Why did you choose Mānoa?

I chose to come to the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM) mainly to stay close to home. As I began to adapt to college life as a freshman, I started to realize that civil engineering has a community itself where the College of Engineering (CoE) and local companies work together. With this strong community of civil engineering, I feel the CoE provided me with the technical skills that I needed in order to prepare me to network with professionals and work in Hawaii.

What opportunities have you had while at Mānoa? 

Throughout my time at UHM, most of my professional, leadership, networking skills, and technical development came through my time in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Student Chapter and Chi Epsilon (XE). One of the most significant projects I was apart of was Concrete Canoe. I started as a team member as a freshman and became the Project Manager as a junior. During my time in Concrete Canoe we were able to go to Nationals for UHM's first time in person in almost 20 years! This year, I was apart of the Prestress Mini-beam  competition where the team used skills taught in CEE485 to get 1st place while I also lead the Construction Institute team where we used skills from our project management class CEE472. During my time in these student chapters, I served in multiple leadership roles, some being the UHM Student Chapter President (2025-2026) and the UHM Student Chapter Treasurer (2024-2025).

What engineering organizations are you involved in? 

I’m most involved in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), but I am also involved in Chi Epsilon (XE) as the Fundraising Chair and the Engineers’ Council at the University of Hawaii (ECUH) Representative. I joined ASCE in my freshman year, and Chi Epsilon in the fall semester of my junior year.

How has Mānoa prepared you to work in the industry? 

Manoa offers events such as the Career Expo and networking opportunities with company informational sessions. Student organizations like ASCE and XE have close connections with industry professionals that allow students to directly interact with them through field trips, networking events, and guest speakers. These events have taught me about the different pathways in civil engineering and created many of my connections and networking opportunities that I have today. 

How has Mānoa prepared you to work successfully on a team? 

Adding on to the senior design projects and labs that are integrated in the engineering curriculum, there are also opportunities to work on teams outside of coursework with student-led organizations. I gained most of my experience working within project groups and leadership groups in both ASCE and XE. Through these, I’ve learned techniques to delegate tasks, budget for events, communicate ideas, run efficient meetings, and many more.

Any advice or words of encouragement for incoming first-year engineering students

Have fun! It may be stressful and overwhelming at times, but UHM provides its students with  many opportunities outside of class through office hours, student clubs, or networking opportunities. Finally, join student projects/clubs early! All of the clubs that the CoE offers wants you to join as early as possible. Starting early will jumpstart your career and find the people you will be working with throughout your college career. 

Why did you choose Mānoa?

I chose UH Mānoa because the school offers a broad range of engineering disciplines, allowing students to explore and develop expertise in their chosen area of interest. There are also many opportunities to build your professional network, and I knew I was interested in making a difference in our own community when I graduated. At first, I didn’t know exactly what type of engineering I was interested in-- but through the years of taking classes, meeting classmates, and speaking to professors, I found my path in Electrical Engineering. Getting involved in opportunities within my chosen field has truly been the most exciting part of my college experience!

What opportunities have you had while at Mānoa? 

A great opportunity I had as an underclassman was taking part in a summer program led by the Native Hawaiian Science & Engineering Mentorship Program (NHSEMP) at UH Mānoa. This was an excellent first internship experience: I had great mentors who taught me a lot about circuits, programming, and PCB design, and I got to present the project at a symposium at UH Mānoa at the end of the summer. As an upperclassman, I enjoyed working at Hawai'i Natural Energy Institute (HNEI), a research unit of the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) at UH Mānoa. This opportunity gave me the chance to see what it’s like to work in a professional engineering work environment. While working here, my supervisor and I published our research, and I even got to speak at an international conference which felt like a once in a lifetime experience! 

In the College of Engineering, there are many Vertically Integrated Projects to join that give you the opportunity to work with a team of undergraduate and graduate students, with the guidance of a faculty mentor. For my capstone design project, I joined the Smart Campus Energy Lab and found that it was a great way to get out of the classroom and have a hands-on learning experience with electronics. I learned a lot about PCB design, building circuits, and the relationship between the software and hardware that we used. During my experience I also got to know my fellow classmates better which was a lot of fun!

What engineering organizations are you involved in? 

I’m involved with Eta Kappa Nu (HKN) which is an International Honor Society club at UH Mānoa for Electrical and Computer Engineering students. We tutor underclassmen in electrical engineering courses and also participate in community service activities.

How has Mānoa prepared you to work in the industry? 

UH Mānoa prepared me to work in the industry in many different ways. The curriculum gave me a great foundation, and there are many knowledgeable professors to learn from. Speaking to professors, having an engineering related internship, and working on projects with other students taught me how to communicate and problem solve in a professional manner. The College of Engineering regularly hosts events with guest speakers from the industry, and network opportunities to meet with recruiters from engineering companies. There is also a College of Engineering Career Fair that is held every semester which gives students the opportunity to meet face-to-face with recruiters whether you’re interested in a summer internship or a career after graduation. Personally, this event really helped me since meeting a recruiter in-person is much more valuable than just submitting an application online. Also, the Mānoa Career Center offers career workshops every semester for resume building and interview preparation. 

How has Mānoa prepared you to work successfully on a team? 

At UH Mānoa, there were many lab courses and upper-level project based courses where I was required to work in group projects. I personally enjoyed ECE438: Renewable Energy, and ECE480: Introduction to Biomedical and Clinical Engineering in which our groups were tasked with creating a design for a renewable energy power system and a medical instrumentation device. Being involved in a VIP project was also a great way to learn how to work in a group setting with other students. I learned that it takes practice, patience, and the ability to adapt in order to work with different group dynamics, but it can be rewarding when you and your teammates bring your unique strengths and perspectives to the project!

Any advice or words of encouragement for incoming first-year engineering students

There are many different recipes for success! Be open to different solutions to help yourself achieve the goals that you have, especially if that means getting out of your comfort zone and finding the courage to network with other students, faculty, and potential employers. Be kind to yourself and to your other classmates. Also, accountability is important but don’t turn it into self-limiting beliefs about yourself. The most important thing is to get back up and keep going!

Why did you choose Mānoa?

As a student from Mexico, I knew I wanted two things: to study engineering and to study abroad. I applied to several universities and was close to making my decision, but when I was accepted to UH Mānoa and learned more about the engineering program and faculty, I knew it was the right choice. What stood out to me early on was how accessible and supportive the community was. Even before starting, I was able to connect with advisors and students, which showed me how open everyone is to helping one another succeed. Being part of Mānoa Engineering has opened so many doors for me, from getting involved in research to learning from incredible faculty, and I wouldn’t change my decision for anything.

What opportunities have you had while at Mānoa? 

I began doing research as a freshman in the Nanosystems Group with Professor Joseph Brown as a VIP student, and later continued in the Murmann Group, focusing on mixed-signal integrated circuit design under Professor Boris Murmann. These experiences helped me discover my passion for circuit design and inspired me to pursue a graduate degree.

Beyond research, I was also involved in the Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (PACE), where I started as a PACE Leader Associate and later became the Director of the Calvin Shindo Student Venture Fund. Each of these opportunities pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me grow both personally and professionally.

What engineering organizations are you involved in? 

Throughout my college journey I was involved in several engineering organizations, including: IEEE as the webmaster, Eta Kappa Nu (HKN) as the treasurer, the Solid-State Circuits Society (SSCS), and the Engineering Council at UH (ECUH).

How has Mānoa prepared you to work in the industry? 

UH Mānoa provides many opportunities, such as research, VIP projects, student organizations, and industry events, that are easily accessible to students. Through these experiences, I’ve been able to connect with industry professionals who have shared valuable insights and advice. Additionally, my research experience has helped me develop technical skills and problem-solving abilities that are directly applicable to real-world engineering challenges.

How has Mānoa prepared you to work successfully on a team? 

Being part of research groups and working on team-based class projects has helped me develop strong communication and collaboration skills. I’ve learned how to manage time effectively, share ideas clearly, and work with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. These experiences have shown me the importance of teamwork in engineering and prepared me to contribute effectively in group settings.

Any advice or words of encouragement for incoming first-year engineering students

College offers so many opportunities to explore your interests, even ones you may not have considered before. My advice is to take full advantage of that. Join clubs, attend events, take classes outside your major, and stay open to meeting new people. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, as those experiences are often the ones with the most growth and can help you discover what you’re truly passionate about.