Mechanical Engineering Distinguished Alumnus Award
The Distinguished Alumnus Award recognizes BS, MS, or PhD alumni of the UCSB Mechanical Engineering Department who have made sustained exemplary contributions in their professional field and/or who have distinguished themselves for their dedicated service and leadership.
Nomination Process
Nominations may be submitted by alumni, faculty, staff, and members of the Industrial Advisory Board. Nominations are sought annually via an email to all potential nominators in the spring and with a deadline for receipt during late summer. We are accepting applications until July 15th of each year! The nomination consists of a 1-page bio-sketch and a paragraph with the nomination rationale. Nominations are treated confidentially. Nomination packages for individuals not selected in a given year are retained for consideration in the following year, and for individuals not selected in a given year are retained for consideration in the following year, and nominators are contacted to obtain updated information as appropriate.
Please email nominations (1-page biosketch and rationale paragraph) to Professor Jeff Moehlis, Department Chair, and Executive Assistant to the Chair.
Selection Process
The Department Chair establishes a yearly ME Awards Committee, with representatives from the faculty, the Industrial Advisory Board, and previous awardees. The ME Awards Committee will select one or two award recipients each year.
Award Ceremony
The award will be presented in conjunction with a departmental activity, ideally during the Convocation Event in early October. The award recipient will be invited to attend and will receive a certificate.
Past Awards:
2025 Distinguished Alumnus Award: Venkat Rapaka - In recognition of bringing engineering excellence to technology and user experience
2024 Distinguished Alumni Award: Marie and Bruce McFarland- In recognition of visionary engineering and entrepreneurial persistence, transforming artificial wave technology
2023 Distinguished Alumnus Award: Steven Shugart - In recognition of outstanding leadership and contributions to computer hardware, software, and networking solutions
2022 Distinguished Alumnus Award: Brian Strauss - In recognition of visionary leadership and pioneering innovation in disruptive medical device technologies
2021 Distinguished Alumnus Award: Dr. Lara Leininger - In recognition of outstanding contributions in failure modeling and assessment of structures and mechanical components under blast loading and high explosives reaction-zone physics
2020 Distinguished Alumnus Award: Prof. Santosh Devasia - In recognition of outstanding contributions to control theory in manufacturing and mechatronics
2019 Distinguished Alumnus Award: Alastair Winn - In recognition of outstanding entrepreneurship and the development of high-grade silicone and for his leadership in clarifying a vision for Mechanical Engineering
2018 Distinguished Alumnus Award: Christopher S. Lynch - In recognition of outstanding leadership and contributions to research in smart materials and structures
2017 Distinguished Alumnus Award: Modjtaba “Moji” Ghodoussi - In recognition of outstanding contributions to telemedicine and medical robotic systems
2016 Distinguished Alumnus Award: John Lake - In recognition of his outstanding entrepreneurship and contributions to the development of liquid handling systems
2015 Distinguished Alumnus Award: Niklas Karlsson - In recognition of outstanding application of system engineering principles to the field of online advertising
2014 Inaugural Class
The inaugural class was inducted during the Department’s 50th Anniversary Celebration on October 25, 2014, where the first three awardees were invited as keynote speakers.
- Mihailo Jovanovic - In recognition of outstanding research contributions to fluid dynamics, control, and optimization
- Kevin Ness - In recognition of outstanding contributions to microfluidics and PCR
- Stephen Neushul - In recognition of outstanding contributions to non-destructive testing and for the development of X-Ray scanning systems