Project HAPPIEST 2021 Cohort

Aaron Flores

I am PhD Candidate in the Department of Geography and a graduate affiliate of the Center for Natural and Technological Hazards. My research primarily focuses on the social dimensions of hazards and disasters, such as hurricanes, flooding, and extreme heat. My summer 2021 faculty mentor was Amanda Bakian. My HAPPIEST undergrad trainees were Deja Gaston and Kevin Ramos. Their projects were titled “Testing for Correlations Between Toxic Release Inventory Exposure and Suicide Prevalence in Utah using Spatial Analysis” and “Relationship Between Suicide Prevalence and Land Surface Temperatures in Utah."

Benjamin Krick

I recently graduated from the University of Utah with a MSc in Political Science. My research focused on how the government’s response to COVID-19 furthered social, political, and health inequities in the Salt Lake City. I hope to enter a doctoral program in the near future. My summer 2021 faculty mentor was Daniel Mendoza and Tabitha Benney. My HAPPIEST undergrad trainees were Angel Valenzuela and Manuela Herrera. Their project was titled “The health inequities of pollution: a scoping review.”

Casey Mullen

I’m a Doctoral student in the Department of Sociology. My research interests include environmental justice, climate justice, social vulnerability to hazards/disasters, environmental health disparities, and community based participatory research. My future research will involve a mixed methods approach in order to examine the impact of air pollution on understandings and behaviors associated with the use of personal air quality monitors. I have also conducted qualitative research on climate change understandings and actions in the Southeast Florida region. I obtained my Bachelor of Arts (2013) at East Carolina University and my Master of Arts (2018) at Florida Atlantic University in Sociology. My summer 2021 faculty mentor was Kerry E. Kelly. My HAPPIEST undergrad trainees were Bianca Paulino and Jose Carreon-Andrade. Their project was titled “Air Quality Sensors in the Household.”

Roger Renteria

I’m a PhD student in the Department of Sociology at the University of Utah. I’m a fellow of the Global Change and Sustainability Center and affiliated with the Center for Natural and Technological Hazards. My career goal is to hold a tenure track position at a university researching and teaching around environmental sociology, environmental justice, social inequalities, social theory and to continue mentoring students from underrepresented groups in higher education. My summer 2021 faculty mentor was Sara E. Grineski. My HAPPIEST undergrad mentee was Aparna Mangadu. Her project title was “Transgenerational Environmental Hazard Exposure and Intellectual Disabilities Among Utah Children.”

Marco Lorenzo Allain

I am a PhD student working with Dr. Timothy Collins on Greenspace Equity. I currently instruct a course in GIS and Cartography at the University of Utah. My summer 2021 faculty mentor was Dr. Robert Welsh. My HAPPIEST undergrad trainees were Salma Perez and Jorge Jimenez. Their project titles were “Biological and Environmental Mechanisms of Risk and Resiliency in Brain Aging Among Ethnic Minorities.”

Angel Valenzuela

I am studying environmental studies and political science and gained research experience while helping the marginalized communities that I identify with. I love working out at the student life center and love hiking at the Red Butte Garden. After obtaining my bachelors I plan on taking a year off of school to work on applications for law schools. My summer 2021 faculty mentor was Daniel Mendoza. My Summer 2021 graduate student training coordinator was Benjamin Krick. My poster was titled “The health inequities of pollution: a scoping review.”

Aparna Mangadu

I’m currently a senior at The University of Texas at El Paso majoring in Environmental Science with a concentration in Biology. I am a student in the BUILDing Scholars Research Program and actively volunteer/conduct research in the Biodiversity Collections on campus. I am also the treasurer for Eta Sigma Gamma, a National Health Education Honorary. After  graduating, I plan to attend graduate school for a Master's in Public Health with the ultimate goal of becoming involved in health policy work and the implementation health education programs for minority groups. My summer 2021 faculty mentor was Dr. Sara Grineski. My summer 2021 graduate student training coordinator was Roger Renteria. My Poster was titled “Using Big Data to Estimate Prenatal Environmental Exposures Associations between an Indicator of Perinatal Lead Exposure and Intellectual Disability in Utah Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder.”

Bianca Paulino

I’m an undergraduate student majoring in Urban Ecology and minoring in Sociology. My major, minor, and GIS certificate are a perfect mix of my interests in social and environmental justice. My summer 2021 faculty mentor was Kerry E. Kelly. My summer 2021 graduate student training coordinator was Casey Mullen. My poster was titled “How Participatory Air Quality Sensing Shapes Participants' Exposure Experiences: Perceptions and Challenges of Mitigating Exposure Pre-Sensor Distribution.”

Deja Netahnin Gaston

I am currently a student at the University of Utah working on receiving a GIS certification with a specialized Remote Sensing track. I completed my undergrad in the Spring of 2021 with a double major in Environmental and Sustainability Studies with a Climate and Energy Emphasis, as well as a major in International Studies with a focus on Development and Sustainability. I’ve been fortunate to work on internships involving environmental law and land management policies while utilizing my GIS background to work mapping climate anomalies. I hope to take this experience to the field and continue academic research in remote sensing of the environment. My summer 2021 faculty mentor was Amanda Bakian. My summer 2021 graduate student training coordinator was Aaron Flores. My poster was titled “Testing for Correlations Between Toxic Release Inventory Exposure and Suicide Prevalence in Utah using Spatial Analysis.”

Jorge Jimenez

I’m a first-generation student pursuing a Honors Bachelor Degree in Political Science. I’m a junior and involved with OurStor1es, Bennion Center Service Corner and Collective, as well as Beacon Scholars. My summer 2021 faculty mentor was Robert Welsh. My summer 2021 graduate student training coordinator was Marco Allain. My poster was titled “Biological and Environmental Mechanisms of Risk and Resiliency in Brain Aging Among Ethnic Minorities.”