National Engineers Week

Lorenzo Booth, Environmental Systems doctoral student

B.S. ’15 Environmental Engineering I M.S. ’18 Environmental Systems

Lorenzo Booth embodies a UC engineer to the fullest extent.

The Los Angeles native has climbed the UC ladder — from environmental engineering undergrad to his current status as an environmental systems doctoral student — picking up national attention along the way.

Booth’s work with UC Water has led him to research on more efficient uses of water for agriculture. In 2016, he was recognized as having the best student poster presented by the American Water Resources Association for his poster titled “Improved Agricultural Water Use Accounting Through Water Footprinting.”

Booth has used his skills as a programmer to build a computer program that compares water usage for different crops in different locations. The software can show how crop choices affect the amount of surface water or groundwater used for irrigation, which is information farmers can use to make their operations more efficient and less costly while promoting more equitable use of scarce supplies.

He credits the ability to dive into research early in his college career for enabling him to find his career path, which he hopes will ultimately lead to helping a state or federal agency like the Environmental Protection Agency.

“The undergraduate research position that I held at my UC helped me discover the field that I now specialize in and helped me become a more competitive graduate student,” Booth said. “I enjoyed the honest advice and mentorship from faculty in environmental engineering that helped me understand the professional landscape beyond the classroom instruction.”

He also lent his talents in technology to help teach a robotics workshop this past summer for K-12 students as part of the Science, Technology and Art for Youth program.

Booth’s journey through the UC system only went through one university, but he said the unique ability to connect with people of diverse disciplines and backgrounds made for a well-rounded experience inside and outside the classroom.

“Seek out a mentor — a neighbor, an upperclassman, a TA or a professor,” Booth said. “Take advantage of their experience and perspective so that you can make more informed decisions and grow personally and professionally. Some people say that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.

“I’m not sure how true this is for everyone, but it is motivating when you're surrounded by people who are curious and eager to succeed.”