Dear UCLA Samueli Students,

Welcome to UCLA! I hope you all managed to stay cool and enjoy the summer!

Congratulations to our newly admitted first-year, transfer and graduate students! Your hard work has paid off, and you are now joining one of the top engineering and computer science programs in the country. To our returning students, welcome back! We’ve missed seeing you and can’t wait to get the new school year underway.

As I begin my fourth year as dean of UCLA Samueli, I continue to be energized by this vibrant and extraordinary community I’m fortunate to call home. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to meet brilliant students who are passionate about tackling real-world challenges and improving lives. I’ve also seen firsthand the dedication of our faculty and staff who support student learning, research and well-being. At events throughout the year, I’m continually inspired by the enthusiasm of parents, alumni and industry partners who engage with our school and help strengthen the Bruin community.

At UCLA Samueli, we take pride in our collective contributions to society and humanity. The knowledge and skills you gain here will take you far, but just as important, we encourage you to be compassionate, adaptable and thoughtful learners. You are the next generation of leaders and innovators who will engineer positive change and build on the Bruin legacy through research, club activities and community service. To support your learning and the school’s continued growth, we have hired nearly three dozen new faculty members over the last few years. They bring to UCLA expertise spanning AI and machine learning, network systems, semiconductors, sustainable transportation, space and aerospace engineering, gene editing, genomics, autonomous robotics and beyond. With this growing community of talented faculty, we are well positioned to advance engineering breakthroughs that can transform lives.

We also launched the Semiconductor Hub in May with five leading global companies as founding members: Broadcom, Meta, Applied Materials, GlobalFoundries and Synopsys. The Semiconductor Hub is one of many exciting initiatives underway at UCLA Samueli as we help shape an AI future that is transforming engineering and society. We want to prepare you to lead in this rapidly evolving landscape, embrace new technologies and apply what you learn to create meaningful benefits for society.

I hope to meet many of you at our quarterly Pizza on the Patio in Engineering IV, which is open to both undergraduate and graduate students. The fall quarter one is on October 14 at noon. Come join us, meet fellow Bruin engineers, and connect with faculty and staff who are part of your UCLA Samueli home. In the weeks and months ahead, I look forward to getting to know you and seeing all that you will accomplish this year. Have a wonderful and successful new school year — and Go Bruins!

A.-H. “Alissa” Park
Ronald and Valerie Sugar Dean