Undergraduate Student

Patrick Vazquez

Year Joined the Laboratory: Summer 2024, 3rd Year Undergraduate

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Hometown: Glendale, California

Why I Joined: Taking a Thermodynamics class in Spring of 2024 opened the opportunity to connect with Professor Chuang where consistently, the professor offered significant guidance and encouragement that enabled me to submit my best efforts. From this interaction, I knew that pursuing research at the TEEL lab would provide a place to grow while contrubuting to renewable energy solutions and applying relevant class material in the fields of Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics, and Electrochemistry. From the diverse interests/work around the lab as well as the connections I have developed technically and professionally.

Research Interests: Characterization of energetic materials through the use of experimentation and simulation, sustainability

Future Goals: Make advancements in research related to the safety of hypergolic propellants to reach cleaner solutions.

Danna Jimenez

Year Joined the laboratory: Fall 2024, 4th year undergraduate

Major: Civil Engineering 

Hometown: Santa Ana, California 

Why I joined: I joined TEEL because its work on renewable energy technologies, particularly energy storage and conversion using fuel cells and water electrolysis, directly aligns with my passion for sustainability. My civil engineering background has given me a solid foundation in sustainable design and infrastructure, but I wanted to engage more deeply with renewable energy applications. The lab’s hands-on focus would allow me to apply my skills in real-world energy challenges, bridging my civil engineering knowledge with innovative solutions in energy storage—an essential step toward a more sustainable future.

Research interests: Renewable energy, green energy, sustainability 

Future Goals: My future goals are to advance renewable energy solutions, continue research at a professional level, and make positive contributions to the environment and society.