Broadening the Horizons for Bruin Engineers
Courtesy of Lawrence Sauve
For many students at UCLA, attending an academic conference is a life- and career-changing experience that allows them to learn from others in their field, showcase their work, and network with peers and faculty from other institutions that they might not have had a chance to otherwise meet. However, the cost of attendance (including travel, registration and accommodations) can often put these experiences out of reach. Thanks to the generosity of Lawrence ‘Larry’ Sauve ’70, M.A. ’78, students have the chance to attend key events that broaden their horizons and ignite their passions.
Larry found himself in a position to give back in a unique way to the university that gave him so much. The Lawrence Sauve Student Professional Development Fund, a fund established within the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, provides support for students to cover costs related to attending conferences as well as to purchase materials related to research purposes.
“In deciding how to make my donation, I thought it would be appropriate to support students in a different way than your typical scholarship,” Larry said. “One of the things I benefited from by working for consulting firms was that they were really supportive of attending conferences, especially if someone had written a paper. They thought it was good exposure for the company and good exposure for me. Students benefit from opportunities to learn from others, especially when they’re getting ready to go look for a job.”
His fund has already been put to great use. Most recently, the UCLA chapter of the Materials Research Society was able to attend the North American Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering Conference and Exhibition. The students expressed how much they benefited from attending; from connecting with other students and industry representatives, to competing in the Student Bridge Contest, in which student teams from across the globe designed, built and tested a miniature structural bridge.
Samuel J. ’27, a mechanical and aerospace engineering student, was part of that effort.
“Being able to complete hands-on work and practice some of the even elementary concepts of the materials engineering curriculum I am learning has been an invaluable experience to me,” he said. “Knowing that there is more depth that I can uncover in the material makes me excited to learn more and continue pursuing such activities.”
Larry hopes this fund will continue to serve as an incentive for Bruin engineers. He feels getting students out of the classroom and exposed to the real world is crucial, and finds it meaningful to be able to provide them with this opportunity.