GET TO KNOW US!

MEET THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE CITRIS @ UC MERCED WHAT IT IS

ERIN HESTIR, PHD

Director

Dr. Erin Hestir assumed the role of Director for the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) & the Banatao Institute at UC Merced in August 2023. Formerly Associate Director of the institute, she emphasizes interdisciplinary research for societal benefit. As Associate Director, Hestir institutionalized the Valle! Get your start in tech! Education program and brought remote sensing programming to undergraduate students in the Central Valley. She is an Associate Professor for Civil and Environmental Engineering and a faculty member in the Environmental Systems Graduate Group. Through her lab, Earth Observation and Remote Sensing, Hestir’s leadership extends to pioneering geomatics and sensing solutions for agricultural and environmental challenges. Her impactful work includes leading NASA’s BioSCape biodiversity campaign and transforming agriculture through technology with the NSF Engineering Research Center for IoT4Ag. With a Ph.D. in Geography from UC Davis, Hestir brings diverse international expertise to her role.

HANNA BARTRAN, MS

Managing Director of Citris

Hanna Bartram joined UC Merced CITRIS as Managing Director in 2024. Prior to her work with CITRIS, Hanna spearheaded programs to equip the next generation with the skills and knowledge needed to solve food system problems with innovative AI technologies with the AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems at UC Davis. With a passion for broadening societal understanding of science, Hanna is excited to build collaborations and share the innovative research of CITRIS. She holds a B.S. in Geology and an M.S. in Geoscience

ELEANOR KING, MS

Oreach and Education Coordinator

As the outreach and education coordinator for CITRIS at UC Merced, Eleanor King is responsible for bringing educational science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs to schools within the Central Valley. She received her B.S. in environment and sustainability from Catawba College in 2020, where she pursued a mix of community engagement and community-based conservation research for her undergraduate honors thesis in northwestern Madagascar. She holds an M.S. in environmental science and policy with a focus in conservation science and policy from George Mason University, having completed her thesis research on the outcomes of reforestation efforts in Ranomafana, Madagascar. She continues to find ways to bridge gaps between communities and scientists in her current work, running educational drone programming and more.

OPERATIONS STAFF

Tamika Flores

VISTA Center Manager

GURPARTAP DHALIWAL

Sr. Financial Analyst

ELLIE FELICIANO

VISTA Adiminastrative Assistant

Jaimie Colores

Administrative Assistant

AFFILIATED FACULTY

 JOHN ABATZOGLOU

JOHN ABATZOGLOU

Professor, School of Engineering

AHMED SABIR ARIF

AHMED SABIR ARIF

Assistant Professor, School of Engineering

VENKATT AYYASWAMY

VENKATT AYYASWAMY

Associate Professor, School of Engineering

ROGER BALES

ROGER BALES

Professor, School of Engineering

MIRIAM BARLOW

MIRIAM BARLOW

Professor, School of Natural Sciences

MARC BEUTEL

MARC BEUTEL

Professor and Department Chair (CEE), School of Engineering

GORDON BENNET

GORDON BENNET

Associate Professor, Life and Environmental Sciences

HARISH BHAT

HARISH BHAT

Professor, School of Engineering

STEFANO CAPRIN

STEFANO CAPRIN

Professor, School of Engineering

ALEC CHAN-GOLSTON

ALEC CHAN-GOLSTON

Assistant Professor, School of Social Sciences

MIGUEL CARREIRA-PERPIÑÁN

MIGUEL CARREIRA-PERPIÑÁN

Professor, School of Engineering

SPENCER CASTRO

SPENCER CASTRO

Assistant Professor, School of Engineering

ALBERTO CERPA

ALBERTO CERPA

Associate Professor, School of Engineering

SANTOSH CHANDRASKHAR

SANTOSH CHANDRASKHAR

Assistant Teaching Professor, School of Engineering

YANSQUAN CHEN

YANSQUAN CHEN

Professor, School of Engineering

WEI-CHUN CHIN

WEI-CHUN CHIN

Professor, School of Engineering

PO-YA ABEL CHUANG

PO-YA ABEL CHUANG

Associate Professor, School of Engineering

GERARDO DIAZ

GERARDO DIAZ

Professor, School of Engineering

FRANCESCO DANZI

FRANCESCO DANZI

Assistant Professor, School of Engineering

WAN DU

WAN DU

Assistant Professor, School of Engineering

REZA EHSANI

REZA EHSANI

Professor, School of Engineering

SAYAANTANI GHOSH

SAYAANTANI GHOSH

Professor of Physics, School of Natural Sciences

THOMAS HARMON

THOMAS HARMON

Professor, School of Engineering

JEFREY JENKINS

JEFREY JENKINS

Assistant Professor, School of Natural Sciences

HYERAN JEON

HYERAN JEON

Assistant Professor, School of Engineering

SARAH KURTZ

SARAH KURTZ

Professor, School of Engineering

SAFEEQ KHAN

SAFEEQ KHAN

Associate Professor, School of Engineering

ANGELO KYRILOV

ANGELO KYRILOV

Assistant Teaching Professor, School of Engineering

CRYSTAL KOLDEN

CRYSTAL KOLDEN

Associate Professor, School of Engineering

CHANGQING LI

CHANGQING LI

Professor, School of Engineering

JENNIFER LU

JENNIFER LU

Professor, School of Engineering

XIAOYI LU

XIAOYI LU

Assistant Professor, School of Engineering

YANBAO MA

YANBAO MA

Professor, School of Engineering

PAUL MAGLIO

PAUL MAGLIO

Professor, School of Engineering

 Josué Medellín-Azuara

Josué Medellín-Azuara

Associate Professor, School of Engineering

HOLLEY MOYES

HOLLEY MOYES

Professor, School of Social Science, Humanities and Arts

SAMUEL MARKOLF

SAMUEL MARKOLF

Assistant Professor, School of Engineering

COLLEEN NAUGHTON

COLLEEN NAUGHTON

Assistant Professor, School of Engineering

SHAWN NEWSAM

SHAWN NEWSAM

Professor, School of Engineering

DAVID NOELLE

DAVID NOELLE

Associate Professor, School of Social Science, Humanities and Arts

RUDY ORTIZ

RUDY ORTIZ

Professor, School of Natural Sciences

RICARDO PINTO DE CASTRO

RICARDO PINTO DE CASTRO

Assistant Professor, School of Engineering

SHIJA PAN

SHIJA PAN

Assistant Professor, School of Engineering

TAPAN PATHAK

TAPAN PATHAK

Associate Professor of Cooperative Extension, School of Engineering

ALEXANDER PETERSEN

ALEXANDER PETERSEN

Associate Professor, School of Engineering

AYUSH PANDEY

AYUSH PANDEY

Assistant Teaching Professor, School of Engineering

FLORIN RUSU

FLORIN RUSU

Professor, School of Engineering

REBECCA RYALS

REBECCA RYALS

Associate Professor, School of Natural Sciences

MUKESH SINGHAL

MUKESH SINGHAL

Chancellor's Professor

PAUL SMALDINO

PAUL SMALDINO

Associate Professor, School of Social Science, Humanities and Arts

JIAN-QIAO SUN

JIAN-QIAO SUN

Professor, School of Engineering

BRANDON STARK

BRANDON STARK

Director, Unmanned Aerial Systems Safety Center for Excellence

SAM TRAINA

SAM TRAINA

Professor, School of Engineering

JOSHUA VIERS

JOSHUA VIERS

Professor, School of Engineering

MARGO VENER

MARGO VENER

Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Medical Education

LISA YEO

LISA YEO

Assistant Professor, School of Management

MING-HSUAN YANG

MING-HSUAN YANG

Professor, School of Engineering

CITRIS UC MERCED STUDENT INTERNS

AlEX SANCHEZ

AlEX SANCHEZ

CITRIS Nextech and FLY Education Intern

SAVIO JABBO

SAVIO JABBO

CITRIS NexTech and FLY Education Intern

DJEINABOU BAH

DJEINABOU BAH

CITRIS NexTech and FLY Education Intern

ALUMNI

MAREK ABARCA

MAREK ABARCA

Engineering Consultant

MYKA ALEJANDRE

MYKA ALEJANDRE

Mobile App Challenge Coordinator

AREN AGUILA

AREN AGUILA

CITRIS Web Developer and Data Science

ANDREAS ANDERSON

ANDREAS ANDERSON

Researcher, CITRIS Aviation

FNU AZMA

FNU AZMA

Nextech Robotics Educator Intern

BRIAN BAMSCH

BRIAN BAMSCH

Web Developer

MATTHEW MEAMAN

MATTHEW MEAMAN

Student Assistant

LORENZO BOOTH

LORENZO BOOTH

Graduate Student Researcher, VICE Lab

MALIA BOWMAN

MALIA BOWMAN

Events & Outreach Intern

KIAN BRADLEY

KIAN BRADLEY

Web Developer

MICHAEL BROOKS

MICHAEL BROOKS

Web Developer

MATTHEW BUCCI

MATTHEW BUCCI

Web Developer

ALAN CAI

ALAN CAI

Graduate Student Researcher, VICE Lab

SHIVNEEL CHAND

SHIVNEEL CHAND

Website Development Intern

WINNIE CHEN

WINNIE CHEN

Digital Data Ownership Intern

DAVID CHOI

DAVID CHOI

CITRIS Web Developer and Data Scientist

ERIC CHU

ERIC CHU

Student Assistant

ADAM CRAWFORD

ADAM CRAWFORD

CITRIS and Secure Water Future Intern Team Lead

PAUL CONANAN

PAUL CONANAN

Nextech Educator

HOAITHI DANG

HOAITHI DANG

Digital Data Ownership Intern

KYLE DANH

KYLE DANH

Graphic and Design Intern

JOHNATHAN DEAS

JOHNATHAN DEAS

Solar-powered Kiosk Intern

AKEILYAH DEWITT

AKEILYAH DEWITT

Student Intern Lead

STEVEN DINH

STEVEN DINH

Information Security Awareness Inten

VICKY ESPINOZA

VICKY ESPINOZA

Graduate Student Researcher, VICE Lab

ANGELO FATALI

ANGELO FATALI

Web Developer and Data Research

NICK FONG

NICK FONG

Mobile App Challenge Coordinator

ALEX FRIAS

ALEX FRIAS

CITRIS, EORS and VICE Lab Researcher

ANNA FRYJOFF-HUNG

ANNA FRYJOFF-HUNG

Graduate Student Researcher

ALEXUS GARCIA

ALEXUS GARCIA

Student Assistant

ANTONIO GARCIA

ANTONIO GARCIA

CITRIS NexTech Educator

ADRIANA GOMEZ

ADRIANA GOMEZ

UC Sprouts Intern

DANIEL GOMEZ

DANIEL GOMEZ

Graduate Student Researcher, VICE Lb

DEO HALILI

DEO HALILI

Mobile App Challenge Coordinator

Zhixun He, EECS PhD Candidate

Zhixun He, EECS PhD Candidate

TensorFlow for Social Good Trainer

STEVEN HER

STEVEN HER

Videography Coordinator

LINA B-HERNANDEZ

LINA B-HERNANDEZ

NexTech Educator

SEAN JAMES-HICKEY

SEAN JAMES-HICKEY

CITRIS Videographer

BRIAN HUNGERMAN

BRIAN HUNGERMAN

Web Developer

LUKE KOSTRIKIN

LUKE KOSTRIKIN

Student Assistant

KEVIN LARENIERE

KEVIN LARENIERE

CITRIS Education Intern

JOANA GUTIERREZ COSS Y LEON

JOANA GUTIERREZ COSS Y LEON

Student Lead

FASHA LENNON

FASHA LENNON

NexTech Educator

KA WAI (SHAWN) LIANG

KA WAI (SHAWN) LIANG

NexTech Educator Intern

STANTIAGO RAMIREZ MANZO

STANTIAGO RAMIREZ MANZO

CITRIS NextTech and FLY Education Intern

NEERTARI MARIN

NEERTARI MARIN

NexTech Robotics Educator Intern

MIRIAM MARTINEZ

MIRIAM MARTINEZ

Graphics & Media Intern

VALERIE MOSS

VALERIE MOSS

Student Intern Lead

MICHAEL TAPIA

MICHAEL TAPIA

VISTA WebDev Intern

SHUBHAM NAIK

SHUBHAM NAIK

App Developer

DARREN NG

DARREN NG

TensorFlow for Social Good Trainer

IVY NGUYEN

IVY NGUYEN

NexTech Educator Intern

KIM NGUYEN

KIM NGUYEN

Student Intern Lead

NIKOLAI NORONA

NIKOLAI NORONA

Undergraduate Researcher

ALONSO ORTIZ

ALONSO ORTIZ

CITRIS Web Developer and Data Scientist

SAMANTHA PADILLA

SAMANTHA PADILLA

CITRIS FAMERS Program Coordinator

 CYSTAL RAJAN

CYSTAL RAJAN

Photography and Multimedia Coordinator

MARY DELOS REYES

MARY DELOS REYES

Web Developer

ANNA RALLINGS

ANNA RALLINGS

Research Coordinator, VICE Lab

JAIME DE JESUS RIVERA VAZQUEZ

JAIME DE JESUS RIVERA VAZQUEZ

NexTech Robotics Educator Intern

MICHIRO ROBINSON

MICHIRO ROBINSON

Undergraduate Researcher

BIZET RODRIQUEZZ

BIZET RODRIQUEZZ

NexTech Educator Intern

DANIEL SABZEHZAR

DANIEL SABZEHZAR

Student Assistant

MARK RENZO SANTIAGO

MARK RENZO SANTIAGO

Web Developer

SHERWIN SERRANO

SHERWIN SERRANO

NexTech Educator

SHON SHABARI

SHON SHABARI

Graphic Design Intern

YASH SHARMA

YASH SHARMA

NexTech Educator Intern

ATHENA SIAOTONG

ATHENA SIAOTONG

CITRIS Multimedia Coordinator

KARISHMA SINGH

KARISHMA SINGH

NexTech Educator Intern

AARON SON

AARON SON

Community Outreach Coordinator

PETER SOU

PETER SOU

NexTech Educator

JOSHUA TAPIA

JOSHUA TAPIA

CITRIS NexTech and FLY Educational Intern

QUANG TRAN

QUANG TRAN

Student Assistant

MARTIN UREUTA III

MARTIN UREUTA III

Web Developer and Data Research

DENIS VASHCHENKO

DENIS VASHCHENKO

Web Developer Intern

SOPHIE VO

SOPHIE VO

Technology and Innovation Intern

RYAN XAYARATH

RYAN XAYARATH

Videography Intern

SWETA YONJAN

SWETA YONJAN

Graphics and Design Intern

BRENDA YU

BRENDA YU

Events & Outreach Coordinator

ZION SAHELI

ZION SAHELI

CITRIS Nextech and FLY Education Intern

NOELLE WANG

NOELLE WANG

CITRIS NexTech and FLY Education Intern