"Graduating seniors in each undergraduate degree program in UC Santa Barbara’s College of Engineering select one Outstanding Faculty Award recipient every spring. The Outstanding Faculty for the Class of 2025 are Michael Gordon (chemical engineering), Yoga Isukapalli (computer engineering), Ziad Matni (computer science), Andrew Teel (electrical engineering), and Matthew Begley (mechanical engineering). Two of the five awardees — Begley and Matni — are first-time recipients of the accolade. Here is what the recipients had to say about being recognized.

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Michael Gordon, a professor in and chair of the Chemical Engineering Department, has been selected by the class of 2025 as the recipient of the Outstanding Chemical Engineering Faculty Award. This is the eighth time that graduating seniors have honored Gordon with the recognition. 

Being selected by the students is one of the most meaningful honors I could receive,” said Gordon. “Teaching is more than sharing knowledge; it's about building trust, encouraging growth, and being present for both the challenges and successes of our students. To know that my efforts have resonated with them and that I’ve made a difference in their educational journey is incredibly humbling and deeply fulfilling. I’m truly grateful for the chance to have been part of their learning and their lives.”

Gordon said that the graduates have come a long way since he first had them as sophomores in Materials and Energy and Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics. 

“They have gone far beyond those early days to become thinkers who can model complexity, engineers who can design with purpose, and teammates who know that collaboration is the key to solving hard problems and making the world a better place,” said Gordon, who also advised students to take a moment to appreciate their journeys. “Chemical engineering is no easy path — it demands discipline, resilience, and a sharp mind. You’ve solved problems that once seemed impossible, balanced theory with practicality, and developed a mindset that sees complexity as opportunity. Your education has given you more than equations and unit operations. It’s taught you how to think critically, to adapt, to collaborate, and to persist. These skills will serve you well, no matter where your path leads. Enjoy the journey forward.”
 
COMPUTER ENGINEERING 
For the seventh year in a row, graduating seniors selected Yoga Isukapalli for the Outstanding Computer Engineering Faculty Award. Isukapalli joined UCSB’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Department as a tenure-track teaching professor in winter 2017, after several years working as a staff scientist in the Wi-Fi division at Broadcom, a semiconductor manufacturing company. 

“Receiving this award from graduating computer engineering seniors motivates me to keep improving my teaching,” said Isukapalli, who also received the university’s 2020-‘21 Distinguished Teaching Award from the Academic Senate. 

Isukapalli’s primary role is running the undergraduate capstone program for the Computer Engineering Program. The projects are focused on developing students into professionals by pairing them with industry or academic experts to create an engineered solution for real problems. 

“I have enjoyed seeing them mature as professional engineers,” Isukapalli said. “It is truly rewarding to hear that I have made a positive impact on their growth and development as computer engineers. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to their education journey.”

COMPUTER SCIENCE
Ziad Matni, an assistant teaching professor of computer science, spends most of his time mentoring, teaching, and advising undergraduate students. In addition to teaching undergraduate CS courses, he also serves as co-director of the Undergraduate Learning Assistants Program, and as director and coordinator of the department’s Early Research Scholars Program (ERSP), a year-long research apprenticeship program designed to support students in their first research experience. Matni says that he is thrilled to receive the 2024-’25 Outstanding Computer Science Faculty Award, his first since joining the department as a full-time lecturer three years ago. 

“It means the world to me that our graduating seniors thought of me for this award,” said Matni. “I feel extremely grateful to know that my passion for teaching and mentoring has been recognized directly by them.”

He praised the graduating seniors for their intellectual curiosity and unwavering dedication to learning, and he reminded them that they were among the best and brightest at the University of California. 

“Preserve that innate curiosity of yours as life will always present you with learning opportunities; don’t let them pass you by,” he said. “Use your blend of technical and humanistic skills to build a better, more hopeful world for everyone. Intelligence, technical prowess, and kindness are an incredibly powerful combination. Don’t be afraid of failure: it’s just another lesson. And, last but not least, always cherish your connection to UCSB!!

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Graduating seniors in electrical engineering selected Andrew Teel, a Distinguished Professor of electrical and computer engineering, to receive the 2024-’25 Outstanding Electrical Engineering Faculty Award. Teel, who joined the UCSB faculty in 1997 after five years at the University of Minnesota, previously won the award in 1999.

"The award certainly means a lot more to me this time around, since I now know how unlikely it is to be honored," said Teel, whose research interests include nonlinear dynamical systems and control with application to aerospace and related systems. "Over the last several years, I had begun to believe that my teacher style was no longer appreciated by the latest generation of students. That all changed with the class of 2025."

Teel returned the favor and expressed great appreciation to the graduating seniors. 

"Their enthusiasm for learning inspired me and made teaching a joy again. By the end of the fall quarter, I was convinced that they were the brightest group of undergraduate students I had ever taught," said Teel, who had the following words of wisdom for the class of 2025. "You have incredible talent. Aim high. Expect to accomplish amazing engineering feets. Keep working hard and go achieve greatness. It is within your grasp."

A Fellow of the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Teel has also received the inaugural Donald P. Eckman Award from the American Automatic Control Council, the IFAC  Nonlinear Control Systems Technical Committee’s Achievement Award, and multiple best paper awards.  

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Graduating seniors selected Matthew R. Begley, a professor of mechanical engineering and materials, as the recipient of the 2024’-25 Outstanding Mechanical Engineering Faculty Award.

“I am very honored to win this award, particularly since we have so many phenomenal teachers and mentors in the College of Engineering,” said Begley, a first-time recipient of the award. 

As a researcher, Begley uses modeling and advanced simulations to guide materials development, systems design, and manufacturing. As an instructor, Begley has taught various undergraduate and graduate mechanical engineering courses at UCSB, including a senior design class earlier this year. 

“I was deeply impressed with the dedication and intellectual depth of this class. On top of that, they were a highly personable, enthusiastic group that made it downright fun to be in the classroom,” said Begley, who added a few words of wisdom to the class of 2025. “Celebrate the moment, keep up the hard work, and circle back to UCSB every few years so we get to learn from your experiences.”