Staff

Keith Bein: Chasing Wildfire

Bein is an associate professional researcher at UC Davis’ Air Quality Research Center. His work is helping us better understand the impacts of wildfire smoke on air quality and health. When a megafire takes hold in California, he loads up his mobile research lab and heads to the smoke, entering what can be at times the planet’s worst air quality, so he can sample it.

Staff Spotlight: Sharon Campbell Knox

Sharon Knox recently joined the College of Engineering as the coordinator for strategic initiatives in the Dean’s Office. In this role, Sharon will help coordinate special projects related to the college’s strategic research and educational visioning processes and implementation of those visions thereafter.

Staff Spotlight: Sara Mitchell

Sara Mitchell recently joined the college as the executive assistant to the chair and academic personnel for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

In this role, she independently provides leadership, oversight and office support for academic personnel. She is responsible for academic personnel functions, including policy interpretation, recruitments, appointments, the academic personnel advancement and promotion process, visa processing and oversight for the department. 

Staff Spotlight: Daryl Fitzgerald

Daryl Fitzgerald joined the College of Engineering as the director of corporate relations and development in July. His role focuses on forging connections that create philanthropic opportunities and align the strategic priorities of the college with the interests and goals of corporate partners and other donors. Daryl brings over 15 years of experience from prior roles at Chico State’s College of Engineering, Fresno State's College of Engineering and UC Merced.

Staff Spotlight: Dawn Strickland

Dawn Strickland is the administrator of the Student Startup Center, based in the College of Engineering, and is responsible for the center’s operations, marketing and outreach. She also serves as lecturer for "Launching a Company" (ENG 080), a class in which students use modern startup-building methods to launch their own startups.

Staff Spotlight: Cindy Alvarenga

Cindy Alvarenga recently joined the College of Engineering as an academic advisor in the College of Engineering Undergraduate Office.

In her role, she provides academic advising and support for undergraduates and department academic advisors. Cindy is a first-generation American and transfer student and received a bachelor's degree in chemistry from UC Davis and a master's degree in leadership from St. Mary's College of California. She previously worked in the College of Letters and Sciences before joining the college on May 3.

Staff Spotlight: Lauren Worrell

Lauren Worrell is the graduate program coordinator in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) and has been a staff member in the college for about six and a half years.

Her main responsibilities are focused on helping students from pre-admission to graduation. Lauren does advising, but also works with funding, policy and procedures, student milestones, recruitment, admission and anything related to the graduate program and graduate student experience in CEE.

Dawn Strickland: Fostering an Inclusive, Entrepreneurial Community

The Student Startup Center (SSC) at UC Davis is a community of students and mentors interested in using innovation and entrepreneurship to make the world a better place. The center is designed to introduce students to entrepreneurs and early-stage investors, allow students to practice the work of entrepreneurs and early-stage investors and teach students useful knowledge and skills for their journeys as student entrepreneurs.