Past Student Leadership
Student Co-Coordinators are responsible for communicating with the Program Manager about the daily and long-term agendas, as well as leading their intern teammates through collaborative problem solving and hands on field activities.
Many of SmartScape's Student Co-coordinators hold this position for a year or longer. The field and industry knowledge they acquire over this time makes them invaluable assets for the Student Interns.
Visit this link for more information on the Student Co-coordinator position.
Jacob Sloan
SmartScape Co-coordinator: Summer 2021 - Summer 2022
- "As a SmartLandscape co-coordinator I gained a ton of experience working with various irrigation systems, practicing different landscape maintenance techniques, and grew more familiar with California native plant species."
- "My favorite part, however, was the experience I gained leading a team. Not only was it super fun, but it also taught me a lot about responsibility and leadership. The relationships we built with the intern team made the whole year special!"
Hunter Ottman
SmartScape Co-coordinator: Summer 2020 - Summer 2021
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"The SmartLandscape program has afforded me the opportunity to learn about industry-leading technology, take on new challenges that test my understanding of landscape design and project installation, and has exposed me to a team of knowledgeable staff, faculty, and students with whom I am continuously excited to work with and learn from."
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"Through our various projects, I’ve gained a clearer understanding of how to install, maintain, and maximize the potential of irrigation systems, and become more adaptable and creative in the face of real-world scenarios with challenges, limitations, and other institutional parameters. I now have a broader horticultural knowledge and a better understanding of how wildlife interacts with the landscape systems we create."
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"This experience has continuously complimented my education as a Landscape Architecture major, and has been tributary to my confidence and preparedness for working with professionals and in the Landscape design industry. It has also been one of the most fun and fulfilling experiences that I’ve had as an undergraduate, and I am grateful to work outside in the spaces we’ve created."
Clare Moisan
SmartLawn Co-coordinator: Summer 2020 - Summer 2021
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"My time at SmartLawn has given me experience working as part of a team on important projects related to sustainable lawn management. Taking on more responsibility as a co-coordinator has left me with a greater understanding of what I want to pursue in my future career as an environmental science major."
- Even when the COVID pandemic forced a shift to an online format, the SmartLawn team adapted the program to the creation of multiple documents recording the purpose and procedures of the SmartLawn demonstration. The experiences and skills I’ve gained are going to prove invaluable as I look towards a career in water management."
Min Khant Kyaw
SmartScape Co-coordinator: Fall 2019 - Summer 2021
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"Being involved in SmartScape has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my undergraduate career. Taking on the role of a student leader broadened my horizons on team and project management, planning, and collaboration with the entire SmartLandscape team. I've also learned practical skills through experimentation with different irrigation technologies and tools; and learned how to install these irrigation technologies from industry partners and mentors. I have also picked up a large amount of general horticultural knowledge from the numerous projects we've engaged in.
- Documenting the progress of our projects through different media has been satisfying, as it showcases how much we've accomplished since I became a team member to where we are at the moment. With the materials we've obtained, and the projects on exhibition at WCAE, I hope to give the UC Davis community context about who we are as SmartScape/SmartLandscape, our ambitions, and relay proper knowledge on how to establish these sustainable landscapes everywhere else in Davis and beyond."
Sandro Montes
SmartLawn Co-coordinator: Fall 2019 - Spring 2020
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"The most valuable thing I have learned from and experienced during my time as a member of the SmartLawn team was being able to work with other students, faculty, and professional industry. I have gained experience by installing irrigation systems and learning more details from the professional industry. This experience has helped me be better prepared to work in the real world. Also, learning from another student's perspective was a key to gaining knowledge."
Yitong Zhang
SmartScape Co-coordinator: Fall 2019 - Spring 2020
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"I learned a lot about drip irrigation design and installation that I would not know from my classes, especially learning the importance of measuring the amount of water used in irrigation. The knowledge that I gained from this internship helped me studying landscape architecture. When I design the planting layout, I started to pay attention to the different water zones, which is helpful later when I need to design the irrigation system. Also, this irrigation installation experience is helpful to me when I started working in a landscape architecture firm upon gradulation. I picked up irrigation design faster than my peers. My leadership role also provided me plenty of opportunities to become more professional and outgoing!"
Michael Julian Bauzon
SmartLawn Co-coordinator: Fall 2019 - Spring 2020
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"I cherish the skills and knowledge SmartLawn has given me, especially in the construction of irrigation systems that support sustainable sod blends. I think the hardest yet most important thing that SmartLawn has taught me was how to work and communicate as a team. Managing a team of interns on a week-to-week basis requires a lot of planning and consideration. However, as a Co-coordinator, I was surrounded by a diverse team of interns and staff who contained vast knowledge and networks that made my experience absolutely worth it. "
- "The interns I worked with came from varying majors like Environmental Science and Management, Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning, and Landscape Architecture. It was very exciting to talk with them and hear about how SmartLawn relates to their own experience and major. It was such a diverse and welcoming environment, and I'm glad I was able to contribute and be a part of SmartLawn's team."