Education

University of California, Davis, Davis, CA                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      -M.S. Student, Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering, September 2008 - present

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                -B.S., Mechanical Engineering, December 2003

Projects

Costa Rica: Sustainability & Energy Efficiency at the Monteverde Institute

In partnership with the Monteverde Institute (MVI), this project is providing multi-disciplinary student teams an opportunity to help MVI explore the potential for utilizing renewable energy alternatives and implementing energy efficiency measures in their existing facilities as well as for a planned dormitory. 

MVI is an education-based non-profit with a campus in the tropical rain forests of Costa Rica and is an exemplary model for energy efficiency, already relying heavily on daylight harvesting and conservation measures to reduce electricity and water consumption. 

As a place of research, the Institute has an important role to play in investigating and monitoring energy solutions for the region and the country at large. The Institute is in a unique position to educate the community on solutions found to be viable from an economic and environmental viewpoint. Both Monteverde and Costa Rica are popular tourist destinations. Lodging and other tourist service infrastructure present an ideal opportunity for the implementation of sustainable building practices and energy efficiency measures.

In September 2009, a research group through the Program for International Energy Technology (PIET) at UC Davis visited the Institute and performed an initial assessment of the potential for small-scale electricity production and conducted a comprehensive on-site energy audit.  Findings and recommendations were presented to the MVI staff and board of directors and we are in the process of developing a robust energy audit program in which locals would be trained in evaluating energy consumption and recommending energy efficient measures at local businesses and residences.

More information and the assessment report can be found here.

EWB-UC, Davis: Energy in Uganda

Engineers Without Borders at UC Davis is a non-profit organization established to help developing areas worldwide with their engineering needs, while involving and training a new kind of internationally responsible engineering student. It is a chapter of the international organization, Engineers Without Borders.

In 2006, EWB Davis partnered with RASD, a non-government organization in Nkokonjeru, Uganda created to educate local citizens in matters such as sanitation, drinking water, agriculture, and hygiene, as well as to provide training in computer and vocational skills.  Embracing the tenants of sustainability and local ownership, local empowerment was incorporated into each project.  Both the recipient community and the EWB Davis participants benefit through the exchange of ideas, cultures, and experiences; our members also learn from the practical, hands-on design experience. 

EWB-Davis has always relied upon RASD and other community members to help identify where our services are most needed and can best be utilized. Thorough investigations of the communities’ needs are conducted by our team to determine the best solutions for each problem and implementation is conducted in concert with locals. Cultural sensitivity analysis and user satisfaction surveys are conducted to determine acceptance levels.

Our group has worked closely with RASD to define, design, and implement projects focused on improving health, water quality, sanitation, local agriculture, and quality of life in and around Nkokonjeru, Uganda. We have many successful ongoing projects including dome-slab toilets, bio-sand filters, rainwater harvesting tanks, and fuel-efficient stoves. Our group has also coordinated closely with the community to provide necessary education in the form of outreach programs and distribution materials. For more information visit our website.