eGSA Panels

The eGSA is the Engineering Graduate Student Association of UCLA. Attending these panels will give SURP scholars the opportunity to ask any and all questions regarding graduate school. 

Wednesday, July 16th | 9:00-10:30am 

Engineering IV Building: Shannon Room (Room 54-134)

The purpose of the first panel is to provide students with an experienced perspective about the Maximizing a Summer Program: Ramping up Research. Our hope is for experienced graduate students to share their insights about research labs and provide students with some tips to onboarding in a research lab. 

Panelists: 

• Samantha Herman, 1st year Ph.D. student, Mechanical Engineering, Anatomical Engineering Group, Dr Tyler Clites, Alma mater: Physics at UC Santa Barbara, Hometown at Redondo Beach, California,    

• Fadhel Alsaffar, 5th year Ph.D. student, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Materials Degradation Characterization Laboratory, Dr Ajit Mal, Alma mater: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Hometown at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia,     https://www.linkedin.com/in/fadhel-alsaffar-4616508a/

• Michael Rose,  4th year Ph.D. student, Mechanical Engineering, Anatomical Engineering Group, Dr Tyler Clites, Alma mater: Mechanical Engineering at University of Michigan, Hometown at Grosse Pointe, Michigan,         https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-rose-03a741147/

• Laqshya Taneja,  5th year PhD student, Mechanical Engineering, Cybernetic Control Laboratory, Dr. Tetsuya Iwasaki, Alma mater: UC Berkeley, Hometown at Tracy, California,         https://www.linkedin.com/in/laqshyataneja/

• Ana Brendel,  3rd year Ph.D. student, Computer Science, PLSE lab , Dr Todd Millstein, Alma mater: University of Texas at Austin, Hometown at Fair Haven, New Jersey,         https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-brendel/

Friday, August 2nd | 9:00-10:30 am 

Engineering IV Building: Shannon Room (Room 54-134)

The purpose of the second panel is to provide students with an experienced perspective about the struggles students may encounter while conducting research. Our hope is for experience graduate students to share their insights about what factors make research labs welcoming and supportive and to provide students with some tips to overcoming issues that may arise in their research lab. 

Panelists: 

• Tristan Melton, Ph.D., Electrical Engineering. Alma mater: Electrical and Computer Engineering at UCLA. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tristanmelton/

• Jeong Min Kong, 2nd year Ph.D. student, Electrical Engineering. Alma mater: University of Toronto. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeongminkong/

• Greg Sercel, 3rd year Ph.D. student, Electrical Engineering. Alma mater: Caltech. https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-sercel-804a8a239/

Tuesday, August 25th | 9:00-10:30 am 

Engineering IV Building: Shannon Room (Room 54-134)

The purpose of the third panel is to provide students with an experienced perspective about making the decision to continue doing research in a Masters or Ph.D. program. Graduate students will discuss the factors they considered when deciding on pursuing higher education. Panelists will also share how they choose degree majors, schools, and faculty advisors. Panelists will share some of the logistical best practices to applying to graduate school. Finally, graduate students will share their goals for what they hope to do after they complete their degree.

Panelists: 

• Guorui (Gary) Chen, 5th year Ph.D. Bioengineering

• Zachary Wong, 3rd year Ph.D. student, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering  

• Cameron Schultz, 1st year Ph.D. student, Civil & Environmental Engineering

• Caitlyn Fick  5th year Ph.D. Chemical Engineering 

• Dr. Mozakkar Hossain, 2nd Year Post-Doctorate Program, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering