Alumni

Benjamin Mahoney

Class of 2021

“I am working for Lam Research (located in Fremont) as a mechanical engineer. My time in EWB taught me how to be accountable to others on projects both big and small, as well as the vital importance of understanding customer needs.”

David Gilbert

Class of 2021

“I’m a Manufacturing Engineer for the Stapling Team at Intuitive Surgical working on sustaining and improving the processes of our current Reload products. EWB taught me that empathy is one of the greatest qualities an engineer, or anyone, can have, and that if you don’t design with the needs of the consumer at the forefront, you’re bound to miss the mark. This was something I could not have picked up in classes alone, and to build on this with learning how to manage team projects for a common goal made EWB one the greatest challenges I took on at SCU. Making an impact on the health and wellness of others has always been a goal of mine, and I’m beyond happy that I could find that in EWB as well as my career.”

Katie Neighbors

Class of 2021

“Since graduating, I have been working in protein engineering for a company called Sutro Biopharma that is developing cancer therapeutics. EWB taught me invaluable skills about engineering problem solving, working and communicating well with others, and human centered design that I use every day. I really think EWB-SCU provides a unique experience and opportunity for Santa Clara undergrads, and I couldn’t be more grateful for everything I learned during my time in the club.”

Morgan Fleshren

Class of 2021

“I am currently working in Reno, NV at GuidedChoice Investment Advice. I’ve been developing our app and website for the past 6 months. My time in EWB helped develop many of my professional skills. For starters, the first role I ever took in EWB was the Webmaster. This allowed me to get familiar with website development, which is a bulk of my daily tasks. I also got to improve my leadership skills by leading our Education ministry, which has already helped me move up within my company and lead major projects even though I’m the newest person here. Lastly, EWB taught me how to embrace and tackle tasks that are outside of my comfort zone. In EWB, I often was not faced with tasks that lined up with my major (Computer Engineering). Being comfortable with the unknown has allowed me to tackle huge tasks at my job that once seemed impossible.”

Darran Casey

Class of 2020

““EWB was a great springboard for me to practice real world problem solving and learn what it means to be an engineer beyond what’s taught in the classroom. I am thankful for having been able to grow as an engineer and a problem solver around like-minded individuals who also sought to better themselves while helping others. The lessons I learned from EWB are invaluable and I am grateful for the opportunities the chapter presented to me. Currently, I am working as an HVAC & Plumbing Mechanical Engineer at AGC Inc. while pursuing my Master’s Degree in Engineering Management from SCU.””

Garrett Nelson

Class of 2020

Megan Sauter

Class of 2020

Andrew Torrance

Class of 2019

“I’m currently a Mechanical Engineer at Auris Health Inc., a surgical robotics company in Redwood City, working on mechanism, actuator, and structures design for the Advanced Development capital equipment systems team. My experience with EWB stimulated my goal to ““engineer with a mission”” and motivated my interest in the medical device industry. Hands-on experience doing CAD and component selection have proven valuable in day-to-day work, but most importantly, the friendships established through EWB will prove vital connections as I continue to navigate my career.”

Jonathan Borst

Class of 2019

I am an NPI Manufacturing Engineer at Intuitive Surgical working to improve the production of robotic-assisted surgical instruments. My involvement in EWB was pivotal to my engineering education and career; working to improve our community’s tile making cooperative showed me the importance of designing with empathy. Improving processes for our community and seeing first hand how my engineering work could improve lives is largely why I decided to go into medical device manufacturing.

Shiyin Lim

Class of 2019

“I am doing a PhD in Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley, with an emphasis in Biomechanics. I’m excited to combine my SCU bioengineering degree with more conventional engineering principles to better understand the human body and I’m looking forward to becoming an interdisciplinary engineer. EWB definitely played a large part in my decision to study mechanical engineering, as my project work exposed me to mechanical design when my classroom studies at SCU did not.”

Adarsh Tantry

Class of 2018

“I am currently a research technician at a Stanford neuroscience lab under Dr. Nirao Shah. I will start my PhD (likely in neuroscience) within the next 2 years. EWB has given me the opportunity to experience, understand, and apply SCU’s motto of ““engineering with a mission””. Traveling to Rwanda in 2016 gave me a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to understand and appreciate the needs of the community while learning about the culture and history of the country. While EWB has not yet made a tangible impact on my career choice, the club has taught me valuable lessons on people-centric engineering that I will forever carry forward.”

Alex Winter

Class of 2018

“I am working as a Mechanical Designer at Zoox, a self-driving car company that is re-inventing transportation for big cities. Because the vehicle is designed from the ground up to be autonomous, the company’s success relies on people who come together every day to push the limits of automotive design, robotics, AI, and manufacturing. EWB was instrumental in preparing me for this cross-functional environment because it was also a diverse team working towards the shared goal of using engineering to positively impact other people’s lives.”

Justyn Li

Class of 2018

“I am a Manufacturing Engineer for New Product Introduction at Intuitive Surgical, a medical device company that assists surgeons in conducting minimally invasive procedures that lead to quicker patient recovery times. For me, one of the most impactful things about EWB was the focus on putting the community first - people first. I am beyond excited to have translated this mission to my career, and look forward to carrying the EWB mindset to my work at the cutting edge of medical devices.”

Uchechukwu Agwu

Class of 2018

“I am currently a Mechanical Engineering Master’s student at Carnegie Mellon University and I research how different lattice structures can be applied to aerospace components. Working with EWB at SCU was so important to my growth as engineer. Not only did it give me the opportunity to aid in creating devices to better aid a community and improve my finite element skills (FEA), but also develop a better understanding of what it means to be an engineer with and for others. I know that this experience will continue to guide me in all the engineering related work I do and I hope to continue working on engineering projects that positively serve communities.”

Jj Galvin

Class of 2017

“I currently work at ACCO Engineered Systems, a mechanical contractor, out of San Francisco. I design and manage HVAC and refrigeration projects across the Bay Area. My experience with EWB taught me how to actively listen to and assess someones problems, then deliver a project that meets the customers needs. I also developed the skills to search for the root of problems and to find long term solutions instead of surface level repairs. I consistently use the same project evaluation process that I learned from the Rwanda projects in my current position.”

Josie Warren

Class of 2017

“I’m currently working as a project planner for Walt Disney Imagineering. EWB provided me the opportunity to get hands on practice with frugal design and machining, travel with the team to Rwanda, and understand the remarkable impact that culture has on the use of a product. The people I met in our community had the greatest effect on my appreciation for Engineers Without Borders. In my work today, I embrace the reminder that the people on the other end of the experience are the primary reason why deliver each new product.”

Meg Ackerson

Class of 2017

“I’m working as an analyst at Arup in San Francisco. I enjoy modeling hazards like earthquakes and floods so that, through understanding their impacts, we can build more resilient structures and communities. EWB cultivated in me a sense of responsibility and love for this planet and its people, which has continued to motivate me in my personal and professional life. The people-driven projects of EWB taught me powerful lessons about the importance of communication in engineering. I’m still inspired by the experiences I had and the people I met through EWB.”

Mohit Nalavadi

Class of 2016

“I am working as a Data Scientist in Berlin. I still carry with me many of the lessons learned from EWB, like being open to improvising solutions when resources are constrained, staying approachable when working with different kinds of people and cultures, and starting any design process with empathizing with the end user. The largest impact however, has been that seeing that my work, even at a young age, can have a significant and measurable positive impact on other people’s lives is an incredible motivating force, even in the seemingly different work I do today.”

Pranav Pradhan

Class of 2016

“I’m currently working as a UX/Product Designer at Vectra AI, a cybersecurity startup in San Jose. Although my role is not related to my major at SCU (mechanical engineering), my experience with EWB gave me a unique perspective on problem solving that helps me in my day to day workflow. I also owe EWB for helping me cultivate my communication and interpersonal skills.”

Ryan Sidley

Class of 2016

“I’m an account manager for Siltronic, a silicon wafer manufacturer. EWB had a major impact on my career trajectory. It gave me confidence to tackle new challenges, solve problems on the fly, and work with people I’ve never met towards a common goal. It also taught me valuable lessons in leadership and humility. I’ll never forget watching the community in Nyange put together our first iteration of the tile press. The joy on their faces as they worked together to assemble the press was nothing short of inspirational. Then, shortly after, when the tile press wasn’t working as planned, the ability of our team to come together, nail down the root cause of the problem, and create a plan to fix the immediate problem is something that I’ll always remember. Working with people who have real life threatening problems, helped give me perspective and remain calm when problems in my day to day life arise.”

Rebecca Barney

Class of 2014

“I am currently a PhD candidate at UC Davis, and I am conducting my research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. I specialize in computational fluid dynamics and heat transfer, currently working on research related to the efficiency of nuclear energy. EWB was a building block in my love of engineering and helping others. Working with EWB allowed me the opportunity to work on a project with a common goal of helping a community through listening, innovating, and communicating. The experience has encouraged me to listen to the true issues at hand and communicate in technical and non-technical manners.”

Theo Schapp

Class of 2013

“I am currently working for Specialized Bicycle Components in Morgan Hill California as a Composites Development Engineer. I work with suppliers all over the world to bring carbon bicycle parts to production. For me EWB was never about the personal experience or executing on a specific task, it was about the energy you can build in a communities around the world showing them what they are personally capable of. EWB has drastically impacted the way I work professionally, how I approach various ethical questions we encounter, how to approach people form diverse backgrounds, and most of all how to organize a team to effectively execute on a common goal.”