Tiffany Rivera
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Tiffany Rivera

Tiffany Rivera
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Education
California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) Aug. 2015-May 2019
B.S. Environmental Science Technology & Policy
Concentration in Natural Resources
Senior Thesis: Establishing an analytical framework for monitoring and managing native bunchgrass on Fort Ord National Monument
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Professional Experience
Project Manager Assistant | Eurofins TestAmerica Aug. 2019-April 2020
Description: Provides analytical data to environmental consultants, private industry, and government agencies since 1986
• Managed multiple projects simultaneously by monitoring inventory, client sampling schedules, and report deadlines using laboratory information systems (LIMS)
• Issued reports and reviewed the integrity of laboratory data, and generated and delivered custom electronic data packages for monitoring programs
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Publications
Y. Xiong, Q.T. Cambell, J. Fanghanel, C.K. Badding, H. Wang, N.E. Kirchner-Hall, J. Theibault, I. Timrov, J.S. Mondschein, K. Seth, A. Molina Villarino, B. Pamuk, M.E. Penrod, M. M. Khan, T. Rivera, et al. (2020). Journal of Energy & Environmental Science. Optimizing accuracy and efficacy in data-driven materials discovery for the solar production of hydrogen. In preparation.
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Research Projects
Field Biologist | CSUMB Jan. 2019-May 2019
Project: Establishing an analytical framework for monitoring and managing native bunchgrass on Fort Ord National Monument
Principal Investigator: Dr. Robert Burton
Description: Used focused grazing treatment on suppressing annual grasses and restoring native bunchgrasses in FONM, field data collection techniques, and interpolation models.
Relevant Skills: Manuscript writing, biotic assessment of special status species, line-transect survey method, Arc Collector and ArcGIS, kriging model of interpolation, non-parametric statistics in R

Research Assistant | The Pennsylvania State University May 2018-Aug. 2018
Project: DMREF: Collaborative research | optimizing accuracy and efficacy in data-driven materials discovery for the solar production of hydrogen
Principal Investigator: Dr. Raymond E. Schaak
Description: Focused on the synthesis and characterization of metal oxides and oxynitrides that passed the material criteria during the initial computational screening and data analysis
Relevant Skills: SOP development, bulk powder, hydrothermal synthesis, Diffused Reflectance UV-Vis, X-ray Diffraction, electrochemical testing, box furnace, tube furnace, and glovebox

Research Assistant | CSUMB Oct. 2017-Jan. 2018
Project: Deep eutectic solvents as hydrogen bond donors
Principal Investigator: Dr. John Goeltz
Description: Electrochemically investigated low melting ionic binary and ternary mixtures with redox-active constituents for the absorption of excess energy in batteries or energy storage
Relevant Skills: 3 electrode cyclic voltammetry, square wave voltammetry, fitting of thermodynamic & kinetic electrochemistry parameters, and creating custom solutions

Research Assistant | Michigan State University May 2017-July 2017
Project: Evaluating computational methods in predicting redox potentials for the use in flow batteries
Principal Investigator: Dr. Benjamin G. Levine
Description: Evaluated various theory and functional pairs, including Hartree Fock (HF) Theory and Density Functional Theory (DFT) at the B3LYP, PBE, and M06 level, in accuracy and time-cost to predict redox potentials of quinones
Relevant Skills: Building computational models using 2012 Molpro Quantum Chemistry Package, Geometry optimizations, Statistical analysis using Excel
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Volunteer Experience
California Green Business Intern | Ecology Action, Santa Cruz, CA Feb. 2019-May 2019
Description: Statewide program certifies small to medium-sized businesses and implements sustainable practices, including energy efficiency, water conservation, pollution prevention, etc.
• Monitored and reported sustainability measures using a survey auditing method and internal database, and recommended practices of improvement based on an environmental policy statement
• Expanded geographical reach of the program by recruiting and certifying new businesses in Monterey County and implemented a partnership with CSUMB
Intern| Monterey Regional Waste Management District Sept. 2018-Dec. 2018
Description: Education outreach initiative focused on recent changes to waste management collection
• Addressed educational gap regarding the proper disposal of compost and plastic materials through community engagement at local farmers market and waste management facility
• Trained adult and children participants how to create and maintain an at-home compost bin to reduce organic wastes in landfills
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Awards and Honors
Spotlight on Service Student Award April 2019
CSUMB Service-Learning Institute (SLI) celebrates graduating students, faculty, and local community partners for their contributions to service learning
CSU-LSAMP PROUD Scholar Nov. 2018
Annual online publication of the California State University Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Program Recognizing Outstanding Undergraduate Distinction. Features outstanding students who are recognized for academic achievement, research experiences, and service to their community
College of Science Dean’s Student Council March 2017-Dec. 2018
Two representatives from each major meet with the College of Science Dean to communicate concerns within our campus and initiatives within the college
School of Natural Science Dean's List Spring 2019, Fall/Spring 2017, Fall 2016
Undergraduate Research Opportunity Center (UROC) Scholar Fall 2016- Spring 2019
Competitive two-year undergraduate research seminar that supports professional development, mentoring, rigorous coursework, and research funding for students pursuing graduate school

Ronald E. McNair Scholar Fall 2016-Present
The Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program supports low-income, first-generation undergraduate students who plan to pursue a doctoral degree by providing opportunities to engage in research and other scholarly activities.
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Conference Presentations
Evaluating Computational Chemistry Methods in Accuracy to Predict Redox Potentials
• The 20th Annual University of Maryland National Conference for McNair Scholars and Undergraduate Research. March 2019. College Park, MD.
• American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meeting: Nexus of Food Energy & Water. March 2018. New Orleans, LA.
• Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS). November 2017. Phoenix, AZ.
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Laboratory Skills
Gas Chromatography (GC), LC, X-ray Diffraction, UV-Vis, PCR, IR spectroscopy, Water Activity Meter, Titration and Dilutions, Potentiostat, Glovebox, Tube Furnace, Solid-Liquid Extraction, Liquid-Liquid Extraction
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Computer Skills
ArcGIS, GPS, Microsoft Office, Excel, Outlook, Google Calendar, R for Statistical Computing, Laboratory Information Systems (LIMS), Electronic Data Deliverables (EDDs), Molpro Quantum Chemistry Package, ADAPT, ADR