Minnesota State Mankato Junior Awarded Summer Undergraduate Research in Geoscience and Engineering (SURGE) Fellowship at Stanford University
Minnesota State junior Aaron Pacheco was recently awarded a Summer Undergraduate Research in Geoscience and Engineering (SURGE) Fellowship at Stanford University. Pacheco will work with a team of scientists on a research project called Reconstructing Boundary Layer Structure of Tropical Cyclones Using Satellite Observations, under the advisement of Dr. Morgan O’Neill and mentor Ipshita Dey. Pacheco described he will be working with “GIS (Geographic Information Science) technology and microwave remote sensing to increase an understanding of hurricane behavior.” The fellowship will allow Pacheco to develop his understanding of the observational methods used for retrieving atmospheric variables, statistical tools used for identifying and characterizing the dynamics and thermodynamics of atmosphere as well as assist in the calibration and validation of satellite data.
Pacheco is a geography major and is considering a minor in Electronics Engineering Technology. He is a member of the Minnesota State Mankato Honors Program and the Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) facilitated through the Minnesota State Mankato Undergraduate Research Center. Pacheco will participate in remote coursework through Stanford University this spring as a benefit of the fellowship.
Pacheco worked with Dr. Kristen Cvancara in the Office of University Fellowships and Dr. Fei Yuan (Advisor, Geography Department) in pursuit of this award.
Aaron's story:
I transferred to Minnesota from the California Bay Area last semester; I initially started on a path in engineering, but my love for travel, languages, culture, and nature corrected my trajectory to pursue my passion in geography.
With assistance from the Fellowships Office, I was overjoyed to be accepted to the SURGE Program at Stanford where I would work on research through summer. The chance to work with researchers on real-world international projects is exciting, and with included GRE and graduate school prep courses, even if I don’t ultimately choose Stanford, the experience will apply wherever I decide.
My goals are to use my interdisciplinary and professional background in the field of geography both as a researcher and professor. I wish to be in the field, on the front lines of research, as well as working to inspire the next generation just as many of my professors had done for me."
Congratulations Aaron!
