Alumni

Melanie Adams

Graduate Researcher (2018-2023)
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Next Position: Postdoc at Scripps Institution of Oceanography under Dr. Vashan Wright
[Mel-uh-knee] she/her/hers

Education

2017, M.Sc., Materials Science and Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Akinwole Akinbolagbe

Undergraduate Researcher (2024)
Department of Mechanical Engineering
[Ah-key-woah-lay] [Ah-key-ball-la-bay] he/him/his

Programs

NSBE UCSB (Vice president)

Nigerian Students Association (Events Coordinator, EVP)

Formula SAE

Dixon Atkins

Graduate Researcher (2021-2025)
Interdisciplinary Program in Quantitative Biosciences
Co-advised by Prof. Sid Dey
he/him/his

Education

2025, Ph.D., Interdisciplinary Program in Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Santa

Rachel Bae

Undergraduate Researcher (2021-2023)
Department of Chemistry
[Ray-chel Bay] she/her/hers
Next Position: Apeel Sciences

Brendan Bagorio

Undergraduate Researcher (2024-2025)
Department of Mechanical Engineering
[brEHn-dIn] he/him/his

Research

Developing a tribometer to better understand the materialistic properties of hydrogels and how they b

Pedro Barrera

Undergraduate Researcher (2022-2023)
Department of Chemical Engineering
[pe-dro bahr-re-rah] he/him/el
Next Position: Wilson Lab

Programs

Promise Scholar, SACNAS Scholar

Research

Ines Bilkić

Undergraduate Researcher (2019-2020)
Department of Chemical Engineering
Next Position: Yeung Lab

Megan Cavanaugh

Graduate Researcher (2020-2021)
Materials Department
Next Position: Clorox

Samantha Chan

Undergraduate Researcher (2021-2022)
Department of EEMB/MCDB
Next Position: Lyell Immunopharma

Allison L. Chau

Graduate Researcher (2019-2023)
Postdoctoral Researcher (2023-2024)
Materials Department
Next Position: Scientist in Prof. Esther Amstad's group at EPFL
[Chow] she/her/hers

Jonathan Chen UCSB Undergraduate Student

Yen-Tsung (Jonathan) Chen

Undergraduate Researcher (2019-2022)
Department of Chemical Engineering
Next Position: C-Zero

Cecilia Cheng

Undergraduate Researcher (2021-2023)
The Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
[ch-eh-ng] she/her/hers
Next Position: UCLA

Graduate Researcher (2019-2021)
Department of Chemical Engineering
Co-advised by Prof. Joan-Emma Shea
Next Position: Postdoc at MIT with Profs. Katharina Ribbeck & Gareth McKinley
Now: Assistant Professor (Starting Jan. 2026) at the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Georgia Tech

Katerina DeOlivares

Graduate Researcher (2020-2021)
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Next Position: PhD student at Columbia University

Rosalio Dominguez

Undergraduate Researcher (2024)
Department of Mechanical Engineering
[roh-SAH-lee-oh] - [doh-MEEN-gez] he/him/his

Programs

Educational Opportunity Program

Ricardo Espinosa Lima

Undergraduate Researcher (2021-2022)
Department of Biology
Next Position: PhD student in Alliston Lab at UC San Francisco

Samuel Fong

Undergraduate Researcher (2024-2025)
Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
[SAh-myool] he/him/his

Research

My research is focused on understanding the role particle shape plays in granular hydrogel systems designed for cell c

Michael Lum

Undergraduate Researcher (2018-2021)
Department of Chemistry
Next Position: Graduate Student in Lin Lab at UC Riverside

Lisa K. Månsson

Graduate Researcher (2021-2025)
Materials Department
Co-advised by Prof. Max Wilson
[Lee-SAH MOhn-SUN] she/her/hers

Madeleine Miyamoto

Undergraduate Researcher (2022-2023)
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
[Mad-del-ine Mia-moto] she/her/hers
Current Position: PhD Student at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

Derek Murphy

Undergraduate Researcher
Department of Mechanical Engineering
[DEH-rik MUR-fee] he/him/his

Research

My research centers around the simulation and design of double-cantilevers for use in a biotribometer.

Steven Nguyen

Undergraduate Researcher (2020-2022)
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Next Position: Graduate student in the Department Mechanical Engineering at UC San Diego

Mara Niesyt

Graduate Researcher (2023)
Department of Physics
[Maa-raa Knee-set] they/she

Education

2021, B.S., Physics, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Kevin Ogbonna

Undergraduate Researcher (2022-2024)
Department of Biological Sciences
[Uhg-Buh-nah] he/him/his

Akshay Patel

Undergraduate Researcher (2022-2024)
Department of Chemical Engineering
[Uhk-shay Puh-tel] he/him/his

Programs

RISE intern, former UTEP PREM intern

Jonah Rosas

Graduate Researcher (2019-2024)
Department of Biomolecular Science and Engineering
Co-advised by Prof. Denise Montell
[RROH-sahs] he/him/his
Next position: Postdoc in Prof. Maria Akhmanova's group at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Sloan Kettering Institute