Undergraduate News
2021 News Releases
Making Space Travel Inclusive for All
October 28, 2021
In a weightless, microgravity environment like space, what do ability and disability look like? How can someone with partial sight or impaired mobility navigate in a confined space like the space station? UC San Diego researchers were part of a team that aimed to answer these questions by launching a group of 12 disabled scientists, veterans, students, athletes and artists into a zero-gravity environment as part of Mission AstroAccess. Full Story
Cars, Start Your Engines!
October 21, 2021
Engineering and data science students from UC San Diego will participate in the inaugural Indy Autonomous Challenge on Oct. 23. The competition, which offers a $1.5 million prize pool, is designed to inspire the next generation of STEM talent and challenges university students from around the world to develop autonomous vehicle software. Full Story
Students make it to finals of first autonomous EV GrandPrix race
September 30, 2021
A group of UC San Diego engineering and data science students was one of three teams to make it to the final round of the inaugural autonomous EV GrandPrix go-kart race hosted by Purdue University in Indianapolis on Sept. 17. Full Story
Three Jacobs School undergraduate programs ranked in nation's top 10
September 14, 2021
Three undergraduate academic programs at the Jacobs School of Engineering were ranked in the top 10 programs for undergraduates in rankings released Sept. 13, 2021 by U.S. News and World Report. Full Story
Computer science students qualify for programming World Finals
August 31, 2021
A team of UC San Diego computer science students has qualified to compete in the World Finals of the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC), the world’s preeminent programming and coding competition. The students clinched a spot when they placed sixth in the ICPC North American Championship in August 2021. Full Story
'It Feels Like I'm Talking into a Void': How Do We Improve the Virtual Classroom?
June 17, 2021
Researchers in the UC San Diego Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) wanted to look beyond the anecdotal evidence to better understand where remote education fell short and how we might improve it. In a study presented at the Association for Computing Machinery’s Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI), the team examined faculty and student attitudes towards virtual classrooms and proposed several technological refinements that could improve their experience, such as flexible distribution of student video feeds and enhanced chat functions. Full Story
Students thrive in program focused on diversifying undergraduate engineering at UC San Diego
June 9, 2021
Among the more than 1,400 undergraduate engineering and computer science students earning bachelor’s degrees from the University of California San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering this year, are Xavier Perez, Yoon Jung Choi, and Armando Godoy-Velasquez, who are all members of the first cohort of ACES Scholars. Full Story
Class of 2021 students honored at Ring Ceremony
June 8, 2021
In addition to UC San Diego’s commencement ceremonies, the Jacobs School of Engineering will honor the class of 2021 at its annual Ring Ceremony on Saturday, June 12. Six students who have made significant contributions to their department and the Jacobs School community, will be honored with Awards of Excellence. Full Story
NASA's Perseverance inspires UC San Diego's Yonder Dynamics
June 3, 2021
NASA's latest feat, the landing of its rover Perseverence on Mars, was particularly exciting for the Yonder Dynamics student robotics team at the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego, which builds a Mars rover of their own each year in a bid to compete in the international University Rover Challenge (URC) hosted by The Mars Society. Full Story
Sustainable method to 3D print steel wins big at Triton Innovation Challenge
May 26, 2021
A startup developing a 3D printing technique that can manufacture steel cheaper than existing methods, with no carbon emissions and minimal wasted scrap metal, earned the $7,000 Grand Prize at the Triton Innovation Challenge. Full Story
Undergraduate researchers earn Goldwater Scholarship
May 13, 2021
Three UC San Diego undergraduate students with impressive academic and research credentials were selected to receive the Goldwater Scholarship, designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue research careers in the fields of the natural sciences, engineering and mathematics. Full Story
Bioengineering student earns Strauss Scholarship
May 13, 2021
UC San Diego bioengineering undergraduate Zina Patel was selected to receive the $15,000 Strauss Scholarship, awarded to outstanding students developing social change or public service projects. Full Story
Programs help Jacobs School undergraduates make the most of research experiences
May 6, 2021
University of California San Diego engineering and computer science undergraduates broaden their understanding of what it means to study engineering and computer science by getting involved in research. Full Story
Computer Scientists Discover Vulnerability Affecting Computers Globally
April 30, 2021
UC San Diego computer scientists teamed up with the University of Virginia School of Engineering computer science researchers to uncover a line of attack that breaks current Spectre defenses. This means that billions of computers and other devices across the globe are just as vulnerable today as they were when Spectre was first announced. Full Story
UC San Diego Engineering Ranks #9 in U.S. News and World Report Best Engineering Schools Rankings
March 30, 2021
For the second year in a row, the University of California San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering has ranked #9 in the nation in the influential U.S. News & World Report Rankings of Best Engineering Schools. Full Story
Why Commercialization of Carbon Capture and Sequestration has Failed and How it Can Work
March 22, 2021
There are 12 essential attributes that explain why commercial carbon capture and sequestration projects succeed or fail in the U.S., University of California San Diego researchers say in a recent study published in Environmental Research Letters. Full Story
Writing a New Chapter on Innovation
March 17, 2021
The University of California San Diego is the first University of California campus to establish a chapter of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), a move that will help the campus build and sustain a more robust innovation ecosystem. Full Story
Structural engineers get hands-on experience with composite materials
March 11, 2021
Structural engineering students at the Jacobs School got hands-on experience designing, manufacturing and analyzing structures made from composite materials through the Design of Composite Structures course, held in-person thanks to UC San Diego’s Return to Learn policies. Full Story
Computer science student brings Black beauty products to UC San Diego
March 11, 2021
Math-computer science student Jaida Day launched her Black Beauty Near You business with a goal of making Black hair and skin care products more accessible to UC San Diego students. Full Story
Engineers earn NASA grant to enable flying taxis
February 12, 2021
A futuristic system of flying taxis and shuttles is one step closer to reality thanks to a team of engineers led by UC San Diego. They received a $5.8 million grant from NASA to create computational design tools that will help US companies develop more efficient air taxi designs. Full Story
Triton 5: Ji-San Lee '11
January 26, 2021
Structural engineering alumnus Ji-San Lee is the senior designer for CLAE Footwear, working to make their shoes more sustainable through recycled materials. Full Story
2020 Jacobs School student highlights
January 8, 2021
As we buckle down to work in 2021, we're reflecting on the grit of our truly incredible UC San Diego engineering and computer science students. Not even a pandemic could stop their momentum! Here are some student highlights from 2020 as we look forward to what 2021 will bring. Full Story