Student Spotlights

Collage of student photos with text on top that reads Student Spotlights

Meet Aggie Engineers

Students at the UC Davis College of Engineering impact a wide-ranging field of areas in energy, aerospace, transportation, computer science, medicine and more. Through leadership and involvement in hands-on engineering experiences, our outstanding Aggie Engineers are changing the world. Meet some of the students, clubs and teams that make up our diverse community. Learn more about their current projects, achievements and aspirations.
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Rooted in Community, Reaching for Discovery

UC Davis Ph.D. candidate Nicole O’Shea is forging new discoveries in ternary metal alloys through a fellowship at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, while also cultivating community on campus and inspiring peers in the collaborative materials science field.

Nicole O'Shea handling lab machinery

Controlling the (Casimir) Force

As researchers continue to shrink the size of mechanical devices, controlling the Casimir force has become the first priority. At UC Davis, Calum Shelden, a Ph.D. candidate in electrical and computer engineering, is beginning groundbreaking experimentation to test the theories.

Calum Shelden wears PPR and works in a lab with a large microscope

Where Art Meets Alloy

At UC Davis, a new bladesmithing club is forging more than knives. Led by materials science and engineering major Aaron Diamond, the team is (literally) sharpening hands-on skills and crafting connections.

A young man with red hair wears an apron and stands in a welding studio

Playing Doubles

Kaia Wolfe, a third-year mechanical engineering student aces the balance between her passions for outer space and being a Division I tennis player.

Kaia Wolfe crouching with a tennis racket

The Magicians Behind the MASC

Meet the Materials Science Advantage Chapter, the UC Davis engineering club responsible for Picnic Day’s famous Materials Magic Show — and for bringing attention to the amazing things materials science makes possible.

A girl hanging from thin string attached to a beam

Engineers Without Borders Makes a Global Impact

Engineers Without Borders breaks down barriers internationally and on campus at UC Davis by providing a space for people across majors to get hands-on experience on real-world projects.

People stand on construction site with wheel barrow

Composites

Composites is a video series exploring how interdisciplinary interests and perspectives are a fulcrum for next-level research in the College of Engineering at the University of California, Davis.   

 

Watch more Composites features on YouTube

More Spotlights

Gerard Anderias and Akash Bonagiri
Gerard Anderias, left, an undergraduate student in computer science, and Akash Bonagiri, a Ph.D. student in computer science, collaborated on a new AI tool to reduce the time spent on literature reviews. (Mario Rodriguez/UC Davis)

Student-Developed AI Tool Fast-Tracks Literature Review

ResearchQuest.ai is a new AI agent that scours academic papers for anything related to the query. The new tool, built by student researchers through E-SEARCH, could cut down a literature review from months to minutes.

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Phoebe Sothern, art studio and history major, and Daisy Moore, a communications major, talk over their newly made lattes during the coffee class at the Coffee Center
Phoebe Sothern, art studio and history major, and Daisy Moore, a communications major, talk over their newly made lattes during the coffee class at the Coffee Center on November 1, 2024. (Gregory Urquiaga/UC Davis)

Campus-Roasted, Student-Designed

Phoebe Sothern, a fourth-year art studio major with a passion for illustration and curiosity for what goes into a great cup of black coffee, is the creative mind behind three new coffee bean bag designs hitting the shelves at UC Davis Stores this November.

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The Leaf Monitor tool being used
The Leaf Monitor tool, developed by researchers in the UC Davis Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, uses spectral data to measure crop health in real time. (Mario Rodriguez/UC Davis)

Team Develops AI Tool to Measure Real-Time Crop Health from the Field

With a quick leaf scan, the AI-powered Leaf Monitor delivers real-time nutrient insights for crops. By replacing weeks-long lab tests, the new tool, developed by UC Davis engineers, can help farmers boost yields, cut fertilizer waste and manage fields with precision and sustainability.

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Zachary Graeber runs on a track at UC Davis

Beyond the Comfort Zone

UC Davis runner and computer science master’s student Zachary Graeber takes lessons from cross country into the lab. With endurance, focus and resilience, he’s tackling research challenges in computing while pushing his limits on the track.

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Rain Sun and Sam Louderback sit with Gary May in a podcast studio

Aggie Engineers Go 'Face to Face' with Chancellor May

This month’s Face to Face With Chancellor May features Splash Tech, a forward-thinking startup tackling one of the most overlooked problems in home maintenance: swimming pool chemical management. The company grew out of a senior design project from electrical and computer engineering students at UC Davis.

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UC Davis graduate students Adam Zufall and Ayush Patnaik sit at a desk working on a payload
UC Davis graduate students Adam Zufall (left) and Ayush Patnaik (right) are working on a payload that will travel into space this fall. (Mario Rodriguez/UC Davis)

Student Satellite Project an Exercise in Technology and Teamwork

UC Davis engineering students are taking their research to orbit, building an AI-powered digital twin to track satellite battery health. The project blends teamwork, ingenuity and space-tested problem-solving, with applications reaching far beyond Earth.

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