UCSB engineering team receives inaugural award to design reusable systems for spacecraft returning to Earth.
College of Engineering News
UC Santa Barbara engineering faculty members (from left) Daniel Oropeza and Yangying Zhu recently received an award from the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities (HSRU) to investigate a reusable thermal protection system that could protect Earth-bound spacecraft from the heat of re-entry. Photo credit: Lilli Walker
Sep 14, 2026
Fifteen current students received 2026-27 National Science Graduate Research Fellowships, including (top row, l to r) Christopher Koh, Keyes Eames, Naomi Rehman, Ethan Chen, Trevor Hagan (middle row, l to r) Rohil Shah, Roenigk Straub, Karlee Macaw, Ben Kunimoto, Roland Yin; (bottom row, l to r) Anika Jena, Ava Salami, Conor Puglsey, Andres Torres, Christopher Xu
Apr 19, 2026
Nearly thirty students and alumni received one of STEM’s most competitive honors, a fellowship worth up to $159,000.
Katja Seltmann and Dan Oropeza are just two of the many researchers in multiple disciplines whose work will benefit from the new microCT instrument.
Mar 26, 2025
The new microCT machine fits right into the longstanding UCSB tradition of multidisciplinary sharing of important instruments.
Daniel Oropeza, assistant professor of materials at UC Santa Barbara
Oct 21, 2024
UCSB materials assistant professor Daniel Oropeza receives a prestigious $1 million grant to pursue research on ultra-high-temperature ceramics.
Lucas Erich, a materials PhD student at UCSB, received a prestigious NASA Fellowship connected to making a mission to Mars feasible.
Sep 18, 2024
Lucas Erich will pursue research connected to making a mission to Mars feasible.
Materials assistant professor Daniel Oropeza (far right) and his research group (left to right) Anthony Botros, Lucas Erich, and Logan Winston.
Sep 09, 2024
A UC Santa Barbara materials professor receives a junior-faculty award from his peers and a Navy research grant.