UCSB Engineering
Shannon Murphy - Chemical Engineering
Michael Rosengarten - Computer Science
Maximiliano Ramirez Luna - Computer Engineering
Virginia Shields - Mechanical Engineering
Kyle Stewart - Electrical Engineering
Melissa Gross - Computer Science
Antonio Oritz - Chemical Engineering
Eric Martin - Mechanical Engineering
Danielle Morton - Electrical Engineering
Jason Oberg - Computer Engineering
Alina Warner - Chemical Engineering
Christopher Kyle Hall - Computer Science

“The Chemical Engineering Department here understands the impact that we will make when we graduate, so they try very hard to help us succeed.”

Shannon Murphy

Shannon Murphy
Chemical Engineering

Why I chose UCSB
There were a lot of colleges, mostly in California, that I was looking at before choosing UCSB. At first I just wanted to stop by UCSB because it’s a beautiful area, but when I came to UCSB after visiting other campuses, I realized that this campus offered some things that other campuses didn’t. As I walked around, I got the feeling that the students and faculty were truly happy to be here, unlike other campuses, and were very willing to help me out. I also got one-on-one attention with staff advisors and a faculty member during my very first visit, so I was pretty much sold on UCSB after that visit.

Departmental support
My favorite thing about chemical engineering is the endless possibilities that come with such a degree. The Chemical Engineering Department here understands the impact that we will make when we graduate, so they try very hard to help us succeed. I really like that it’s a relatively small department so you get one-on-one contact with your TAs and professors. All of our professors know us by name, and we feel comfortable going into their offices and talking with them. Since the class sizes are small, I know everyone else in my major, so it is easier for us to collaborate on projects. The students and faculty both foster a very comfortable and successful learning environment.

Academic clubs
There are also a lot of different programs that you can become involved with here, such as academic clubs like the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and Tau Beta Pi, the national engineering honor society. I also studied abroad at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland during my junior year. It was one of the most enriching experiences that I’ve had.

Home away from home
Our motto here at UCSB is “work hard, play hard.” It’s a given that you will be working hard as an engineer, and there will be many late nights of programming and studying. But it’s good to know that after all that hard work there is the gorgeous weather and friendly people to relax and have fun with. Having a place like Isla Vista to live in enriches the whole college experience and I feel lucky to live here. I mean, how many people can say that they live on the Pacific Ocean with all of their closest friends less than a mile away?

Related links