IDEA ENGINEERING STUDENT CENTER ANNUAL REPORT 2020 - 2021
PHOTO BY: REBECCA WONG
Director’s Note It is my pleasure to present the 2020-2021 Annual Report of the IDEA Engineering Student Center. My name is Darren Lipomi, professor of nanoengineering and chemical engineering, and the new Faculty Director of the IDEA Center. My predecessor, Prof. Olivia Graeve, served in this role for the last six years, and did an enormous amount to elevate the Center to its current achievements in building student community and success. During the transition of Faculty Directors, Prof. Graeve involved me in nearly all aspects of the IDEA Center over the last year, and thus I had a front-row seat. The ’20-’21 academic year marked the 10th anniversary of the IDEA Center. In that time, it has become the nexus of the student experience in the Jacobs School. The Center now offers more than 20 programs with 4,500 annual participants. Over the last 10 years, the IDEA Center has grown exponentially and become a model for student success centers on campuses across the United States. A case study led by Prof. Graeve and Staff Directors Lisa Trahan and Gennie Miranda documented the expansion and success of the IDEA Center to date, as well as areas for organizational growth to carry us through another 10 years of success. This paper was presented at the 2021 meeting of the American Society for Engineering Education1. When perusing its pages, it is impossible not to be awed at what the Center has accomplished so far. This past year was unique in many ways. While the Return to Learn program at UC San Diego kept the case rate of COVID-19 relatively low on campus, students were nonetheless faced with unprecedented challenges. Most of their coursework was delivered online, and it was difficult for some students to form relationships with staff, instructors, and classmates. I believe that the IDEA Center played an important role in lessening the impact of challenges in this harrowing year. The year started with an abbreviated, virtual version of our pre-freshman summer program that gives students a leg up when they arrive on campus in September. During the academic year, our Engineering Learning Communities (ELCs) provided peer-facilitated group instruction in chemistry, physics, and math. While virtual, the ELCs were in full swing and provided much-needed connection for students. This year, the IDEA Center engaged in a strategic planning process. This process was an intensive, year-long effort that culminated in a detailed plan to guide our offerings over the next three years and beyond. The results of the strategic plan planning process point toward a renewed commitment to our underrepresented and historically marginalized students, while our doors are open to all who wish to engage with us. Despite the difficulty of an academic year that required essentially all programming to move online, we did launch a new program: the Academic Achievement Program (AAP). The AAP was originally designed and piloted during the ‘17-’18 academic year as an early intervention program for students who are not doing well academically. Since then, the program has morphed into a forum for professors and teaching assistants to discuss strategies for supporting student success. As I take on my new role as Faculty Director, I could not possibly be more excited to build on the successes of the IDEA Center in transforming the lives of our students. I believe you will find abundant evidence for my enthusiasm in the pages of this annual report. Sincerely, Darren Lipomi Professor of Nanoengineering and Chemical Engineering Faculty Director, IDEA Engineering Student Center 1 Trahan, L., & Miranda, G., & Graeve, O. A. (2021, July), Reflecting on 10 years of Centralized Engineering Student Diversity Initiatives (Experience) Paper presented at 2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual Conference. https://peer.asee.org/37650
Message from the Dean As Dean of the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, I am pleased to contribute to our IDEA Engineering Student Center’s 2020-2021 Annual Report. This is the first report under the leadership of professor Darren J. Lipomi. I am happy to be working with Darren and the entire IDEA Center team on further refining all the ways the Center is connected to the larger educational mission of the Jacobs School. That mission includes providing world-class undergraduate and graduate engineering and computer science education to our large and diverse student body. We do this work as one of the very best engineering schools in the nation. This year, we ranked #9 in the nation for the second year in a row, according to the US News Best Engineering Schools rankings. Our blend of rigorous and relevant educational programs transforms the lives of our students for the better while solving problems facing society and strengthening our economy. This is engineering and computer science for the public good. Accomplishing all of this requires building and strengthening the culture of the Jacobs School such that each and every one of our engineering and computer science students has the academic and social support necessary to thrive. Our IDEA Engineering Student Center is absolutely critical to this work. I think of the IDEA Center as the heart of our student-focused enterprise. It’s open to the entire student body while also offering programming that serves the needs of our underrepresented, historically marginalized, and otherwise disadvantaged students. The 2020-2021 academic year presented many challenges directly and indirectly related to the global pandemic. I’m proud of our IDEA Center’s work to make progress despite the headwinds. The IDEA Center pivoted quickly and delivered mission-critical Summer 2020 programming for incoming students remotely. These programs prepare incoming freshmen and transfer students for academic and personal success. One out of every 3.5 incoming freshman and one out of every 4 transfer students participated in these Summer Prep programs – this is record breaking participation. Our transfer students also participated in the Transfer Engineering Academic Mentorship Program (TEAM) in record numbers. The IDEA Center also worked to build and strengthen community through a series of virtual and hybrid panels, webinars, mentorship efforts, and focused academic support projects including our Engineering Learning Communities. The pandemic was not the only source of headwinds last year. The tragedy surrounding George Floyd and the resulting reassessment of racial equity has given our entire community much to think about. As a School, we have been taking a long hard look at what we can do to make the entire Jacobs School a truly inclusive community. As part of this effort, we launched the Jacobs School Student and Faculty Racial Equity Task Force and launched the first two cohorts of the Jacobs School of Engineering Racial Equity Fellows. The IDEA Center has been a valuable partner in all of this, and related work. These are just some of the ways the IDEA Center fulfills the mission of the Jacobs School of Engineering. Please get in touch if you’re interested in strengthening IDEA Center programs. There are many opportunities to support student diversity, equity, and inclusion at the Jacobs School, while helping to put in place programs that ensure we continue to develop the diverse innovative workforce our society needs. Sincerely, Albert (“Al”) P. Pisano Dean, UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering 1
Engineering Student Overview At the University of California San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, we educate tomorrow’s technology leaders; we conduct leading edge research that drive innovation; and we transfer discoveries for the benefit of society. With more than 275 faculty and over 9,500 students in six departments, the Jacobs School of Engineering ranks 9th among the nation’s top engineering schools and is the largest engineering school on the West Coast.
FA’20 Enrollment Total Undergraduate Masters PhD US News and World Report Ranking of Best EngineeringSchools* Jacobs School of Engineering ranks #9 among the nation’s top engineering schools and #5 in the nation among public universities.
Standings: Enrollment for Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego***
‘20-’21 Degrees Awarded Total Undergraduate Masters PhD
3,019 1,645 1,183 191
US News and World Report Best Global Universities Ranking**
The Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego is the largest engineering school on the West Coast, according to the latest enrollment data from ASEE.
Engineering at UC San Diego ranks:
#1 on West Coast for school-wide enrollment in engineering schools.
#13 in the nation overall.
#8 in the nation among public institutions.
#62 in the world.
*US News and World Report Ranking of Best Engineering Schools (published March 2021) **US News and World Report Best Global Universities Rankings (published October 2021) ***ASEE 2019 data (published October 2020)
2
9,174 6,276 1,581 1,317
Table of Contents Director’s Note Message from the Dean Engineering Student Overview
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
ABOUT US
5
IDEA Center at a Glance Meet the Staff
6 7
SUMMER PROGRAMS
9
Freshman Prep Transfer Prep
10 14
SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS
17
Jacobs Scholars Program Sloan Scholars Program IDEA Scholars Program ACES Scholars Program
18 19 20 21
MENTORSHIP
23
Transfer Engineering Academic Mentorship Program Jacobs Undergraduate Mentoring Program
24 25
ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT
27
Guided Engineering Apprenticeship in Research ENG 20: Introduction to Engineering Research Engineering Learning Communities Workshops and Information Sessions for Engineers Graduate and Scholarly Talks ENG 10: Fundamentals of Engineering Applications ENG 15: Engineer Your Success
28 30 31 32 33 34 35
DIVERSITY RECRUITMENT
37
Engineering Overnight Program Welcome Activities for Admitted Transfer Students Graduate Recruitment
38 42 43
STUDENT LIFE
45
Welcome Week Diversity Organizations: Professional Evening with Industry Diversity Organizations: Annual Conferences Student Travel Fund Matching Funds Engineering Leadership Summit Diversity Equity and Inclusion Requirements Triton Engineering Student Council Ring Ceremony
46 48 49 50 51 52 52 53 54
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
57 3
IDEA CENTER ANNUAL REPORT
SECTION 1
ABOUT US
idea
at a glance
Community | Excellence | Diversity | Inclusion | Leadership | Collaboration | Creativity | Innovation
mission. Promote equity, community, and success for all engineering students at UC San Diego from admission through graduation.
goals. 1. Student Success: Promote sustained student involvement with campus and Jacobs School resources and opportunities to support students’ retention, graduation, development, and satisfaction with their engineering experience through the following areas: Academic Excellence/Support, Career Exploration/Professional Development, Community Building, Mentorship, and Wellness.
2. Inclusive Community: Provide access to opportunities for students to build a sense of belonging among engineering student peers, within their department and the Jacobs School, and in the engineering field.
3. Collaborative Partnerships: Collaborate with key partners to provide a network of support for
engineering students through the development of and access to effective programming and unique services for engineering students.
4. Inclusive Academic Climate: Engage faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students in
perpetuating a culture that is student-centered and inclusive in all aspects of academic interactions, including within classrooms, research labs, and mentorship.
5. Branding/Marketing: Raise the profile of the IDEA Center among students, across the University, and
with external partners and colleagues as a comprehensive engineering student success center with a track record in effectively supporting equity in student success.
Mission and Goals Updated June 2021 6 | 2020-2021 Annual Report
Meet the Staff
Darren Lipomi, PhD
Lisa Trahan
Gennie Miranda
Faculty Director
Director of Strategic Initiatives & Assessment
Director of Operations
Alejandra Arguelles
Ruben D. Rodriguez
Jessica Baldis
Program Coordinator
Program Coordinator
Academic Success Coordinator
Sinai Cota
Sara Eckardt
Sloan Scholars Program Assistant
IDEA Student Center Coordinator IDEA Center About Us | 7
IDEA CENTER ANNUAL REPORT
SECTION 2
SUMMER PROGRAMS
Freshman Prep Freshman Prep provides incoming freshman students an abbreviated experience that supports their transition from high school to the rigors of a university-level engineering studies, and builds awareness of relevant campus programs and resources. Participants take part in organized activities with current engineering students, and begin forming a peer network before beginning their courses in the fall. Planning was well under way for Summer Engineering Institute (SEI) 2020 when we began to transition to remote work due to the pandemic. The IDEA Center team undertook a thorough discussion on whether to offer SEI as a hybrid or virtual program. With so much uncertainty on whether students would be allowed to live on campus during the summer and whether the courses offered during SEI would be offered online, we hoped to offer a shorter in-person, residential program closer to the beginning of Fall Quarter, from September 8 to 12, 2020. We named this 5-day summer program for incoming freshmen “Freshman Prep”.
352 incoming freshmen participated in Freshman Prep 2020. That is 1 in every 3.5 engineering freshmen.
Major Breakdown Electrical Engineering
16% 13%
Mechanical Engineering Chemical Engineering
12%
Computer Engineering
12% 11%
Bioengineering Computer Science
9% 9%
Aerospace Engineering 7%
Structural Engineering 3%
Nanoengineering Engineering Physics
2%
Environmental Engineering
2%
Computer Science w/Spec Bioinformatics
1%
Electrical Engineering & Society
1%
Gender
URM
249
217 126
103 9
Female
Male
10 | 2020-2021 Annual Report
Non-binary
No
Yes
In late May 2020, we refocused our planning to a 5-day Freshman Prep that retained the primary goals for SEI:
Community Building Academic Preparation/Support Transition to College Awareness of Campus Programs and Resources Although we planned for a 5-day virtual program, with the option to switch to in-person if the situation improved, Freshman Prep was ultimately offered as a virtual program. We offered consistent daily schedules to participants to offer predictability to them and their family members. In addition, most of the live sessions were recorded, and we shared the recordings with the 25 students who were not on Pacific Standard Time via Google Shared Drive. In order to help build relationships between participants and faculty remotely, we offered a daily welcome from faculty and alumni which started with the sharing of advice and guidance on successfully transitioning to college, followed by Q&A. We maintained 2 out of the 3 main components of SEI: community-building activities and workshops.
Community Building Activities Community building activities focused on maximizing student interaction based on virtual tools that were available. With 352 incoming students participating in Freshman Prep, ensuring that students built connections among each other was central to our planning, and our Lead Peer Facilitators were instrumental in coming up with activities that built community. In addition to facilitating suite meetings, which were held in smaller groups of about 22 students, our 17 Peer Facilitators offered at least two social activities daily. Zoom breakout sessions and Discord were also offered as another way for students to hangout in small groups in between activities, with different chat groups created based on specific topics that were relevant to the incoming students.
Workshops We offered the following workshop topics, with one workshop offered in the morning, and a second one in the afternoon: • Engineering Academic Advisors: students met with Advisors by department • Two-part workshop by Teaching + Learning Commons (TLC) - “Making Sense of Math”: Study Plans & Growth Mindset • Counseling & Psychological Services (Imposter Syndrome followed by CAPS resources) and The Hub • Academic Services, TLC, Engineering Learning Communities (ELC), office hours, department tutoring, overview of remote • services followed by a panel session with current students • Library: accessing resources • Research vs industry, including career resources • Mentorship/Student Organizations: a student panel emphasized benefits of getting involved virtually and being proactive in getting involved • Campus Community Resource Centers: connected students to Center information and a talk on Allyship For each workshop, we presented information on how these resources are being offered virtually, how students can access them, and we emphasized how students can take advantage of these resources in a remote format. The majority of these workshops were complemented by discussions/debrief sessions facilitated by Peer Facilitators on the following topics during their suite meetings: • study skills needed in college • how to use academic resources and tools • debrief on Imposter Syndrome • reinforce importance of getting involved in student orginzations and mentorship • how to find community
We would also like to thank the following campus units for their partnership and participation in Freshman Prep 2020: Academic Enrichment Programs Asian Pacific Islander Middle Eastern Desi American Corporate Affiliates Program Counseling and Psychological Services Career Center Geisel Library Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Teaching + Learning Commons The Hub IDEA Center Summer Programs | 11
Assessment In the Freshman Prep post-survey (n=313), 84% of participants said that they would “definitely recommend” virtual Freshman Prep to other incoming engineering students, with the remaining participants saying they would “maybe recommend” the program. Participants valued the program for the opportunity to connect with other students and to learn about UC San Diego resources. They reported feeling more prepared for their transition to UC San Diego as a result of the program, and they gained a sense of belonging at the University, in the Jacobs School of Engineering, and among their peers. Based on participant feedback, future virtual offerings for incoming freshmen would include a reduced schedule and additional strategies to support one-on-one and small group connections between students.
How prepared do you feel to make your transition to UC San Diego? (Not at all prepared = 1 to Very prepared = 4) Before After
2.14 3.35
How much do you agree or disagree? I feel like I belong to… (Disagree strongly = 1 to Agree strongly = 5) I feel like I belong to…
Before Freshman Prep
After Freshman Prep
UC San Diego Campus Community
3.07
4.25
Jacobs School of Engineering Community
3.09
4.46
Community of my Peers
2.95
4.50
“
I would highly recommend Freshman Summer Prep to future incoming engineering students because it was a great way to get to know people that are all in the same boat as you. Moreover, Summer prep also offered a plethora of information and speakers that introduced several resources such as student organizations, research opportunities, and support services in UCSD that could be helpful when we eventually start college.
“
”
This program is a great way to learn about how to make the most of UCSD’s resources and to make new friends. I have learned about research opportunity programs such as GEAR, student organizations like TESC, and more. It really gave me an insight to how many wonderful opportunities there were at UCSD and got me really excited about starting my college life at UCSD. The suite meetings were great...I feel like I have joined a wonderful community after this program and I am more confident in reaching out to get new opportunities and make new friends.
12 | 2020-2021 Annual Report
”
Engineering Freshmen Math Readiness Pilot Program Alongside Freshman Prep, we partnered with the CSU/UC Math Diagnostic Testing Project (MDTP) and the Teaching + Learning Commons Academic Achievement Hub (AAH) to pilot a math readiness program for incoming engineering freshmen. Freshman Prep participants were invited to take the Math Diagnostic Test (MDT), a diagnostic assessment that identifies topics to review, and to participate in a series of math topic sessions that review core concepts for students’ Fall Quarter math courses. Math topic sessions (MATH 4C, MATH 20A, MATH 20B) were offered to Freshman Prep participants by the AAH for two weeks (September 14-25, 2020). Seventy-four (74) students participated in the topic sessions, making 327 visits in total. Participants attended an average of 4.5 out of 6 sessions each week. Twenty-five (25) of these students completed a pre- and post- diagnostic test. While sample sizes for MATH 4C and MATH 20A were small, MATH 20B had a larger sample size (n=18) and 66% improved their MDT score on the post-test. Furthermore, the participating students had slightly better grade outcomes and a higher cumulative GPA compared to their freshmen engineering peers, although overall performance was good for all. Summer 2020 was a unique opportunity to try a new approach to preparing incoming engineering students for their first year of engineering studies. Although the program will not become a recurring offering at this time, it deeply informed our understanding of the math readiness needs of incoming freshmen engineers and identified successful strategies for supporting them that we will be able to leverage as student needs shift and emerge.
Thank you to Kimberley Samaniego (Math Diagnostic Testing Program Director) and Susan Rinaldi (Academic Achievement Hub Director) for their leadership, partnership, and assessment support.
A big “Thank You!” to our Peer Facilitators, current engineering students who proved to us that we can build community for 352 students in 5 days: Amanda Breton, Cindy Alberto, Evie Gedminas, Jamie Doan, Jane Earley, Jared Gadia, Jason Isa, Jesse Garcia de Alva, Jonathan Padungyothee, Julianna Quinn, Kaitlyn Wong, Liam Fernandez, Rachel Luu, Rhianne Purificacion, Sam Woo, Samantha Fong, Wendy Alaniz
“
It not only provides great information for those feeling unsure as they enter college at UCSD, but it also makes for a fantastic space for students to make new friends through the different social activities (such as Speed Friending) and meet others who are in their department and will likely be in the same classes. The sense of community gained is invaluable. Having suites was like having a family among peers.
”
IDEA Center Summer Programs | 13
Transfer Prep The Transfer Prep Program provides incoming transfer students with the opportunity to become acclimated to campus life, build skills and habits necessary for success in engineering, and develop community amongst their peers before beginning their courses in the fall. Transfer Prep welcomed 115 engineering transfer students to the Jacobs School of Engineering virtually for a fun and resourceful 5 day remote experience from September 8-12, 2020. Our team of 13 transfer student leaders and 2 staff coordinators worked hard to create opportunities for all students to engage and network with current students, campus partners, industry and faculty by way of panel sessions and workshops. Transfer Prep started by welcoming students to the program with a care package that included snacks, t-shirt, and a face mask sent to their home. We created unique community building sessions over Zoom daily and assigned participants to each transfer student leader, helping personalize their experience. We also hosted competitions within the large group: IDEATHON, which was a chance for students to work in teams and create a successful product and pitch in less than an hour. We were impressed with all of the ideas presented and had such a hard time deliberating, but our judges awarded the final prize to an innovative team of students who designed a pair of shoes that make it easier for students to commute to campus. As we came to the last day of the program, it also became a very emotional end, when many students started voicing their appreciation and offered up heartfelt comments to our team for our programing efforts. Participants were anxious and afraid that they wouldn’t know anyone as they prepared for a remote Fall Quarter, but Transfer Prep gave them a network that supported, encouraged, and challenged them to take on new opportunities as they began an exciting chapter at UC San Diego in 2020!
14 | 2020-2021 Annual Report
On the program post-survey (n=109), 92% of participants said that they would “definitely recommend” virtual Transfer Prep. Participants reported feeling that the program prepared them for their transition to UC San Diego, and they gained a sense of belonging at the University, in the Jacobs School of Engineering, and among their peers.
92%
“
This Transfer Prep was greater than I would have imagined. I gained so much knowledge about UCSD, the Jacobs School of Engineering, and life as a student overall. There was information from all aspects and we were all left with so many resources to refer to throughout our educational journey. All the anxiety and hesitations I had around being a transfer student have all been addressed and I’m even more ecstatic to begin learning at UCSD!
“
I don’t believe there was anything missing from the Transfer Prep program. It feels like there was a lot of thought and effort put into making us feel special and accounted for. From the boxes we got in the mail to the groups and sessions we got to participate in, I definitely think that the program did an outstanding job at spearheading an initiative of this magnitude during COVID times.
”
”
IDEA Center Summer Programs | 15
IDEA CENTER ANNUAL REPORT
SECTION 3
SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS
Jacobs Scholars Program Jacobs Scholars have access to a unique network of like-minded scholars, professionals, and industry leaders to provide them with the connections they need to succeed while studying at one of the top engineering schools in the country. The Jacobs Scholars Program was established 21 years ago by Dr. and Mrs. Irwin Jacobs in order to recruit the best undergraduate applicants to the Jacobs School of Engineering. Jacobs Scholars receive a 4-year full scholarship to complete their bachelor’s degree in one of the 6 engineering departments which covers tuition, room and board, and living expenses. Being in the program offers numerous academic and institutional benefits, including the ability to change majors into one of the impacted engineering majors and connection to faculty. In 2021, two Jacobs Scholars were selected to receive the Goldwater Scholarship, which is the preeminent undergraduate award of its type in the fields of the natural sciences, engineering and mathematics: • Aditi Gnanasekar • Claire Zhang Both Aditi and Claire are in the Bioengineering: Biotechnology major, class of 2022.
In Fall 2020, we welcomed 8 new freshmen to the Jacobs School Scholars Family: Alexander Elliot Structural Engineering
Sai Kacham Chemical Engineering
Mihir Shenoy Structural Engineering
Jeffrey Liu Chemical Engineering
Elise Rehder Mechanical Engineering
Tristan Philip Electrical Engineering
Yusuf Shehata Aerospace Engineering
Milan Ganai Computer Engineering
On June 10, 2021, nine graduating Jacobs Scholars were celebrated in a virtual graduation ceremony with Dr. and Mrs. Irwin and Joan Jacobs in attendance. Andrew Bilan Aerospace Engineering Future Plan: Work in the Field of Renewable Energy
David Sharp Aerospace Engineering Future Plan: Masters in Space Systems, University of Michigan
Isabel Cushman Structural Engineering Future Plan: Masters in Structural Engineering, UC Berkeley
Harrison Ku Computer Science Future Plan: Quantitative Trader/Researcher
Kyle Gillaspy Computer Science Future Plan: Product Manager, Oracle
Brooke Pauken Mechanical Engineering Future Plan: Masters in Environmental Engineering, Stanford University
Julia Jiayun Zhou Chemical Engineering Future Plan: Ph.D. in Bioengineering and Nanoengineering
Zoe Li Chemical Engineering & Psychology Future Plan: Master of Education and Teaching Credential
Bonnie Huang Bioengineering: Bioinformatics Future Plan: Medical School, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
18 | 2020-2021 Annual Report
Sloan Scholars Program UC San Diego is a designated University Center of Exemplary Mentoring (UCEM) through a generous grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The UCEM provides financial and professional support to accelerate and catalyze the success of doctoral students. The Sloan Scholar Fellowship is awarded to 12 incoming graduate students in the Division of Physical Sciences or the Jacobs School of Engineering. In Fall 2020, the Sloan Scholars Program welcomed twelve new scholars in an effort to diversify STEM fields and increase the number of underrepresented students in Engineering and Physical Sciences. Seven of the 2020 cohort are in engineering fields: Isabel Albelo Materials Science and Engineering
Nathanial Linden William Jones Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Computer Science and Engineering
Jeff Jaureguy Bioinformatics
Alemayehu Bogale Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Gabriel Marcano Computer Science and Engineering
Kristen Susuki Structural Engineering
The 2020 Sloan Scholars participated in the Summer Pre-doctoral Institute between August 24 to September 18, 2020. All Institute activities, which are geared towards preparing the scholars for the start of their doctoral programs, were held virtually due to COVID-19. Likewise, all Sloan Scholars workshops and events were offered virtually throughout the academic year, including monthly workshops held over lunch and Grad Talks. Although scholars were only able to interact virtually due to the pandemic, they appreciated the opportunity to engage and grow their network through our summer and year long programs.
We celebrated our first Sloan Scholar graduates in 2020-2021* Robyn Ridley Materials Science and Engineering Mentor: Prof. Pam Cosman
Tor Kenneth Anderson Nancy Ronquillo Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Electrical and Computer Engineering Mentor: Prof. Olivia Graeve Mentor: Prof. Pam Cosman
Audrey Josephina Velasco-Hogan Materials Science and Engineering Mentor: Prof. Ertugrul Cubukcu
Manuel Vego Loo Structural Engineering Mentor: Prof. Tara Javidi
Jeremy Blackstone Computer Science and Engineering Mentor: Prof. Ertugrul Cubukcu
Augustine Obirieze Nanoengineering Mentor: Prof. Shirley Meng *2020-2021 UC San Diego UCEM Annual Report
Sloan Scholars Alumni Spotlight Dr. Jeremy Blackstone ‘21, Computer Science Newly minted UC San Diego Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) Ph.D. Jeremy Blackstone has trekked back to his undergraduate roots at Howard University, this time as a professor. Before that journey, he was part of CSE Professor Ryan Kastner’s research group and a member of the Engineers for Exploration (E4E).
Dr. Nancy Ronquillo ‘21, Electrical Engineering It goes without saying that the scholarship money from The Sloan Scholars Program has provided me with extremely helpful financial support. However, the program far exceeds that by providing me as well with educational support, a network of scholars and now friends, and most importantly a sense of community and accountability that otherwise would not have existed for me in grad school.
Dr. Audrey Velasco-Hogan ‘21, Materials Science & Engineering The Sloan Scholars Program gave me life long friends and the confidence to pursue my academic goals!
IDEA Center Specialized Programs | 19
IDEA Scholars Program The IDEA Scholars Program works to foster community building and academic excellence among our top incoming freshman engineering students from diverse backgrounds.
IDEA Scholars Welcome The IDEA Center welcomed 44 new IDEA Scholars to the Jacobs School of Engineering at the start of the 2020 - 2021 academic year. IDEA Scholars, who are predominantly first-generation and/or from underrepresented minority groups, will now call UC San Diego home. The start of the 2020 academic year was unlike any other. With the pandemic in full effect, the IDEA Scholars Program migrated into a remote program that offered virtual events. The Weekly Discussions continued during the Fall Quarter for incoming first year students, but all sessions were held remotely.
Total current participants: 180 Among the first year cohort of IDEA Scholars, 29 students are female, 35 students are from underrepresented minority groups, and 14 are first-generation students.
Big/Little Program The Big/Little component of the program also transitioned into a remote format, but suffered setbacks due to the transition to virtual format. Ultimately, incoming first-year students met with their Big starting in Winter Quarter. Big and Little one-on-ones continued throughout the year with pairs meeting virtually over Zoom.
IDEA Scholars Graduation Reception The IDEA Scholars Graduation Reception celebrated 44 students who graduated with their engineering degree in Spring 2021. Due to COVID-19, along with state and university regulations, the traditional IDEA Scholars Graduation Reception was reinvisioned into a farewell video, which captured footage from graduating IDEA Scholars taking a trip down memory lane, and farewell wishes from staff, faculty, and Dean Pisano. The video celebrated all graduating IDEA Scholars, with a special recognition to graduates who received the following awards:
Community Service in Engineering Award
Skye Edwards BS Bioengineering
Academic Excellence in Engineering Award
Maya Parish BS Bioengineering 20 | 2020-2021 Annual Report
Dylan Perlon BS Electrical Engineering
Alberto (Fredo) Avalos BS Nanoengineering
ACES Scholars Program ACES supports students from economically and educationally underserved backgrounds, and focuses on enhancing student success in their chosen engineering major through admission to the Summer Engineering Institute, faculty mentorship, a collaborative peer support community, and additional academic enrichment. The Academic Community of Engineering Success (ACES) Scholars Program had an exciting year in 2020-21. We welcomed 30 new, first-year ACES Scholars, our largest cohort to date! The new ACES Scholars participated in the five-day, online Engineering Freshman Prep program as well as an ACES Welcome event featuring special guest speaker Luis Velasco, the Mechanical Design Lead for the NASA Mars 2020 Mission Cruise, Entry, Decent, and Landing System.
Mentorship Because ACES Scholars were taking courses virtually and many ACES Scholars were not living on campus, connecting first-year ACES Scholars with each other, older engineering students, and engineering faculty mentors was a focus in 2020-21. The ACES peer mentorship program was expanded, and second, third, and fourth year ACES Scholars served as mentors for the first-years. To encourage connections, a series of online peer mentor “challenges” were created, and ACES Scholars had fun playing games and sharing time together online. Our JSOE engineering faculty were also eager to engage with our ACES Scholars, and 24 new faculty volunteered to serve as ACES faculty mentors. ACES faculty mentors met with their mentees twice per quarter and will continue to do so during the 2021-2022 academic year.
Professional Development A series of ACES professional development workshops were offered throughout the year. These workshops included industry partners such as Solar Turbines, IBM, the US Navy, Intuit, Qualcomm, and ASML. They gave ACES Scholars a chance to connect with working engineers and UC San Diego students and staff as they built skills and learned about topics such as internships, interviewing, networking, undergraduate research, etc. First and second year ACES Scholars were also supported with scholarships funded by the NSF Redshirt grant.
Retention Retention Rates: • 100% of first-years, • 90% of second-years, and • 91% of third years Additionally, 11 of the original 22 students admitted to the first cohort of ACES Scholars graduated in 2021! This marks the first group of graduating ACES Scholars, and over 25% of these students will continue on to graduate school and others will take engineering positions at companies like Northrop Grumman and Turner Construction.
ACES Cohort 4 Group Photo
IDEA Center Specialized Programs | 21
IDEA CENTER ANNUAL REPORT
SECTION 4
MENTORSHIP
Transfer Engineering Academic Mentorship Transfer Engineering Academic Mentorship Program pairs incoming transfer engineering students in the Jacobs School of Engineering with upperclassmen transfer students. In 2020-2021, the Transfer Engineering Academic Mentorship (TEAM) program thrived amidst the pandemic! We were so excited to see transfer engineering students engaged and wanting more time together. Though we had the same number of students participating in TEAM as the previous year (98 students), our event participation increased 50% as we transitioned into remote options. Moving forward, a hybrid structure will be adopted since it seems to be highly sought after by transfer engineering students. One programmatic update that was implemented this year, based on feedback and assessment from last year, was the addition of graduate student mentors to TEAM. We had one graduate student per department to assist with graduate school questions, technical skills workshops, and general mentorship to students via workshops, panel sessions, and “office hours.” Additionally, one of the new TEAM structures that was implemented to better support peer mentors and mentees was to place them into groups versus our traditional 1:1 model. This allowed 2 peer mentors to work in pairs and collaboratively lead a group together, and our mentees were able to have access to more of their peers for questions and support. Some of the TEAM events we were able to hold in person before going fully virtual included a session on Interview Tips with a Viasat representative and a Scavenger Hunt! Once we transitioned fully online, we offered a variety of craft and paint nights for students to de-stress and build community. Additionally, our graduate mentors stepped up to facilitate workshops like: Tips on Looking for a Lab, Resume Tips, and a graduate school panel.
A big THANK YOU to our TEAM Coordinators who were instrumental in re-envisioning what mentorship could look like virtually! Tee Srey, M.S. Computer Science (B.S. Computer Science, Class of 2019) Michael Hanson, M.S. Engineering Sciences (B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2021) Andrew Nguyen, B.S. Computer Science, Class of 2021
“
The events that TEAM put together to support us really made a difference in my first year at UCSD as a transfer engineering student. Be it the workshops that advanced our professional readiness or the de-stress socials, TEAM offered us an opportunity to network and make long lasting memories. I will forever be grateful for receiving the space and priority to improve my experience at UCSD.
24 | 2020-2021 Annual Report
“
Jacobs Undergraduate Mentoring Program Jacobs Undergraduate Mentoring Program is a community of engineering students (both undergraduate and graduate) and alumni, who provide each other with support, advice, guidance, and experience. On October 21, 2020, we welcomed 76 graduate mentors, 96 undergraduate students (1st & 2nd years), and 15 upperclassmen to the Jacobs Undergraduate Mentoring Program (JUMP) through a virtual event. Graduate Mentors were placed into pairs, with each pair mentoring 4-6 undergraduate students. Each quarter, participants were able to participate in 4 professional, skills-based or academic events, followed by one social event at the end of the quarter. We discovered that in the virtual world, the social events were the most popular because they were interactive, compared to our traditional presentation or workshop formats. As such, we saw a gradual decrease in participation throughout the year with our virtual offerings. Some of the social events that were offered included Chair Yoga, Paint Night, and a Game Night. We were able to send care packages to JUMP participants, as well as prizes to students who were actively participating in the various offerings throughout the year. We look forward to being able to offer in-person events again next year, given that participants are more likely to attend JUMP activities that are offered in this format. A big THANK YOU to our JUMP Coordinators who were instrumental in re-envisioning what mentorship could look like virtually!
JUMP Coordinators
Brandon Hernandez Pacheco B.S. Bioengineering (Biotechnology)
Matthew Mikhailov B.S. Computer Engineering
Ish Kumar Jain Ph.D. Candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Nasim Eshragh Nia Ph.D. Candidate in Bioengineering
Testimonials
“
Each of our meetings were very helpful for navigating through my time as an undergrad in order to prepare for graduate school.
“
“
Alborz Jelvani Ph.D. Candidate in Bioengineering
I did find our meetings helpful since my mentor had plenty of experience in the field and gave me helpful advice. He also pointed out useful resources which I took advantage of.
“
IDEA Center Mentorship | 25
IDEA CENTER ANNUAL REPORT
SECTION 5
ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT
GEAR is a year-long research apprenticeship program for second year students in the Jacobs School of Engineering. GEAR participants work with a teammate on a research project within a faculty research lab, and gain research knowledge and skills during each of the three quarters.
Two years of impact through the GEAR Program Participants in both years of the program reported a statistically significant increase in their understanding of research methods and practices after participating in the program.
The table below shows participants’ responses to the statement “I understand research methods and practices” (1-5 scale, where 1=Strongly Disagree and 5=Strongly Agree). 19-20 Cohort Pre
3.14
Post
4.05
20-21 Cohort Pre
3.19
Post
4.37
During the 2019-2020 pilot year, participants were asked to complete a skills self-assessment rubric each quarter. Their responses showed that they gained research knowledge and skills each quarter in ways that aligned with the program structure. Below is a summary of the skills that pilot year participants reported gaining most during each quarter of the program:
Fall Quarter ENG 20
During Fall Quarter, through the ENG 20: Introduction to Engineering Research course, participants gained the most in: • Explaining how their project contributes to existing knowledge • Identifying and using a range of sources • Producing written descriptions of their research
During Winter Quarter, while conducting their projects, participants gained the most in: • Communicating about their research area and discussing concepts in a scholarly way • Demonstrating an in-depth knowledge and understanding of research techniques and their application • Using feedback and constructive criticism effectively for self-understanding and • personal/professional growth 28 | 2020-2021 Annual Report
Winter Quarter Conduct Research
Spring Quarter Analyze & Present Research
During Spring Quarter, while creating their posters, participants gained the most in: • Analyzing and evaluating research results • Producing written descriptions of their research • Monitoring progress towards goals and managing task plans to achieve them
During the 2020-2021 year of the program, participants were asked to complete the skills self-assessment rubric only before and after participating in the program. They reported making statistically significant gains in each skill area from the start to the end of the program: • Recognize research problems • Knowledge of recent advances within one’s field and related areas • Analyze and evaluate research results • Summarize, document, report, and reflect on progress • Work both independently and interdependently In addition to building research skills, GEAR helps participants explore engineering and research career paths. After pilot year participants described GEAR’s promise to promote exploration of careers and graduate school options, participants in the second cohort reported a statistically significant increase in their confidence that they can “find employment in [their] area of engineering interest” (M=3.56 pre, M=4.06 post). Although changes to participants’ education plans were not statistically significant, up to half (52% in AY 19-20, 43% in AY 20-21) changed their highest intended degree plans and more participants planned on earning a Master’s degree after participating in GEAR. Furthermore, about half of participants who were uncertain about their highest intended degree before starting GEAR gained clarity by the end of the academic year (50% in AY 19-20, 44% in 20-21). Despite the challenges of conducting undergraduate research during the COVID-19 pandemic, the GEAR program has had many successes. We are proud of GEAR participants for their persistence, and we are grateful for the dozens of faculty, graduate students, and post-doctoral researchers who mentored them. Over the next few years we look forward to building a stronger community among GEAR participants, increasing opportunities for collaboration between research partners when in-person research resumes, and continuing to partner with labs to create a pipeline of supportive undergraduate research experiences.
What was the most valuable part of your GEAR experience?
“
Having a great lab partner that pushed me to be better and go above the expectations. Being able to contribute to a project whose importance I can identify. Talking with everyone and doing fascinating research I would normally not get the chance to.
“
IDEA Center Academic Enrichment | 29
GEAR 2021 Program Feedback Students rated the program overall quite highly, giving it a 4 out of 5 (5=Very good), on average. They especially appreciated forming relationships with their GEAR research partner as well as with their graduate student/postdoc mentor.
“
It was great and opened a lot of doors for me despite my background and beginner experience. It gave me confidence and knowledge to pursue paths I am curious about. I built a lot of skills from it that are helping me every day honestly
ENG 20: Introduction to Engineering Research
“
ENG 20: Introduction to Engineering Research Enrollment: 24 Instructor: Dr. Ekaterina (Katya) Evdokimenko Tutors: Emily Tang & Kanksha Patel This year two former GEAR participants, Emily Tang and Kanksha Patel, served as ENG 20 tutors to both support Dr. Katya and provide peer mentorship to the new GEAR cohort.
Thank you to ENG 20 instructor Dr. Ekaterina (Katya) Evdokimenko, ENG 20 undergraduate tutors Kanksha Patel and Emily Tang, and GEAR central graduate student mentor Ved Vakharia.
CAPE Reviews
“
93%
100%
93% Recommend the course overall!
100% Recommend Dr. Katya as instructor!
Student Feedback A great introduction to research and technical writing. I really learned a lot and got a lot better at designing experiments, writing, and presenting.
30 | 2020-2021 Annual Report
“
“
All the advice [Dr. Katya] gives us comes from personal experience and is always genuine with our success in mind. She is very passionate and clearly cares about the material she teaches.
“
Engineering Learning Communities Engineering Learning Communities provide small, cooperative learning environments for students in pre-requisite math, science, and engineering classes. Students reinforce their skills through problem solving sessions and office hours with experienced peer educators and collaboration with fellow students to practice and apply their knowledge.
Engineering Learning Communities (ELCs) are collaborative engineering study groups facilitated by Peer Educators (PE). ELCs are exclusively for engineering students and designed for the way engineering students study. During the 2020-21 academic year, 779 engineering students participated in an ELC--working through problems, receiving guidance on how to prepare for quizzes and exams, and reviewing course material, all in a collaborative, student-friendly environment. ELCs were offered for the foundational courses most engineering students take during their first and/or second year, including the following courses: • Math 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, 20E, and 18 • Chemistry 6A • Physics 2A, 2B, and 2C • MAE 30A and 30B All ELC sections were hosted online via Zoom during the 2020-21 year, and our Peer Educators worked to make the experience as engaging as possible using breakout rooms, polls, quizzes, and whiteboards. Each week there was a different “theme,” and students who participated in the theme were entered into a raffle for an Amazon gift card. Themes included things like pajama day, show your UCSD spirit, and make your background a meme. ELC themes encouraged students to turn on their cameras and connect with each other. At the end of each quarter ELC participants were surveyed. Of the three hundred students who responded:
96% would recommend ELCs to other students. 86% feel like ELCs helped them succeed in the course. 60% felt ELCs provided more live interaction with other students than their classes or other activities. In addition, a majority of ELC participants felt that online ELCs were effective and helped them connect with other students.
Student Feedback
“ “ “
Thank you so much for being my PE! I really enjoyed our weekly sections and was able to feel a large sense of community with my peers during the breakout rooms. It was nice spending the quarter with you as one of your students! My PE was truly helpful and was willing to spend time even outside of the scheduled ELCs to meet with us and make sure we understood the topics. The ELCs were very helpful, especially the ELC worksheets. I found myself re-reading them and re-doing questions before every test and they really helped me do better. I would 100% recommend these ELCs to anyone lucky enough to get a spot in one. The ELC is the reason I am doing well in Physics 2B. Thank you for going out of your way to really making sure we understand the material and putting in extra time to make resources for us.
“ “ “
IDEA Center Academic Enrichment | 31
Workshop and Information Sessions for Engineers WISE is a series of academic, professional, and technical skill-building workshops and info sessions offered throughout the quarter. These free events cover topics such as programming languages, graduate school preparation, professional development as an engineer, and much more! The Workshops and Information Sessions for Engineers (WISE) Sessions are a series of workshops offered each quarter for undergraduate students to expand on their academic, personal and professional development. During the 2020-2021 academic year, WISE Sessions expanded to include a focus on social justice and first-generation college students. All WISE Sessions were offered remotely due to the pandemic. In the Fall Quarter, we invited the Cross-Cultural Center to present a workshop focused around Allyship where students gained an understanding and self-awareness around privilege and power. This session, which was attended by over 40 students, was heavily marketed to engineering student leaders in support of the new Equity Diversity and Inclusion training requirement that all engineering student organizations were required to complete starting Fall 2020. We also offered a series of WISE Sessions specifically geared towards first-generation students, since close to one-third of the undergraduate student population at the Jacobs School of Engineering are first-generation. In Winter 2021, we invited engineering faculty who identify as first-generation college graduates to share their professional journey and provide advice to students who may be considering a career in academia. Thank you to Professors Gilberto Mosqueda, Tina Ng and Boris Kramer for participating in this panel session. Along with most of the WISE Sessions, the recording from the “Jacobs School of Engineering First-Generation Faculty Panel” session was uploaded on the IDEA Center’s YouTube channel, and it was the most highly viewed WISE Session for the year, with 124 views. To continue our First-Generation series, we partnered with the Corporate Affiliates Program to host “Advice from Beyond: First-Generation Engineers in Industry” in Spring 2021. In this session, engineers currently working in industry who were first in their family to complete college shared their professional journey so far. This was the most attended session in Spring Quarter. We started with strong attendance to the live sessions, averaging 37 participants per session in Fall Quarter. Attendance in Winter and Spring 2021 averaged around 17 participants per session. Additional views for the recordings of WISE Sessions that were uploaded on the IDEA Center’s YouTube channel averaged 22 students in Fall 2020, 42 students in Winter 2021 (this was inflated by the high number of views for the Jacobs School of Engineering First-Generation Faculty Panel Session), and 12 students in Spring 2021. 32 | 2020-2021 Annual Report
Select WISE Sessions Tips for Remote Success for Engineering Students Time Management for Engineering Students Academic Success & Personal Well-being Managing Stress & Anxiety Study Abroad Engineering Programs Summer Research & Internships Writing your Personal Statement for Graduate School Jumpstarting Your Career in Engineering for First & Second-Year Students Recruiter’s Do’s and Don’ts for your Summer Internship Jacobs School of Engineering First Generation Faculty Panel
Check out the IDEA Center Youtube Channel for past recordings of WISE Sessions! youtube.com/IDEAEngineeringStudentCenter
Graduate & Scholarly Talks Engineering Graduate & Scholarly Talks are a series of free academic, professional, and technical training workshops open to all graduate students & post-doctoral researchers at the Jacobs School of Engineering. Our virtual Graduate & Scholarly Talks were a huge success in 2020-21, thanks to our wonderful faculty leads Dr. Tod Pascal from the Nanoengineering Department and Dr. Adam Burgasser from the Physics Department. This joint collaboration between the Jacobs School of Engineering and Division of Physical Sciences allowed us to increase the number of quarterly sessions from six to nine per quarter, enabling us to host one session each week. Topics offered ranged from managing stress and anxiety to job search amidst the pandemic, and discussing how to improve relationships. Attendance to all the talks throughout the academic year averaged about 28 students per session. We saw the greatest participation in the sessions on “The Untold Stories of Graduate Students (Managing PI Relationships)” (90 attendees), which was offered in Fall Quarter, and “Pursuing Jobs in Industry” (109 attendees), which was offered in Winter Quarter. Recordings for most of the sessions were made available through IDEA Center’s YouTube channel, so that students who were not able to attend the live sessions can view them on demand. On average, 23 students viewed the sessions that were offered during Fall 2020, with the number of views declining through Winter and Spring 2021. Two of the sessions offered in Fall Quarter, “Developing a Successful Ford Fellowship Application” and “Tips for Creating Work/Life Balance”, received more views on YouTube compared to the number of attendees to the live sessions. The large number of students who showed up to hear a panel discussion among 5 graduate students sharing “untold stories” from their graduate experience during Fall Quarter prompted us to create the series “Grad Talks After Hours.” This is a student-led space, where everyone is welcome to join, share and/or obtain advice on graduate-related issues that they may be facing. Grad Talks After Hours will be incorporated into the regular Graduate & Scholarly Talks schedule for next academic year.
Woke Series Amidst the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests, the IDEA Engineering Student Center collaborated with the Division of Physical Sciences to create “Woke: A Series in Solidarity with People of Color in STEM”, a 3-part event that aimed to unite and encourage students and staff to take action and figure out their roles in the movement. Each event focused on a particular theme as described below. The sessions were open to Sloan Scholars and other graduate students in Engineering and Physical Sciences, and they were well-received by all attendees.
Part 1: Colonialism 101 & STEM Part 2: Allyship Part 3: Faculty Panel: Teaching Students of Color in STEM
IDEA Center Academic Enrichment | 33
ENG 10: Fundamentals of Engineering Applications ENG 10 is designed to increase motivation and student success in engineering through an application-orientated, hands-on introduction to engineering mathematics and design processes.
In 2020-2021, we offered ENG 10: Fundamentals of Engineering Applications remotely to a small cohort of 46 students. In order to maintain the hands-on component of the course, we sent material kits to students that included everything they would need to complete labs and their final project using the Circuit Playground Express (CPX). Instructors Ingram Vargas Consuelos and Dr. Ekaterina (Katya) Evdokimenko got creative with cameras to provide live and pre-recorded tutorials to help students with the CPX. They were also able to borrow 3D printers from the EnVision Maker Studio so that they could print students’ designs for their final projects. As part of the course, students completed a group design project. We had a few projects related to the guidelines in place due to the pandemic. One project was a mask that indicated a happy or sad face to others if they were at least 6ft apart. The other was a similar concept, with an indicator on a person’s back that could be used somewhere like the grocery store. Two different examples of the desired visibility of the system and how the LEDs and sensors will be connected to clothing.
“ Figure 1
“
Figure 2
This course was great. It’s not the same as having it on campus, but it all worked out. I thought it was all organized and straight forward. I really enjoyed this class and learned so much about it. Doing group projects was fun and I think a good way that made the online class better because you were able to have students to communicate rather than attending and just leaving the Zoom link.
What did students say about the instructors? Ingram: The instructor is great, very understanding and caring. You can tell that he wants his students to do well and succeed. I would definitely take another class with him. I thought his explanation was easy to follow and understand. Dr. Katya: Professor Evdokimenko is one of the nicest and most understanding professors I ever had. She cares a lot about what students have to say and is very considerate when it comes to students who are struggling with the curriculum.
34 | 2020-2021 Annual Report
“ “
ENG 15: Engineer Your Success ENG 15 focuses on academic and personal planning, time management, study skills, and paths to personal growth. Activities include individual and collaborative exercises, personal reflections, and a final project.
“
ENG 15: Engineer Your Success has only been “I really needed this class. Not only do I now possess the offered remotely since knowledge required to excel at working towards my engineering being launched in Spring degree in these next four years, I am beyond delighted to admit 2020. As a new course, that this course provided me a roadmap to achieve my goals, we are still growing strengthened my conviction for becoming an engineer, and most awareness and of all, allowed me the chance to analyze my current weaknesses enrollment. Although and improve them early. I do not in the slightest regret taking this only 16 students took the course, and I highly recommend anyone who is unsure about encourse in 2020-2021, gineering, doesn’t know much about engineering, or is interested the small group size and in switching majors, to try out this class first as an introduction to virtual format provided a the potential of engineering.” --ENG 15 student, Fall 2020 venue that worked well for the discussion-based course. Throughout the course students learn about goal-setting, strengthening their commitment to graduating with an engineering degree, managing their time and learning, developing positive attitudes and behaviors to support their success, and more. The course culminates in a final project where students develop a plan to support their success in each of these areas.
“
We are excited for more students to experience this course! Given how well the course works remotely and the value of the content for setting engineering students up for success, we plan to incorporate it into our virtual 2021 Summer Engineering Institute for incoming freshmen. To increase enrollment during the academic year, we created a course website (https://jacobsschool.ucsd. edu/idea/eng15) and will be working to improve messaging and recruitment.
Instructor Spotlight Congratulations to Dr. Ekaterina (Katya) Evdokimenko, who was awarded the 2020-21 Barbara and Paul Saltman Distinguished Teaching Award for Non-Senate Members. Dr. Katya started teaching IDEA Center courses in Fall 2018 and has become a primary instructor of our courses. She has taught ENG 10: Fundamental Engineering Applications for 7 quarters, ENG 20: Introduction to Engineering Research for 2 quarters, and ENG 15: Engineer Your Success for 3 quarters, to a total of 188 students.
Ekaterina (Katya) Evdokimenko, PhD
IDEA Center Academic Enrichment | 35
IDEA CENTER ANNUAL REPORT
SECTION 6
DIVERSITY RECRUITMENT
Engineering Overnight Program The Engineering Overnight Program is an invitation-only program for select high school seniors who have been admitted to an engineering major at UC San Diego. Participants engage in activities that are culturally relevant and academically based, and connect with current UC San Diego students and fellow high school seniors who have been admitted to engineering majors. The IDEA Engineering Student Center partners with Student-Programs Ignited for Community Engagement & Education (SPICEE) and Black Student Union (BSU) in coordinating the annual Overnight Program. In Winter quarter 2021, the IDEA Engineering Student Center worked with a committee of student leaders from TESC and the student diversity organizations to coordinate a virtual Engineering Overnight Program (EOP) for admitted engineering freshmen.
EOP 2021 was attended by 64 admitted engineering freshmen, and we had 65 current students who participated as Hosts.
Count of First-Generation Students First-Gen Student
56%
Not a First-Gen Student
44%
Count of Gender Identity Male/Trans-Male
30
Female/Trans-Female Other Decline to State
31 1 2 Many thanks to the EOP Committee Members Angela Wang Women in Computing at UCSD (WiC) Elianor Shohet Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Jennifer Hernandez-Mora Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) Johnny Nguyen Triton Engineering Student Council (TESC) Juliana Foley and James Hutchinson National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) MJ Nguyen Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (oSTEM) Raphael Maturingan and Elton Ho Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE)
38 | 2020-2021 Annual Report
These activities were complemented by daily social or host-participant meet-ups, which were coordinated and facilitated by our Program Assistants: Jason Isa, Kaylana Nickels, Xochilth Saldana, Kanksha Patel, and Jennifer Hernandez-Mora. • Monday: Meet your hosts and suite • Tuesday: Meet up with host and learn about your major • Wednesday: Meet new people in your department • Thursday: Meet up with suite • Friday: Battle of the suites The EOP Committee developed a schedule of activities that focused on finding community, research, internships, and college norms. We offered a total of 7 virtual activities during a 5-day period when EOP was held, from April 5 - 9, 2021, with most sessions starting 5pm daily, when participants were off school and most likely be available to participate. • Student Involvement in Engineering Organizations (SASE) • Student Organizations, Project Teams, Diversity Organizations (TESC) • What is Research? (oSTEM) • Lab Tours (oSTEM) • Student Internships (SHPE) • Norms & Cultures of the College Classroom or “Hidden Curriculum” (SWE) • Daily Instagram Takeover (WiC)
In lieu of a separate Breakfast with the Dean event, we incorporated networking opportunities between department faculty, staff, and admitted students into the EOP Closing event. This event started with Welcome and Q&A with the Dean, followed by a Meet & Greet with departments in breakout rooms.
Another activity that we continued to incorporate into EOP was the Summer Engineering Institute Information Session, which had 239 attendees.
IDEA Center Diversity Recruitment| 39
Participant Feedback At the conclusion of the program, we conducted a survey from EOP student participants to gather feedback about their experience with the program. The survey was sent to 64 students, and 34 students completed the survey.
The Engineering Overnight Program helped participants decide whether to attend the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego. How important was the Overnight Program in making your decision of whether to attend the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego? Not at all Important Slightly Important
1 2
Moderately Important
10
Very Important
15
Extremely Important
6
Participants mentioned a wide range of factors that influenced their decision about whether to attend the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego. Some of the recurring factors were the location of the campus, the status of the engineering school, opportunities for research, the campus environment, the cost of attendance/financial considerations and the friendly people.
How likely are you to recommend the Engineering Overnight Program to someone interested in studying engineering at UC San Diego? 1 - Not Likely 2 3 4 5 - Very Likely
2 10 22
Participants praised the EOP for being a great opportunity to meet new people and to better understand what it is like to be an engineering student at UC San Diego. They expressed learning helpful insights about college life, programs, internships, and research labs. They really enjoyed getting to know their hosts, other students as well as faculty. Participants described the experience as fun, exciting, amazing and valuable. Most activities were well attended with the exception of the Instagram Student Takeover. The most highly rated events were the panel on student involvement in Engineering Organizations, the SEI/IDEA Scholars student panel and the Zoom meeting on student organizations/project teams. The least highly rated events (and the only events with a mean score of below 4) were the Lab Tours and the Instagram student takeover.
40 | 2020-2021 Annual Report
Although EOP was offered virtually and to fewer participants than in previous years, the admitted students who attended praised the EOP for helping them to learn about what student life would be like and described the program as fun and valuable. Most activities were well attended, and participants were very likely to recommend the EOP to someone interested in studying engineering at UC San Diego. Participants were particularly satisfied with EOP’s social activities and hosts:
The Social Activities:
Participants reported that the social activities made them feel welcomed and helped them to see that they would enjoy being a UC San Diego student. Multiple participants described how the activities made them feel less alone as they realized that everyone was facing the same questions and decisions, including the uncertainty of starting college during the pandemic.
The Hosts:
Hosts were most commonly described as helpful, kind, and friendly. Participants rated their level of satisfaction with the hosts in their suite with a mean score of 4.87 out of 5. Participants described hosts as helping them to feel comfortable and confident that UC San Diego was a place they could see themselves attending. As a result, participants described feeling more excited about UC San Diego and feeling a sense of belonging.
Real Talks One of the initiatives that came out of the Jacobs School of Engineering Racial Equity Task Force, which was formed in Fall 2020, was the “Real Talks’’ event. This virtual event was hosted by the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), with support from the IDEA Center. There were 18 attendees at this inaugural event. The Racial Equity Fellows, who were also student leaders in SHPE and NSBE, are committed to growing this event in future years.
IDEA Center Diversity Recruitment | 41
Welcome Activities for Admitted Transfer Students In Spring 2021, we worked closely with transfer student leaders to create a series of events and activities that address topics that are relevant to admitted transfer students. We made the decision to focus on introducing admitted students to resources available to engineering students during the summer and answering their questions. This is a departure from prior years when we viewed these activities as contributing to the Jacobs School of Engineering’s yield efforts. However, this new approach is more in line with the IDEA Center’s goal of promoting community and success for all engineering students from admission through graduation. We continued to offer the Jacob School of Engineering Welcome and Overview event to admitted transfer students and their families. This was a live webinar held on May 10, 2021, where Dean Al Pisano provided an inside journey on what Jacobs School of Engineering has to offer, followed by Q & A.
We had 219 attendees at this event. This Welcome event was complemented by a series of live Zoom sessions focused on “Successfully Transitioning to Engineering @ UC San Diego,” where admitted students were invited to join current engineering transfer students to learn about the numerous programs and services geared towards supporting their transition to engineering studies at UC San Diego. These sessions were offered on May 11 to 13, 2021 in a presentation and student panel format where information was presented on relevant topics during the first 20 minutes of the session, followed by 40-minute breakout sessions where current transfer students shared their experiences and answered questions posed by admitted students on specific topics.
Information presented included:
• MATH 20E fulfillment exam • Introduction to diversity student organizations • Transfer Prep program information 42 | 2019-2020 Annual Report
Breakout sessions:
• May 11th (126 attendees): by engineering department, where current students from each of the 6 engineering departments shared resources provided by the departments, activities/projects they can get involved in, and shared their experience with their engineering major and courses. • May 13th (109 attendees): admitted students were able to rotate through various breakout rooms that were focused on the following topics: research, professional • readiness/internship versus summer classes, housing and financial aid, campus resources, general education and Math 20E requirements. Current transfer students presented information on each topic and answered questions from students who attended. • We also facilitated connections among admitted students, and between admitted and current students by holding introductions in the breakout rooms and encouraging the students to exchange their contact information, so that they could continue to connect after the event. Special thanks to our transfer students who formed a planning committee and worked with the IDEA Center staff in developing, planning and coordinating these sessions: Devon Rojas from oSTEM, Mohamed Musa from NSBE, and Joshua Florez, José Santana Sosa, and Elida Ramos from the SHPE Transfer Committee. And thank you to our Transfer Ambassadors who participated in the breakout sessions and shared their experiences as transfer students and helped answer questions: Anahid Foroughishafiei, Ayush Gaggar, Dallas Dominguez, Edmund Leibert III, Frederico Molina, Janitzia Olivas, Jonathan Quintanilla, Justin Skaggs, Kenneth Chen, Le Nguyen, Maria Sckaff, Michael Hanson, Teo Maldonado, Tony Lin
42 | 2020-2021 Annual Report
Graduate Recruitment The IDEA Engineering Student Center participates in numerous recruitment activities throughout the year that are geared towards increasing diversity among engineering graduate students on campus In 2020-2021, the IDEA Engineering Student Center attended virtual conferences offered by National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), and the HEENAC Great Minds In STEM Graduate Fair as part of our graduate diversity recruitment efforts. We were joined by graduate students at some of these recruiting events, including Sloan Scholar Jervaughn Hunter, who participated in the 2021 NSBE Conference. The remote platforms proved difficult to navigate, and even though participating staff and students brought great energy and enthusiasm, attendance was low. We look forward to being able to interact with prospective graduate students in person in the near future!
Sinai Cota Sloan Scholars Program Assistant
Jervaughn Hunter Sloan Scholar Ph.D. Candidate in Bioengineering
Sinai Cota attended the virtual National Society of Black Engineers Annual Convention with Jervaughn Hunter, Sloan Scholar and Ph.D. Candidate in Bioengineering Sinai Cota with Sloan Scholar and Ph.D. Candidate in Bioengineering Rebecca Kandell at the Society of Women Engineers’ WE20 Annual Conference. IDEA Center Diversity Recruitment | 43
IDEA CENTER ANNUAL REPORT
SECTION 7
STUDENT LIFE
Welcome Week ‘20 Preparations for Welcome Week 2020 focused on offering contents of the IDEA Engineering Student Center Open House through daily live webinars via Zoom from September 28th to 30th.
Webinar Title:
IDEA Engineering Student Center Welcome and Overview
Event Description:
We look forward to welcoming new engineering students to the IDEA Engineering Student Center! Attend these webinars to learn about the student programs and services we offer to support your success in engineering. Connect with current students and ask questions on transitioning successfully to college!
Format:
IDEA Center Overview, 10 minutes Student Panel and Q&A, 40 minutes
Live Sessions September 28, 2020: Academic Resources for Engineering Students (196 unique viewers) • Topics included study groups, Engineering Learning Communities (ELC), tutoring sessions, office hours, virtual platforms being used in college • Student Panel and Q&A with ELC Peer Educators
September 29, 2020:
Finding Your Community at Jacobs School (141 unique viewers) • Focused on getting involved in a student organization and/or project team • Student Panel and Q&A with student organization leaders
September 30, 2020:
Promoting Your Academic Success in Engineering (123 unique viewers) • Focused on ENG 10 and 15 courses, WISE Sessions, and research opportunities like GEAR (Guided Engineering Apprenticeship in Research) • Student Panel and Q&A with ENG 10/15 students and GEAR participants We received a $1,500 award from the UC San Diego Welcome Week Committee, which we used to incentivize attendance to our webinars by offering gift cards as prizes to attendees. All participants were entered into a raffle to win a gift card. Students who attend all 3 sessions were placed in a drawing for care packages.
46 | 2020-2021 Annual Report
We also offered a live webinar to new graduate engineering students on October 2, 2020, in partnership with the Jacobs Graduate Student Council. In lieu of the annual Engineering Fair, where we invite campus partners who offer services to engineering students to table at Jacobs Hall, we compiled video clips from relevant campus units and student organizations, which were housed on the IDEA Center’s Welcome Week website and YouTube channel. We also presented at department orientation sessions offered to new undergraduate and graduate engineering students and/or offered information on IDEA Center programs, as we traditionally do. By offering activities in both synchronous and asynchronous formats, we achieved our goal of creating awareness among new students of IDEA Center’s programs and resources.
Winter Kick-Off for Undergraduate Engineering Students In Winter 2021, we offered two webinars to welcome new and continuing undergraduate engineering students to the new calendar year, remind them of the programs and services that the IDEA Center offers, and encourage them to participate and get involved. We used a similar format to our Welcome Week webinars, with a brief presentation of slides followed by a panel session to allow for Q&A from attendees. The webinars focused on connecting with current students about getting involved through remote learning, and maintaining motivation throughout the rest of the year. We incentivized attendance to both webinars by entering participants into a raffle to win a gift card and offering students who attend both sessions to be placed in a special drawing for care packages.
January 8, 2021 Getting Involved in IDEA Center’s Programs 31 Participants
January 11, 2021 Getting Involved in Student Orgs 41 Participants
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Diversity Organizations: Professional Evening with Industry IDEA Engineering Student Center directly supports and partners with the diversity student organizations National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), Women in Computing (WIC), Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (oSTEM), and Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE) in promoting academic success, and a supportive and inclusive environment for all engineering students. The 12th annual Professional Evening with Industry (PEI) was held on October 21st, 2020 and was a success considering the starting point, “will a virtual event be worthwhile?” With support from the Corporate Affiliates Program, the PEI committee leveraged Hopin, a platform for hosting on-line career fairs and networking events, to make the event happen while keeping the essence of the event’s mission. Professional Evening with Industry 2020 was significantly different from every previous year due to restrictions caused by COVID-19. Typically, the annual dinner and career fair are held in-person so students may socialize, engage, and network with professionals in the various engineering fields. Doing away with the in-person conversations proved to be a difficult challenge for the Professional Evening with Industry’s committee. Nevertheless the committee, comprised of student representatives from oSTEM, NSBE, SHPE, SWE, and WIC, moved forward with creating an event that was true to the spirit and mission of the original event organizers - to offer an opportunity for industry partners to recruit talented students in the Jacobs School of Engineering, create opportunities for students to learn more about the engineering profession, and facilitate conversations which allow specific companies and students to discover if they might be a good fit for each other. Between 150 - 200 students, staff, and industry representatives attended the event remotely. In total, thirteen companies participated, and Adobe Inc. served as the keynote sponsor. Professional Evening with Industry would not have been possible without support from our campus partners, such as the Corporate Affiliates Program, Career Services, and the PEI committee: Vas Sengupta, Grace Carlson, Grace Nicole Garcia, Joshua Florez, Mohamed Musa, and Destiny Alvarado.
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Diversity Organizations Annual Conferences For the Third year in a row, diversity engineering organizations consisting of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and Society of Women Engineering sent students to attend their annual conference for personal and professional development with the support of the Matching Funds grant.
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) National Convention The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) at UC San Diego provided funding for 33 of its members to attend the SHPE National Convention, which was held virtually on October 26-30, 2020. The conference was extended from 4 days to a week, allowing SHPE members to attend more workshops about professional skills, graduate school, and identity-specific events where students were able to network with conference attendees from all over the country. SHPE members who attended the conference also attended the career fair and started maintaining a Facebook group chat so that they could give one another interview advice or hacks during the convention. Nineteen students received opportunities to interview for industry positions during the convention, while many more made valuable connections.
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I got to meet a lot of new SHPE members from all over the country. I got to bond with a lot of cool students and professionals. There are so many opportunities available for engineers in the field.
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Before the National Convention I had no exposure to graduate school for a masters or a PhD. After talking to a lot of universities from all over the country I realized that education can go for as long as I want so I will continue to pursue knowledge.
Society of Women Engineers (WE20) Annual Conference
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Since the Society of Women Engineers’ WE20 was offered as a two-week virtual conference and career fair on November 2-13, 2020, it was more accessible to SWE members, leading to an increase in the number of attendees. SWE members rely on the SWE national conference every year to gain experience and develop themselves professionally through the career fair. They learn how to speak professionally with other SWE members and recruiters, as well as learn what it is like in the field of engineering for women and how that experience can affect their career in the future. This year, SWE was able to cover the expenses for 25 of its members to attend WE20. SWE members who attended WE20 indicated that their favorite parts of the conference were the opportunity to attend the career fair and the networking opportunities, as well as listening to the keynote speakers. As a result of attending SWE’s annual conference, students reported that their virtual networking skills improved, they formed new connections, gained experience navigating virtual career fairs as well as professional development, and felt renewed inspiration. IDEA Center Student Life | 49
Student Travel Fund The Student Travel Fund provides financial assistance to undergraduate students looking to attend conferences and competitions. This fund was created by students for students in conjunction with our annual Ring Ceremony. Due to COVID-19 there was an overall reduction of applications for the Student Travel Fund, as many conferences were either cancelled or moved to a more affordable virtual platform. We were able to support students’ participation to some of these virtual conferences by covering the cost for their registration fees. Here are testimonials from some of the students who received student travel funds during the 2020-2021 academic year:
Fall Quarter “Through this virtual event, I was able to attend paper talks, posters, demos, and network with researchers over the course of 3 days. I also helped prepare the presentation for the research paper that I co-authored with my group that was presented during the conference. It was a valuable experience, having presented last year for a demo.” Nathan Basa - ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST) 2020
Winter Quarter “The conference was enjoyable and conducted all online. I gained a lot of insights from Asian professionals about how different behaviors function in the workplace and what potential issues may be. I was also able to network with fellow students as well as professionals.” Brandon Yip - SASE West Regional Conference “For WRC, each of our attendees were able to attend 3 different workshops, including two networking sessions. We were able to choose which workshops to attend, ranging from becoming more mindful of ourselves and managing our stress to how to be a better leader and the different communication/leadership styles. It was really nice to meet other people within the west region, as our chapter had mainly interacted with chapters in the south region so far.”
Spring Quarter ““How I Built This” was overall a really good time - it was the first virtual conference I’ve attended, and while there were some technical issues at the beginning, the entire experience was really great and I’m glad I got to hear advice from some of the biggest names in entrepreneurship such as Gary Vee and Sal Khan. I think their advice in starting new businesses and what they had to say about building relationships, marketing, and leadership were invaluable. There were also a bunch of 1:1 networking events throughout the week allowing us to form close relationships with like-minded people, and I’m glad I got to participate and learn more about the fields of entrepreneurship and marketing from the best.” Ronak Shah - NPR’s How I Built This Summit 50 | 2020-2021 Annual Report
Kaitlyn Wong - SASE West Regional Conference
Matching Funds Engineering student organizations participating in select project-based competitions may apply for this program, in which funds raised by the student organization will be considered by a selection committee for matching on a dollar-for-dollar basis. Due to continuing health concerns related to the pandemic, students were not allowed to work on their project on campus and most related competitions were cancelled. As a result, during the 2020-2021 academic school year, the Matching Funds Committee updated the awarding criteria that allowed students to continue to receive funding to work on their projects, even if a competition was not going to take place. In Spring 2021, engineering student organizations were provided an opportunity to apply for a pilot program that allowed student groups to resume working on their projects on campus. As a result, we saw an increase in the number of applications to Matching Funds as student groups started planning to resume in-person work on their projects on campus during Summer and Fall 2021. Matching Funds were awarded to 3 student organizations: Human Powered Submarine @ UC San Diego, Triton Unmanned Aerial Systems, UCSD Society of Automotive Engineers - Triton Racing. In addition, the following diversity student organizations received Matching Funds that will allow them to send their members to their upcoming annual conferences: Society of Women Engineers, Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers, Women in Computing, and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.
Triton UAS Although the 2021 AUVSI Student Unmanned Aerial Systems Competition was canceled, Triton UAS continued to work on a technical design paper to present the Swallow, the team’s main flight platform for the 2021 AUVSI Student Unmanned Aerial System Competition. The software team made immense improvements to the software suite, including improved path planning algorithms and design, comprehensive testing of the latest in deep neural network frameworks, and enhanced communication between the UAV, ground control station (GCS), and all submodules throughout the year. Their goal was to be able to showcase to sponsors what they had changed and grown from the previous year.
Human Powered Submarine For the Human Powered Submarine organization, the European International Submarine Races switched to a virtual competition where a virtual model of their submarine would be put into simulation. Because of this, the team decided not to attend the virtual competition. Instead they decided to put their time and resources towards designing and manufacturing their new submarine. This work allowed them to concentrate on an area they had not originally planned to focus on. IDEA Center Student Life | 51
MATCHING
Engineering Leadership Summit
We build a community of engineering student leaders through the Engineering Leadership Summit by partnering with the Corporate Affiliates Program and EnVision Maker Studio to train new student organization officers at the beginning of the academic year. In Fall 2020, the IDEA Engineering Student Center hosted the annual Engineering Leadership Summit for incoming engineering organization leaders in a virtual setting. The summit is a one-day leadership training organized in collaboration with the Corporate Affiliates Program, and with the support of EnVision. Over 50 students attended, representing 40 engineering student organizations.
Students who participated in this leadership training gained a stronger awareness of resources that are available to support them in their leadership role, as well as the confidence to lead in a virtual setting. Some of the resources include various programs available to student groups through the Jacobs School of Engineering to help support projects (Matching Funds) and to fund their professional development (Student Travel Fund).
Industry representatives participated in panel sessions to discuss how leadership has evolved during these unprecedented times. They also shared perspectives on how students could still form positive partnerships with industry during the pandemic. Industry members present included representatives from Solar Turbines, Google, and Northrop Grumman. Recruiters were also invited to provide guidance on how student organizations could reach out to companies for support on their various projects given potential budget constraints.
Student Organization Diversity Equity and Inclusion Requirements
Spearheaded by the Associate Dean for Students, Dr. Christine Alvarado, the IDEA Engineering Student Center launched the Student Organization Diversity Equity and Inclusion Requirements in Fall 2020. This initiative is in line with the Jacobs School of Engineering’s continued commitment to fostering an inclusive and welcoming community for all engineering students at UC San Diego. This new requirement is also in line with the IDEA Center’s dedication to supporting leaders who can work effectively in teams and work collaboratively across various student organizations. We strongly encourage student leaders of engineering organizations to promote diversity and inclusion in everyday interactions with peers and other members of the campus community.
Student Organization EDI Requirement Overview: Anti-Bias/Anti-Harassment Training: Board Members must attend training in Fall Quarter provided by the Center for Student Involvement (designed by the National Conflict Resolution Center (NCRC)), which includes the topics of Anti-Bias and Anti-Harassment.
Annual Diversity and Inclusion Plan: In Fall Quarter, Engineering Student Organizations must submit a plan as a Google document for how they will apply what they learned about anti-bias/anti-harassment/inclusion into the operation of their organization for the current academic year.
Annual Reflection: Engineering Student Organizations must submit a reflection paper at the end of Spring Quarter, discussing which activities in the organization’s plan were successful and which were not, and commenting on what they believe the organization should work on for the upcoming school year. We received individualized annual diversity and inclusion plans from 36 engineering student organizations in Fall 2020, followed by thoughtful reflections on their EDI efforts during the year at the end of Spring 2021.
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Triton Engineering Student Council The Triton Engineering Student Council (TESC) empowers UC San Diego engineering students by connecting them with impactful communities, projects, and career building opportunities The Triton Engineering Student Council (TESC) seeks to bring together undergraduate students in the Jacobs School of Engineering by working with engineering student organizations and hosting events that connect students from all engineering disciplines in one space. To accomplish this in a virtual setting, TESC used platforms such as Discord and Simplicity for their events. TESC held “Engineers on the Green” on Discord at the start of Fall 2020. This virtual event was attended by over 500 students over the course of four days! To increase connection and engagement, each day focused on a different department’s major-affiliated student organization. Undergraduate students had the opportunity to learn about the various engineering student organizations available to them on the UC San Diego campus and how to become involved in their engineering student community. A highlight of the 2020-2021 academic year included TESC’s first fully virtual career conference. They held their inaugural Matcha event between November 16-20, 2021 on the Simplicity platform. Over the course of the five days, students attended information sessions from various engineering companies and professional workshops led by engineering student organization leaders. The goal of these workshops was for students to refine skills essential to their career development. Students had the opportunity to connect with industry professionals in recruiting sessions throughout the event.
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Ring Ceremony includes recognition awards, a keynote speaker, the Jacobs School graduation oath, and the presentation of the rings. The graduation oath is a commitment of participants to uphold standards of ethics, integrity, and quality as practicing engineers and as graduates of the Jacobs School of Engineering. Ring Ceremony 2021 was scheduled on June 12th, 8:00PM to 9:15PM. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 guidelines and uncertainty of holding a major event in-person, we decided to keep this event remote for the safety of all our students. Virtual Ring Ceremony was streamed on the Jacobs School of Engineering and Ring Ceremony websites, as well as livestreamed on IDEA Center’s facebook page, allowing all students, their families and friends to tune in live. As such, we did not have to limit the number of guests who can attend this event. In addition, students were able to re-watch the recording after the event. We decided to use the same online platform from the previous year, Show Imaging, as well as the same registration site through Eventbrite. One improvement that was made was having Dean Al Pisano record his remarks live from a studio, standing at a podium, to simulate an in-person Ring Ceremony. This year 247 graduating students registered to participate in Ring Ceremony. An additional 210 students purchased a ring but opted out of the ceremony. We also sold 340 Jacobs School of Engineering stoles at cost price. Congratulations to the recipients of this year’s Department Awards for Student Excellence. These individuals have earned recognition in the Jacobs School community for their outstanding academic and leadership performance were recognized during the event.
Award for Excellence in:
Aoife O’Farrell Bioengineering
Priyal Suneja Computer Science and Engineering
Geeling Chau Electrical and Computer Engineering
Luca Scotzniovsky Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Zoe Li NanoEngineering
Janelle Coleen Dela Cueva Structural Engineering
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As we started planning for another virtual Ring Ceremony during Winter 2021 quarter, we obtained feedback from graduating students on their ideal virtual ceremony for engineering graduates. We administered a survey to 1,231 students who were eligible to graduate. We had a 12% response rate, and we incorporated the feedback provided by 146 students who completed the survey into our planning for this event, which started at the end of Winter 2021. Based on feedback provided by graduating students about a virtual Ring Ceremony, we kept the following components of this event, which were ranked as most: • Seeing their name on the screen • Hearing their name called • Seeing their image on the screen • Celebrating with family and friends • Taking the oath/receiving the ring The survey and additional feedback from graduating student leaders indicated that celebrating their accomplishments is a highly important reason for attending Ring Ceremony. As such, similar to last year, we include a picture on the screen with the student name, while their name was being called. In addition, we added to the background slide bullet points highlighting each student’s accomplishments. In addition, we made changes to the following components of virtual Ring Ceremony which were ranked as least important: • Hearing a graduating student speaker • Listening to speeches (in general) In lieu of having a graduating student speaker, we invited students to submit short videos that were featured during Ring Ceremony. We also reduced the length of speeches and video content from departments, and alternated between a period of speeches/video content and a period of calling names earlier in the event, instead of having several speeches/videos at the beginning of the event. Students who participated in Ring Ceremony were divided by department. Each section/department began with a 60 second video clip message of congratulations from the department, followed by a roll call of students where each student’s name was called while a slide showed with their name, photo and highlights. Moreover, in lieu of video clips for each Department Award for Excellence nominee, we compiled slides for the corresponding students that showcased their accomplishments. We invited a Jacobs School alumni as the keynote speaker, considering that students may feel a deeper connection to someone who graduated from the same school. In late April, we received information that we had an opportunity to hold an in-person activity as part of the Ring Ceremony celebrations. As such, we were able to offer a photo opportunity for graduating students and their immediate family/friends on a Jacobs School of Engineering backdrop at Warren Mall on June 12th, between 1PM and 4PM. Engineering faculty also attended this event to congratulate our graduating students and offered to have pictures taken with them. We were able to celebrate 120 graduating students in-person on this day, and many Ring Ceremony attendees also took this opportunity to pick up their packages and stoles.
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Acknowledgements Special thanks to:
Advanced Test Equipment Corporation Scholarship Black Alumni Scholarship Fund Bui Pham Family Engineering Endowed Scholarship California Space Grant Consortium Chiang N. Tom & Carmen L. Tom Daylight Solutions, Inc. Gioia Messinger Scholarship Fund Greg Warner Endowed Engineering Scholarship Irwin and Joan Jacobs Jack Wolf Endowment Scholarship Janet and Mark Handzel Lawrence Livermore National Labs National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering National Science Foundation Northrop Grumman Corporation Office of the Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Olivia J. and Martin K. Winkler Engineering Scholarship Roberto and Colleen Padovani Endowed Scholarship Robert Merryman Endowed Fund ServiceNow Scholarship Te-Won Lee & Jee H. Lee Te Chiang Hu Family Scholarship The Boeing Company
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IDEA Engineering Student Center UC San Diego 9500 Gilman Drive #0429 La Jolla, CA 92093
Phone: (858) 534-6105 Email: idea@ucsd.edu Website: jacobschool.ucsd.edu/idea