Undergraduate

In honor of Black History Month, the COE spoke with a handful of Black students who represent the next generation of innovators and leaders in engineering. Akinwole Akinbolagbe, an undergraduate mechanical engineering student, shared with us his inspirations, his experience as the only Black male undergrad in his year, and finding his community on campus.

Kai Nambu received the Outstanding Senior Award in Mechanical Engineering, a distinction that he described as, “an honor and a cool personal accomplishment.” UC Santa Barbara’s College of Engineering gives the accolade each year to the graduating senior with the highest cumulative grade point average in the degree program.

Two mechanical engineering students, Sacha Escudier and Chiyo McMullin), are the recipients of the College of Engineering’s 2024 Tirrell Award for Distinction in Undergraduate Research. The annual award, named in honor of the college’s former dean, Matthew Tirrell, recognizes a graduating senior for showing excellence and promise as a researcher. The award serves as motivation and validation for both of this year’s recipients, who will recognized during the college’s Undergraduate Commencement, scheduled for Saturday, June 15, at 4 PM on the Commencement Green.