FALL 2023 COURSE: ENGIN 183C-002
DISASTER TECHNOLOGY
Disaster Lab's academic course; focused on creating innovative solutions to environmental change.
To meet the students who make up the Fall 2023 cohort, click on their names & view their profiles.
Aria Kumar
Contact: ariakumar@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I chose to enroll in this course to pursue the SCET certificate and engage in a more hands-on learning experience. I'm keen to learn effective methods for ideating solutions and collaborating with start-ups and other entities. The course's emphasis on cross-disciplinary learning and holistic thinking aligns with my approach to problem-solving which I thought was cool. I hope to gain practical skills and insights that will contribute to my entrepreneurial journey.
Creative Skills: Throughout my academic journey and work experiences, I have tried to develop my creativity skills at each step. My role as an Executive Committee Ritual Chair at Zeta Tau Alpha showcased my ability to orchestrate events that fused innovation with tradition. Additionally, I channeled creativity into my role as a Business Development and Marketing Intern at Visa, where I launched a successful social content strategy pilot by collaborating across functions and regions. This required inventive thinking to tailor content to diverse audiences. Furthermore, my participation in URAP allowed me to creatively analyze and present data on students' college major choices. This research project, led by professors from multiple departments, required creative problem-solving to synthesize insights from over 200 survey results.This creativity extended to my involvement in the Bio-Business Initiative, where I designed informative resources and hosted workshops to engage students interested in biotechnology. I have also had to be creative with my approach when volunteering at the Lawrence Hall of Science when teaching younger students and children about science!
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? To be honest, I am not sure what I want to do after graduating. If I have $2M dollars I would probably use to to fund and start research looking at how I could make precision medicine more accessible around the world or I would work on developing gene therapies.
Bibiane Huang
Contact: bibianehuang@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I wanted to complete the SCET program and I have been studying energy policy and business for a long time. I want to learn to problem-solve environmental problems.
Creative Skills: Singer - I have been a singer since I was 6. Artist - I also like drawing. Project manager - I started my own consulting club.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? To be honest, I am not sure what I want to do after graduating. If I have $2M dollars I would probably use to to fund and start research looking at how I could make precision medicine more accessible around the world or I would work on developing gene therapies.
Brian To
Contact: brianto@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? The reason why I enrolled in this course is because I am interested in learning more about environmental study and I would love to gain the experience of working with real clients and hoping to bring a positive impact to them!
Creative Skills: I am not sure if I am creative. But I did start a new consulting club here in Berkeley last year when I transferred. A brief explanation of the initiative of this club is to ensure that everyone has equal access to the resources they need if they are interested in learning about consulting as most of the consulting clubs on campus are highly competitive and discriminate against transfer students. I first started the club with a few of my peers who are also passionate about pursuing a career in consulting. We seek advice from the professors and alumni during our application process. Later on, we recruited more people to join our team to help further consolidate the club, such as working on marketing materials together to establish our club awareness and working on different funding applications to secure more funding. Before the end of last school year, our club was approved to become a Haas-sponsored organization in which we can establish our credibility and receive more funding. At the moment, we are securing some partnerships with a few clients so that our members can have some real consulting experience. It's just fascinating to see how our club has grown within a year!
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? I would like to pursue a career in consulting after Cal as I always like to challenge myself in a fast-paced environment and I would love to see the positive impact of my work on the clients and community. I would donate the money to several non-profit environmental organizations to help fight climate change, especially with the recent tragedy in Hawaii.
Chase Dalton
Contact: chasedalton@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I am a transfer student who dropped out of high school to work as an animator at a startup that was later acquired by Disney. I enjoy working with small passionate teams on challenging problems and hope to connect with similar students through the program.
Creative Skills: I spent many years pursuing a career in animation and learning what I could by auditing courses at Cal Arts while in high school. After dropping out of high school I pursued animation more seriously heading animation for a small media startup (unpaid sadly) that was later acquired by Disney. I decided at that point to go in another direction entirely and started my own property management company which I later liquidated to pay for college. Along the way, I interned for another startup based in Lisbon looking to provide smart city software. I taught other dropouts how to get their GED or CHSPE while attending community college. I pursued acting and public speaking winning the national title for the online division of Prose speech in 2022. I have been working for several years on a non-profit open-source pothole detection algorithm, which has yet to be functional despite my best efforts. At Berkeley, I was an IIR in 2022. I also interned at Sematic a YC(22) Machine Learning startup. I am currently interning with AT2 an aerospace startup.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? I want to work on airship technology after I graduate. I believe that sustainable heavy cargo transport is essential for environmental efforts. If $2M was given to me to pursue something else I would likely turn it down as I don't think the world always needs another founder. Sometimes being a member of the right team is more impactful.
Dan (Davi Marc) Castiel
Contact: dancastiel@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I want to make an impact, and I am very concerned because disasters are going to increase in rate in the next few years.
Creative Skills: I do a lot of music and I design applications.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? I want to launch a stratup that helps people in their daily lives.
Emilie Theriot
Contact: emilie.theriot@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I wanted to work on the climate change because in the future, those phenomena are going to happen more and more frequently. I wanted to better understand them and to start thinking of a solution to better anticipate them or solve them in order to help the population that suffers from it. I hope to come with concrete, applicable solutions and not just theories and hypothesis.
Creative Skills: I love to organize activities for my family in order to spend good time with them so it made me come with different ideas. I also love to color because it makes me relax.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? I still don't know for sure what I want to do after school. I may want to work in incubators or work as a VC. But if I had so much money, I would like to invest in promising start-ups that will have a real impact either on environment or on health.
Gaspard Kuhn
Contact: gaspardkuhn@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? "Firstly I am really interested about the environmental problematics we are facing right now in the society and the course seems really interesting talking about how to manage disasters. Also, I feel like in a french business school the only way you can study environment is through the Corporate Sociability Courses and see how a company can manage to be compliant with the law without bringing any interesting improvment and any real solutions. In this course I feel like it's interesting to get directly on an existing problem and try to find solutions for it while creating something. In addition, I am tired of all those exclusively theoretical courses I have been going to for more than 5 years. I want to get hands-on and find solutions to problems instead of just studying them over and over. Finally, I though the mix of people would be really interesting. In fact, there are people from different backgrounds so everybody could bring a different vision and skillset to the group."
Creative Skills: "I have been playing the piano for 18 years now. I think it really stimulates my creativity and in many different ways. Indeed, you can work on improvisation and then the creativity would flow throughout your body and your subconscious I believe. Then you just have to let your mind and your body getting free and follow a path you are creating along the way. You can also work on your interpretation of a music piece. For that, you have to be really into it and stimulate your creativity by exploring different possibilities to find the right tempo, music loudness... it's way more disciplined but once you find a path you can also let things flow and follow a feeling or an emotion. I have also been writting poems. For that, you need to be way more disciplined to follow the rymes and the verse size. It's a great exercise as you have to be creative on any kind of subject while respecting some conditions. I think it really stimulates my brain and my creativity. Finally, I am a cook! But when I am cooking I am totally free, no rules. I do whatever I want, as long as I feel like it's going to be good."
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? "I would like to help people. I want to to do entrepreneurship but it has to be meaningfull. I want a working environment that is stimulating with new challenges all the time. With $2M I'd like to create a start-up. I don't think that I can make an immediate impact on the world but it would be a great way to start and to put a feet in the entrepreneurial world. With that, I think I would be able to make an impact in the following years and to gain some experience."
Guillermo Isaac Molina Acosta (Memo)
Contact: guillermo_molina@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I have experience in organic chemistry, I have plenty of interest on creating and developing new Green Chemistry technologies and I care for the environment. I enrolled to this course because I enjoy solving problems and working on Green Chemistry, I also want to work on future proyects related to ambiental issues and how to fix them.
Creative Skills: I am a huge problem solver, I have the ability to focus on task for long periods time, meanwhile researching related topics and finding solutions. I do enjoy doing reserch in many ways, gathering data and comparing processes and technologies, I am also great at finding new ideas or creating concepts.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? If I had that amount of money probably I would start a company related to generation of green, alternative, & sustainable fuels or the recycling of polymers.
Haixin Guo
Contact: haixin.guo@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I want to go through the complete process of first doing research, then building a product. I hope to be a UI/UX designer in the future, and going through the design process could help me greatly in broadening my experience - it feels as if my current work experiences start somewhere in the middle. Someone has already done the research, and they know what direction to take. I want to be able to better recognize what needs an end user has and what I can design to help those needs.
Creative Skills: I'm a designer/artist! My interest in creating art started when I was young, and I was able to pick it back up over quarantine. Since then, I've come to regard art as much more than a hobby, but as a way for me to meet people I otherwise would never meet. I've done so much more than I expected on this journey and made connections that I greatly value today.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? To be honest, I just hope to get a job in this economy after I graduate this semester. Eventually, I would like to work up to the point when I can design satisfying and fun user experiences - perhaps in the gaming industry. I would also like to keep learning and exploring different design processes and styles - I like to be able to experiment and try new things in my life and in design/art. This fits perhaps a consulting work style since I would be able to work on different projects and different clients, but I’m not sure what work looks like for me yet. In a likewise manner, I’m not sure what I would do with $2M in my account upon graduation. Most likely, I would donate a lot of it to the current research company I have been working with - the California Institute for Energy and Environment. The researchers there have been working with high-impact projects (and know how to handle funding) for a while now, and they’ve been conducting some really cool/impactful to further California’s climate and environment goals.
Santiago (Santi) Cuevas
Contact: santicuevas@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I've always been interested in natural disasters, and I find this course to be a great foray into leveraging my business acumen into a subject that interests me. Additionally, I'm looking to sharpen my presentation skills to grow as a more powerful speaker and collaborator.
Creative Skills: I love cooking top sirloin steak and making music.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? Management Consulting, Global Strategy in the Automotive/Mobility Industry.
Yousef Helal
Contact: yousefh@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I am interested in getting into the entrepreneurship space, but am also seeing all the issues humans face in todays day and age, so I think this class is the perfect way to help build something that is useful to humanity while also gaining valuable experience.
Creative Skills: Programmer: I have been programming since I was 15, from when I learned app development in order to build a business. Ever since then, I have done projects in numerous fields ranging from web development to graphics.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? After Berkeley I would like to continue building things, and am thinking about either going to grad school or working on startups (probably both!). If I had $2M in my account after graduation, it would allow me some more freedom to do what I wanted to do and take additional risks.
James Chong
Contact: jameschong@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? To improve my problem-solving skills in a real-world situation. Also to learn more about entrepreneurship.
Creative Skills: "Programmer - Creating a portal for Under Represented Minorities to gain additional access to a wide variety of business clubs on campus. Solo building a Photographer - Becoming a freelance photographer, planning product shoots with various companies, and dabbling in unfamiliar spaces such as fashion photography."
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? Start a startup and later down the line start a social-impact-focused venture fund. With regards to the startup, there have been a few ideas I have been exploring such as building a sanctions list compliance tool (preventing business transactions that can have significant negative externalities) and a URM recruitment tool (improving DEI within recruitment and the corporate workspace) as well.
Jasmine Ang
Contact: jasmine.ang@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I enrolled in this course since the topic is really relevant in today's day and age. With the Maui fires and numerous other natural disasters across the world, it is important to learn how to navigate in a time where it is unavoidable. I hope to learn more about what to do when this disasters arise and how to educate the people around me as well.
Creative Skills: I am a content creator. I have always enjoyed video editing, especially playing around with different apps in high school such as Final Cut Pro. However, recently I have been experiencing with short form videos such as Instagram Reels and TikTok. I have developed my editing skills through hands-on learning and also watching tutorials online.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? Work that I am passionate about is spreading awareness about the consequences of fast fashion and how it is harmful towards the environment and the workers who create the garments. Unfortunately, $2M would not be enough money to try and fix the entire fast fashion industry, but with that money I would try to go to the countries where fast fashion products are manufactured and try to help the workers that are forced to work in such terrible conditions.
Jean-Baptiste Coudurier-Boeuf (Jay-Bee)
Contact: jbcoudu@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I'm deeply interested in solution for climate change that can be leveraged into sustainable business
Creative Skills: I'm more of an organizer : I created a student market in my school to sell cheap local product to students. I'm currently working on a start-up project that I want to launch during the year
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? I want to try living of my own businesses. However if I had two million, I would probably tackle a more complicated subject and try to create value of it than the one I'm currently working on
Jeffrey Ambriz
Contact: jeffreyambriz@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I enrolled in this course to progress towards my SCET certificate. But, this course specifically intrigued me due to its topic. I grew up in Southern California, where the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires have deeply impacted both the environment and local communities. The motivation for enrolling in this course came from this, as I want to learn how to effectively come up with ways to help mitigate the effect of natural disasters.
Creative Skills: Some of my creative skills include utilizing Adobe Photoshop for graphic design and utilizing Microsoft Excel for building financial models. Both of which involved hours of instruction through YouTube and hours of practice to continue improving and getting better.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? After Cal, I intend on going into finance to hone in on the technical skills needed to have a strong business acumen. Down the line, however, I intend on starting my own business and hopefully solving a problem / entering a market that could benefit from such innovation. The $2M would help jumpstart my potential business and help get it off the ground and running...just need to find the idea first!
Jenny Kim
Contact: jennyk@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I enrolled in this course to learn more about environmental solutions and get a SCET certificate.
Creative Skills: I have experience in programming. I have created various games and web applications in the past.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? I would like to be a product manager after Cal. I hope to create useful products that people enjoy. I also hope to work in the environmental industry at some point in my career.
Jonas Bar-on
Contact: jmbar_on@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I was looking for a less theoretical class this semester since my 3 other courses are very technical. An environmental application also seems interesting and hopefully will help me find what I want to do in the future.
Creative Skills: In terms of engineering, I would consider myself at finding creative solutions for software and mathematical problems. Over the past 2 summers I've interned at Raytheon where I developed algorithms and often had to synthesize mathematical routines from different papers/techniques from classes. Outside of engineering I enjoy cooking and painting as creative outlets. In these hobbies I like to find recipes/references but use them as guidelines rather than rules.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? Ideally, I would like to work as a systems engineer/algorithm developer for a company that's doing something good for the world. I'd like to distance myself from the defense industry but use what I've learned from it in other applications. Aerospace is certainly interesting to me (maybe NASA) but I'm not married to it as there are plenty of applications that I haven't explored. Having $2M would certainly help with being able to explore jobs that are maybe less lucrative but more environmentally/ethically sound.
Joon-Ha (Jacob) Park
Contact: joonha811@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I enrolled in this class because I am passionate about climate resilient strategies within the realm of urban spaces, but I want to learn more about disaster resilient strategies and how innovative technologies can be implemented into society to benefit it as a whole. It is also exciting that we get to work with specific stakeholders that are trendsetters in this realm of disaster resilience.
Creative Skills: My creative skills are wide ranging from UI/UX design to urban design to fashion design. In my free time, I like to sketch and think of innovative, trendsetting designs within the realm of fashion and tactical urbanism.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? With 2 million dollars, I would use it to start a sports-tech clothing brand that focuses on creating innovative prosthetics for disabled athletes and adaptive clothing for disabled people to create a sense of self-identity and enhances their day to day performance.
Leanne Shahin
Contact: karinajin@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I thought the content of the class is really interested and I want to gain more hands-on experience.
Creative Skills: Program skills; use lego to build what I want to build.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? I want to be a researcher after graduate from Cal. It will be used on the research, if there are anything that be create or found, then it will impact the world.
Kate (Katie) Ye
Contact: kateye@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I enrolled in this class because I'm interested in exploring different sectors of entrepreneurship and applications of innovation, including disaster relief technology. Having experienced the California wildfires in recent years and hearing about the hurricane in Maui, I'm determined to create a solution to our modern world of climate change and effectively apply it to the existing structures around me to protect more people and preserve their livelihoods.
Creative Skills: I'm a entrepreneur at heart - I created my own small jewelry business during the pandemic and figured out to develop and share my brand to thousands of people around the world. My business is called A Drop of Dew Jewelry and I make specialty gemstone and gold jewelry pieces inspired by my own childhood nostalgia. Each piece is handmade by me and has gone to audiences across all 50 states of the U.S. and 80 countries worldwide. Today, I sell my jewelry on Sproul too to UC Berkeley students and hope to expand both my ecommerce and physical operations when I graduate.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? If I had $2M in my account upon graduation, I would invest it heavily in building some sort of practical hardware company that makes people's lives better. In a nutshell, I would love the opportunity to create eco-friendly packaging solutions or even a innovative household items that could star on Shark Tank.
Kelsey Leet
Contact: kelseyleet@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I enrolled in this course because I am interested in engineering design for environmental applications. I participated in the conservation and innovation cohort of the Fung Fellowship last year in an effort to explore disciplines adjacent to my major. The fellowship demonstrated the impact of design in countless environmental contexts and it sparked a passion for engineering design and I am excited to further my coursework in the discipline.
Creative Skills: I am a researcher and rock climber. I am passionate about environmental research and have almost 4 years experience in various fields as well as a hope to earn my Ph.D. I am also a rock climber and have been climbing since I was 3 years old. I fell in love the problem solving nature of the sport and its incredible community. I've also participated in various competitions abroad and know that climbing will always be a major part of my life.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? I hope to continue my career in research and earn my Ph.D while bridging my interests in chemical engineering/analytical chemistry, the environment, and design and innovation. If I had $2M I would pursue a masters and Ph.D degree abroad and use the money to fund research projects to better understand and improve the environment. I would also institute a science program for young girls and non binary folx to fuel a sense of belonging in STEM from a young age.
Kristine Shahbazyan
Contact: kristineshahbazyan@berkeley.com
Why did you enroll in this course? To complete the SCET (Sutardja Certificate in Entrepreneurship & Technology) requirement.
Creative Skills: I am a very hands on person and love cooking and anything with visual steps.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? I want to go into consulting or product management but if i had that 2M I would create a startup with a non profit sector.
Kush Goswami
Contact: kushg@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I enrolled in this course primarily because I am interested in entrepreneurship and just wanted to learn more. In the past, I was the lead software engineer at a startup called Unisafe which focused on student safety at college campuses. I learned a lot about working in a collaborative environment as well as conducting market research. Additionally, I am in a club called Enactus which focuses on social entrepreneurship. This course is perfectly aligned with both these goals. Also, in this class I will be able to meet like-minded people with similar goals.
Creative Skills: As a software engineer, I have developed my creative skills through the type of applications I create and how I solve engineering problems. Since freshman year, I have been coding many games and unique applications. Additionally, as I have done more problems on websites like Leetcode, I have learned different approaches to the same problem and implemented them in my programs.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? If I had $2M in my account upon graduation, I would use it on funding some sort of startup. I don’t have any particular ideas in mind, but I would genuinely try to have a positive impact in some sort of industry. One possible industry would be food and the impact I would have is providing healthier food at a cheaper price.
XiLin Choi
Contact: xilinchoi@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? Learn more about the product lifecycle and also about oil spills! Also to meet and collaborate from people of different disciplines.
Creative Skills: I’ve done some research work, both in the context of cogsci and psych classes and in a couple labs I’ve worked in (primarily dev psych, perception, emotion)
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? I think I want to work in research, whether that’s immediately heading into industry or making my way to grad programs. I’d look into an impactful and lasting way to spend it on something that I’m passionate about
Lucas Tress
Contact: ltress@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I enrolled in this course because it fits into my Area of Interest for my major. I am extremely interested in environmental change, especially in more urban and suburban environments. I also have worked in emergency services for a number of years, growing my interest in emergency response. The topic of this class perfectly combines all of that with a specific topic of oil spills that I haven't studied yet.
Creative Skills: I pride myself in having great organizational operational skills, working within and managing a team of people. Throughout two emergency services organizations I work for, I have made my way up to leadership positions, where I now run the operations and planning processes of many large groups of people and events. This includes the designs of detailed and complex maps for Search and Rescue operations.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? I could see myself entering an environmental consulting roll within the emergency services world - directly relating to what we are doing for this class. I could take the $2M and work with the organization to help combat the biggest environmental challenge they recognize, or support the mitigation of environmental damage on the existing practices within the department.
Michelle Chow
Contact: michellelychow@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I'm really passionate about environmental issues and just want to do work that helps fight climate change. As a MechE major I have a lot of experience with product development, but I want a deeper understanding of projects relating to the environment whether it's tackling waste or pollution. Something this class has that my past project classes didn't is the consideration of the local culture, laws and regulation and existing policy.
Creative Skills: I really love baking which I also like mixing with photography and arts & crafts. All these skills began as creative expression as a young kid, but I now practice them to learn more advanced techniques and share with others as well. Currently, I'm really excited about baking with seasonal fruits, making more technical items like pastry dough, then sharing with others to get them excited about food and get feedback on my work.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? Right after school I would like to work on climate technologies, anything that will help reverse climate change. If I had $2M in my account, I would first make a plan and invest my money so I have enough to retire. Invest a portion of the remaining money to try to make a profit, then the rest in buying a house, traveling, and taking care of my friends and family so they can have a more comfortable life too. My mission is to take care of the world we have: which includes the people, the environment, and the kindness we can share.
Nandish Khandhar
Contact: nandishk@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I enrolled because I have always been passionate about sustainability and technology and this class would help me explore both of these fields together.
Creative Skills: One of my creative skills is cooking, and I learnt that through observing food being made at home and then experimenting with new foods/recipes while I cooked for myself in college
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? I'm not really sure about what I would want to do after college, but it would definitely be related to climate change and using tech to solve the issue. The 2 million would go towards building this initiative.
Naomi Jeng
Contact: naomi.jeng@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I enrolled in this course because I'm deeply passionate about addressing environmental challenges, especially in the context of oil spills. This unique opportunity to collaborate with industry experts, government agencies, and other stakeholders aligns perfectly with my desire to learn hands-on, develop innovative solutions, and contribute to real-world impact. I'm excited to build a robust skill set, from problem-solving to practical implementation, while also making a meaningful contribution to both academic knowledge and societal well-being.
Creative Skills: For the past two years, I have worked tirelessly to translate my personal interests in streetwear fashion into my professional development. My ability to ensure consumer interest and to execute effective marketing strategies allowed me to successfully launch four streetwear products to date. In each project, I was responsible for coordinating the full product-development lifecycle, including strategic planning, data analysis, A/B testing, and product launches.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? After Cal, I'm driven to pursue a career that combines my passions for both environmental sustainability and healthcare innovation. I envision myself working on technologies that not only address pressing environmental issues like oil spills but also contribute to advancements in healthcare diagnostics and treatments. If given $2 million in my account upon graduation, I would channel the funds into launching a startup that develops sustainable healthcare solutions, leveraging cutting-edge technology to improve patient outcomes and access to care. This investment could revolutionize how healthcare is delivered, making a meaningful impact on global health and well-being.
Olivia Calderon
Contact: calderon.olivia@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I want to pursue corporate law so I felt like this experience will be helpful.
Creative Skills: I'm a creative writer but I've also done research to build on more formal writing.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? I don't know yet. I want to help people but im not sure how I can do that with my major.
Ousman Camara
Contact: o1camara@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I have always been interested in environmental sustainability, especially issues around deforestation. Per the requirements of the startup semester program, I must participate in at least one challenge this semester. Thus, I enrolled in this course since it is the closest to the issue I am interested in. Additionally, I found the focus of the course (Oil spillage) very intriguing. I am from the Gambia, and in 2022, more than 70 metric tonnes of oil accidentally discharged into the Gambian water bodies affecting the marine life and posing a great threat to the environment, according to experts. Unlike the U.S., the Gambia does not have the capacity and resources to adequately deal with such issues. This has made me more interested in the topic and hence the reason why I enrolled.
Creative Skills: I am unsure if financial analysis skills count, but I have developed those to a fairly good level through constant learning and practicing. This - mostly through YouTube videos, class lectures, and learning from peers and classmates. Additionally, I have quite good footballing (Soccer) skills, which I have developed through constant observation and practicing as well. This has enhanced my abilities, but also improved my team working skills and decision making skills.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? I would like to work as an eco-friendly charcoal seller. With a substantial investment of two million dollars, I would like to set up an eco-friendly producing charcoal factory that can produce charcoal briquettes using agro wastes instead of the conventional method of harvesting trees. This way, I would be contributing to forest conservation, reducing carbon footprint, and promoting environmental sustainability in Africa and around the globe.
Rhythm Seth
Contact: rhythmseth@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? Coming into college as a ChemE major and someone who was really interested in battery tech and climate entrepreneurship, I feel like I kinda lost my path when I changed majors to computer science. When I first discovered this class, I saw it as an opportunity to reignite that passion of mine and learn the skills require to succeed in that field
Creative Skills: Recently I started working on my own start up with a small team of 4. Working on this idea helped me develop myself in all round skills, for example, planning sprints for work and assigning tasks to everyone made me better at planning, organization and management; writing code for the app made me a better developer and helped me understand the need for communication and the bridge between a designer and a developer; lastly, I believe taking on this project made me better at identifying problems we face in our day to day life, and identifying or building solutions to those by being more hands on.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? As someone who has noted down a lot of startup ideas in my notes app, I would probably work on something from that list, be it fashion-tech or healthcare-tech. I would use the 2M to not only spearhead this startup but also to find other like minded people who would fill in the gaps of my lack of technical expertise.
Ryan Ma
Contact: ryanma15@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I registered for the Challenge Lab in Disaster Technology because I am interested in the climate and sustainability sectors. At some point in my career, I would like to join an organization, launch an initiative, or start my own company that strives to solve these types of problems in society. More specifically, I hope to learn about ideas, frameworks, and approaches that are already being used to solve natural disasters.
Creative Skills: I believe I am someone who is very resourceful. Whether it be people within my network or something that is intangible, I can make the most of what I have to deliver exceptional results. I have developed this skill throughout my academic career and through my pursuit of professional internships.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? Ideally, I would like to start my career at a large company doing something in consulting, product management, or strategy & operations. However, I would like to go to business school and work at an early-stage startup, particularly one that works in climate sustainability or green energy sectors. If I had $2M in my account upon graduation (and the right team of people), I would consider creating a startup and applying to incubators. I’m not exactly sure what facet of sustainability I would like to pursue specifically, but I am passionate about creating solutions that will protect our planet and the environment, whether they be community-based or individual-based solutions.
Shudo Yoshiara
Contact: shudoy@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? "Besides the United States and my home country Japan, I have lived in several developing countries including Fiji, Zimbabwe, and the Marshall Islands, and have encountered numerous political, economic, social, and environmental instabilities and fragilities as well as various types of disasters. From this international background, I became interested in international development, which includes disciplines such as sustainability, environmental management, disaster risk reduction, and resilience improvement. Through his course, I would like to foster my practical skills and knowledge of technology and project development for disaster relief in a fragile setting.
Creative Skills: Until now, I have been involved in various environmental design projects in fields such as renewable energy, architecture, public health, and disaster response. For example, for my undergraduate capstone project, I worked on the development of a compact-modular agrivoltaic (a technique that conducts solar-power generation and agricultural production simultaneously) unit for the small Pacific Island states. In this project, I designed and engineered the unit by using 3D model software, built multiple physical prototypes, and held qualitative and quantitative experiments.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? "In the future, I wish to work for international organizations such as the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as a professional practitioner, who engages in sustainable development for supporting environmentally vulnerable communities in developing countries. With the $2M, I would like to build a team of Berkeley and Stanford students and professors, which would develop a simple but effective technology that sustainably the socio-environmental resilience of a vulnerable community in a particular developing country.
Sydney Tsai
Contact: kristineshahbazyan@berkeley.com
Why did you enroll in this course? I enrolled in this course for the BCDI, but after our first class today, I am extremely interested in researching more about oil spills and their impact on our environment while coming up with innovative ways to tackle this challenge.
Creative Skills: The most frequent way I express my creativity is through programming. For instance, I have created apps for ranging from a campus resources aggregation platform to an app that generates easy recipes for college students.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? I would like to improve the world and contribute to society through a technological standpoint. I am hoping to create software solutions to various problems. If I had $2M in my account upon graduation, I would use it to gather a team to conduct research on automated marine vehicles for ocean exploration and study and provide solutions to the effects of ocean pollution.
Vanesa Perez
Contact: vanesaperez0814@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I enrolled in this course firstly because I learned about the SCET certificate and decided I would complete the requirements to attain it. But when it came to narrowing down which course I wanted to take to fulfill one of the requirements I decided on this course because it interested me most. I am an economics major focusing on climate change economics and environmental economics. I am passionate about saving the planet and learning more about how I can do that. The first day of class further solidified my choice of class because I felt that the mission and purpose of the class would help me learn more about how I can actually do something that will help the environment. I am also hoping that it will help me learn about job opportunities or career paths that align with my interests.
Creative Skills: Some of my creative skills include problem-solving, collaboration, research, and organizing. I have always been a very determined person so when there is a problem whether it be academic or personal I won't give up until I figure out the solution. I will try and figure it out on my own and if that does not work then I always seek help from others such as friends, family, peers, professors etc. I work well on my own but I thrive with teamwork. I am a great collaborator and those skills have been enhanced while in college. There have been many group projects that I have participated in for class as well as volunteer positions in which I had to work closely with others to successfully finish our project. I have done some research for some internships and those opportunities provided me with research skills aside from the ones I had to learn as a student. I am above all an organizer I like to have everything in my academic as well as my personal life organized. I always have my calendar up to date and when it comes to projects I find having a timeline is very efficient.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? I am still undecided about what I would like to do for work after Cal and currently trying to figure that out. Ideally, it would be doing something I am proud of and happy doing. Something that aligns with my morals. I would like to work focusing on making the environment safer for everyone and contribute to supporting the fight against climate change however that may be. If I had $2 million in my account upon graduation that would most likely motivate me to follow the environmental justice path. I would be fighting for a better environment and supporting those most vulnerable to climate change.
Weston White
Contact: westonawhite@berkeley.edu
Why did you enroll in this course? I wanted to get hands on experience and also learn how to apply engineering knowlege to environmental disasters
Creative Skills: I have experience in CAD, prototyping and manufacturing. I also have skills in grpahic design and 3D rendering.
What kind of work would you like to do after Cal and how would it impact the world if you had $2M in your account upon graduation? I'd want to start a startup with a mechanical engineering based product. I think I'd look towards clean energy but not sure exactly what.