Blog #2.3 Meet Steve Lee

Bio: Steve Lee is a fourth-year undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Merced. He recently worked in Dr. Cobian-Iniguez's research lab, where he assisted in the research of the ignition properties and flammability of wood materials developed from a lab. He is currently involved in CollegeCorps where he volunteers serving for his host site Hlub Hmong Center. He will be on the GIS research team this summer in Morocco. His goal in the future is to work for the Environmental Protection Agency after his service with the Peace Corps.

Pre-Departure Thoughts: I have never gone out of the country before, so I am very excited and nervous. To do research in Morocco is a once in a lifetime opportunity that I am most grateful for. In my free time, I have been trying to learn beginner level Moroccan Arabic. The language and pronunciation are a bit challenging for me to learn. However, my goal is at minimum to learn how to hold a basic conversation by the time we land in Casablanca. Overall, I can’t wait to learn more about the process and history of argan oil production, the history and culture of Morocco, and how we can fully utilize the usage of GIS in our research.