Student Spotlights

From Swimming Pools to Lake Tahoe: Student Engineers Put Their Robot to Work

UC Davis students in Cyclone RoboSub are taking their autonomous underwater vehicle beyond the pool, using it to support environmental research in open waters and to educate the next generation of robotics engineers.

The student team on a small boat looking toward Lake Tahoe and lush green trees on the shoreline

Top UC Davis Graduate Journeys Through Clubs, Neurodivergence, Identity

A University of California, Davis mechanical engineering student has been named top graduating senior, earning the University Medal for academic excellence, leadership and impact in robotics, research and campus life.

Two students smiling while assembling their robosub

College of Engineering Honors its Outstanding Seniors of 2026

Each year, the UC Davis College of Engineering celebrates the graduating seniors who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, academic achievement and service both in and out of the classroom. These outstanding Aggie Engineers share their most impactful moments and fondest memories from their time at UC Davis.

Photo collage of 12 diverse smiling graduates in stoles on campus

Matthew Maciosek Gets His Hands Dirty to Keep Groundwater Clean

The Minnesota marshes Matthew Maciosek explored as a child are threatened by agricultural groundwater use. Now a UC Davis biological systems engineering student, he's researching sustainable irrigation practices in California's Central Valley to help protect wetlands for future generations.

Matthew Maciosek in a red shirt stands next to a white truck beside an irrigation ditch at sunset.

The Women Machinists’ Club Turns Curiosity into Confidence

Undergraduate students Lena Araya and Lydia Miteza found their way to mechanical engineering through hands-on making, mentorship and accessible spaces offered by the Women Machinists’ Club at UC Davis. Now they are leading the WMC and reshaping how students encounter engineering.

Lena Araya in protective gear works on a metal surface with welding equipment.

Blog: Rediscovering My Path as a Future Engineer and Surgeon

Aaleesha Doshi, a third-year undergraduate biomedical engineering student on the pre-medical track, reflects on how a clinical immersion experience at Aggie Square deepened her drive to become an engineer and a surgeon working to advance human health.

Three students in teal scrubs having a conversation in a hospital hallway.

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

Hand holding foldable phone capturing close-up of bright daisies

Beyond Silicon: Modeling the Materials Behind the Future of Electronics

Through a collaboration with Germany’s Max Planck Institute, UC Davis Ph.D. student Toulik Maitra is developing computational tools to accelerate the design of organic semiconductors that could help advance flexible electronics and more efficient OLED displays.

Five young adults standing together on a sunlit campus plaza. One holds a prototype of a biomedical device.

From Sketch to Prototype

When biomedical engineering students walked into a room full of clinicians at UC Davis Health, they carried two medical device prototypes. One was an alum’s late-night sketch, while the other was theirs. What unfolded in that room over several hours became the basis for First Bite, a medical device designed to safely secure breathing tubes for infants.

Man wearing head-mounted sensors and backpack rig, holding a railing in a hallway

UC Davis Engineers Collaborate on Rare Epilepsy Study

Development engineers and a biomedical engineering graduate student from the University of California, Davis, were part of a study granting scientists a rare glimpse into how the human brain navigates space. This research could be the foundation of future treatments for debilitating conditions like dementia.

Carlos Daniel Sanchez Espinoza holding a UC Davis pennant on sunlit campus path

Giving It His All: Meet Incoming Aggie Engineer Carlos Daniel Sanchez Espinoza

Carlos Daniel Sanchez Espinoza has gone viral for his inspiring work ethic and dedication to his education, earning a 4.6 GPA while working 40 hours a week as a McDonald’s manager. He was accepted to 29 colleges before choosing UC Davis.

Glossy rounded panes with code on a dark background

New Method Significantly Boosts AI Speed, Energy Efficiency on Existing Hardware

Research led by a UC Davis Ph.D. student shows that AI models can maintain response quality while using far less energy on existing hardware. The work received the Best Paper Award at MLSys 2026, a leading machine learning and AI systems conference.

Two presenters at podium in conference room in front of an audience

UC Davis Students Reflect on Reaching the NASA Human Lander Challenge Finals

UC Davis students Aidan Guerra and Andres Mino Cortes discuss advancing to the final phase of the 2026 NASA Human Lander Challenge, the lessons they learned from NASA engineers and how the experience is shaping the future of the Aggie Space Initiative.

Student Awards

The College of Engineering recognizes outstanding graduate and undergraduate students with various awards honoring their dedication to their engineering careers.

Undergraduate awards

Graduate awards