2023 Undergraduates
Matthew Charles is a rising junior majoring in International Relations with specific interests in the National Security and the Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources concentrations. His research with Oriana Mastro examines China’s energy security through their development in emergent nations and reliance on fossil fuels with trading partners. The project also includes the ramifications of foreshadowed political actions threatening the status quo of energy. Outside of school, Matthew enjoys fencing and attending concerts.
Alison Fajardo is a rising sophomore in chemical engineering. In the Plasma Dynamics Modeling Laboratory (PDML), directed by Professor Ken Hara in Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, both physics-based and data-driven models are being developed. Additionally, these computational tools are used for a variety of applications, including spacecraft electric propulsion, plasma processing, space weather, and fundamental plasma physics. In this SUPER project, we will focus on the development of data-driven models for plasma chemistry.
Kyle Haslett is a sophomore studying Management Sciences and Engineering, from Indianapolis, Indiana. He is passionate about finding new ways to optimize energy usage, in order to help both the planets limited resources, and people’s deep need of energy from around the world.
Arnav Krishnamoorthi is a rising junior studying Computer Science at Stanford University. Energy sustainability has always been a passion of his, and is interested in helping spread renewable technologies to underdeveloped areas. Growing up in the Central Valley, Arnav witnessed the power renewables have for small, local communities, and now looks to aid in the global transition to renewables in the battle against climate change. This summer, Arnav will be working with Professor Kovscek and Ph.D candidate Catherine Callas to develop a consistent methodology to screen potential geological storage sites for carbon capture and sequestration.
Yash Narayan is a rising sophomore studying computer science. He has a strong desire to use technology to solve sustainability problems. He will be continuing his research at the Sustainable Systems Lab working on the Google Data Commons Project (https://www.datacommons.org/). In his free time, he loves playing sports, especially basketball, ping pong, football, and recently beach volleyball!
Michael Pascal is a rising senior in mechanical engineering. He will be working with Professor Harold Hwang and Dr. Jiayue Wang to develop a better electrolysis fixture that can increment independently over the thin-film membrane, allowing for electrolysis measurements to be taken over both symmetric and asymmetric strain states.
Ryne Reger is a junior majoring in Economics, minoring in Mathematical and Computational Science, and coterming in Computer Science on the Artificial Intelligence track. Last summer, he lived on the Pine Ridge Reservation while working for an organization called Lakota Funds on economic development, housing, and food sovereignty. This year, he is excited to participate in a research setting to learn how to increase renewable energy on Tribal Lands. A proud Minnesotan, you will often hear Ryne explaining another fun fact about the state or talking about one of the many, many lakes! Around campus, Ryne is probably climbing at the gym, playing foosball in the dorm, or trying to plan his next hiking trip!
Camille Leihulu Slagle is a rising senior from Kailua, Hawaiʻi studying Chemistry and Earth and Planetary Sciences. Her interests in chemistry, energy, and sustainability arise from her upbringing as a Native Hawaiian, her love of interconnecting Indigenous and Western ways of research, and her life goal to see the islands return to a form of self-sustainability. This summer, she is working with Wendy Mao and Anna Celeste studying transition metal perovskite chalcogenides for their semiconductor purposes and green energy applications for the future.
Avni Vats is a rising sophomore studying Engineering Physics. She is interested in alternative energy and the intersection of engineering and data analysis in solving for climate change, with a focus on accessibility and affordability. This summer, she is working with John Baniecki and Paul McIntyre on energy efficient computing, specifically researching properties of non-volatile ferroelectric memories to decrease memory latency and energy penalty associated with data transfer.
Kaiden Wang is a rising senior studying Political Science. He is interested in studying political behavior, decision-making, and identity and what factors shape these, especially within democratic countries. This summer he is working with the Political Psychology Research Group (PPRG) to study public opinion on issues related to climate change and the factors that affect it.