Major: Environmental Engineering
Year at Cal Poly: Graduate Student
Hometown: Colorado Springs, Colorado
What was your earliest engineering project?
My earliest engineering project was my 7th-grade science fair. I am originally from Colorado Springs, Colorado. While I was in middle school, several large wildfires affected Colorado Springs and the surrounding areas. When it came time to choose a project for the middle school science fair, I was inspired to dig deeper into the effects of wildfires on mudslides and flooding. For my experiment, I designed a physical model of a mountain slope and tested different tree root depths and spacing to determine their effect on downstream flooding conditions.
Where do you like to hang out on campus?
I like to hang out at the Recreation Center! I don’t have a lot of downtime on campus, but I enjoy a daily workout with an incredible view.
What are your hobbies?
I like to bake, decorate cakes and cook! I also enjoy running, weightlifting, backpacking and going on nature adventures.
Please describe an engineering project you’re currently working on or recently finished.
Since September 2020 — my first year at Cal Poly — I have been conducting nanotechnology research with Professor Amro El Badawy. The research focuses on developing eco-friendly, nano-scale molecular structures to capture carbon dioxide from point-source emissions. In 2021 and 2022, I was given the opportunity to present El Badawy’s and my findings at the Air & Waste Management Association (AWMA) conference. In spring 2022, I received the Cal Poly Baker/Koob Endowment Research Grant to continue and improve our research. In October 2022, I was published as the first author on this research alongside El Badawy, Professor Mohsen Kivy, Professor Ajay Kathuria and civil and environmental engineering graduate alumnus Dustin Lee (Watson et al. 2022). Within the last year, I have worked with El Badawy to build a team of three nanotechnology carbon capture researchers. I have taken on a leadership and mentorship role as the team leader, and I am incredibly thankful for the endless learning opportunities this role has provided.
What’s your dream job after graduation?
I would like to be a water resource engineer.
What is your favorite place in San Luis Obispo County and why?
My favorite place in San Luis Obispo County is the jetty at Morro Rock. I love watching the large winter waves!
Do you have a scholarship?
I am a recipient of the Chevron Faculty Nominated Scholarship and Cal Poly’s Green and Gold Scholarship,
Are you part of any extracurriculars on or off campus?
I represented Cal Poly in the Environmental Competition International (ECI) at the 2023 AWMA conference in Orlando, Florida. ECI is a mock consulting competition where engineering students are tasked with solving a real-world engineering problem and required to build a solution framework incorporating technology and policy. I assisted in a supportive leadership role alongside our project manager and two environmental engineering students, contributing to Cal Poly’s consecutive first-place award achievement!
During my time at Cal Poly, I have also served on the Civil and Environmental Engineering Hiring Panel as a student research representative. I have also served on the College of Engineering Planning Panel to provide student feedback on ethics and best practices.
Currently, I am an intern with Water Systems Consulting (WSC), and I am set to begin full-time this summer. At WSC, we plan, design and build water infrastructure. The work we do is incredibly inspiring, and I am so thankful for the amazing group of engineers I get to learn from.
Why did you choose to attend Cal Poly, and what was the path that brought you here?
I chose Cal Poly for environmental engineering because of the university’s emphasis on Learn by Doing. As I examined potential colleges, I wanted an education that would best prepare me for a career addressing real-world environmental challenges. Furthermore, Cal Poly’s close-knit community and strong industry connections stood out to me. I knew it was a great place to grow as a student and as an environmental engineer.
By Taylor Villanueva
