Michael Hidalgo is a sophomore at Duke University. He attended Miami Dade College before transferring and is currently studying civil engineering. At the MDC Kendall Campus, he served as the Chapter President of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, an organization dedicated to empowering Hispanics in STEM, and as Treasurer of the Florida Engineering Society during the 2023-2024 academic year. Passionate about research and environmental sustainability, he was selected to participate in the South Florida Research Consortium’s Undergraduate Research Internship Program (URIP) and the Narrow Ridge earth literacy field experience. Michael has been named a 2023 Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar and recognized as part of the National Hispanic Recognition Program. Michael notably has been awarded the Grand Prize in Autodesk’s 2022 Make it Modular Student Design Challenge for his work incorporating sustainable and modular construction practices while repurposing a shipping container into a viable affordable home. In partnership with Autodesk and the ACE Mentor Program, he has led webinars to guide students pursuing careers in the ACE industry.