Alumni

Mingwei Zhang, Ph.D. ’21 used his time at UC Davis to grow his research career and plans to pay forward the generosity and mentorship he received from the materials science and engineering department. 

Valerie Gibson ’86, ‘00 has forged a successful career in the aerospace industry through her passion and experience with materials science and engineering she acquired at UC Davis.

Gibson is a principal propulsion engineer in the engine group at Blue Origin, a private aerospace manufacturing company founded by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The company is a leader in the private spaceflight industry and made headlines in summer 2021 with its first crewed suborbital flight.

Materials science and engineering alumna Emily Beeman ’17 draws on her UC Davis experience every day as she helps keep UC Berkeley’s Marvell Nanofabrication Lab running.

The College of Engineering’s popular Engineering on Tap series continues on Thursday, January 21 at 5 p.m. PST with a family-friendly virtual event led by materials science and engineering professor and associate dean for research and graduate studies Ricardo Castro.

Engineering alumnus and Inneos CEO Brian Peters ‘88 is a successful leader, businessman and entrepreneur in the optics industry, but he wouldn’t lead with that. In his 25 years in business, Peters takes the most pride in leading companies with an inspired community of colleagues who have helped him carve out his place in Silicon Valley.

Connections matter for Leyla Hashemi '10. As a master’s student at UC Davis, in her job at Keysight Technologies and as an adjunct lecturer, she strives to form connections between people, teams and institutions. 

Lauren Hughes graduated in 2018 with a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering. During her time at UC Davis, Lauren received a prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowship for her graduate-level research work with electron microscopy. Below, Lauren reflects on her time in the Materials Science and Engineering graduate program and where she is headed next.

Department of Materials Science and Engineering: What was your favorite thing about Davis?

DAVIS, Calif.; March 15, 2018 – Jackson Hull (’00) was a double major in mechanical engineering and materials science and engineering at UC Davis, and also has a master’s degree in information systems from UC Berkeley. He and his wife Aurelia (’01, communications) live in the U.K. with their three young children and their dog, Paddington. They are also co-captains of a UC Davis Kiva Lending team that launched in September 2008.

Hey MSE! If you’re wondering where you can find interesting real-life stories and career paths for MSE, visit the new MSE Major Blog by Aditi Risbud Bartl! The blog discusses various aspects of Materials Engineering, including major description, courses, and relevant fields after graduation. Check it out!

Dr. Ian Jacobs graduated with a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from the Moulé group with a thesis titled “Doping induced solubility control.” He was selected to win the prestigious Newton International Fellowship to continue his study of organic electronic materials in Cambridge, U.K. in the group of Prof. Henning Sirringhaus. The fellowship covers two years of postdoctoral study and includes supplies and travel expenses.

Please join the CHMS Department in congratulating one of our graduate alumni, Miaofang Chi.  Chi does pioneering research in analytical electron microscopy at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where she recently won three awards at the annual awards banquet.  She received the Director’s Award for Outstanding Individual Accomplishment in Science and Technology and the Early Career Researcher Award, in addition to being named Scientist of the Year.