or study human impact on species diversity and distribution.

Michael Dealbert, Intellectual Property Officer

I wanted to be a part of the Vernal Pool Reserves Team in order to be a part of a project I enjoy and benefit from all of the experiences that come with it. I am hoping that this project will improve my abilities to work both by myself and as a part of a team, as well as instilling in me some qualities of a leader. After UCM, I am planning on taking everything I have learned over the course of my academic career and applying it to any project that I am apart of in the future.

Brandon Tran, Communications Officer

I have been a part of the team since it was first brought up in spring 2014.  I have been out in the reserve with Chris Swarth for over two years and I want to provide my knowledge to the team. I hope the team will have a better understanding and whole new experience when working at the vernal pools reserve and provide as much help for Chris Swarth as I can. This will further strengthen my role as a naturalist out in the reserve as well as look good in my resume. I plan to go to graduate school to study zoology.

Robert Martin, Webmaster

I joined the Vernal Pool Reserve Team because I was an intern at a vernal pool reserve during high school and wanted to get involved with the one here in Merced. With this team, I hope to raise awareness of the reserve on campus and help others see how important and interesting it is. Through this program I hope to gain experience and knowledge about working on a team project that I can apply to future tasks. I also hope to learn engineering skills as well as information about the different stages of planning and executing a project. I also want to help create a lasting positive impact on our campus and the Vernal Pools.

Denzal Martin, Team Leader

I learned of the Vernal Pools Reserve through a class I took in my first semester at UCM which prompted me to gain an interest in being a part of the Vernal Pools Reserve Team. At first, my interests were solely in the reserve itself, but I learned that I could take part in working on and learning more about it. Along with learning more about the reserve, I hope that I can gain a greater understanding of the engineering environment through experience. My plan after completing my undergraduate study is to attend graduate school.

Lucky Xiong, Team Leader

I have never heard of the Vernal Pool Reserve until I signed up for this class. I had no idea what this class was about. But within the first two weeks into fieldwork sessions, I am already excited for this semester. From this team, I hope to gain not only hands-on experience, but also enjoy how it feels to be in the actual engineering field. Working with others who also have a passion for engineering makes everything we do exciting and encouraging. This experience will help me develop a stronger understanding of our environment right here in the Central Valley.

Andrew John De Los Santos, Studnet Advisory Committee Officer

I joined the Vernal Pool Reserve Team in order to make a difference in the nature reserve and to show the community that university students like ourselves can use our collective multidisciplinary skills to help the environment. I also hope to increase awareness of the nature reserve. Throughout this semester, I hope to enhance my teamwork and communication skills by working with my fellow teammates. The experiences that I’ll gain will help me for when I have to work on projects in the future, or when I need to come up with a proposal for an idea. After graduating with my bachelor’s degree, I hope to continue my time at this university as a grad student studying Environmental Systems. 

Sandy Vasquez Molina, Team Member

I became interested on the vernal pools when I saw the previous Vernal Pools Reserves team tabling on Scholar’s Lane. It was an opportunity to learn more about the program. I found the project interesting, and the program would teach me skills that would help me in the near future. The environment is something I have always found interesting, and I always liked exploring places with nature. This program would allow me to learn more about the Vernal Pools Reserves and everything that can be found on it. It is an opportunity to do something about something I love. This program will further my communication skills and my planning and organizing skills. I think this class will be very beneficial for me and my future.

Nick Wlodychak, Team Member

As a late-comer to Engineering Service Learning, I have a tremendous amount to learn even though I am a graduating senior. I registered for Engineering Service Learning, and became interested in the Vernal Pool Reserve because I have always been intrigued by the environmental impact humans have on nature. During my sophomore year I was very involved in Engineers for a Sustainable World, and continuing with that theme the Vernal Pool Reserve seemed like the next logical step. While I have a certain level of management and technical skills that come with being on the cusp of graduation, I believe that I have plenty of space to learn and grow. Even while leaving Merced in the next several months, I am interested in seeing this project come to fruition in the future. After I graduate from UC Merced I plan to work in a genetic engineering lab, specifically in the area of protein mutations.

Furkan Ozedirne, Team Member

Although I joined the team four weeks into the project, I greatly enjoy the concept of Engineering Service Learning and its real life applications. I’m ready to commit myself to an important initiative in helping uphold UC Merced’s triple zero commitment. I was interested in the Vernal Pool Reserve Team through my time taking environmental science in high school. Through that class I realized how much I enjoyed studying all aspects of the environment, from renewable energy to endangered species. Through this team, I hope to gain valuable leadership and teamwork skills as well as to further my knowledge about vernal pools. I hope my experiences here will help solidify my role at UC Merced, making me the best student I can be. After UC Merced, I hope to work in a field utilizing renewable energy and all it has to offer.