Undergraduate Student Spotlight

Kene Akametalu, Senior - Class of 2012

• Hometown: Carson, CA
• Favorite Class: Circuits and Electronics I (ECE 137A)
• Interesting aside about Kene: I was born in Enugu, Nigeria and my family is from a village called Enugu-Ukwu. I am the oldest grandchild on both sides of my family.

Favorite things about

• UCSB: The overall college culture - we get our work done, but still have time for fun. I also like that everyone is friendly.
• Electrical Engineering program: The program is challenging and respected. I am also fascinated by how knowledgeable the professors are, and their overall commitment to teaching.
• Santa Barbara: Everyone knows that the city is beautiful, so I take pride in telling people I go to school in Santa Barbara.

Why Kene chose UCSB

I was really drawn to the school after I attended the Chancellor's Reception at LAX. UCSB did a great job of promoting undergraduate research, and I was excited at the opportunity to participate in the Summer Institute of Mathematics and Science (SIMS) Program. Through the program I was able to do research the summer before my freshman year.

How did you hear about UCSB's Electrical Engineering program?

One of my High School counselors mentioned it when we were looking into colleges.

Why Electrical Engineering?

I wanted to be an engineer because I enjoyed math and physics in high school, and I wanted a career that would allow me to apply both of these subjects. The decision to study electrical engineering was somewhat arbitrary.

Students and parents often ask, what can you do with an electrical engineering degree?

UCSB has two or three career fairs every year and there are always companies looking to hire electrical engineers. Companies including: Raytheon, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, SanDisk, Microsoft, and some local companies to name a few. Some students make themselves more marketable by pursuing advanced degrees (Masters and Ph.D.s). There are also opportunities in other fields such as law, medicine, or business.

Advice Kene gives to students/parents about applying to UCSB

• Student Advice: start working on your statements early.
• Parent Advice: make sure that the students start their statements early.

What have you learned that has surprised you the most so far?

How abstract and powerful mathematics can be. Mathematical concepts such as Fourier Transforms and Taylor Expansions are extremely important to engineers.

What was your most challenging but rewarding course and how did you overcome it?

Circuits and Electronics I (ECE 137A). Prior to this course we had been given instructions on how to build all of our circuits. In this course we were responsible for the design and implementation of a circuit that simulated a bouncing ball. It was rewarding to go from the theory to a working circuit. The class material was also difficult and the professor expected a lot from us. He wanted us to know everything about the circuit from the device physics level to the signals and systems level with concepts like feedback. He tried to tie together all the concepts we had learned in previous classes. It was challenging, so I made sure to do assignments early and go to office hours. I just stayed positive and asked for help when I needed it. Everyone struggled.

Are there any specific classes that you are looking forward to?

ECE 194D. I think it will be really fun to work with robots. I heard last year students designed a robot to play beer pong.

What area do you want to specialize in?

Controls because the field is very heavy in mathematics. As I have gone through my undergraduate degree at UCSB, my appreciation for mathematics has increased. Controls would allow me to apply my joy for mathematics to practical engineering problems.

Have you done an internship?

Last summer I did an internship here at UCSB through the Center of Energy Efficient Materials (CEEM). I characterized the performance of InGaN based solar cells versus solar flux concentration. I heard about the opportunity from the director of the internship, and I applied for it.

Where do you see yourself after graduation?

I want to obtain a Ph.D. There is a lot more for me to learn before I start working, and I am also interested in doing cutting edge research. I have applied to Berkeley, Michigan, UC San Diego, Georgia Tech, University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign, and MIT. After grad school, I would like to work in industry for some time because it will make me a more well-rounded engineer.

Preparation for UCSB

• Are there any classes that you suggest EE students take before entering UCSB and why? I would suggest calculus, physics, and programming courses
• Are there any additional things that you would like to share with students to help them prepare for college? Do not forget why you are going to college. The sooner you have your priorities straight, the sooner you will start to succeed.

Student Life at UCSB

• What is the social scene like for electrical engineering students? The social scene is whatever you want it to be. You can participate in EE related extra-curricular activities like research or individual projects, and you can go to the gym or play intramural sports. Isla Vista also has a very rich social scene and the sporting events are also very fun. Student organizations are also a very good social outlet. Anything I do with friends is fun and that usually is playing sports, going to student organized events, and sporting events. There is time to have fun, but engineer just have less time than the average student
• Describe your housing situation: I live in an apartment close to campus with three other guys. We all lived on the same hall in our dorm freshman year.
• What do you think parents would want to know about UCSB? Student safety is a priority on our campus. There are constantly programs and workshops that warn against things like excessive alcohol consumption, intolerance, and sexual harassment. Even with all its craziness, Isla Vista is a very safe place (as long as students do not put themselves in compromising situations). For students that might not like the IV culture, RHA (Residence Halls Association) does a good job of offering students alternatives.

 

Luis Rocha, Junior - Class of 2012

• Hometown: Coachella, CA
• Study Area: Computer Engineering Program
• Organizations: Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) and Los Ingenieros
• Favorite Class: Introduction to Robotics - Robot Control (ECE 181C)
• Interesting aside about Luis: I have two older brothers who are also Computer Engineers

Favorite Things About

• UCSB: awesome people, everyone is friendly
• Electrical Engineering program: ability to take classes in the subjects I'm interested in
• Santa Barbara: weather and location, not too far and not too close to home

Why UCSB?

I wanted to go to a research institution and I really liked the UCSB campus when I first went to visit. After looking into the Computer Engineering program, I was determined to go to UCSB. The program offered classes that I wanted to take and was a very friendly environment.

Why Electrical Engineering?

My life has always revolved around computers. I have always wondered how they work and how they are able to do so many things. Every computer has a hardware and software component and I am focusing on computer engineering since it is a mixture of the two.

What was your most challenging but rewarding course?

ECE 181C, Robotics Control. I took this class during the summer and spent most of my time playing with LEGOs and building autonomous robots out of them. It was challenging because this class was interdisciplinary, we had to design the mechanical, electrical, and software components and make them all work together.

List the benefits of a program that is a cross between Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

In computer engineering, we get to learn the basics of both CS and EE, and can bridge these two fields together. Plus, if we like one field more than the other, we can choose to focus in that field.

What area do you want to specialize?

I want to specialize in artificial intelligence and robotics. I like building something then watching it move around and do things.

Have you done an internship?

Yes, this past summer I interned at the Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CERT) at UC Riverside. I worked closely with transportation engineers on traffic simulations and emissions modeling. My project involved implementing specialized traffic light controllers by writing DLL files for the traffic simulation software. The goal was to improve traffic flow while reducing vehicle emissions. This was a great experience for me and I learned a lot about how people travel and the effect of vehicle emissions on the environment.

Advice to students/parents about UCSB and Electrical Engineering

• Students: Learn how to manage your time well, there are lots of things going on and good time management is essential
• Parents: Engineering is challenging, but if you are supportive your son/daughter can excel in this field

What have you learned that has surprised you so far?

How the transistor is has shaped our modern lives since it is used in nearly every electronic device.

What is the social scene like for Electrical Engineering students?

It's good, I like to go out with friends and have fun, play games, or just relax.

Describe your housing situation

I live in the dorms. They're really nice and are on-campus.

Where do you see yourself after graduation?

I hope to go into industry to gain some experience and work in the robotics field designing algorithms. After a few years, I'd like to go to graduate school to get an advanced degree in computer science with my final goal being to return to industry.

Laura Koenig, Senior - Class of 2011

• Hometown: Sunnyvale, CA
• Organization Memberships: UCSB Triathlon Team, Tau Beta Pi, Make-a-Wish Foundation (WISH)
• Favorite Class: Signal Analysis & Processing (ECE 130A/B)
• Interesting aside about Laura: I spent last summer in Italy and hope to get citizenship so I can live with my relatives in the future

Favorite things about

• UCSB: it has lots of opportunities
• Electrical Engineering program: I know almost everybody in my major
• Santa Barbara: it is gorgeous

Why Laura chose UCSB

I knew that I loved the feel of the school and the campus at UCSB. When I learned that the engineering program was good I was thrilled because I knew I wanted to come here. It is a smaller program at a large school, which meant I would have the opportunity to explore my options but have smaller class sizes at the same time.

Why Electrical Engineering?

I was interested in math and science coming out of high school, which made me want to pursue a major in those fields. Engineering seemed to be the most practical major that could teach me the relevant applications of what I would learn. I decided on electrical because I felt that it could be applied to almost anything, making it the most versatile choice.

Students and parents often ask, what can you do with an electrical engineering degree?

At the moment I am deciding between two paths. The first is using the background I am developing in signals and systems to go into the field of communication technology or image processing. This could be anything from cell phone technology to medical imaging technology. The other option I am weighing is delving into biological nano-machines, which would also be useful in the medical field for a range of things including targeted drug administration.

Advice Laura gives to students/parents about applying to UCSB

• Student Advice: if you are at all interested, apply as an engineering major. It is much easier to start there and drop it if it is not what you want than to try and get into the major later. So go for it!
• Parent Advice: Encourage your kids to try engineering, even if it sounds hard and intimidating. It is both of hard and intimidating but if they enjoy engineering it will be worth it. But do NOT force them to stay in engineering if it is not their passion, it can be a really difficult major.

What have you learned that has surprised you the most so far?

In general the complexity of the ideas in engineering are astounding. Each quarter we delve a little deeper into a subject and I've realized that there is an infinite amount of information to learn.

What was / is your most challenging but rewarding course?

The most challenging course so far has been 137A-B. Professor Theogarajan is brilliant and demanding in the sense that he wants us to actually understand the concepts behind what we are doing fully, not just go through the motions. This is great because he really cares about our learning and what we are getting out of the class. It was intimidating but in the end I am glad I went through his course because now I go about learning differently. It is more self-motivated.

What area do you want to specialize in?

I would like to work with nanotechnology in biological systems because I am interested in getting into the medical field. This means I need to now get on learning the biochemistry to be able to apply the engineering concepts I've learned so far to my desired field.

Have you done an internship?

I spent this past summer doing undergraduate research at UC Berkeley. It was a great experience to see what Ph.D. students go through while pursuing their research. My particular project was to help my mentor, Gabriel Lavella, with developing the next stage of his work on the way to creating a concentration based drug delivery system. Since I am an electrical engineer, much of his work with chemomechanical nanomachines was new to me, but it was a great learning experience. It was a short 8 weeks that helped me decide how much research interests me.

What is the social scene like for electrical engineering students?

The class sizes get increasingly smaller as you progress in the major, so you end up knowing your classmates better than other majors. EE can hinder other social interactions because of the time demands of the major including labs and homework. You have to balance your time wisely to maintain an active social life.

Describe your housing situation

At the moment I am in a nice apartment on the edge of Isla Vista living with two other girls. It is calmer than my previous situations, which is nice for getting work done. It's also more manageable to keep clean, making it a pleasant atmosphere.

Where do you see yourself after graduation?

I am now looking at graduate programs in Bioengineering. I would like to first go for a Masters to see what I need to know to pursue a career in medical technology. This is my main goal, so I want to be as qualified as possibly. I will only go on to a Ph.D. if I feel extremely passionate about the research opportunities I see in my field of study. For now I am really just looking forward to graduating, going to Italy for the summer and possibly taking a year between now and graduate school.

Michael Strack, Senior - Class of 2010

• Hometown: Ventura, California
• Degree progress: Fall 2010 - will enter graduate school at UCSB
• Organization Memberships: Associated Students Bike Shop, Community Service Organization (CSO), Tau Beta Pi
• Favorite Class: 124 B/C - Device Fabrication
• Interesting aside about Michael: he's a UCSB resident advisor (RA) and a lead Community Service Organization member (the organization in charge of bicycles and security on campus)

Favorite things about

• UCSB: All the great events organized by students
• Electrical Engineering program: The very talented faculty and access to top-notch laboratories
• Santa Barbara: The food!

Why Michael chose UCSB

UCSB has one of the best electrical engineering programs in the country. U.S. News & World Report has us ranked 17th in the nation this year but I don't think this statistic does us justice. With accomplished faculty and industry-quality laboratories, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better education elsewhere.

Why Electrical Engineering?

As far as engineering programs go, EE makes the most use of high-end equipment and labs. While all engineering requires hands-on experience, EE is the hardest to learn from a textbook. It makes sense to capitalize on UCSB's resources and get training that you cannot get anywhere else.

Students and parents often ask, what can you do with an electrical engineering degree?

After finishing grad school, I plan on working in industry for at least a few years. Even while the economy is hurting, there is no shortage of electrical engineering jobs. My long-term plan is to build up enough capital to create a start-up company designing effects and amplifiers for instruments.

Advice Michael gives to students/parents about applying to UCSB

• Student Advice: come visit the campus and surrounding community first. If you like the environment, apply.
• Parent Advice: UCSB has a stigma as a party school. Come visit and you'll see that education does come first.

What have you learned that has surprised you the most so far?

I learned that I am actually a good student. I did not know this about myself.

What was / is your most challenging but rewarding course?

Anything taught by Professor Theogarajan. I learned how to cope when given impossible goals and deadlines.

What area do you want to specialize in?

Analog communication design because it combines both theory and practice.

Have you done an internship?

Yes, at a local company called Toyon Research Corporation. I worked on developing technology, chiefly involving GPS. I really learned a lot about how the real world of engineering works and I strongly recommend any students to get one. Also, engineering internships pay very well.

What is the social scene like for electrical engineering students?

Everybody has a good time at UCSB. Isla Vista is very student-oriented, so there is always fun to be had at events or with friends. Engineering means the occasional late-night lab work but the major isn't too much more demanding than any other.

Describe your housing situation

I rent a house with two other engineers and a history major in Isla Vista. I think it’s important to live with other students because it keeps you from getting too hung up on all your own studies.

Where do you see yourself after graduation?

I have been accepted to graduate school here at UCSB. After grad school, I will hopefully go into industry with communication circuits. UCSB has prepared me a lot for this, with all the classes, research, and career fairs that take place here.