Leading Inclusive Excellence

Sowing the Seeds of Diversity in Engineering As many engineers know, diversity fosters engineering innovation and excellence, resulting in new solutions and positive societal impact. At the UC Davis College of Engineering, we’ve invested in specific efforts to increase the participation of women and underrepresented minorities in engineering and help them flourish. n

We’ve partnered with Chevron and the Koret Foundation to launch AvenueE, a community college transfer program designed to eliminate barriers that hold back women and underrepresented minorities in engineering and computer science. The program serves high-potential students with low resources that are from families in which neither parent holds a bachelor’s degree.

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In 2012, we received a $3.7M National Science Foundation grant called ADVANCE, which aims to increase the participation and advancement of women in academic science and engineering careers. This grant involves dozens of faculty from across campus— even beyond science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

Today, UC Davis continues to grow and advance our culture at all levels. n

We’ve trained more than 1,000 faculty members are trained and committed to following in best practices for faculty recruitment and controlling implicit bias.

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We’ve established central oversight of faculty hiring to ensure diversity and inclusivity, and expected contributions to diversity from all applicants for faculty positions is fully considered.

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In 2019, UC Davis met the final criteria to apply to become a federally-designated Hispanic Serving Institution, or HSI. Students from historically underrepresented groups— African American, Native American and Chicano/Latino— represented 32.6 percent of both the entering class and all undergraduates who are residents of the United States, with Chicano and Latino students accounting for 27.6 percent of domestic undergraduates in fall 2018.

This HSI milestone represents our commitment to fulfilling our academic mission by serving this growing population in California. UC Davis would be the ninth HSI university that is also classified R1, the highest level of research university under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

These outcomes arise from creating an environment that is welcoming to and supportive of women and underrepresented minorities, coupled with an unwavering dedication to student success and diversity that sets us apart from other large, public institutions of higher education. Although we know that no single solution can help address all these challenges students face in navigating their studies and careers, the understanding we’ve gained in recent years can point the way to seeing real change.

Jennifer Sinclair Curtis Dean, UC Davis College of Engineering

INVESTING in the UC Davis’ AvenueE Program, supported by founding corporate partner Chevron and others, will continue to benefit transfer students in engineering and computer science

By Trevor Stewart

“AvenueE performs the critically important function of helping talented and motivated transfer students in STEM succeed and complete their undergraduate degree at UC Davis...”

– Ralph J. Hexter Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor

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echanical engineering student Eunbee Park ’19, computer science and engineering student Max Nedorezov ‘19 and civil engineering students Claudia Plascencia ’19 and Tadewos Getachew ’19 are just a few of the students at University of California, Davis, who have the chance to achieve their dreams thanks to the growing AvenueE program.

The program was developed in 2016 by UC Davis Office of the Provost and founding corporate partner, Chevron, in collaboration with the Koret Foundation and Los Rios, Peralta, San Joaquin Delta and Contra Costa Community College districts, to provide a smooth transition from community college to UC Davis for students interested in engineering or computer science.

There are currently 30 students in the AvenueE program, an increase from 20 students in 2017. Of the 2017 cohort, 13 graduated in spring 2019 and the Continued on page 4

Supported by founding corporate partner Chevron as well as other organizations, the AvenueE 2018 cohort of transfer students is made up of 60% first-generation college students.

UC Davis College of Engineering • Leading Inclusive Excellence 3

Investing in the Future Continued from page 3

STEM fields and expanding educational remaining members of the cohort are on and research opportunity for all of our track for graduation. Of the 2018 cohort students,” said UC President Janet of 30 students, 26 are continuing into Napolitano. their second year.

The program goes beyond the “AvenueE performs the critically resources already available to all transfer important function of helping talented students through the campus Transfer and motivated transfer students in “The AvenueE program and Reentry Center, which helps transfer STEM succeed and complete their and reentry students connect with undergraduate degree at UC Davis,” said is one of the engineering campus resources, develop academic Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor pathways programs that skills, find community and prepare for Ralph J. Hexter. “The program enhances career or graduate school. the university’s ability to serve students Chevron is developing Each AvenueE cohort member from all backgrounds — and change to support diversity and E receives a scholarly award for the lives. In addition, Avenue students Transfer Bridge summer program, enrich our community with new inclusion, as well as as well as up to $4,000 for the two perspectives and priorities.” inspire future engineers.” subsequent years at UC Davis. Students AvenueE helps high-potential, also have the opportunity to attend low-resource students achieve their – Cynthia Murphy-Ortega group outings, social activities, speaker dreams in growing, high-demand fields.

Chevron University Partnership presentations and workshops that First-generation students make up 60 Program manager provide opportunities to engage in peerpercent of the AvenueE 2018 cohort.

E to-peer learning, community building and Additionally, 66 percent of Avenue career exploration. students are from historically underrepresented minorities “We are lucky to have such a great program that helps and 20 percent are female, with many students falling into us connect to all the amazing resources UC Davis offers for two or more of these groups. The invited 2019 cohort is 50 students,” said Park. percent female, 40 percent underrepresented minorities The cohort meets weekly to discuss topics or hear and 73 percent first-generation students. a guest speaker, which is coordinated by Nancy Davis, “There’s a very strong need for engineers to solve an undergraduate student advisor in the College of problems and create innovative solutions to address Engineering and AvenueE academic advisor. challenges in our society,” said Cynthia Murphy-Ortega, “My favorite part is seeing how the students grow in Chevron University Partnership Program manager. “The confidence,” Davis said. “They begin unsure of how they AvenueE program is one of the engineering pathways will succeed at UC Davis, then they make their way through programs that Chevron is developing to support diversity class, learn how to create a resume that will help them find and inclusion as well as inspire future engineers.” an internship or undergraduate research and eventually go on to a meaningful career.”

Building a bridge between community AvenueE students receive intensive personal and colleges and UC Davis professional development coaching to build strong AvenueE students get a unique opportunity to join an resumes and cover letters and create connections with intensive transfer preparatory program prior to entering the Internship and Career Center, where they can identify their final year at community college. The following summer, available opportunities in their field of choice. the students embark on a two-week summer bridge Getachew, for example, hopes to do more research in program prior to beginning their first quarter at UC Davis. the area of solar energy and attain a graduate degree.

During these two weeks, the students are immersed in “I want to create new knowledge and do something no the Davis area and the UC Davis community as they learn one has ever done before,” he said. “The AvenueE summer about all the resources available to them. bridge program has introduced me to undergraduate “The AvenueE program helps the University of California research programs that can help me get started in my path address some of its highest priorities: supporting California towards attaining a Ph.D.” community college transfer students, increasing diversity in

Meet some of the participating students

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Meet the STUDENTS

Tadewos Getachew • Transferred from the Los Rios Community College District • First-generation college student • Interested in doing research in solar energy and water resources “Avenue was definitely a big factor in my decision to attend UC Davis. There are many students that could benefit from this amazing program.”

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Max Nedorezov • Transferred from the Los Rios Community College District • Wanted to attend UC Davis and stay local – a native of Sacramento • Interested in programming computer software that works with computer hardware “One of the biggest benefits of AvenueE is having resources that not only help your education, but also your career goals. I have had opportunities in research, as well as mentorships with faculty thanks to the AvenueE program.”

Eunbee Park • Transferred from the Los Rios Community College District • Only mechanical engineering student in this year’s cohort • Older brother graduated from UC Davis this past summer “AvenueE has given me a lot of useful information on how to prepare for my future career.”

Claudia Plascencia • Transferred from the Los Rios Community College District • Wants to continue to do research and possibly get a Ph.D. • Came to United States and learned English through conversation “This experience has been amazing, I don’t know where I would be without the AvenueE program.”

UC Davis College of Engineering • Leading Inclusive Excellence 5

USING TO IMPROVE LIVES Alex San Pablo

First-year doctoral student, College of Engineering

“What drew me to civil engineering was my desire to help society, whether that’s creating a bridge or maintaining roads.”

– Alex San Pablo

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lex San Pablo ’18 has found a support structure at UC Davis that sustains her in uncertain times, just like the structures she hopes to build one day as a civil engineer.

College is difficult enough, but San Pablo, who graduated in June with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and started a Ph.D. in geotechnical engineering at UC Davis in September, has an added stress. She is undocumented, moving here from the Philippines when she was 11.

When her parents were separating, her mother wanted her daughters to get the best education possible but couldn’t afford one there, so she uprooted the girls and joined her sister in Southern California.

Dean Jennifer Sinclair Curtis and Alex San Pablo

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Desire to help

need a resource, they are the experts.” San Pablo’s support system has deep roots. In addition to the center, she cites San Pablo chose to study civil engineering because her mentor, DeJong, who encouraged her to develop a list she says she wants to improve lives. “Our professor said of people who could immediately take legal or financial that civil engineers save more lives than doctors,” San action on her behalf if she were to be deported. She has Pablo says. “What drew me to civil engineering was my received so many local scholarships, she says, that she desire to help society, whether that’s creating a bridge or hasn’t had to pay tuition. “There is a huge community here maintaining roads.” that’s willing to help (undocumented) students,” she says.

In her doctoral program, San Pablo will study how soil She cites other sources of support such UC LEADS, a and rocks interact with buildings and superstructures. Her campus program that helps educationally or economically research examines how to use bacteria to strengthen soil disadvantaged STEM students pursue advanced degrees. so that foundations can withstand the weight of buildings The program allowed her to conduct research over a during earthquakes. summer at UCLA and get a glimpse of graduate school She transferred from community college to UC Davis there. The student-led We Are Aggie Pride program has in fall 2015 for her undergraduate studies, in part for the paid for textbooks, a huge help as one used engineering university’s environmental ethos. textbook can cost $300.

San Pablo wanted to conduct The program inspired San Pablo eco-friendly, sustainable research and “I knew that coming to start a lending library at the AB540 met Jason DeJong, a UC Davis civil Center. With textbook donations and from Southern engineering professor who was mixing more than $5,000 in grants received microorganisms into soil. The microbial from UC Davis’ library and bookstore, California, I needed to process creates a new substance that San Pablo has amassed more than when mixed with calcium becomes find a support system, 300 books. calcium carbonate, which is as hard and I found it here at as sandstone. “It’s cutting-edge, Inspiration to Succeed interdisciplinary research,” San Pablo UC Davis.” says, and allows her to work with the San Pablo tells her story so that microbiology department and the NSF other undocumented students might – Alex San Pablo Engineering Research Center: Center see themselves reflected in her and for Bio-mediated and Bio-inspired feel inspired to keep succeeding. Still, Geotechnics. being undocumented is extremely stressful, she says. San Pablo has temporary protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and says she fears being ‘My home away from home’ deported when she flies to academic conferences in other San Pablo says she also chose UC Davis because of its states. She adds that she feels pressure to maintain her support for undocumented students. The AB540 and grades, forgoing weekend social engagements to study and Undocumented Student Center was named after the look for scholarships.

California law that allows undocumented students to pay Last year, when her grandmother in the Philippines died, in-state tuition at public universities instead of a higher she had to choose between attending the funeral and losing amount assigned to nonresidents. The center has a team everything she’s worked for, or remaining in California. of lawyers to help navigate work permits and immigration “I knew that she was a strong woman, too,” San Pablo says. issues, and academic and financial aid advisors, among “She raised four children on her own. She was a doctor. She other resources. would want me to keep pursuing my degree. She would “I knew that coming from Southern California, I needed to want the best for me. She kept telling me to go school. find a support system, and I found it here at UC Davis,” San I need to finish school; that would be in her honor.”

Pablo says. “It’s my home away from home on campus. If I

UC Davis College of Engineering • Leading Inclusive Excellence 7

Photo by Strategic Communications, UC Davis

“I have been blessed with a plethora of opportunities. I just want to do my best to make every one of them count.”

– Martin Vega-Martinez Third-year engineering student

BECOMING A COMMUNITY LEADER BY

By Trevor Stewart

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ope is a powerful emotion—it can get us through tough times and it can help us persevere trials and tribulations until we reach our goal. Thirdyear mechanical engineering student Martin VegaMartinez ‘20 is the perfect embodiment of what hope, combined with hard work, looks like.

At the age of 11, Vega-Martinez spent hours after school raising money to help his family. Some days he collected aluminum cans; other days, he washed dishes at a family friend’s restaurant. As he got older, he continued to contribute to the family income by paying rent and covering his personal expenses.

“I made it my goal to one day attend a four-year university with minimal financial impact on my family,” Vega-Martinez said. “My dream school has always been UC Davis.”

Vega-Martinez turned that audacious goal into a reality by graduating in the top 10 percent of his class, being an accomplished four-sport athlete, serving as vice president

8 UC Davis College of Engineering • Leading Inclusive Excellence

of the National Honors Society and being a nationallyrecognized scholar.

“All of these accomplishments wouldn’t mean anything if it wasn’t for the generosity of donors, who lend a helping hand to students like me that face financial adversity,” said Martin, who now receives several scholarships to study mechanical engineering at UC Davis, including the Chevron Scholarship. “Philanthropy has empowered me to make the most out of my time at UC Davis by allowing me to take initiative and give back to my community.”

Paying it forward At UC Davis, Vega-Martinez became involved with the Leadership in Engineering, Advancement, Diversity and Retention (LEADR) Program, which aims to recruit, retain and graduate a diverse population of students from the College of Engineering. Through the LEADR Program, which Martin believes has allowed him to thrive in a university setting, he

discovered the Chicano and Latino Engineers and Scientists Society (CALESS). As the outreach coordinator for CALESS, Vega-Martinez organized Science Extravaganza, a free event that introduces students from neighboring middle and high schools to STEM and higher education.

Vega-Martinez also serves as co-coordinator for the BikEmpower Program, which works with UC Davis Transportation and Parking Services and the AB540 and Undocumented Student Center to empower the community with knowledge of bike maintenance and safety, while also contributing to the zero waste movement.

His community at UC Davis extends beyond the College of Engineering. He participates in the UC Davis Student

Resident Firefighter (SRFF) Program, run by the UC Davis Fire Department. The firefighting academy, which allows UC Davis students to gain firefighting skills while continuing their academic careers, only accepts 15 UC Davis students every two years.

“I want to do something with my life that will serve a greater purpose than myself and allow me make an impact on society,” said Vega-Martinez, who wants to pursue careers in teaching and firefighting. “This desire stems from the overwhelming support that I have received from my community since I was young and has continued to this day.”

The goal of the Leadership in Engineering Advancement, Diversity and Retention (LEADR) Program is to recruit, retain and graduate a diverse student population from the College of Engineering. The program also offers academic advising—LEADR students must meet with their program advisor on The LEADR Student Center supports diversity, inclusion a quarterly basis for the first two years of and engagement. school and attend weekly or bi-weekly meetings with their peers to explore the diverse field of engineering. Tutoring, workshops, leadership skills, professional development and graduate school preparation are supported via the involvement of numerous other campus units.

Located in Kemper Hall, the LEADR Student Center is open to any student who supports diversity and inclusion in the field of engineering, and who shares a willingness to create a welcoming environment for all students. This dedicated study space allows students to study individually or in groups. Engineering community building is also encouraged, so that (for example) first-year students can benefit from the experiences of juniors and seniors. Highlights include a media-scape feature and mobile white boards intended to support study groups and team projects.

The Chevron Corporation sponsors the LEADR Student Center, along with additional contributions from the AT&T, Boeing Company, Cisco Systems, Northrop Grumman Corporation and Union Pacific. The Center represents the first industry investment at UC Davis devoted to student retention, including that of firstgeneration students and students from historically underserved backgrounds in engineering. These industry leaders—and many others—recognize the value of increasing the diversity of the recruitment pool, and of being able to fill entry-level jobs with the best and brightest university graduates.

UC Davis College of Engineering • Leading Inclusive Excellence 9

Destined for SUCCESS

By Aditi Risbud Bartl

“I had a pretty rough childhood. I was in foster care, then we got back with our parents. I had a dysfunctional family with a family member in and out of jail... When I was a senior in high school, I felt like I had years on all the other kids in my class. I was like, ‘I’m going to go to college. I’m going to go do something with my life.’”

– Destiny Garcia

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estiny cannot be contained. After a decade in the College of Engineering, Destiny Garcia is now mere months away from earning her Ph.D. in mechanical and aerospace engineering. An energetic and warm young woman, she is finally taking a moment to reflect on her experiences at UC Davis.

Raised in Fairfield, Calif. as one of seven children, Garcia saw the UC Davis water tower as a beacon of opportunity on car rides back and forth to visit family in Sacramento. Garcia’s counselor, Latoya Thompson, encouraged her to attend field trips to UC Davis through junior high and high school.

“I had a pretty rough childhood. I was in foster care, then we got back with our parents. I had a dysfunctional family with a family member in and out of jail. There was always something going on,” Garcia says. “When I was a senior in high school, I felt like I had years on all the other kids in my class. I was like, ‘I’m going to go to college. I’m going to go do something with my life.’”

When she was accepted to the College of Engineering, Thompson connected her with the campus’ STEP Program, which strives to enhance the academic and social experiences of first generation and low-income students during their first two years of college. This program provided Garcia with a fourweek academic “boot camp” in math, writing, physics and chemistry before fall quarter started, and Garcia quickly embraced the myriad resources available to her in engineering.

“Before I even started my first quarter, I met everyone in the

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engineering dean’s office. With (LEADR program director) Tanya Whitlow and (graduate coordinator) Alin Wakefield, I knew I could go to them even if I wasn’t in trouble,” Garcia says. “I basically already had a network, and I knew I needed it to be successful. I thought I could do it by myself, but it would be really hard, so let me do it with a whole village with me.”

Even with her village cheering her on, Garcia struggled through her first year as a biomedical engineering major, taking concurrent pre-calculus, pre-chemistry and co-physics classes at the Academic Assistance and Tutoring Centers to build a mathematical and physical foundation for success in her “real” classes. Garcia expanded and grew her village with math, writing, physics and chemistry specialists that have continued to provide her support.

“College was this journey of learning that you’ve got to figure it out. So, I figured out that it was all about networking and knowing the ‘re’ in resources means again and ‘source’ is something that you can take from again and again and again,” Garcia says.

One of these resources was biomedical engineering undergraduate advisor Rosalind Christian, who guided Garcia to pursue mechanical engineering when her passion for manufacturing surfaced during a summer research project.

“Being in the Engineering Student Design Center and making things, cutting metal, having grease on my hands, I couldn’t even explain these feelings,” Garcia says. “I was just shining and glowing, and I was like, ‘This is cool. I really like manufacturing.’”

Building on her enthusiasm, Garcia approached her instructor about pursuing research in her area of interest and secured a spot in the McNair Scholars Program, a federal program funded by the U.S. Department of Education and designed to prepare undergraduate students for doctoral studies through involvement in research. Garcia conducted in research in advanced manufacturing, working on a wire electrical discharge machine to generate a titanium-based biocompatible material for medical devices.

“Through undergraduate research, I got exposed to conferences, and realized there were thousands of other people also doing research. Like, oh my God, everyone’s just researching and presenting. And then it just became this normal thing that I did too. At the Annual Statewide Undergraduate CAMP Symposium, I received the Special

Merit Award for physical sciences research. And I used that as a sign to apply for grad school.”

Now, as a graduate student working with mechanical and aerospace engineering professor Barbara Linke, Garcia relishes opportunities to engage with undergraduates and hopes to soon be a lecturing faculty member at a research university. Through an NSF teaching fellowship, she was able to teach science to sixth graders and received training and tools to prepare for a career in teaching. Garcia is also a UC Davis Professors for the Future Fellow, a year-long competitive fellowship program designed to recognize and develop the leadership skills of outstanding graduate students and postdoctoral scholars who have demonstrated their commitment to professionalism, integrity and academic service.

“I just love explaining things to someone. If you can explain something to a sixth grader and they’re able to actually understand what you’re talking about and keep up, you can teach anybody,” Garcia says. “And being able to teach students, especially undergrads who are trying to figure themselves out? That’s what I want to do.”

UC Davis College of Engineering • Leading Inclusive Excellence 11

Reducing Barriers for FirstGeneration Graduate Students

By Aditi Risbud Bartl

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he Preparing Engineering Graduate Students for the 21st Century (PEGS21) project at UC Davis seeks to support first generation students as they advance from undergraduate to graduate school in pursuit of their career dreams.

In 2016, the program received a five-year, $1M grant from the National Science Foundation to improve the support of students to help students overcome barriers and promote the enrollment, persistence and graduation of low-income, academicallytalented, underrepresented students in engineering graduate programs.

Studies show firstgeneration students face unique challenges in the progression through graduate education. Traditionally, first-year graduate students in engineering have scant resources dedicated to their mentoring and socialization.

PEGS21 seeks to reduce the barriers first-generation students face by providing personalized mentoring, guidance and support, along with a $10,000 scholarship to first-generation scholars in their first year of engineering graduate study.

First-year biomedical engineering graduate student Shahin Shams is a 2018 PEGS21 participant, working with biomedical engineering professor Eduardo Silva on polymeric biomaterials for gene and cell therapies.

“The program takes people that did very well in an undergraduate setting, and gives them more resources and an outlet to ask the questions that they need so they can succeed as best as they can,” Shams says. “Even though I went here as an undergrad, there’s so much stuff I didn’t know.”

Shams’ family came to California in the early 1980s; her mother from the economically depressed suburbs of Detroit and her father from Iran fleeing the Iranian Revolution. As a child, she peppered her father with questions about math

12 UC Davis College of Engineering • Leading Inclusive Excellence

and science, who helped develop the building blocks of her interest in engineering. Her mother “was much more focused on nature,” Shams says. “We’d go on nature walks and she’d be like, ‘Oh, there’s a caterpillar.’ And then she would explain what a caterpillar is and how it transitions into a butterfly. She would do that with everything. And I just thought that there was such a dynamic state around us that I wanted to go and explore it for myself.”

In 2015, as a junior at UC Davis, Shams came up with the idea to write children’s books to Shahin Shams explain challenging concepts in engineering. Biomedical engineering professor Kent Leach told Shams “if you can explain something to a six-year-old, that means you fully understand it.”

She came up with the idea of passing around cookies as a way to explain diffusion.

“If you are passing cookies around to share, it goes from a high concentration of cookies to a low concentration, so that everybody gets one. I thought this was a unique way to show that engineering isn’t just all mathematics, there’s a human connection.”

This project further inspired her to writing children’s books explaining STEM topics to elementary schoolers—with three published explaining what vaccines are, what blood is, and what allergies are. Now as a graduate student, Shams is planning on developing additional children’s books related to asthma and diabetes, two diseases affecting an increasingly large proportion of the U.S. population.

After earning her Ph.D., Shams hopes to attend law school, with the eventual goal of becoming a patent lawyer. She encourages others to think beyond their comfort zones: “Ask as many questions as possible, seek out any teacher that you have and ask them as many questions as you can. I think I would’ve had a much more solid baseline if I had just talked to my teachers a little bit more because they are there to help.

They really want to see you succeed as much as you want to succeed.”

DEAN BUNN: AN ENGAGING SPIRIT

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o to any UC Davis College of Engineering event and you’re likely to see Dean Bunn. Mentoring students at campus computer programming and robotics contests, greeting families at Move-In Weekend or just tweeting pictures about his daily UC Davis adventures, Bunn’s warm, welcoming and well-known presence is part of the fabric of the college and university. A UC Davis employee since 2003, he lives the university’s Principles of Community each and every day, wherever he is.

“I’m here to help everyone succeed,” he said. “It’s not just a job to me—it’s all about the happy!”

Here to help everyone The Bay Area native, veteran, husband and father of three began his teamwork-centric tech career in the Army, where he served six years in locations including the Middle East, Washington and Germany while at the same time working on his kinesiology/physical-education bachelor’s degree through Hayward’s California State University, East Bay. “I did mobile communications support for all of our units, working out of the backs of Army trucks,” he said. “While I was in Saudi Arabia—where I served twice—the Army would fly in professors so we could start or continue our college educations. I would say to my fellow soldiers, ‘I’ve got to go—I’ve got a final!’”

He brought his Army-strong dedication, education and teamwork to UC Davis 16 years ago, moving from the UC Davis Chancellor’s Office, where he provided tech support to smaller affiliated units, to the College of Biological Sciences, where he worked in tandem with the Information and Education Technology department to provide programming services for campus clientele, to—now—the College of Engineering, where he’s been since 2013. As an application developer and all-around tech guru, he helps solve programming and information problems for all those who come his way.

And those who typically show up in Bunn’s warm and comfortable Academic Surge office arrive in the midst of a massive crisis: lost data; missing files; information needed yesterday. Recent major tech projects Bunn’s been proud to program include data-crunching for the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center’s studies on Lake Tahoe’s health, and creating searchable student segments for potential Aggie employers. But, here to help everyone, Bunn’s ready to take on seemingly small things that mean a

By Brady Oppenheim

big deal to the people they affect. Eschewing the tech-speak and explaining issues in everyday language, he engages all students, staff, researchers and faculty—regardless of background—in becoming their own problem-solvers.

“We’re a very diverse team here in the College of Engineering—we all work together as a group,” said Bunn.

“There are no silos: All races, nationalities, genders are all welcome both in our team and in the people we serve.”

A life of engagement Even outside of UC Davis, diversity, inclusion and engagement inform Bunn’s life. As president of his local PTA, he ensures all of the children and families of Tafoya Elementary—an 82-percent minority-majority campus—feel welcomed and valued in their school community.

“I love to participate in Career Days and other family and student events, both at the elementary school and at the university. I want to help the next generation of kids—including black and brown kids—who want to code have a positive experience.

“I’m glad to be able to help our community, wherever I am,” he said.

Dean Bunn

RALPH ALDREDGE:

Engineering Success for All Students

By Brady Oppenheim

W

hen Dr. Ralph Aldredge begins “It was at that time that I developed an his new position as the UC Davis interest in the field of engineering, in which I College of Engineering’s Associate Dean learned I could combine my interest in hands-on of Undergraduate Studies in summer mechanics with math and science,” he said.

2019, he will bring a long history of student The mentorship of a very supportive college advocacy to his latest role. guidance counselor at his inner-city high school A professor in the college’s Department opened his eyes to the possibilities of pursuing of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, an engineering degree and encouraged him to Aldredge has worked at classroom, follow his dreams. department, college, campus and system“She introduced me to several top wide levels to support all UC students engineering-focused colleges and universities in their educational goals. In addition and gave me confidence that I could succeed,” to serving in numerous undergraduate he said.

Professor Ralph Aldredge and graduate leadership and advocacy And succeed he did, earning his B.S. from settings—including as faculty assistant to Carnegie Mellon University with double majors the dean for undergraduate studies, chair of the academicin mechanical engineering and French and his M.A. and Ph.D. senate Committee on Admissions and Enrollment and chair degrees in mechanical and aerospace engineering from of the system-wide Board of Admissions and Relations Princeton. Now he uses his hands-on mechanical passion with Schools (BOARS)—he also played an integral role in plus his academic engineering knowledge in the laboratory to designing the system-wide and UC Davis holistic-review study how combustion can be improved to enhance engine undergraduate-admissions policies. This strategy increases performance and fuel efficiency. He also applies methods diversity, equity and inclusivity by considering student he has developed for computer modeling and simulations applicants’ broad range of attributes and skills beyond their of flame surfaces to better understand the dynamics of academic measures. cancerous-tumor surfaces.

“I’m proud of the adoption of holistic review as “It can be very inspiring and energizing to engage in an expected method of evaluating applicants at all engineering research and design projects that have direct UC campuses during my tenure on BOARS, and of my societal impact,” said Aldredge, who now mentors his students role in the design and implementation of holistic review at as his counselor once did for him. “Learning is a life-long UC Davis,” he said. endeavor, and one of the most important skills you will learn In the College of Engineering, Aldredge hopes to build at UC Davis is the ability to continue to educate and challenge upon successful efforts to improve retention and graduation yourself throughout your professional career.” rates of engineering majors with proactive advising strategies and by encouraging early engagement with Supporting student success project-centered learning experiences.

Aldredge doesn’t just apply his hands-on methodology to “Increasing the diversity of our student body and his cutting-edge mechanical-engineering research: He uses promoting equity and inclusion with data-driven outreach, his action-oriented approach to educate, encourage and recruitment, advising and retention strategies will be a advocate for all students. Aldredge also serves as the faculty central focus of my new role as well,” he said. advisor to the college’s Black Engineering Association.

“I believe that my role in sparking excitement about A hands-on approach to engineering engineering and motivating students to succeed is as Aldredge’s engineering interest began in childhood with important as the technical material I teach in class,” he said. a fascination with mechanical projects around the house.

“My advice to students is to dream big, set your goals high That interest bloomed when he had the opportunity to work and believe in yourself just as much as your mentors and as a part-time auto mechanic during his high school years. supporters believe in you.”

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1

Student Organizations • American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) • Black Engineers Association (BEA) • Chicano and Latino Engineers and Scientists Society (CALESS) • Pilipinx Americans in Science and Engineering (PASE) • Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (OSTEM) • Society of Women Engineers (SWE)

Percent of Women Faculty Among Top 50 Engineering Programs

– American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)

Students

Faculty

4,673

229

30% women 25.3% underrepresented groups 4.12 years—mean time to degree LEADR Student Support Center Engineering Design & Startup Centers

15

Departments • Biological & Agricultural • Biomedical • Chemical • Civil & Environmental • Computer Science • Electrical & Computer • Materials Science • Mechanical & Aerospace

Total Faculty

Undergraduate Students

Members of the National Academies

1,189

$92.6 million

Graduate Students

in research expenditures (2017-18) (ASEE)

466 M.S. 723 Ph.D.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS #

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Doing the Most for the American Dream – NY Times College Access Index

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5

Best Public U.S. University – Times Higher Education

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Campus Sustainability

Chancellor Gary S. May

– UI GreenMetric World Ranking

Electrical Engineer

Most transformative college in the country – Money

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Best Value College for Women in STEM (U.S.) – Forbes

Engineer your Future UC Davis is ranked 1 st in the nation for launching women into STEM professions.

engineering.ucdavis.edu engrdean@ucdavis.edu instagram.com/ucdavisengineering facebook.com/UCDavisEngineering twitter.com/UCDavisCoE