2017 Distinguished Engineering Alumni Medal (DEAM) ceremony

Alumni Spotlights

Since its founding in 1962, over 28,000 students — and counting! — have graduated from the UC Davis College of Engineering. Our alumni have pursued careers in a wide variety of technical fields in industry, public service and academia, occupying positions of leadership and making a global difference.

Alumni Spotlights

Our alumni have become pioneers in their respective fields with achievements that have been far-reaching. Here are some outstanding examples of how our graduates are changing the world:

Eye on the Sky: Sarahi Granados '21

The path from passionate second-grader to James Webb Telescope engineer wasn’t an easy one for Sarahi Granados '21, especially as a first-generation Latina woman in engineering, but she’s incredibly grateful for the education, resources and connections at UC Davis that helped her get there.

Alumni Spotlight: Mingwei Zhang, Ph.D. '21

Mingwei Zhang, Ph.D. '21, now a postdoctoral scholar at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, used his time at UC Davis to grow his research career and plans to pay forward the generosity and mentorship he received from the materials science and engineering department. 

Making my mark as a first-generation Latina in a STEM world

Choosing to pursue electrical engineering was one of the best decisions Vanessa Liera '22 ever made because even though it brought big challenges, it brought her to amazing people, new experiences and a better future. In this blog, she explains, "I stopped letting fear get in the way of me chasing my dreams, and my life has turned out better than I could’ve imagined."

Alumni Spotlight: Linda Finley '81

Linda Finley ’81, mechanical engineering, has paved the way for countless women in engineering. When Linda came to UC Davis in 1979 to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering, she quickly joined the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). At the time, SWE was struggling. It was important to Linda that the student chapter thrive, and she served as president for two years. Some of the events established under her leadership, including the popular “Night with Industry,” still happen today.

Two Engineering Alumni Receive 2022 UC Davis Alumni Awards

Charles “Chuck” Nichols (electrical engineering '83) and John M. Wasson (chemical engineering '84) are among six UC Davis alumni recognized for 2022 Alumni Awards. Nichols, who served as president of the Cal Aggie Alumni Association (CAAA) for two years and as trustee of the UC Davis Foundation, receives the Jerry W. Fielder Award. Wasson, who serves on the college's Dean's Executive Committee and the Department of Chemical Engineering's advisory board, receives the Outstanding Alumnus Award.