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What if there was a way to strengthen our understanding of the impact football players undergo? Or, to create elderly protective gear that alerts help upon a fall? What if we could produce a smart spacesuit material that monitors force and shields astronauts? Our engineers are creating an advanced sensing technology with a lightweight, organic material (cuttlefish bone) to 3D print and advance body protection gear with alarm systems and data collection capabilities built in.

A major gift to the Cai Li and Daniel Haiming Chang Center for Electric Drive Transportation will support research and development in electric and hybrid automotive technologies. Led by Distinguished Professor Chris Mi, the center was renamed in a Dec. 11 ceremony.

Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, Joseph Katz has earned the AIAA San Diego Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding dedication and passion for his work. Over the past four decades of his career, he has positively influenced the fields of aerospace, aerodynamics, and mechanical engineering disciplines. From his research on fluid mechanics, combustion engines, and passenger car safety, to aviation piston engine cooling, transonic wings, and so much more, Katz has played pivotal roles in advancing the machinery and technology that we use in the modern world.

In an October 2023 Stanford University study, three San Diego State University aerospace engineering faculty members ― professors Ping Lu, Luciano Demasi, and Joseph Katz ― ranked in the top 2% of aerospace and aeronautics authors worldwide.

Christine Probett (‘85, ‘87, ‘97) has established the C&C Probett Excellence in Aerospace Endowed Fund for Senior Design Projects in honor of her late husband, Chris Probett, who also led a successful engineering career. Her gift will offer engineering students access to resources necessary to excel in the Senior Design Course, currently led by Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Joseph Katz. Fundamental for every senior to complete, the course provides students with the communication and presentation skills that give engineers a competitive edge.

When Joe Kiani first enrolled at San Diego State University he was typically the youngest (15) kid in the room. That was rarely a hindrance for the student who immigrated from Iran, now CEO of a medical technology company and a presidential adviser, but the same can’t be said for his original plan for his education. “I wanted to be a doctor but I realized quickly I wasn’t good at chemistry,” Kiani said in remarks Thursday morning at the President’s Lecture Series at Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union. “Fortunately I was good at physics, it came naturally to me.”

As a two-time alumna of San Diego State University, a staff member for over three decades, and a dedicated donor, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Theresa Garcia ('91, '09) has demonstrated steady support for College of Engineering students. Beginning her career with the Math, Engineering, and Science Achievement (MESA) program in 1991, Garcia was surrounded by students who were interested in STEM but had yet to realize their path forward.That’s when she became passionate about helping students identify their dreams. When Garcia became director of MESA in 1997, she began giving back to the college every month through the payroll deduction program.

Ignacio Sepúlveda Oyarzun, assistant professor at San Diego State University’s College of Engineering, and his team invented a dynamic tsunami modeling system that will enable researchers to significantly advance warning methods to save lives and mitigate the cost of damage in oceanfront areas. Through the creation of the new instrument, Sepúlveda found that planetary winds play a critical role in the formation of tsunamis — something that has never been proven before.

This award recognizes members of TMS who are qualified for elevation to the Class of Fellow by reason of outstanding contributions to the practice of metallurgy, materials science, and technology. The award includes a life membership to TMS and is considered a pinnacle award. The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS) is a professional society that connects minerals, metals, and materials scientists and engineers who work in industry, academia, and government positions around the world. We create networking, publication, and professional development opportunities by convening international conferences, publishing books and journals, administering awards, conducting short courses and training, and bringing together the professional community to address issues of common concern. We also provide leadership in the professional licensing of engineers and in the accreditation of university programs in metallurgical, materials, and similarly named engineering programs.

Theresa M. Garcia, a first-generation college student and SDSU Aztec for life, with more than 30 years of supporting students in STEM, will be this year’s Ray Landis Impact Award winner.