Contact: Michael Padilla, 277-1816

October 16, 2002 FORMER UNM-LA STUDENT GRATEFUL FOR SUMMER BRIDGE PROGRAM Former UNM-Los Alamos Gregory Chávez first became interested in civil engineering when he and his brother helped their dad build their house in Llano Quemado, near Taos. "We were always working on the house and I was fascinated with the process," he said. "It came naturally to me." Chávez, 25, is now working on a Ph.D. in engineering at the University of New Mexico. "It hasn't been easy, but it's all worth it," Chávez said, adding that he hopes to complete his doctoral degree within the next two years. "In the long run, having a Ph.D. will make my life more enjoyable." Chávez said he is grateful to have received a boost from an UNM-Los Alamos program right after high school. He participated in the UNM-LA Summer Bridge Program, designed to assist young men and women make the transition from high school to college. "I'm happy that Greg and other students from north central New Mexico have benefited from this program," said Dr. Carlos Ramírez, executive director of UNM-LA. "We plan to continue offering the Summer Bridge since an overwhelming number of participants have gone on to successfully complete post-secondary degrees." Chávez, a 1995 graduate of Taos High School, received his master's degree in civil engineering from UNM in May and his bachelor's degree in civil engineering from New Mexico State University. He worked in private industry after receiving his bachelor's degree, but he wanted to continue his studies. "I wanted to further my education and was fortunate to receive several scholarships," he said. He received scholarships from NASA, National Hispanic Scholarship Fund and Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). While completing his degrees, Chávez participated in several academic programs. He says the Autonomous Control Engineering program at UNM (ACE) gave him an edge. He worked with some of the best researchers in the field. Chávez says that it's rewarding to complete a goal and then continue on to the next phase of his career. "Every transition is a challenge," he says. "And I learn from each transition." Currently, Chávez is working on fuzzy logic research and plans to get his research published. He has presented at the New Mexico Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (NM-AGEP). Engineering is a fascinating career, he says. He would like to see more Hispanics enter the field. "I hope that I am able to influence other Hispanics in obtaining their degrees," he says. "Not only their bachelor's or master's, but also their Ph.D.'s." Chávez hopes to stay in Northern New Mexico and continue his research. Chávez is the son of Andrew and Frances Chávez of Llano Quemado. His brother David is working on a Ph.D. at Harvard. ###

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