UC DAVIS COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING - Key Persons


Aaron Anderson

Job Titles:
  • Director, Student Startup Center

Alba Alfonso García

Job Titles:
  • Biomedical Engineering / Meet This Expert

Amit Kanvinde

Job Titles:
  • Associate Dean
  • Member of Awards Committee
  • Associate Dean of Academic Personnel and Planning
  • Ex Officio
Amit Kanvinde is responsible for the overall area of academic personnel and planning. In this role, he oversees academic merits and promotions for the College of Engineering. He is also responsible for new appointments and reappointments of academic personnel. Finally, he oversees planning and search processes for faculty hiring. Kanvinde joined UC Davis in 2004 after earning his M.S. and Ph.D. from Stanford University. He led the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering as chair from 2015-2020 during a period of significant faculty hiring that resulted in greater diversity. Kanvinde's research focuses on the seismic response of steel buildings, and recent projects have developed methods to assess the fracture risk of existing buildings along with technologies for highly deformable structural connections for new buildings. He is the author or co-author of more than 70 peer-reviewed articles and is well-recognized for his research. Kanvinde has been awarded the American Society of Civil Engineers' Norman Medal (2008), Walter Huber Research Prize (2016) and State of the Art of Civil Engineering Award (2018), as well as the American Institute of Steel Construction's Special Achievement (2017) and T.R. Higgins Lectureship (2022) awards. In 2017, Kanvinde was selected by the National Academy of Engineering as one of "the nation's brightest young engineers" to participate in their Frontiers of Engineering program. Education and Degree(s) Ph.D. (2004), MS (2000), Stanford University

Ammy Martinez

Job Titles:
  • Dean
  • Executive Assistant

Andre Daccache

Job Titles:
  • Biological and Agricultural Engineering / Meet This Expert

Andrea Abrahamson


Andrew Cones


Austin Brown

Job Titles:
  • Civil and Environmental

Bevan M. Baas

Job Titles:
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering / Meet This Expert

Brenda Luis


Camli Badrya

Job Titles:
  • Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering / Meet This Expert

Cammie Pugh

Job Titles:
  • Contracts and Grants Manager, Biomedical

Casey De Finnda

Job Titles:
  • Civil and Environmental

CeCelia Coyle

Job Titles:
  • Research Administrator, Civil and Environmental

Chen-Nee Chuah

Job Titles:
  • Member of Awards Committee
  • Electrical and Computer
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering / Meet This Expert

Chris Le

Job Titles:
  • Clinical Counselor

Christa Oldfield

Job Titles:
  • Research Administrator, Computer Science

Colleen E. Bronner

Job Titles:
  • Chairman of the Committee
  • Civil and Environmental
  • Faculty Co - Chair / Civil & Environmental

Corwin Green


Craig Patterson

Job Titles:
  • Contracts and Grants Analyst, Biomedical

Cristina E. Davis

Job Titles:
  • Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering / Meet This Expert

David Block

Job Titles:
  • Chemical Engineering / Meet This Expert

David Lee

Job Titles:
  • Contracts and Grants Analyst, Electrical and Computer

David S. Doty

Job Titles:
  • Computer Science / Meet This Expert

Dean Richard L. Corsi

Job Titles:
  • Dean
  • Administrative Head of the College of Engineering and Oversees
  • Ex - Officio / Engineering Dean
Dean Richard L. Corsi serves as the administrative head of the College of Engineering and oversees all its teaching, research and service activities, personnel, facilities and funding resources.

Elissa Roeser

Job Titles:
  • Professor and Associate Dean for Research

Elsa Rojas Perez

Job Titles:
  • Staff Advisor / Engineering Dean

Emma Wong


Fabian A. Bombardelli

Job Titles:
  • Civil and Environmental

Francis F. Assadian

Job Titles:
  • Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering / Meet This Expert

Franklin Rodas


Gail Bornhorst

Job Titles:
  • Biological and Agricultural Engineering / Meet This Expert

Geoff Murry


George R. Branner

Job Titles:
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering / Meet This Expert

Gregory F. Zebouni

Job Titles:
  • Research Administrator, Chemical Engineering Material Science and Engineering

Hao Chen

Job Titles:
  • Computer Science / Meet This Expert

Harry H. Cheng

Job Titles:
  • Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering / Meet This Expert

Heather Bischel

Job Titles:
  • Civil and Environmental

Helen Mondia

Job Titles:
  • Student Advising Assistant

Holly Oldroyd

Job Titles:
  • Civil and Environmental

Ileana Oseguera


Janette Gonzalez


Jason Dejong

Job Titles:
  • Civil and Environmental

Javier Gutierrez

Job Titles:
  • Academic Advisor

Jean-Pierre R. Delplanque

Job Titles:
  • Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering / Meet This Expert

Jeanette Cobian-Iñiguez

Job Titles:
  • Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering / Meet This Expert

Jeannie Darby

Job Titles:
  • Civil and Environmental

Jeffery C. Gibeling

Job Titles:
  • Master 's Thesis Excellence Award

Jennifer H. Choi

Job Titles:
  • Biomedical Engineering / Meet This Expert

Jennifer S. Curtis

Job Titles:
  • Member of Awards Committee
  • Chemical Engineering / Meet This Expert
  • Civil and Environmental

Jessica Rodriguez

Job Titles:
  • AHMCT Research Center, Mechanical and Aerospace

Joe Clifford


John E. Bolander

Job Titles:
  • Civil and Environmental

John M. Boone

Job Titles:
  • Biomedical Engineering / Meet This Expert

Jonathan Martinez

Job Titles:
  • Academic Advisor

Joël Porquet-Lupine

Job Titles:
  • Staff Member

Julia Fan

Job Titles:
  • Member of Awards Committee

Kanchan Kaushal

Job Titles:
  • Dean 's Office, Information Technology

Kari Gage


Keith Bein

Job Titles:
  • Associate Professional Researcher at UC Davis' Air Quality Research Center
Bein is an associate professional researcher at UC Davis' Air Quality Research Center. His work is helping us better understand the impacts of wildfire smoke on air quality and health. When a megafire takes hold in California, he loads up his mobile research lab and heads to the smoke, entering what can be at times the planet's worst air quality, so he can sample it.

Kemper Hall


Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar

Job Titles:
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering / Meet This Expert

Kurt P. Eiselt

Job Titles:
  • Computer Science
  • Computer Science / Meet This Expert

Lauren Worrell

Job Titles:
  • Civil and Environmental

Lee Weathers-Miguel

Job Titles:
  • LEADR Program Advisor

Letia Graening

Job Titles:
  • Director of Advising and Policy for the College
Letia currently serves as the Director of Advising and Policy for the College of Engineering. Prior to this, Letia served as the Assistant Director of International Academic Advising in the College of Letters and Science, as well as one of the International Academic Advisors. Letia also previously served as the Undergraduate Program Coordinator in the Department of Mathematics. Education and Degree(s) Bachelor of Arts, Communication and Professional Writing, Southern New Hampshire University Master of Arts, Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies, California State University - Sacramento

Lijuan Cheng

Job Titles:
  • Civil and Environmental

Lili Mirshahzadeh

Job Titles:
  • Academic Advisor

Lisa Hayes

Job Titles:
  • Contracts and Grants Analyst, Chemical Engineering Material Science and Engineering

Luis Eduardo Contreras Llano

Job Titles:
  • Biomedical

Maria Horan

Job Titles:
  • Contracts and Grants Analyst, Biomedical

Marina Leite

Job Titles:
  • Materials Science and

Mason Earles

Job Titles:
  • Biological and Agricultural Engineering / Meet This Expert

Matt Ellis

Job Titles:
  • Chemical Engineering / Meet This Expert

Matthew A. Bishop

Job Titles:
  • Computer Science / Meet This Expert

Maureen Ramirez

Job Titles:
  • Grants and Contracts Analyst, Computer Science

Meghan Kuroda

Job Titles:
  • Academic Advisor
  • Dean 's Office, Undergraduate Studies
Meghan is committed to advising students on how to achieve and advance their educational engineering goals. She aims to support and advocate for students, as well as connect them to resources to best empower and prepare them all for success. Has held various roles in the realm of higher education with well over a decade of experience. Prior to joining the UC Davis Aggie community, she worked as the Assistant Director of Fellowship Advising and Study Abroad at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, CA. Education and Degree(s) B.A. Global Studies, UC Santa Barbara M.S. Higher Education Administration, National University Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Certificate, Cornell University

Michael Kleeman - Chairman

Job Titles:
  • Chairman

Michele Barbato

Job Titles:
  • Civil and Environmental

Molly Bechtel

Job Titles:
  • Dean 's Office, Marketing and Communications

Muhao Chen

Job Titles:
  • Computer Science / Meet This Expert

Nael El-Farra

Job Titles:
  • Chemical Engineering / Meet This Expert

Nesrin Sarigul-Klijn

Job Titles:
  • Member of Awards Committee
  • Mechanical and Aerospace

Nora Abdo

Job Titles:
  • Human Resources Analyst
  • Dean 's Office, Administration and Finance

Norman Abrahamson

Job Titles:
  • Civil and Environmental

Olivia Dally

Job Titles:
  • Academic Personnel Analyst

Parinita Kumari

Job Titles:
  • Computer Science

Pascal Gonzalez

Job Titles:
  • Academic Advisor

Paul A. Erickson

Job Titles:
  • Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering / Meet This Expert

Penny Schafer

Job Titles:
  • Human Resources Business Partner

Prosper Godonoo

Job Titles:
  • Executive Assistant Dean for Administration and Finance

Rachael Rubinato

Job Titles:
  • Finance Officer, Mechanical and Aerospace

Rachel LeBrett

Job Titles:
  • Civil and Environmental

Rajeevan Amirtharajah

Job Titles:
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering / Meet This Expert

Ralph Curtis Aldredge

Job Titles:
  • Executive Associate Dean and Associate Dean

Ramsey Badawi

Job Titles:
  • Biomedical Engineering / Meet This Expert

Ricardo H. R. Castro

Job Titles:
  • Materials Science and

Rita Reber

Job Titles:
  • Financial Analyst, Chemical Engineering Material Science and Engineering

Ryan Gorsiski


Sam King

Job Titles:
  • Computer Science

Sara Sweeney

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Director of Advising and Policy

Setareh Rafatirad

Job Titles:
  • Staff Member

Shadaya Litt

Job Titles:
  • Academic Advisor

Shamim Ahamed

Job Titles:
  • Fellow
  • Content

Sharon Aviran

Job Titles:
  • Biomedical Engineering / Meet This Expert

Shirley Ahn

Job Titles:
  • Chemical Engineering / Meet This Expert
The Ahn lab aims to investigate important biological systems and phenomena on an atomistic scale using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and develop enhanced sampling methods for MD simulations. Specifically, they look at various systems, from proteins to nanocrystals, using the weighted ensemble (WE) method to sample atomistic pathways and mechanisms efficiently. They also develop methods for WE to make it state-of-the-art, focusing on kinetic sampling. Moreover, the group works on computer-aided drug discovery or virtual screening for tuberculosis and other diseases that direly need better or new drugs and treatments.

Soichiro Yamada

Job Titles:
  • Member of Awards Committee

Stephanie R. Dungan

Job Titles:
  • Chemical Engineering / Meet This Expert

Steven Lucero

Job Titles:
  • Tech Foundry Director

Vanessa Alvarez

Job Titles:
  • LEADR Program Advisor
Bio Vanessa has served in various academic advising capacities at UC Davis, she is currently working as one of the LEADR Program Advisors in the College of Engineering. In this role she provides holistic academic advising and mentorship to students in the program. She is committed to helping students achieve their highest potential. Education and Degree(s) Vanessa holds a B.A. degree from Saint Mary's College (CA) in Sociology with a Spanish Minor and an M.A. in Higher Education Leadership from California State University, Sacramento.

Venkatesh Akella

Job Titles:
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering / Meet This Expert

Vicki Gracia

Job Titles:
  • Business Office Manager, Mechanical and Aerospace

Yayoi Takamura

Job Titles:
  • Member of Awards Committee
  • Materials Science and

Yesenia Cervantes-Tucker

Job Titles:
  • Chairman of the Committee
  • Co - Chair / Dean
  • Director, Undergraduate Retention Programs

Yong Duan

Job Titles:
  • Biomedical Engineering / Meet This Expert

Yubei Chen

Job Titles:
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering / Meet This Expert

Yuk H. Chai

Job Titles:
  • Civil and Environmental

Zhaojun Bai

Job Titles:
  • Computer Science / Meet This Expert

Zhi Ding

Job Titles:
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering / Meet This Expert