My name is Mauricio Perez, and I am a third-year Civil Engineering student at the University of New Mexico. A little bit about me: I love to spend the free time I have with family and friends as it provides a balance to my busy academic life and helps me maintain strong social connections. My favorite activity so far has been pottery painting, which allows me to express my artistic side and create cool and wonky pieces of art that serve as joyful reminders of fun times when you most need them. I would like to emphasize the painting portion, as my pottery-making skills are nothing to write home about. Additionally, I love late-night drives as it provides me with such calmness and a sense of relaxation which is hard to find elsewhere. My story begins in Mexico where I was born and where I lived for the first 8 years of my life. Like many Latinos in search of a bright future full of promising opportunities, my mother and I moved to the United States. Since 2012, we have called Albuquerque, New Mexico, our home. This decision has allowed me to shape and follow my aspirations and has allowed me the opportunity to follow this path I have created for myself. My passion for Civil Engineering was sparked by a desire to reinvent the infrastructure that supports our daily lives and give rise to a more efficient and environmentally friendly system that promotes equity within our local communities. At the University of New Mexico, I have been able to broaden my knowledge and equip myself with critical skills for the field. My academic journey has been very challenging at times, but having the ability to overcome obstacles and adversity is what makes this career path so rewarding. The need for sustainable solutions in transportation has grown exponentially in importance over the years as we encounter more challenging and critical times with the advancement of climate change and environmental deterioration. Joining the RUTAH-HC Lab represents a significant opportunity for me to further my goals in fostering equitable modes of transportation. I am excited about the prospect of contributing to the lab’s goals and research. Collaborating with like-minded individuals who are equally passionate about making a difference in the field of transportation engineering has allowed me to have short-term tangible goals, pushing me ever closer to my aspirations. Through this experience, I aim to develop innovative solutions that address real-world problems and make long-lasting impacts in our communities.