Senior Spotlight: Ian Phillips

Ian Phillips is a fourth-year materials science and engineering student finishing his undergraduate degree at UC Davis.

Becoming an engineer was a natural choice for Ian. He grew up working on cars with his dad, giving him a love of hands-on work and problem solving that he’s taken with him throughout his time at UC Davis, from studying semiconductors and ceramics at UC Davis and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to teaching shop tools at the UC Davis D-Lab.

On campus, Ian is an advocate for hands-on learning and research through his involvement with the UC Davis D-Lab and the Engineering Student Design Center, where he assisted with classes and co-taught everything from welding to the feasibility of engineering design.

Outside of engineering, Ian is the president of the Davis Motorsports Club, a campus-based community of car lovers and motorsports enthusiasts who share their knowledge and passion about amateur and professional motorsports.

Though his undergraduate career is ending remotely, Ian is still grateful for the experiences he’s had, the classes he’s taken and the friends he’s met at UC Davis. After graduation, Ian will continue working at LLNL, where he plans to explore different areas of materials science and engineering and refine his interests.