CEED Newsletter Fall 2010 by UCLA Center for Excellence in Engineering and Diversity

UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science Center for Excellence in Engineering and Diversity

The CEED Vision CEED Mission Work with a community of partners to ensure equity and parity in the K-20 pathways that lead to engineering and computing degrees.

CEED Vision We develop leaders for California’s diverse technical workforce. Inside this issue:

Industry Advisory Board 2

MESA Program

SMARTS Summer Program

Summer Bridge

Community College Transition to UCLA

Student Organizations —AISES, NSBE, & SOLES

RISE-UP Undergraduate 9 Research on Campus

Fall 2010

Diversifying Engineering salient national Sci‐ A ence, Technology, Engineer‐ ing and Mathematics (STEM) education challenge is how to address the contradiction presented by the large, rapid growth of underrepresented college‐age students that bears no commensurate in‐ crease in their numbers in engineering schools. In Cali‐ fornia, over 6.3 million K‐12 students are enrolled in pub‐ Rick Ainsworth lic schools, and 56% are His‐ CEED Director panic and African American. Yet only 11% of the approximately 9,000 engi‐ neering graduates per year come from this “underrepresented majority” student population. California needs this population to contribute its talent to the engineering field and the state’s eco‐ nomic future. The challenge to increase the num‐ bers of underrepresented engineering students (URES) and their persistence to degree comple‐

tion is a three‐fold problem. First, only 2.2% of African American and 13.9% of Latino high school graduates are ranked in the top 10% of the state’s graduating senior class. To increase the number of competitively eligible URES applicants to UC schools of engineering requires early academic intervention designed around in‐class and out of school time. Second, recruiting, admitting and enrolling the few competitive URES is another challenge because out of state schools of engi‐ neering can provide full scholarships without Cali‐ fornia’s legal constraints. The third challenge is a national problem: the National Science Board in its 2007 report, “Moving Forward to Improve En‐ gineering Education” stated the national retention to graduation percentage is 60% for all engineer‐ ing students who obtain a degree within 6 years. In comparison, the national persistence to degree completion for URES is only 40%. This difference represents a 20% disparity in retention between URES and the majority of engineering students. Article Cont. Pg. 3

Spotlight IAB Representative: Janelle Sasaki, Cisco

I continue to maintain a strong part‐ nership with the CEED organization because I value the leadership capabilities that the stu‐ dents bring to not only Cisco, but other organi‐ zations as well as the community. I feel that it is not only the right thing to do, but the smart thing because it helps our business as well as innovation. It continues to be a rewarding ex‐ perience at each event because I not only learn about myself, but I also help foster the growth of the young student leaders. I manage a team of Cisco employees that help participate in the CEED events like mock interviews, corporate gamesmanship, and resume critiques. These events are helping students with their career paths and are essentially the subsets to build‐ ing each student’s soft skills and professional‐ ism. I have learned over my three‐year engage‐ ment with CEED that offering open, transpar‐ ent communication between CEED, my com‐ pany, and the students has resulted with ex‐ ceptional collaboration with high levels of in‐

tegrity. I try to offer practical solutions to help with professional development and give students an industry perspective to help fos‐ ter their success. Being a member on a number of boards including one at USC, I realize that CEED has the best model and practice possibly Janelle Sasaki throughout the entire U.S. CEED offers the Cisco Representative infrastructure and the resources these students need in one central‐ ized place that allows all parties involved to benefit. Working with CEED, I have learned more from the students and the CEED commu‐ nity than I feel I could ever give and it is truly a satisfying and rewarding experience.

The CEED Vision Page 2

Arnold Hackett VP, Alliance and Partnership Management at Xerox IAB Chair

“It’s a great honor being the Chair of a benchmark organization.” Arnold Hackett, Xerox IAB Meeting, 1/20/10

Anthony Gallegos 2009-2010 SOLES President B.S. Mechanical Engineering Full -Time Hire at General Mills Co.

“The professional contacts I’ve met at both of these events have proved vital to securing employment in the engineering industry. Because of these events, my networking skills and understanding of how to carry myself in professional social environments has greatly improved.”

Industry Advisory Board Importance - Arnold Hackett

D iversity of ethnicity and thought is a cornerstone of Xerox’s success, and being a member of the Industry Advi‐ sory Board (IAB) allows us, Xerox, to identify, develop, and attract a top pool of diversified talent. I serve as the CEED IAB chair because it enables Xerox to have a three‐way partnership with the CEED staff, student organizations, as well as indus‐ try to assist in the development of our future industry leaders and building a relationship with the UCLA Engineering depart‐ ment. What drives me as an ac‐ tive member is the innovative programs and activities that CEED organization has devel‐ oped in partnership with the IAB to encourage, support, and develop current and future UCLA engineering students. In addition to providing academic and professional development

of engineering’s top diversity students; CEED and IAB also partner in offering several inno‐ vative and engaging outreach programs for the K‐12 student population. This allows Xerox, as well as other IAB companies the opportunity to positively influence and build relation‐ ships with future college stu‐ dents. CEED continues to work with the IAB to ensure compa‐ nies are receiving the highest Return on Investment (ROI) for their participation on the IAB and support of CEED. Statistics indicate that IAB member com‐ panies are not only attracting but hiring CEED students for full ‐time and summer internship positions. My vision for the IAB over the next two years is to expand the diversity of the board mem‐ bership well beyond the tradi‐ tional industries. Those areas that we are looking to expand are for example and not limited

to Pharmaceuticals & Biotech‐ nology, Construction & Facilities and Media. In addition, I would like to work with the IAB and CEED to develop a strategic roadmap and plans to ensure a financial stability so that CEED will be viable for the next dec‐ ade and continue to be a leader amongst engineering diversity programs. I have talked to many industry colleagues and it is clear that UCLA’s CEED in part‐ nership with IAB has one of the most innovative and progres‐ sive partnerships in the coun‐ try. The collaboration and com‐ mitment that extends between the CEED Staff, the Engineering department, and the student organizations shows their com‐ mitment to “excellence”. I would like to thank the CEED staff, the Dean of Engi‐ neering, and CEED students for being open to and embracing the IAB’s ideas and contribu‐ tions.

CEED Corporate Gamesmanship & Corporate Round Table The Corporate Gamesmanship and Cor‐ porate Round Table hosted annually by CEED are unique events that provide students with the opportunity to directly interact with repre‐ sentatives from industry. For students to be competitive in the world today, it isn’t enough to read the textbook and do the homework problems; they must go out into the field and get experience. Speaking with representatives is a gateway into the world outside of school, and these events help the students to take the first steps toward their future. At the Corporate Gamesmanship, held in October, a variety of workshops are available to the students that offer advice about specific techniques for career fairs and interviewing skills. Throughout the event, a small career expo is available to students who wish to speak with the various representatives. The fair works hand‐in‐hand with the workshops, as students may take the techniques they have

learned in the workshops and immediately ap‐ ply them. While Corporate Gamesmanship is fo‐ cused on technique and practice, the Corporate Round Table held in January is not only an ap‐ plication of the techniques students have had a change to cultivate, but it is also an opportunity for students to have a more personal encounter with the representatives. This allows students to actively engage with representatives and give them a stronger chance to lobby for internships and full‐time jobs. Both events help the younger students to take the initial steps into the world beyond school by giving them the skills to succeed early in their careers. It also provides students with several personal opportunities to expand their networking skills and obtain internships. These events give CEED students the tools they need to succeed and help mold them into strong can‐ didates for the future.

Fall 2010 Page 3

Director’s Message: Diversifying Engineering (Cont.) The UCLA Center for Excellence in Engineering and Diversity’s (CEED) retention percentage ex‐ ceeds the national URES percentage of 40% by 19 percentage points. CEED’s goal is to provide academic and social programs to broaden the participation of underrepresented students in STEM fields and careers. CEED’s pre‐college, community college, undergraduate retention, and professional devel‐ opment programs address these disparities in the K‐16 pathway leading to engineering and comput‐ ing degrees. In doing so, CEED has received na‐ tional, state, and corporate recognition for its ef‐ forts to increase the numbers of URES entering and graduating in engineering and computing. The National Science Foundation, through its STEM programs, has awarded CEED major fund‐ ing to support our programs. Equally important is the support we have received over the many

years from our Industry Advisory Board who support our efforts to diversify engineering and prepare URES for corporate America. This CEED Quarterly edition features the outstanding accomplishments of CEED’s 2010 graduating class. In addition, the reader will learn that early research experience makes a major impact on URES persistence and academic performance. We highlight the three nationally award winning student organizations—AISES NSBE, and SOLES—for their outreach programs to local schools. Their work with CEED’s precol‐ lege and community college initiatives contrib‐ ute largely to CEED’s success. We thank all those industry and organizations who contribute to our mission. Our success is directly related to their contributions. A special thanks to Vijay Dhir the Dean of the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and the CEED Staff for their sup‐ port.

Scholarship Banquet: Support for Our Students

C EED hosts an annual Scholarship Banquet to honor the recipients and to create interactions between the schol‐ ars and the industry represen‐ tatives from awarding compa‐ nies. The scholarship program is a key component of CEED; students are awarded scholar‐ ships from industry partners as well as from grants from the National Science Foundation. During the 2009‐2010 aca‐ demic year, CEED awarded $258,167 in industry and NSF

scholarships and facilitated an additional $55,802 in HSSEAS scholarships. 83 CEED Stu‐ dents were awarded scholar‐ ships (nearly 1/3 of all CEED students). The benefit goes be‐ yond financial. For companies, giving scholarships is an op‐ portunity to be matched with exceptional scholars. The scholarship is often the first step in forming a working con‐ nection in which the students will then be invited to partici‐ pate in internships and in some cases will go on to secure full time employ‐ ment with the com‐ pany. Corporations that provide schol‐ arships greater ac‐ cess to hiring these outstanding schol‐ ars. Scholarship allows students to focus more on their Alcoa representatives with scholarships academics and less recipients on having to work

burdensome hours. CEED has been suc‐ cessful at providing scholar‐ ships to one‐third or more of their students over the last few years. However, increased competition for public funds and tough economic times in the private sector will make it hard for CEED to offer the same level of scholarships and affect the same number of stu‐ dents this coming year. Due to the end of NSF grant for the coming year, industry partners and alumni will play a greater role in contributing to the success of the program. In a survey of CEED alumni, 87% of the respon‐ dents (n=82) agreed or strongly agreed that the schol‐ arships are a valuable compo‐ nent and greatly contribute to student success. One‐third of the respondents selected schol‐ arships as one of the top 3 components that influenced their post‐UCLA success.

Eric Gamez Graduated Cum Laude B.S. Mechanical Engineer Full Time Hire at Edwards Air Force Base

“Scholarship Banquet has always been a very successful event. We’re provided food and an opportunity to mingle with the companies that awarded us scholarships. The banquet was a great experience, and really showed CEED’s appreciation for their students.

Raylene Moreno B.S. Civil Engineering At UCLA Pursuing Masters in Mechanical Engineering

“The Scholarship Banquet provided great professional networking opportunities and the scholarships I received were very helpful with my educational expenses, especially because of the UC fee increases imposed this year.”

The CEED Vision Page 4

Olaleke Owolabi 2008-2009 NSBE President B.S. Mechanical Engineering Full Time Hire at Frito Lay

“MESA Day at UCLA this year was an excellent event that involved workshops and testing which provided the kids with material to get them thinking of math and science. I love working with MESA because it’s a great feeling to be giving back to the community.

Carlos Marrufo 2008-2009 SOLES President B.S. Civil Engineering Full Time Hire at Schlumberger Tech Corp.

“I worked as a SMARTS mentor one summer and I’ve come to realize that the SMARTS Program is an opportunity for high school students to excel and exceed in higher education.”

Pre-College Initiatives MESA Program

T he Mathematics Engineering Science ports 1,100 students and teachers in the Los An‐ Achievement (MESA) program is a school‐site geles and Inglewood Unified School Districts. based outreach and student development effort with a focus on engineering, math, science and technology. CEED works in partnerships with mid‐ dle and high school principals to identify and train teachers to run MESA programs at their respective sites. Math or science teachers (high school and middle school) are designated to serve as MESA advisors to coordinate the activities and instruc‐ tion as well as prepare students for regional MESA Day engineering and science competitions. MESA provides an individual academic planning program, academic excellence work‐ shops, CEED undergraduate mentors, parent in‐ volvement, field trips, and exposure to high‐tech careers. CEED currently serves 21 schools and sup‐ CEED staff and student volunteers at LA Metro Region Jr. MESA Day at UCLA in April 2010 SMARTS Program for High School Students

What do motivated and successful students do for their summer vacation? They partici‐ pate in summer programs such as Science Mathematics Achievement and Research Training for Students (SMARTS) Program. SMARTS is a six‐week summer college preparation program at UCLA designed to increase the number of high school students in urban areas who are inter‐ ested in careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) based fields. SMARTS participants engage in a variety of classes and activities, including math courses (Introduction to Statistics and AP Calculus Readiness), SAT preparation, robotics, research and college and career planning workshops. A hallmark of SMARTS is the Research Apprentice Program (RAP). Through this unique opportunity, selected students participate in a six–week paid research internship. Mentored by UCLA graduate students, RAP participants perform cutting–edge research in areas such as Bio‐ medical Engineering, Cell Pathology, 3D‐ MicroBatteries, Human Computer Interaction, Experi‐ mental Psychology and Molecular Genetics. For all, it was a challenging and motivating experi‐ ence. As one RAP student commented: “Through RAP I learned the basics of working a lab set ting. I also saw how mathematics was incorporated in science... and learned how to apply the sci entific method. RAP was a very beneficial and rewarding experience.” In addition to the academic component, SMARTS students attended the Industry Career Exploration (ICE) Luncheon. ICE is an opportunity for students to meet and speak with profes‐ sional engineers and company representative about their company, engineering and career de‐ velopment and the steps needed to become an engineer or scientist. The luncheon also served as an introduction to networking. Past participants have included Boeing, Conoco Phillips, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Raytheon, LA DWP, Northrop Grumman, Verizon, and Xerox. The six‐week experience culminates with a Closing Ceremony where the Research Ap‐ prentices formally presented posters as well as a 10 minute presentation of their research to peers, faculty, and parents. SMARTS is funded through a Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant (under Life Sci‐ ence’s Professor Fred Eiserling) and through contributions from corporate members of the CEED Industry Advisory Board.

Fall 2010 Page 5

Summer Bridge: The Bridge to Success

Eric Padilla 2007-2008 AISES President B.S. Materials Engineering At ASU pursuing Masters in Materials Engineering

The 2009 CEED Freshmen class. E ach September since 1983, the UCLA CEED Freshman Summer Bridge Program offers the incoming students advanced preparation into the rigorous curriculum and pace of UCLA and HSSEAS by providing two weeks of intensive instruction in Mathemat‐ ics, Chemistry, and Computer Science. PhD Students who have been recom‐ mended by their UCLA Departments use the same textbooks required during the Aca‐ demic Year and teach according to the course outlines, assign homework, and give weekly exams. CEED Freshmen also participate in the academic excellence group problem‐ solving workshops (AEW) in conjunction with their Math and Chemistry courses, as well as C++ programming assignments. This two‐week lead time allows the new freshmen to identify their academic strengths so they know what to expect as they prepare to transition from high school to the university. Summer Bridge’s Profes‐ sional Development component includes both Resume Preparation and an Industry Tour. During the 2‐week period, the stu‐ dent organizations (Tri‐Org: AISES, NSBE, and SOLES) use the opportunity to recruit CEED students into their organizations as well as show the students the more enter‐ taining things to do around campus. The Tri‐

Org invites the students to a UCLA tailgate for the football game, a picnic by Santa Monica Beach, and a game of broomball at a local ice rink. For the past 25 years, Summer Bridge students have been housed in West‐ wood Village’s Claremont Hotel. This small landmark facility – with its one‐and‐only TV in the lobby – promotes an environment con‐ ducive to engaging students in group study and forming solid friendships among fellow Engineering majors. Aside from the courses offered dur‐ ing the Summer Bridge Program, the CEED Freshmen are separated into groups based on major and begin a research project within departmental laboratories under the instruc‐ tion of grad students. These projects con‐ tinue into Fall quarter during the Engineer‐ ing 87 course. More information about this program can be found on Page 8 of this newsletter. In Fall 2009, the 44 CEED Freshmen earned a 3.070 average GPA in their Fall Quarter Math Courses, with 84% at the mas‐ tery level (“B” and above). Similar results have been obtained each year in the Math & Science foundation courses. The ongoing impact of Freshman Summer Bridge has long been recognized as a premier UCLA CEED retention and transition program.

“Having zero programming experience, I was worried that I would have a very difficult time taking CS31. Being able to take the class during Bridge however, gave me the chance to really focus on the basic material and that coupled with having an excellent instructor made me competent enough that I was helping the CS majors in the class when Fall quarter rolled around.”

Juan Zuniga 2008-2009 AISES President B.S. Civil Engineering Full Time Hire at Army Corps. Of Engineers

“Summer Bridge helped us establish study groups for fall classes and these study groups, along with studying material up to the first midterm of the fall quarter classes, helped us have a far smoother transition into college than if we had arrived without them.”

The CEED Vision Page 6

Community College

Alex Franceschi B.S. Mechanical Engineer At UCLA pursuing Masters in Mechanical Engineering

The Transition for Community College Students to UCLA

“The transition from community college to UCLA was very difficult, but one of the most fulfilling experiences I have ever had. I have grown to understand more of myself as a student, a friend, a man, and now an engineer. I am forever grateful for my success and the stepping stones CEED has provided along the way, thank you all!”

Vanessa Evoen Graduated Cum Laude 2009-2010 NSBE Vice-President

B.S. Chemical Engineering At Cal Tech pursuing Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering

“BREES was an awesome opportunity to form a study support group crucial to my academics at UCLA. There is an introduction to coursework covered in the coming year, that gives an immeasurable advantage. BREES is Awesome!”

EED strives to increase the number of underrepresented students in the community col‐ lege system that transfer into the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science at UCLA. Through improved communication and information dissemination between UCLA and California Community College programs, CEED is able to better identify and assist community col‐ lege students with the aptitude and interest to pursue undergraduate degrees in engineering and computer science. Visits to local community col‐ leges with high concentrations of underrepre‐ sented students were made to meet key transfer and counseling specialists in programs such as MESA, TAP, and STEM offices.

Additionally, UCLA CEED hosted campus visits to the UCLA campus and tours of HSSEAS laboratory. These two community college MESA programs: Allan Hancock and Rio Hondo Colleges brought about 20 stu‐ dents each. Admitted HSSEAS transfer applicants are hosted for visits upon acceptance notification. Visits allowed the community college students to meet current CEED students who have transferred from community college. In discussion panels, students learn more about the different engineering majors, success strategies for transferring, and about the unique opportunities avail‐ able at UCLA. The value of UCLA’s rich research oppor‐ tunities are demonstrated through lab tours and re‐ search presentations by Professors and graduate stu‐ dents.

Summer Bridge Review for Enhancing Engineering Students (BREES)

odeled closely after the Freshmen Summer Bridge Program, the Summer Bridge Review for En‐ hancing Engineering Students (BREES) is a two‐week intensive introduction of key topics in core engineer‐ ing courses. BREES instruction is led by engineering graduate students within each of the departments. Furthermore, BREES has proven successful in engag‐ ing underrepresented transfer students into the CEED community and in assisting them in their transition into the University. The BREES program assists continuing stu‐ dents and new transfer students with the transition from general math, chemistry and physics courses into core ‘gatekeeper’ engineering courses. At BREES, CEED offers courses in bioengineering, chemical engi‐ neering, civil and environmental engineering, com‐ puter science, electrical engineering, materials engi‐ neering, and mechanical and aerospace engineering. Students are given the opportunity to organize study groups early on, providing them with a close‐knit group to work with when the academic year begins. BREES offers new transfers and rising juniors the opportunity to meet current students and be exposed to new material which increases retention through upper division courses. BREES students cover three weeks of material into their fall quarter classes. During BREES, students are also required to attend Academic Excellence Workshops (AEWs) for their engineering courses. While in these AEWs, stu‐

dents are given extra problems related to the engi‐ neering material. The students are expected to solve the problems as a group or individually; a graduate student is available for assistance. In conjunction with AEWs, students attend industry workshops to prepare them for entering the technical workforce. These in‐ dustry workshops consist of career fair and email etiquette as well as a resume workshop. This prepares the students for upcoming career fairs and corporate events. The student organizations—AISES, NSBE and SOLES—also make a point to attend BREES to welcome new students and expose them to life at UCLA from a student perspective. Members of each organization help answer any questions the new transfer students would have about UCLA, whether it be about apartment listings, buying used engineering books, places to eat, etc.

BREES students at the picnic enjoying the company and good food.

Fall 2010 Page 7

Student Organizations American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)

The

UCLA Chapter of the American In‐ dian Science and Engineering Society is very excited for the new aca‐ demic year with brand new goals. AISES at UCLA plans to focus on the acquisition and retention of new membership for the school year while

maintaining its focus on out‐ reaching to local native com‐ munities to promote higher education in the technical fields of study. This year, AISES is seeking out new na‐ tive communities to visit and increasing its participation with existing communities. AISES is also outreaching to industry, even those with Na‐

tive chapters of their own to establish new collaborations and support. By strengthen‐ ing the chapter, UCLA AISES will have the opportunity to empower others and help local communities by staying united and providing re‐ sources to succeed profes‐ sionally.

Former AISES President, Ray Avalos, tutoring at local Middle Schools

The UCLA Chapter at the 2009 AISES National Conference

National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)

his year, UCLA’s chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers is striving to build on previous accomplishments. We were named “Small Chap‐ ter of the Year” at the 2009 National Convention and plan on continuing our success. Our main goals for the year are to attend our regional and national conferences, to insti‐

tute a NSBE Jr. chapter, and to establish a lasting procedure for our PCI program with MESA schools. We attended our regional conference in November with about 25 members and are currently working with six NSBE chap‐ ters in having a group travel to nationals. We’re also work‐ ing closely with CEED in so‐

lidifying our tutoring sys‐ tem and also involving our most dedicated and talented members as lead chapter representatives for the schools. It has been a solid 31 years since our chapter set out to achieve the mission of NSBE at UCLA, and we strive for it passionately.

NSBE Fall Regional Conference in Long Beach, CA

NSBE Alumni Bowling 2010

Society of Latino Engineers and Scientists (SOLES)

The Society of Latino Engi‐

neers and Scientists (SOLES) are one‐third of the Tri‐Org at UCLA that CEED supports in its efforts to increase the number of minority students pursuing engineering degrees through community outreach and the academic and profes‐ sional development of its members. Besides taking more than half its members to the national conference in

November 2009, one of SOLES’ many goals is to im‐ plement new events that fur‐ ther promote our member‐ ship’s development and com‐ munity service initiatives. The combination of holding these new events and continuing existing ones will attain re‐ sults for which we strive. New events focused on academic development are being organ‐ ized to help improve mem‐ bers’ GPAs. The education and experience that our members

will receive prepares them to achieve success professionally and academically. SOLES has, and will continue, to utilize its resources to expose K‐12 stu‐ dents to opportunities in STEM fields and inspire them to enter these majors.

SOLES Volunteers at Noches De Ciencia

SOLES Volunteers tutoring middle school students

The CEED Vision Page 8

Undergraduate Research E-87: Freshmen Undergraduate Researchers

Freshmen students from 2009 E87 class working on soil testing

ntroduction to Engineering Disciplines (E‐87) focuses on academic, professional, and personal development of freshmen through collaborative learning assignments and team research projects. The objectives of the course are to: (1) Introduce engi‐ neering as a professional career for freshmen students by exploring the difference between engineering disciplines and the functions engineers perform; (2) Provide exposure to leading‐edge technology and research in HSSEAS; (3) Familiarize stu‐ dents with various computer applications and processes; (4) Develop effective study skills and techniques for academic excellence; (5) Develop interpersonal and per‐ sonal communications skills through the team process; (6) Educate and prepare stu‐ dents for community service and leadership. One unique feature of this course is that freshmen get to perform leading‐edge research during their very first quarter at UCLA. The students are grouped into teams, based upon their chosen major fields, and complete a quarter‐long research project under the guidance of a faculty re‐ searcher and graduate student.

During the Fall of 2009 there were 44 freshmen in E87 and they formed 13 research teams. The students’ majors, re‐ search project titles and sponsoring faculty members/graduate advisors are listed in the table below. Student Majors

Project Title

Faculty/Graduate Student

Aerospace Engineering

Balsa Wood Glider

Professor Jeff Eldredge Albert Medina

Chemical Engineering

Glucose‐Oxygen Biofuel Cells

Professor Bruce Dunn Nick Ciriliagno & Rita Blaik

Chemical Engineering

Design and Optimization of Green Energy Systems

Professor Vasilios I. Manousiouthakis Jorge Pena Lopez & Fernando Olmos

Civil Engineering

Hydrology and Water Quality Survey

Professor Terri Hogue Sonya Lopez

Civil Engineering

Environmental Engineering: Investigating Sources of Ecoli at the Beach

Professor Jenny Jay Greg Imamura

Civil Engineering

Earthquake Engineering

Professor Jon Stewart Dr. Bob Nigbor & Lisa Star

Computer Science

Wireless Pain Intervention for Sickle Cell Disease

Professor Mario Gerla Jerrid Matthews

Computer Science & Engineering

Piecewise Linear Approximation Using Dynamic Programming

Professor Miodrag Potkonjak Sheng Wei

Electrical Engineering

Sensors, Actuators and LabVIEW for Biomechanics Applications: Part 1

Professor William Kaiser

Electrical Engineering

Sensors, Actuators and LabVIEW for Biomechanics Applications: Part 2

Professor William Kaiser

Electrical Engineering

Timing is Everything: Building an Accurate Clock

Professor Rob Candler

Mechanical Engineering

Magnetoelectric (ME) Effect in Laminate Composites

Professor Greg P. Carman Tao Wu

Mechanical Engineering

Material Characterization using Destructive/Non‐Destructive Techniques

Professor Ajit Mal Himadri Samajder

Fall 2010 Page 9

RISE-UP Undergraduate Research Program

The Center for Excellence in Engineering and Diver‐

sity (CEED), in the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science (HSSEAS), is committed to the recruit‐ ment, development, retention, and graduation of underrepre‐ sented engineering and computing students. CEED’s under‐ graduate retention approach offers numerous programs and services focused on the personal, academic, and career devel‐ opment of economically disadvantaged and underrepresented engineering and computing students at UCLA. During the Summer of 2005, CEED began its Research Intensive Series in Engineering for Underrepresented Popula‐ tions (RISE‐UP) program, with support from: the National Sci‐ ence Foundation (NSF) Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics Talent Expansion Program for Underutilized Populations (STEP‐UP), Intel, Hewlett‐Packard, the University of California Leadership Excellence through Advanced De‐ grees (UC LEADS), the UCLA Undergraduate Research Center ‐ Center for Academic and Research Excellence (URC‐CARE) and the NSF‐funded Center for Scalable and Integrated Nano‐ Manufacturing (SINAM) CEED had a total of fifteen under‐ graduate students involved in its inaugural 10‐week, summer immersion, research program. The program has since been expanded to include academic year, as well as summer re‐ search appointments, and is now funded by the Semiconduc‐ tor Research Corporation (SRC) in partnership with Intel, the NSF and Lockheed Martin. The purpose of this program is to keep CEED’s engi‐ neering and computing students, particularly from underrep‐

(Front: L-R) Alfonso Roman, Stephanie Gachot, Dianne Pulido, Maricela Maldonado, Gabriela Bran, David Moreno-Magaña, Tihut Kebede, Kilty Inafuku, Richard Gaona, Alex Franceschi, Audrey Pool O’Neal (Rear: L-R) Former HSSEAS Assoc Dean Stephen Jacobson, Rick Ainsworth, Jian Sorge, Alex Martinez, Marcel Martin, Romulo Magallanes, George Torres, Anthony Erlinger, Drew Stanley, HSSEAS Assoc. Dean Richard Wesel

UCLA HSSEAS Dean Vijay K. Dhir with poster presenter Maricela Maldonado

resented groups, interested in the excitement of learning. The ultimate goal of this program is to encourage these young schol‐ ars to go on to graduate school and perhaps the professoriate. RISE‐UP challenges and inspires students to stay on in engi‐ neering and computing or to use those problem‐solving skills no matter their future endeavors. In addition to conducting research, RISE‐UP scholars also attend workshops on preparing for graduate school and present their work at the annual CEED RISE‐UP Poster competition in August of each year. To date, there have been sixty‐seven RISE‐UP Scholars, and 97% have been retained in their major. Thirty‐seven have graduated, with twenty‐six graduates (70%) going to industry and eleven (30%) going on to advanced studies. The 5th Annual CEED RISE‐UP Poster Competition was held at UCLA on August 27, 2009 in the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) lobby. There were seventeen presenters, and the competition was judged by: Stephen Jacobsen, Associate Dean Emeritus of HSSEAS; Richard Wesel, Associate Dean of HSSEAS; and Rick Ainsworth, CEED Director. First place was awarded to Dianne Pulido, who is a 3rd year Bioengineering stu‐ dent, for her work on Vesicular Monoamine Transporter as a Neuroprotective Agent in a Drosophila Model of Parkinson’s Disease sponsored by Amgen, under the direction of Professor David Krantz. Second place was awarded to Alex Franceschi, who is a 5th year Mechanical Engineering student, for his work on The Effects of Particle Size and Processing on the Properties of a Barium Titanate (BaTiO3) Polymer Composite sponsored by SINAM, under the direction of Professor H. Thomas Hahn. Third place was awarded to Anthony Erlinger, who is a 5th year Elec‐ trical Engineering student, for his work on Lens‐free On‐chip Cell Counting and Characterization for Wireless Health Applica‐ tions sponsored by Intel, under the direction of Professor Aydogan Ozcan.

The CEED Vision Page 10

CEED Graduates with Ph.D.s in Engineering & Computing • Dr. John Harding, CS, Entrepreneur • Dr. Mark Ross, EE, Boeing HRL • Dr. Brian Smith, CS, Faculty at UPenn • Dr. Willie Harper, CivilE, Faculty at Auburn • Dr. Ron Metoyer, CS, Faculty at Oregon State • Dr. Oscar Dubon, MSE, Faculty at UC Berkeley • Dr. Lealon Martin, ChemE, Faculty at RPI • Dr. Raul Ramirez, EE, Ball Industries • Dr. Eric Gans, ME • Dr. Joseph Coe, Faculty at the Citadel CEED 2009-2010 Graduates Pursuing Advance Studies • Christine Charles, AE, MBA • Colleen Charles, Civil, Cal State • Anthony Erlinger, EE, Columbia University • Vanessa Evoen, ChemE, Cal Tech • Alex Franceschi, MechE, UCLA • Stephanie Gachot, ChemE, UCLA • Jennifer Guerrero, ChemE, UC Santa Barbara • Alan Lewis, Civil, UCLA • Marcel Martin, AE, Stanford • Justin Meza, Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon • Pavan Narsai, AE, Stanford • Raylene Moreno, Civil, UCLA MechE • Eric Padilla, Materials, Arizona State • Nicole Virdone, BioE, Duke University

CEED Graduates UCLA CEED Cohort (1995-2004)

The percentage of students who entered as a part of CEED and continued to graduation in engineering

Some of the 2010 CEED Graduates with CEED Director Rick Ainsworth

Fall 2010 Page 11

Summary of CEED Data on the 2009-2010 Graduating Class Total Number of HSSEAS Graduates: Approximately 650 Total Number of CEED Graduates: 52 CEED Graduating Students Average GPA: 3.038 Total Achievement Awards presented: 39 Achievement Awards were presented to CEED Students: 13 2010 HSSEAS Commencement Awards and Recognition of CEED Students: “Harry M. Showman Prize” for Outstanding Research “Outstanding BS in Aerospace Engineering,” “Engineering Achievement Award for Student Welfare”

Cum GPA's of the 52 CEED 2009-10 Graduating Seniors (Avg: 3.038)

5 CEED Seniors Graduated with Latin Honors: 3 Cum Laude, 1 Magna, and 1 Summa

3.50-4.000 (13.5%)

14 CEED Seniors are pursuing Graduate School: UCLA (ChemE, Civil, 2 ME); Arizona State (Mat); Cal State (Civil); CalTech (ChemE); Carnegie-Melon (CS); Colombia (EE); Duke (BioE); MBA Program (AE); Stanford (2 AE); UCSB (ChemE). 2 are applying for Grad School in Fall 2011.

3.00-3.499 (38.5%) 2.75-2.999 (26.9%) 2.50-2.749 (15.4%) 2.00-2.499 (5.8%)

24 of the 52 CEED Graduating Seniors (48%) were Community College Transfer Students.

< 2.000

(0%)

Data on all 266 CEED Students Undergraduate CEED Students by Major, Level and Gender 2010-11 HSSEAS Major

1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year 4th Year 5th+ Year Gender Total MAJOR M

TOTAL

Aerospace Engineering

BioEngineering

Chemical Engineering Civil Engineering Computer Science

0 3 0

2 2 0

3 6 2

2 3 1

1 7 4

6 3 0

4 8 3

2 5 2

4 5 7

2 2 1

12 29 16

14 15 4

26 44 20

Computer Science & Engr

Electrical Engineering

Materials Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Undeclared Engineering

202

266

TOTALS

Partners and Supporters

We’re on the web: www.ceed.ucla.edu

Center for Excellence in Engineering and Diversity (CEED) 405 Hilgard Ave Boelter Hall 6291 Los Angeles, CA 90095 Phone: (310) 206‐6493 Fax: (310) 825‐3908 E‐mail: ceed@ea.ucla.edu

Special thanks to Xerox for printing.