Vernal Pool Reserve Biographies for Fall 2016

	Andres Morales – Project Manager Andres Morales is a third year Mechanical Engineering student. Morales is the project manager of the Engineering Service Learning team Vernal Pools Reserve. He chose this team because of his passion for design. By leading this team, he hopes to further develop his leadership skills that will be useful in the job world. Academically, Morales is interested in physics. He also has a passion for roller coaster design. His passion for roller coaster design is the reason behind why he chose his major. In his free time, Morales loves to play music and admire architecture.
	Tatiana Moger - Assistant Project Manager Tatiana Moger is a first year Environmental Engineering student. Moger is the assistant project manager of the Vernal Pool Reserve Team. She chose this team because of her interest in renewable energy and protecting rare ecosystems. Moger seeks to learn more about the endangered species on the reserve and what could be done to restore the vernal pools. She spends her summers in the Santa Cruz Mountains, which spawned her deep appreciation of nature Moger enjoys running and playing video games in her spare time. Last summer, she participated in the Wharf to Wharf marathon.
	Michael Ponce – Communication Officer Michael Ponce is a First year Mechanical Engineering student. Ponce is the communications officer of the Engineering Service Learning team Vernal Pool Reserve(VPR). Ponce’s love for staying active lead him to the VPR project. Ponce wants to help maintain the Vernal Pool Reserve and the many species that are within the Reserve and potentially provide fresh Potable water access to individuals within the Reserve. Some fun fact about Ponce are that he is from Los Angeles, California. Ponce loves being outdoors and loves nature thus Ponce has ran two Los Angeles Marathons which are each 26.2 miles.
	Jasmine Ramirez Bonilla – Intellectual Property Officer Ramirez Bonilla is entering her ninth and final semester at the University of California, Merced as an Earth Systems Science major. Ramirez has a passion for the outdoors and natural resources management; she got to work for the National Park Service in Yosemite as an Intern this past summer. Ramirez looks forward to gain more experience dealing with the critical environmental challenges that are faced by our society today. Thus she decided to join the Vernal Pools Natural Reserve Team to learn how to facilitate communication and solve critical challenges in the community of Merced and its surroundings
	Eduardo De Jesus – Procurement and Finance Officer Eduardo De Jesus is a fourth year student pursuing his Bachelors of Science in Earth System Science. De Jesus is the procurement & financial officer for the Engineering Service Learning team, Vernal Pools Reserve. De Jesus choose this team because it will provide him with an insight of working in the field, alongside community partners. He hope to gain hands-on experience from working in the vernal pools and be able to apply these skill in future opportunities. Outside of school, De Jesus enjoys spending time with friends and family and playing soccer in his free time.
	Adrian Giglio – Team Leader Adrian Giglio is a first year Mechanical Engineer student. He is the Team Leader of the Engineering service Learning site team on the Vernal Pools Reserve. He chose it because he wanted to go out to the Vernal Pools Reserve and get involved with maintaining and observing the site. Giglio loves going to natural reserves and used to volunteer at one near where he lived and would go constantly for hikes and sightseeing. Academically, he is interested in getting experience in a leader position through hands on experience. Outside of school he loves to travel with his twin brother and explore different cultures.
	Chris Chalabi – Team Leader Chris Chalabi is a third year Mechanical Engineering student. Chalabi is the design teamleader of the Engineering Service Learning team, VPR (Vernal Pool Reserve). He chose it because it gave him a meaningful opportunity to help preserve the vernal pools which feature rare and endangered organisms. Academically, Chalabi shares a strong passionin renewable energy, such as wind, solar, and alternative fuel cell. He is also interested in advanced manufacturing technologies to lead us into increased efficiency in processes and to rapidly produce complex products. Outside of the classroom, Chalabi works at a machine shop in which he enjoys machining and fabricating products for customers.
	Alex Moreno – Team Member Alex Moreno is a 5th year Earth System Science major. Moreno is a team member of the Vernal Pools Reserve Team. He chose this team because he really wants to find a way to help preserve the reserve in a sustainable way through the use of renewable energy. Moreno is interested in hydrology and water quality management, and has interned with a private company taking soil, water, and plant samples on farms around Merced. In his spare time, Moreno loves reading comic books. His favorite super hero is Nightwing.
	Daniel Garcia – Team Member Daniel Garcia is a first year Mechanical Engineering student at UC Merced. Daniel is a team member of the Engineering Service Learning Vernal Pool Reserve team. He chose this team because he was interested in what this team could do for its community and how it could improve on what was already in place. Daniel is interested in a bachelor in Mechanical Engineering and would like to work in the automobile industry. He is a die-hard Liverpool F.C. fan since the age of 8 years old. He is looking forward to contributing to his team and help complete their objective.
	Manuel Lozano – Team Member Manuel Lozano is a first year student dedicating his time and hard work to attain his Bachelor’s Degree in mechanical engineering. Manuel is a team member of the vernal pool reserve team. He chose to be on this specific team to help the community in renewable energy and help the community conserve water. Manuel is a fast learner and will get projects or assignments done and accomplished. He plays both Basketball and volleyball but is playing Volleyball for UC Merced. He comes from a small town called sanger which is next to Fresno CA. It Is only one hour away so he is close to family to support him. He may be a Freshman but he has many skills to offer.
	Jose Duran Juache – Team Member Jose Duran Juache is a first year student pursuing his Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He is a member of the Engineering Service Learning team, Vernal Pool Lab. Duran has always lived by the following saying: “One man can change the world”-Big Sean. This selfless, young man is truly the man that will change the world by increasing the efficiency of the outdated well in the Merced Vernal Pool reserve and doing much more in order to improve the world for the future generations.
	Tomas Monroy – Team Member Tomas Monroy is a first generation undocumented third year student majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Joined the team for hands on experience and he likes to understand how machines works by seeing them in action. Working on a team is fundamental in the engineering field and will help him develop team building skills later used in the professional world while developing his communication and technical skills. He has conducted research on Undocumented Students and their experience here at the UCM. He was also the Executive Director of Students Advocating Law & Education at UC Merced and is chapter member in Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers/ Ingenieros Unidos.