News Release
Class of 2022 honored with Awards of Excellence
June 7, 2022-- The Jacobs School of Engineering will honor the undergraduate class of 2022 at its annual Ring Ceremony on Saturday, June 11, after the campus convocation. During the Ceremony, graduating engineering and computer science students will receive their class ring, and recite together the Jacobs School of Engineering oath, vowing to practice engineering with integrity and high ethical standards.
Six students who have made significant contributions to their department and the Jacobs School community will also be honored with Awards of Excellence.
Watch the Ring Ceremony live here: https://jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/idea/current-undergraduates/ring-ceremony and learn more about these impressive graduates below.
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Bioengineering Award of Excellence: Kendra Worthington
Kendra Worthington chose to study bioengineering because of its diversity, both in terms of the research she could pursue, and in the community of scientists conducting this research. After years of leadership in the Biomedical Engineering Society and hands-on research experience in Professor Karen Christman’s lab as an undergraduate, Worthington will be pursuing a PhD in biological engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder next year, with funding from the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program. She plans to continue her research in biomaterials, and hopes to become a researcher working to bring next-generation therapeutics to those who need them most. Read the full Q&A with Kendra Worthington.
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Computer Science and Engineering Award of Excellence: Eman Sherif
Eman Sherif was drawn to computer science for its flexibility. “With a computer science degree, I knew I could enter basically any field whether it is education, government, healthcare, etc,” she said. After experiencing computer science research thanks to the Early Research Scholars Program, Sherif plans to earn a PhD in computer science at the University of Washington, Seattle, focusing on computer science education. In addition to ERSP, Sherif was active in the National Society of Black Engineers at UC San Diego. Read the full Q&A with Eman Sherif.
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Electrical and Computer Engineering Award of Excellence: Raini Wu
Raini Wu decided to pursue electrical engineering when he realized how few people truly understood how the electronic tools that are ubiquitous today really worked, and wanted to be one of the few who did. Through his coursework, conducting research in the Wireless Communications Sensing and Networking Group (WCSNG), and participation in HKN, the electrical engineering honor society, he’s developed a pretty thorough understanding of how these electronic devices work. Next year, Wu will be earning his master’s degree through the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering’s BS/MS program, focusing on communication theory and systems. Read the full Q&A with Raini Wu.
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Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Award of Excellence: Rachel Luu
First-generation student Rachel Luu applied to engineering on a whim, not knowing exactly what the field entailed. After conducting research on bio-inspired materials as an undergraduate and participating in IDEA Engineering Student Center programming as an ACES Scholar, she’s now on her way to a PhD program in materials science at MIT, as an MIT Rosenblith Presidential Fellow and NSF Graduate Research Fellow. She plans to pursue a career leading her own research lab with a goal of creating bioinspired sustainable materials. Read the full Q&A with Rachel Luu.
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NanoEngineering Award of Excellence: Meghan Shen
The idea of gaining perspective by seeing things most people don’t get to see drew Meghan Shen to study nanoengineering. After conducting research in the Lab for Energy Storage and Conversion, being involved in the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society, and working in the Teaching and Learning Commons, Shen decided to pursue a PhD in materials science at UC Berkeley.
“I hope to leverage my experience working in the lab to plan thoughtful experiments regarding materials characterization,” she said. “In my career, I want to be a mentor that encourages students to believe in themselves. I also want to fight for educational equity and make sure everyone gets to learn what they love.”
Read the full Q&A with Meghan Shen
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Structural Engineering Award of Excellence: Ramtin Azarbad
Ramtin Azarbad was fascinated by the tangible applications of structural engineering; you can walk by buildings you helped design! At UC San Diego, he served as co-president of the Society of Civil and Structural Engineers, helping host the Pacific Southwest Symposium that drew 850 students from around the region to campus. He also held leadership position in the campus chapter of Circle K International. After earning a master’s degree in structural design and analysis here at UC San Diego, he plans to get an industry position as a structural designer.
Read the full Q&A with Ramtin Azarbad.
Media Contacts
Katherine Connor
Jacobs School of Engineering
858-534-8374
khconnor@ucsd.edu