Faculty spotlight- Dr. Samuel Sandoval Solis

Can you tell us a bit about your background?

Born and raised in Mexico city (Chilango), I grew up going to school in the mornings and playing soccer on the street of my neighbourhood in the afternoon. When I was finishing my bachelors degree I had the opportunity to lead a project to protect the forest and the springs of a very rural community in Michoacan, and that sparked my passion for water. I did my bachelors and masters degrees in Mexico City, the National polytechnic Institute (IPN) and my Ph.D. in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering at UT Austin. 

You are a Professor of Cooperative Extension in Water Resources, could you tell us what that means?

It means that I do all what professors do (teaching classes, doing research, publishing papers, mentoring students) AND I also build a bridge between the science developed in the University and society, I work quite often with people in the water sector helping them solve their water challenges. Some examples are that I helped to develop the Basin Management Plan for Pajaro Valley, I lead a team to determine flows beneficial for the environment ("environmental flows") on 200 meter reach on every river in California in conjunction with the State Water Resources Control Board, I am the academic advisor for WELL (Water Education for Latino Leaders) in a program that train local elected official on "learning how to learn".

What classes do you teach? 

What i the focus of your research?

I am a Water Resources Management All Terrain, meaning that I do all things related to interactions of the water cycle, the natural environment and human society.  Currently I am working in four projects: (1) I am part of a team doing a Waste Water Needs Assessment (WWNA) to determine the gap of sanitation access in the California with the State Water Resources Control Board, also called the human right to sanitation; (2) determining the Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) of decision making bodies (Board Members) in California's Water sector with WELL, we are evaluating how representative are the people making  decisions in comparison with the population they serve; (3) Working on research related to production of Agave in California, we have developed guidelines (English and Spanish), and (4) Developing the California Water Course, a self guided course of water in California for water advocates, community members and entry level water professionals.

Why did you join the EPM program as a faculty member?

Because I see the need to train professionals in the overlap between policy, natural resources management and society, and I believe EPM provides the academic and professional foundation for its students to become the professional leading scientist/engineers, decision makers, and the society 

What is a fun fact about yourself? 

If you wanna go for a bike ride to Putah Creek, let me know, very often I go to Putah Creek reserve south of campus to have a piece of mind!