More about Kassandra Castaneda– first character of facility name

• School: Imperial Valley College, Imperial, CA
• Major: Second year Pre-Engineering with plans to transfer to a university to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering
• Work Experience: Office Assistant, Imperial County Development Services, Recreational Leader, El Centro Parks & Recreation
• Skills: Teamwork and Collaboration; Computer Proficiency; Experience in Microsoft Word, Excel, & Outlook; Critical Thinking; Activity Planning & Coordination
• Favorite Courses: Engineering 100 (2022), American Sign Language I (2023)
• Accomplishments: High Honors, Southwest High School (2022); MESA* Awards (1st and 3rd place) *Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement
• LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/kassandra-castaneda-396a02252
• Hobbies: Crafting with a Circuit machine, sublimation printing (making shirt and tumbler designs on a heat press)

Chandrasena “Chandu” Kathi

More about Chandu

LinkedIn Profile 

• School: CSU Sacramento
• Major: Computer Science
• Work Experience: Tutor, Folsom Lake College (helping students with mathematics and computer science courses); Student Assistant, CSU Sacramento (tutoring and grading schoolwork for my Data Structures and Algorithms professor)
• Skills: I am proficient in many coding languages, such as Python, Java, SQL, C, and many others. I am currently working on expanding my skills in both coding and design for mobile apps.
• Favorite Courses: Data Structures and Algorithms, Database Management, Operating Systems
• Accomplishments: I have maintained a GPA above 3.5 and have made the Dean’s Honor List each semester. I have earned two associate degrees, in Computer Science and Interdisciplinary Studies. Currently, as president of the Association for Computing Machinery, a club at Sacramento State, I work to bring students opportunities to network with various companies through workshops and informational events.
• Hobbies: Playing ping pong with my friends.

Q&A

What to gain from your experience at DTSC?
I wanted to connect the environmental health knowledge gained in the classroom with the experience of the internship.

What is your research topic?
Our research topic is about exploring microbial fuel cells as a bioremediation method and comparing it to current DTSC methods.

How do you think your research topic will help vulnerable communities?
Our exploration of microbial fuel cells as a bioremediation method will benefit vulnerable communities by offering an alternative method to conventional DTSC approaches.

What are your future work aspirations?
My future aspiration is to become a software developer, aiming to create impactful software solutions that can make a significant difference. 

Ulises Arteaga

LinkedIn Profile

More about Uli

• School: UC Santa Barabara
• Major: Earth Science with minor in Geology
• Work Experience: After-school teacher at Harding University Partnership School (Santa Barbara Unified School District)
• Skills: Mineralogy, Petrology, Physical and Digital Mapping, Field Work, ArcGIS, and USGS Map Database
• Favorite Courses: Spring Field Trip where I spent a week camping and mapping mountain ranges and geologic structures in the Mojave Desert; Igneous Petrology (learned in detail about the differences between various igneous rocks and how they are formed); Oceanography (an introduction course on how ocean processes work and affect the earth)
• Accomplishments: Outstanding Academic Achievement Award, UCSB Earth Science Department
• Hobbies: Building computers, playing video games, baking, and hiking!

Q&A

What is your research topic?
I’m working with fellow intern, Chandu Kathi. We would like to see if bioremediation, specifically microbial fuel cells, would be a good option of remediation for sites that contain Chromium VI.

How do you hope your research will influence your work in the future?
I want to become a geologist who does environmental consulting, and while doing research about bioremediation for DTSC, I have learned about a lot of the steps that go into site cleanup.

What are your future work aspirations?
I would like to work as a geologist for a local or state agency, so this internship has been a great start!

Jasha Bucks

LinkedIn Profile

More about Jasha

• School: CSU Sacramento
• Major: Environmental Studies
• Work Experience: Student Assistant, Sterile Processing Lead, Sterile Processing Technician, Data Analyst, Exhibit Interpreter/Education Volunteer, Help Desk Associate, Cashier
• Skills: Communication, teamwork, adaptability, customer service, GIS experience, leadership, problem-solving, MS Office, knowledge of CEQA/NEPA, report preparation and presentation, field surveys, sample collection and analysis, learning
• Favorite Courses: Field Methods, Intro to GIS, International Environmental Problems, Environmental Ethics, Agroecology
• Accomplishments: Improved customer experience;, inventoried excess stock, which led to receiving credit from vendors; improved documentation processes; improving my GPA significantly (graduated cum laude)
• Hobbies: Photography, reading, gardening, hiking, traveling, learning

Q&A

What did you hope to gain from your experience at DTSC?

DTSC gave me valuable insight on what it is like working for the state. I can now better understand the work that goes into state programs behind the scenes and how that translates to the public. I learned several new applications, how to engage in public outreach, how to research organizations, and the value of great communication skills. I learned to be more confident, even when I don’t know the answer to something, and how to go about finding those answers. I thought I was skilled in being a team player and being able to collaborate, and yet I learned so much and developed those skills even further with this experience. This internship has prepared me for what will come next as I search for a career that fits my interests and needs but is also something I can contribute to in a way that will benefit society.

What was your research topic?
My research topic is about the impacts of microplastics from agriculture on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

How do you think your research topic will help vulnerable communities and/or influence your work in the future?
Especially since taking environmental courses and starting this internship, I’ve grown increasingly aware of new research that is shining a bigger spotlight on topics like microplastics. Plastic is something we have grown heavily reliant on and is found in almost all industries in one way or another. While it has provided a lot of benefits, we are only beginning to understand the disadvantages, which unfortunately impact human and ecosystem health. Millions of people rely on water from the Delta, and vulnerable communities often bear the brunt of environmental degradation. I hope my research topic emphasizes the importance of further research and monitoring that will, hopefully, have significant and positive implications for vulnerable communities, including awareness, policy recommendations, and community empowerment.

What are your future work aspirations?
My aspirations include working in a role that allows me to contribute to sustainable and equitable environmental practices. As a recent graduate, I am open to exploring various opportunities within the environmental field to find my niche. I am eager to learn from experienced professionals, as this internship has afforded me, to gain diverse experiences that will help me solidify the best path forward. I am especially interested in exploring different facets of environmental science, such as conservation, climate change mitigation, and restoration. Whether through research, advocacy, or hands-on environmental management, I want my work to help protect natural ecosystems and improve the quality of life for future generations.

Tyler Smith

LinkedIn Profile

More about Tyler

• School: UCLA Fielding School of Public Health
• Major: Environmental Studies
• Work Experience:Transitional-homeless shelter staff, healthcare administrative assistant, medical assistant in Honduras, sustainable agricultural researcher at Cal Poly SLO, and healthcare system intern
• Skills:Research and analytical skills, technical skills, empathy and support skills
• Favorite Courses: Climate Change & Environmental Justice, Environmental Sociology, and Foundations of Environmental Health Sciences
• Accomplishments:First-generation college student in my family, UCLA Public Health Scholarship Program Recipient
• Hobbies:I have a passion for gardening and horticulture, collecting many houseplants. Living by the coast during my undergrad and grad school, I have taken full advantage of outdoor activities, from hiking to paddleboarding.

Q&A

What did you hope to gain from your experience at DTSC?
I gained valuable experience collaborating with nonprofit organizations to enable access to state grants for site cleanup in their communities, and I engaged with stakeholders to research sustainable food systems and waste management in correctional facilities. I developed my research skills using scientific literature, databases, models, and software tools for environmental remediation and justice research.

What was your research topic?
This research project aimed to explore opportunities to optimize food systems within California’s correctional facilities to mitigate climate change impacts. The research involved an in-depth analysis of these institutions’ current food waste disposal practices. The plan was to study how correctional facilities handle food waste and to identify strategic interventions to reduce environmental impacts. Hopefully, this project will provide policy recommendations that engage stakeholders in advocating the adoption of sustainable practices. This project sought to foster environmental stewardship in the prison system, creating benefits that extend to the surrounding communities and the broader ecological system.

How do you think your research topic will help vulnerable communities and/or influence your work in the future?
My research on sustainable initiatives in California’s correctional facilities will hopefully enhance food systems, improving nutrition and health for inmates, who are among the most vulnerable groups. This work sets a precedent for integrating environmental justice into policy and operational practices, which can be applied to broader community settings. These efforts will guide my future work, helping to ensure that environmental health and justice are central to developing sustainable and equitable policies for all communities.

What are your future work aspirations?
My future work aspirations are to return to my hometown of Porterville, California, in Tulare County, which is disproportionately affected by environmental pollutants like poor air and water quality. I want to ensure that everyone in my community, especially the most vulnerable, such as the elderly, has equitable access to safe and healthy resources. In summer 2024, I plan to become a certified administrator for geriatric healthcare facilities through the California Department of Social Services. After I graduate in June 2025, I hope to have the necessary tools to immediately begin making a positive impact in my community. I also want to continue my education soon by pursuing a doctoral degree in public health to enhance my ability to serve and implement effective health and environmental policies.

Juliet “Jules” Mendoza

LinkedIn Profile

More about Jules

• School: CSU Sacramento
• Major: Environmental Studies with passion for environmental justice
• Work Experience: Worked at Give Every Child a Chance in Manteca as a Site Coordinator and at the YMCA afterschool program as Group leader for 5 years; manager, Rita’s Italian Ice; Tutor, Mercy Housing
• Favorite Courses: Environmental ethics, International Environmental issues, Environmental Justice, Field Methods, Transportation and City Planning. 
• Hobbies: In my free time I like to sew and create my own fashion, I also am a two-spirit drag performer who stands for LGBTQAI+ rights and community. I am an advocate for many social justice issues and relay that in my performance, putting smiles on faces through my performance! 

Q&A

What would you like to gain from your experience at DTSC?
I would like to gain experience in the workforce in a state agency, leading discussions and research topics that align with my passions.

What is your research topic?
My research topic is a lessons-learned analysis of better protocols DTSC can utilize in emergency cleanup efforts, especially during holiday seasons when DTSC is short-staffed, and how DTSC can better support environmental justice communities like in emergency situations. For some background, DTSC found high concentrations of toxic chemicals at a former dry-cleaning business in December 2023.  The focus of my research centers on Stockton, California, .

How do you think your research topic will help vulnerable communities or influence your work in the future?
I hope my research can help communities better understand the pressing issues in their areas and the ways DTSC can help these people. I hope this research can shed light on the lack of information made available to the public and help DTSC take steps to improve communication with the public during emergency cleanups.

What are your future work aspirations?
I would like to stay in state agencies that focus on social service or work for nonprofits working on environmental justice and social justice.