WHO WE ARE
Meet the students behind PUC Team India
We're a group of Engineering and Social Work students from The University of Texas at Austin participating in a year long service-learning program called Projects with Underserved Communities. This year, we have partnered with an India based NGO called Church's Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA) to construct a multipurpose community center in the village of Adukkam in Tamil Nadu, India.
zachary de haaff
PROJECT MANAGER
Zach is a junior Civil Engineering major from Menlo Park, California and as Project Manager is primarily tasked with overseeing our team operations, standards, and assists in all of our technical design work. When asked about his reasons for joining PUC, he said “I want to apply all the technical skills I’ve learned in class to meaningful projects locally and around the world. I’m ready to learn from my teammates, our partner NGO, and the community we will be working alongside.”
EDUCATION
Junior Civil Engineering major
ISABEL DAVIS
ASSISTANT PROJECT MANAGER
Isabel is a junior studying Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Business from Cypress, Texas. Her position as APM primarily centers around sustainability and risk management, but she’s always lending a hand in anything that is needed to make sure our project is moving forward. When asked why she chose to join PUC, she said that “it provided me the space to put my engineering skills to use and develop a project that will be implemented in the real world and directly affect a community in need.”
EDUCATION
Junior Biomedical Engineering major, minor in Business
LICENSE
Registered Civil Engineer
JARRET CARNES
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT MANAGER
Jarret is a senior studying Political Communication and Social Work from Whitehouse, Texas. Jarret stated the following as to why he joined PUC: “I think we grow the most when we choose to enter spaces that are new and come with a degree of discomfort. Working with a team of engineers is totally new to me but I truly believe that international service should always be rooted in social justice and that the role social workers play in this process can be expanded. This program has really given me the chance to expand my skills and learn so much more about how they can be utilized.”
EDUCATION
Senior Political Communication major, minor Social Work, certificate in the Peace Corps Prep Program
LICENSE
Registered Civil Engineer
REIKO CORTEZA
TECHNICAL MANAGER
Reiko is an engineering senior pursuing the Humanitarian Engineering Certificate and a Sustainable Energy minor from Harlingen, Texas. Reiko credits her decision to join PUC to her family, saying “My upbringing by loved ones coming from underserved regions encouraged me to join PUC to begin my humanitarian journey of collaborating with and learning from communities around the world.”
EDUCATION
Senior Engineering student, minor in Sustainable Energy, certificate in Humanitarian Engineering
LICENSE
Registered Civil Engineer
AUSTIN KAYANAN
FINANCIAL MANAGER
Austin is a sophomore Mechanical Engineering major pursuing the Humanitarian Engineering Certificate from Dallas, Texas. When asked why he chose to join PUC, Austin said “As a student interested in the intersection between engineering and humanitarian work, the PUC program presented the opportunity to apply my skills as an engineer to work with an underserved community. This year, I hope to continue developing my engineering skills in a real-world scenario while also working with this amazing team!”
EDUCATION
Sophomore Mechanical Engineering major, certificate in Humanitarian Engineering
LICENSE
Registered Civil Engineer
YASMIN BIBI
FUNDRAISING MANAGER
Yasmin is a 3rd year Mechanical Engineering major pursuing the Humanitarian Engineering and Environmental Sustainability Certificates from Dallas, Texas. She chose to join PUC because it would allow her “to explore and interact with a different culture while applying my engineering skills to meet the needs of an underserved community.”
EDUCATION
Junior Mechanical Engineering major, certificates in Humanitarian Engineering and Environmental Sustainability
LICENSE
Registered Civil Engineer