Baskin Engineering Communications 
Baskin Engineering undergraduate Sarone Kelete is a third-year computer science major and deeply involved at UC Santa Cruz. She’s gained community and professional growth through the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) at UCSC. Her passion for technology is reflected by her work with the Tech4Good Lab, where she contributes to impactful web projects focused on social good.
The Baskin School of Engineering recognized Professor of Biomolecular Engineering Rebecca DuBois as the 2024-25 recipient of the Sung-Mo Steve Kang DEI Award. This annual award recognizes a faculty member who is making meaningful strides toward more inclusive teaching and education at Baskin Engineering.
Dylan Esguerra discovered his passion for statistics in his sophomore year of undergraduate studies at UC Santa Cruz. He later graduated with his master’s in statistics in 2023 after pursuing the 4+1 Statistical Science program.
Kate Compton (Ph.D. ’19, computer science) came to UC Santa Cruz to explore how to build better tools for human creativity.
Keerthi Koneru is a UC Santa Cruz class of 2024 computer science Ph.D. graduate. Drawn to UCSC’s Computer Science and Engineering Department for its focus on combining conceptual learning with practical application, her research focused on securing electrical substations against cyber threats by analyzing real-world vulnerabilities and developing tools to study malware interactions.
An ongoing list of fall 2025 accolades and research awards given to Baskin Engineering faculty, students, and staff.
Kamran Hussain is a second year electrical engineering student. He is part of the Braingeneers Group, where he leads an innovative project studying the electrical activity of neurons, using AI to predict the activity of neural circuits.
Salma Qadiri is a third year UC Santa Cruz computer science student, minoring in applied mathematics. She gained support and resources at Baskin Engineering through the MESA Engineering Program and found community with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE).
Qingyuan Cao is a fourth year robotics engineering student who is passionate about aerospace engineering. After joining the UC Santa Cruz Rocket Team in 2021, Cao has played a crucial role in the club’s success.
Shourya Bose is completing his last year as an electrical and computer engineering Ph.D. student and is one of three recipients of the Dissertation-year Fellowship. Drawn to Baskin Engineering for its proximity to Silicon Valley and focus on innovation for social good, Bose’s research applies machine learning and artificial intelligence to optimize power grids.
Katia Avila Pinedo is in her final year pursuing a bachelors in networks and digital technology at UC Santa Cruz. As a dedicated member of the Baskin Engineering community, Pinedo has actively engaged in initiatives supporting underrepresented students in engineering. She is passionate about education and mentorship, and hopes to continue inspiring students in rural, low-income school districts to pursue pathways in STEM.
Double UC Santa Cruz alumna Emily Lovell joined Baskin Engineering’s Computer Science and Engineering Department in 2022 as a postdoctoral fellow. Lovell focuses on open source software contribution and teaching open source as a way to support broader participation in computing.