Originally from Gloversville NY, Austin Reese is pursuing a double major in chemical engineering and mathematics and is an emerging senior. His passion for renewable energy and sustainability is what brought him to the University at Buffalo. Austin is a well-rounded individual with experience in research and development, community dynamics, and civil engineering. For the past year he has interned at DMR civil engineering in his home town. Here he has developed construction plans that have had an impact on the local region. He now plans to give back to the WNY region using his knowledge in renewable energy and chemical engineering. Austin is also the leader and founder of the ESW (Engineers for a Sustainable World) Biofuels Project, an undergraduate research team whose primary focus is the development of an organically regenerative photocatalytic solar panel to produce hydrogen gas. Through ESW, Austin has been engaged with the WNY community as the former ESW Parks Project leader. The Parks Project’s initiative is to promote sustainability in WNY green spaces and give back to the community. For the 2019-2020 academic year he plans to continue leading the ESW Biofuels Project. When Austin graduates he plans to work in the field of renewable energy in the WNY region. After working in his field for ten years, he plans to start his own engineering firm that specializes in renewable energy.