NASA Design Challenge

Besides studying and having fun (as mentioned in the previous blog posts), I've been involved in the NASA Design Challenge with 6 other teammates from UTEP. We started this semester and we our team is called Inhumans.

Here's a group picture of our team:

L-R: Robert, me, Mayra, Lauralee, Dr. Starks (our professor that's helping us out), Cassandra, Amber, and Raul

Our design challenge is to design an "Initial Exploration Village on the Moon". It's pretty cool but hectic at the same time. We have to submit weekly reports, proposals, and prepare a Power Point presentation and our final proposal for our showcase in Houston, TX on Nov 19. There's 11 other teams from the universities in Texas that are competing in this challenge. The genius in our team, Robert designed a website for our team and I thought I'd share our team's website with you guys!

http://inhumans.cs.utep.edu/~rsoto4/

I think that's enough of blogging for one day. I've never done 3 blog posts in 2 hours on the same day! Well, I hope ya'll enjoy the blog posts, and have a great week :)

I'm back from MIA!!!

I know I've been MIA (missing in action) from blogging for awhile now...I've just been so busy with school and all. So here's some pictures of what I've been up to besides hitting the books ;-)

The International Students/Freshmen Ladies Bible Study group session at Kinley's Coffee Shop, just behind the Baptist Student Union Building. The owner of the coffee shop, Kin Ley is a Christian from Hong Kong! so we spoke Cantonese! hehe! what a small world!


'Pearls of Wisdom' Ladies Bible Study (also from the BSM) Picnic Day at Memorial Park!


Group outing with the BSM to the LaUnion Maze in El Paso..Yes, we got lost in the corn maze for an hour and it was pitch black in the maze because we went at night! scary, man! But thank God they have Corn Cops (funny, right?) to help out the really sesat (lost) ppl...hehe! Needless to say, our group was one of the sesat ppl! But we had so much fun! lolz!


At the LaUnion Maze. (L-R: Jonya (BSM director's wife), Karen, me, Noemi, and David)


October Birthday Party at my aunt's house since it was my uncle's birthday and some other friends. Since it's Halloween Day this Wednesday (Oct. 31), my uncle carved the pumpkin and my aunt painted the "Welcome" pumpkin :-)


The chocolate chip ice-cream cake for Uncle Russell from Baskin Robbins

Last but not least, here's a picture that never fails to make my day!!! This is a picture of my cute cousin, Joshua after he finished his chocolate pudding ;-)

University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP)

College of Engineering Building


Classroom Building (attached to the Engineering Building and also the Physical Science Building)


Advising Building


Administration Building


The Fox Fine Arts Building is behind that ATM machine


The Geology Building is just behind the Geology Lawn


Liberal Arts Building


The Union Building (this is where the bookstore, International Programs Office, mini post office, the UTEP cinema, offices, and most importantly where the food is at!!! We have Pizza Hut, Chopsticks (Chinese food), Chick-Fil-A (fast food), Starbucks, Quiznos Sub, Pete's Pizza, Mexican Express, etc.)


Education Building


Hilton Garden Inn Hotel (this hotel just opened in Dec 2006, and it's right next to UTEP)


Baptist Student Union (this is where I serve and hang out most of the time with my Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) buddies...we serve FREE LUNCH for students on Wednesdays, bible study sessions, praise & worship called 'Monday Night Lights', retreats, tailgating parties, etc.)