Voices of Baskin
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Computer science undergrad Sarone Kelete lands internship at LinkedIn
Baskin Engineering undergraduate Sarone Kelete is a third-year computer science major and deeply involved at UC Santa Cruz. Using skills learned in Baskin Engineering courses, Kelete secured an internship with LinkedIn in summer 2025.
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How Kamran Hussain is using AI to study the electrical activity of neurons
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.
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Finding community and mentoring the next generation of engineers with Salma Qadiri
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).
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Launching success: Qingyuan Cao secures dream internship with SpaceX
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.
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How Katia Avila Pinedo is inspiring underrepresented students in STEM
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.
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Akshat Sharma’s TesPhase project provides an innovative sustainable energy option for charging electric vehicles
Akshat Sharma is a rising second-year computer science student at the Baskin School of Engineering. This summer, he built a system that balances and redirects excess solar energy power to charge electric vehicles, called TesPhase. His short term goals while studying at Baskin Engineering include improving upon TesPhase’s technology, conducting AI research on campus, and…
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Joseph Cruz wins three awards for his universal flu vaccine research
Joseph Cruz, one of our outstanding 25th class of Baskin School of Engineering graduates, transferred to UC Santa Cruz in 2020 from Mt. San Antonio College in southern California. As a Baskin Engineering student, he conducted universal flu vaccine development research with Professor Rebecca DuBois. He recently received the Chancellor’s Award, Dean’s Award, and Steck…
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Manikantanagasai (Mani) Illuri: Applying technology for social good
Manikantanagasai (Mani) Illuri just completed his first year at UC Santa Cruz. While in high school, he took several courses at a community college to stay ahead and better prepare for a major in computer science. In his free time, Mani has been developing a social media platform that connects senior citizens to teens in…
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Research, clubs, and programs: Shreedhar Jangagm pursues his passions at Baskin Engineering
Shreedhar Jangam is a first-year computer science student at the Baskin School of Engineering. Before he began his studies at UC Santa Cruz, he was working on a machine learning research project with a professor from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), which will soon turn into his first publication. Shreedhar, an Eagle Scout,…
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Slug Competitive Programming Club President Nhan Nguyen is creating an inclusive and supportive space for students interested in competitive programming
Nhan Nguyen is an international, second-year computer game design student and founder and president of the Slug Competitive Programming (SlugCP) Club. He’s been heavily involved in competitive programming and led the efforts, under the mentorship of Distinguished Professor Darrell Long, in establishing UCSC student presence at the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC). After graduation, Nhan…
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Maryam Siddiqui blends her twin passions of coding and making music
With a major in computer science and minor in electronic music, undergraduate student Maryam Siddiqui is blending her twin passions of coding and making music. Maryam has enjoyed her two internships in web application development, where she was able to enhance her web coding skills. After graduating this spring, she’ll start a full-time role at…
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Vince Dinh: Committed to giving back to the community
Vince Dinh is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in computer science and business management economics. As someone who is passionate about giving back to the community, Vince has been a member of the co-ed service-based fraternity Alpha Phi Omega since freshman year. To learn more about the computer science field and expand his skillset, he…