An ongoing list of 2025 accolades and research awards received by Baskin Engineering faculty, students, and staff.
David Haussler, distinguished professor of biomolecular engineering, was ranked number 16 in “Best Genetics Scientists in the US.”
Jason Eshraghian, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, and his research team received the Innovator of the Year Award for a cross-disciplinary breakthrough that reimagines how artificial intelligence can operate—by taking cues from the human brain.
This deeply interdisciplinary work draws from neuroscience, computer science, and microelectronics to create more efficient, sustainable AI. Eshraghian’s research is grounded in the principle of brain-inspired computing: in contrast to traditional AI systems that are always “on,” the human brain conserves energy by activating only when needed.
Nader Pourmand, professor of biomolecular engineering, has been awarded the 2024 Lifetime Achievement in Innovation Award.
The award recognizes a faculty member whose career accomplishments include innovations that have led to significant, long-term societal impact and who is an inspiration and positive influence for students and colleagues. From foundational breakthroughs in single-cell analysis to rapid-response public health tools, Pourmand’s career has been defined by innovation with real-world impact.
The multiplex de novo luciferase technology developed by Assistant Professor of Biomolecular Engineering Andy Yeh’s lab received the Translation of the Year Award for groundbreaking work in developing artificial proteins that emit light—a key innovation in accelerating large-scale drug discovery and answering fundamental biological questions. Unlike fluorescent compounds or proteins that require external light to glow, these engineered systems emulate natural bioluminescence, using a self-illuminating biochemical reaction to generate visible light.
Yeh was award a 2025 UCSC Hellman Fellowship for his project: Price Incentives for Resource Conservation: Experimental Evidence from Groundwater Irrigation.
Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Tae Myung Huh was awarded a 2025 UCSC Hellman Fellowship for his project: A No-Damage, Highly Adaptable Gripper for Robotic Harvesting.
Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Hao Ye was awarded a 2025 UCSC Hellman Fellowship for his project: Exploring Exciton-polaritons in Two-dimensional Transition Metal Dichalcogenides using Wavefunction-based Ab Initio Methods.
Yu Zhang, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been selected as a recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Young Investigator Award by the Energy Systems Division (ESD) of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE). Zhang was honored for his outstanding research and significant contributions to the advancement of power network planning and operation. His work leverages state-of-the-art techniques in optimization, signal processing, and artificial intelligence to address critical challenges in modern energy systems.
The IISE is the world’s largest professional society dedicated to the industrial and systems engineering profession. Its Energy Systems Division promotes innovative research and knowledge exchange in the field of energy systems engineering.
Computational Media Ph.D. student Kritika K.’s research project: “Ultimately, it’s a matter of safety, and resisting ostracization”: Understanding Neurodivergent Masking with Online Communities,” was accepted at CHI, a top conference in the field Human-Computer Interaction. Kritika is a 2024-25 recipient of the Baskin Engineering Fellowship for Anti-Racism Research (FARR), which enabled her to explore how neurodivergent people experience and navigate “masking,” a form of social adaptation often used to fit into neurotypical settings.
Deamer was named a fellow the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of journals. AAAS recognized Deamer for “significant contributions to the field of membrane biophysics, including the invention of nanopore sequencing and a hand-held device for genetic sequencing in remote and resource-poor environments.”
Professor Emeritus of Biomolecular Engineering David Deamer was selected by the Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities (ABRF) as the next recipient of the ABRF Award, which recognizes Outstanding Contributions to Biomolecular Technologies.
Deamer received a Drake Award from the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute.
Face Jumping, a new virtual reality (VR) experience was co-created by UC Santa Cruz Assistant Teaching Professor of Computational Media Samantha Gorman. After debuting at South by Southwest (SXSW) 2025, Face Jumping won the conference’s XR Experience audience award among the 15 creators working at the intersection of technology and immersive art who participated in the XR Experience competition.
UC Santa Cruz undergraduate students and siblings Guy Haiby (B.S., Computer Game Design) and Roee Haiby (B.S., Computer Science) received an honorable mention in the competitive National Football League (NFL) Big Data Bowl for their project Decoding Audibles: Leveraging Pre-Snap Signals.
Magy Seif El-Nasr, professor and chair of the Department of Computational Media, has been named a 2024 ACM Distinguished member, which recognizes her significant achievements in computing beyond the norm. The ACM Distinguished Member designation is highly selective, with recipients chosen for their exceptional technical accomplishments and dedicated community service within the profession.
Colleen Josephson, professor of electrical and computer engineering, received a UCSC Engineering Award honoring her significant contributions to the university as leader and advocate for women in engineering. The award celebrates Women’s History Month in March.
Josephson was recognized in the Fierce Electronics 40 Under 40 category, which recognizes individuals under 40 who are driving advancements in technology, pushing boundaries and shaping the future of electronics with their creativity, expertise and impact.
Computer Science Ph.D. student Eric Vin was selected as an Outstanding Student of the Year for the Department of Transportation’s University Transportation Centers. Vin’s work is focused on the verification and analysis of cyber-physical systems, such as automobiles and aircraft. He has extended the Scenic probabilistic programming language to enable new applications and domains, and to move it from a tool capable of testing and analysis towards being a full verification framework. Vin is advised by Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering Daniel Fremont.
Professor of Computer Science and Engineering Luca de Alfaro was selected a 2024 fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), one of the most prestigious recognitions in the computing field.
Naomi Rehman, a fourth year computer science and computer engineering undergraduate student, received an honorable mention for the CRA Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher award. This award recognizes undergraduate students across North America who demonstrate outstanding research potential in computing. Rehman is advised by Associate Professors of Computer Science and Engineering Heiner Litz and Tyler Sorensen.
