Blog #2 Meet Hope Hauptman

Hope Hauptman, one of the students selected for the Morocco 2022 summer research program.

Hope is interested in addressing social equity issues surrounding global drinking water quality. She uses machine learning to understand if land use and aquifer characteristics can predict TCP levels in groundwater and will evaluate household treatments and almond-based carbon to remove TCP from drinking water. She has published a systematic review of TCP treatment technologies, and a policy paper arguing for federal TCP limits. She has taught high school science and was a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya. In addition to her studies at UC Merced, she holds a BS in Genetics and an MS in Informational Science. She volunteers at a community garden and pantry to provide fresh produce for those in need.

Some pre-trip reflections: (6/4/2022 written at the airport):  

I officially hate packing. Some parts of travel are inherently out of control (that's why I love it!) but when I pack, I’m trying to nail down future events that can’t be nailed down. I want the contents of my suitcase to be exactly right but it is impossible to get it all right. Oh well! Once we land in Casablanca I will be able to start getting into the trip but until then my mind is too busy with “what ifs” to focus on much. Also, I am a nervous flyer so I get pre-trip jitters… I am very excited to learn more about Argan production and language so it will be great to be in-country and meet experts. I am trying to arrive with as few expectations as possible and yet be prepared to respect cultural differences. Expectations can be very dangerous and set you up for disappointment and my past travels have taught me that patience and an open mind are the best things to pack! I am very excited to meet people, see Argan trees, and learn from my fellow students and instructors. Also I tried learning some Moroccan Arabic from the book and it seems very challenging so very much looking forward to hearing the language spoken out loud and picking up what I can!