Welcome to CalGeo at UCLA! Get to know our story and our team!

From   the   Beginning

Where   we   are   now

Our UCLA student chapter has grown significantly since it was founded in 2008. The chapter organizes multiple events throughout the academic year. These typically include: an annual Fall BBQ, participation in a Mechanically Stabilized Earth Wall competition with Geo-Institute and ASCE at UCLA, field trips to various project sites, and info sessions with various companies.

This past year, CalGeo at UCLA partnered with ASCE at UCLA to organize a field trip to the Hoover Dam. Fourteen students traveled to Nevada for the three day trip over Memorial Day weekend.

At the Hoover Dam, students were given a private tour of the dam and its power plant during which they were able to learn about the history of the construction and how it is operated today.

Afterwards, the group went sightseeing in Las Vegas where they enjoyed dinner at the Mirage buffet and a show at the Bellagio fountains.

Being able to visit one of the greatest civil engineering feats in history was an eye opening experience for all and CalGeo at UCLA hopes to return to the Hoover Dam in the coming years.

our Officers

Arielle Sanghvi, President
Arielle Sanghvi is the current President of CalGeo at UCLA. She is a fourth-year Civil Engineering major, and has served previously on the CalGeo Officer Board as Media Director and Secretary. She is also active in Phi Sigma Rho, the engineering and science sorority. In her free time, she likes hanging out with friends, eating new foods, watching bad reality TV, playing video games, and dancing.

Trini Inouye, Vice President
Trini Inouye is the current Vice President and former Field Trip Coordinator of CalGeo at UCLA. She is currently a fourth year Civil Engineering student with plans to pursue a masters degree in geotechnical engineering. Trini is also an active member of ASCE where she currently serves as the Project Manager of the GeoWall project. She enjoys singing, swimming, and rewatching "Ocean's Eleven," but not at the same time.

Jonathan Song, Treasurer
Jonathan Song is the current Treasurer of CalGeo at UCLA. He is a junior pursuing his degree in Civil Engineering. He is also involved in the co-ed professional engineering fraternity Theta Tau, is the editor for the civil engineering honor society Chi Epsilon, and a nascent member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He hopes to pursue a masters in geotechnical or structural engineering. In his spare time, Jonathan likes cooking, long boarding, playing guitar, reading and watching stories, and hanging out with friends.

Tristan Whisenant, Secretary 
Tristan Whisenant is the Secretary of CalGeo at UCLA. He is a fourth year student in Geophysics, but likes to pretend he's a Geology major. He also serves as the Laboratory Director for CalGeo and ASCE's GeoWall project, and he is an active member of Triangle Fraternity. When he's not doing those things, he's working on his bicycle, fiddling with his newest Arduino project, or flailing around in the kitchen whilst trying to feed himself. He's ultimately trying to understand the world and the diverse roles people can fill for it.

Brandon Duong, Field Trip Coordinator
Brandon Duong is the current field trip coordinator. He is a junior pursuing a degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Brandon is also actively involved with the student chapters of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Institute of Transportation Engineers. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, watching and playing soccer, watching movies, and exploring the world.

Omar Issa, Media Director
Omar Issa is the current Media Director of CalGeo. He is a junior pursuing his degree in Civil & Environmental Engineering, with an emphasis on Geotechnical and Structural Engineering. He aims to one day complete graduate school with a focus in the field of Earthquake Engineering. In his free time he enjoys creative writing, travelling and biking.

Angelica Sanchez-Nunez, Speaker Coordinator
Angelica Sanchez-Nunez, more commonly known as Joanna, is the current Speaker Coordinator of CalGeo at UCLA. Joanna is a 4th year undergraduate majoring in Civil and Environmental Engineering with specializations in geotechnical and structural engineering. She is also involved with the American Society of Civil Engineers and a retired paddler of the concrete canoe project. Joanna also has a variety of research experiences and is currently involved in a project that is focuses on the seismic resilience of residential communities in Los Angeles. Outside of engineering, Joanna works for UCLA's Audio Visual Services and during her spare time enjoys spending time at the beach, traveling, playing basketball, spending time with family and friends, and being a beer enthusiast.

Kandall Kaufmann, Mentorship
Kendall Kaufmann is the current Mentorship Chair of CalGeo at UCLA. She is a second year civil engineering major. She is also actively involved with the student chapter of the American Socitety of Civil Engineers, the Institute of Transportation Engineers, Shenanigans Comedy Club, Triathlon Club and Water Ski Club. In her very little spare time she enjoys painting, discovering new music, reading, and learning new languages!

Wyatt Iwanga, Social
Wyatt Iwanaga is CalGeo's social chair. He is a fourth year civil engineering major, and is a member of Triangle Fraternity and technical director for the GeoWall project. He enjoys SCUBA diving, camping, and hockey.

Justin Qiu, Historian
Justin Qiu is the Historian of CalGeo at UCLA for the 2017-18 school year. He is a second year civil engineer whose current focus is in structural engineering, and has an interest in pursuing earthquake engineering. Justin is also heavily involved in two student projects in UCLA ASCE, Steel Bridge and GeoWall, as well as a traditional dance team, ACA Lion Dance. When he has time, Justin likes to explore Los Angeles, take pictures, and play video games. 

David James, Community Service Chair
David James is the community service chair of Calgeo at UCLA. He is a senior pursuing Mathematics of Computation and minoring in Geophysics and Planetary Physics. David is a transfer student and used to be president of the Astronomy and Physics Club back at his community college. He currently participates with other organizations at UCLA such as Hermanos Unidos, BruinSpace, and Triangle Fraternity of Engineers. In his free time he practices salsa dancing, coding, and protects the land of Skyrim from Alduin's wrath.

Rachel Lien, Membership Chair
Rachel Lien is the current Membership Chair of CalGeo at UCLA. She is a second year majoring in Civil Engineering. She is also the conference director for the GeoWall project. She enjoys hanging out with friends and playing video games in her spare time.

Bailey Uy, Publicity Chair
Bailey Uy is the current Publicity Chair of CalGeo at UCLA. He is a second-year Civil Engineering student with an interest in the design of buildings. Bailey is also involved in the school’s ASCE chapter and enjoys watching movies, finding the best places to eat in LA, and studying how things are designed.