MESM 2021
Bio
Derek Nguyen, a master’s candidate at the Bren School, graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies. During his undergraduate career, Derek conducted research on dry groundwater wells in the Western 17 states. His research helped to measure other locations potentially experiencing impacts from groundwater depletion. Derek also served as the Food Recovery Project Coordinator of UCSB’s Sustainability Program where he developed and implemented food recovery programs on-campus to reduce food waste and food insecurity within the student body. Derek is currently an intern at the Goleta Water District where he assists the Engineering Department in collecting and analyzing water quality samples from various water zones within the district. Derek wants to specialize in Water Resources Management with a focus in Environmental Data Science to learn more about water use efficiency and demand management. He aspires to promote equity and resiliency of water systems especially in underserved communities.