UCSB Engineering

Engineering Commencement

Three very special events held the weekend of June 13-15 celebrated the accomplishments of the more than 300 undergraduate and graduate engineering students who received their degrees.

Senior Send-off

An afternoon of recognition, the College of Engineering Senior Send-Off was held on Friday afternoon. The event honored outstanding undergraduate students, graduate student Teaching Assistants, alumni, and friends of the College. Over 50 scholarship recipients were recognized for accomplishments ranging from outstanding academic achievement to entrepreneurial pursuits. Six graduate students were recognized for teaching excellence with Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards.

The College of Engineering Alumni Award was presented this year to Mr. Tunc Doluca, who holds a BS in electrical engineering from Iowa State University and a MS in Electrical Engineering from UC Santa Barbara. He was recognized for his outstanding achievement in engineering and technology, and for his amazing accomplishments that serve as a role model to future College of Engineering students. Mr. Doluca became the President and CEO at Maxim Integrated Products in January 2007; he personally designed over 40 products while at Maxim and holds 11 patents.

Honored for exceptional service and leadership to the College of Engineering through direct and meaningful involvement, Mr. T. Milt Honea was the recipient of the 2008 Engineering Exemplary Service Award. Honea earned a BS in mechanical engineering from UC Berkeley and an MBA from Harvard. From serving on various boards to donating wine from his family vineyard, Honea Vineyards, Mr. Honea is a dedicated friend and supporter of the College of Engineering.

Engineering and Science Commencement

The weekend of celebration continued on Saturday afternoon at the Engineering and Science Commencement ceremony held on the Faculty Club Green. Chancellor Henry T. Yang conferred Bachelor’s of Science or Arts degrees to more than 400 engineering and sciences students personally shaking every graduate’s hand, as he did for all graduates at each of the 8 ceremonies.

Commencement speaker Wes Bush, President and Chief Operating Office of Northrop Grumman Corporation, stressed the importance of fact-based decision-making and of the graduates knowing their core life values. Graduating Mechanical Engineering student Camille Bennet was selected by the Engineering Student Council as the student speaker. With great energy and humor, Cami encouraged her fellow graduating class to continue drawing outside the lines and creating their own rules as they become influential engineers and scientists in society.

Additional highlights of the afternoon included a beautiful rendition of the national anthem by third-year business economics student Lena Rakijian, and the presentation of the senior class gift by Vanessa Weintz, Computer Engineering major and President of the Engineering Student Council. Also in attendance were Matthew Tirrell, Richard A. Auhll Professor and Dean of Engineering; Glenn Beltz, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Professor of Mechanical Engineering; Brooks Firestone, Third District Supervisor of Santa Barbara County; and a number of other other distinguished faculty and staff members.

Bachelor of Science degrees conferred by the College of Engineering included:

Chemical Engineering:	21
Computer Engineering:	30
Computer Science:	24
Electrical Engineering:	37
Mechanical Engineering:	90
Total:	202

Graduate Division Commencement

Closing out the weekend was the Graduate Division Commencement ceremony, held on Sunday afternoon. Over 100 advanced degrees in engineering were conferred.

Alumnus and NASA astronaut Dr. Leroy Chiao was the Graduate Division commencement speaker. Dr. Chiao received both his master's degree (’85) and his doctorate (’87) in Chemical Engineering from UC Santa Barbara. He is an entrepreneur, distinguished chair professor, and consultant. A veteran of four space missions, Dr. Chiao most recently served as Commander and NASA Science Officer of Expedition 10 aboard the International Space Station. Prior to joining NASA in 1990, he worked as a Research Engineer at Hexcel Corporation and then at the Lawrence Livermore National Lab.

Faculty advisors hooded more than 70 College of Engineering Doctor of Philosophy recipients:

Chemical Engineering:	12
Computer Science:	12
Electrical and Computer Engineering:	29
Materials:	11
Mechanical Engineering:	10
Total:	74

Master of Science attendees:

Chemical Engineering:	0
Computer Science:	10
Electrical and Computer Engineering:	22
Materials:	2
Mechanical Engineering:	1
Total:	35