UCLA’s Online Engineering Master’s Program Again Ranked No. 1 by U.S. News For the fourth year in a row, U.S. News & World Report has ranked the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering’s Master of Science in Engineering Online program No. 1 in the country, marking the eighth time in 12 years the program has held the top spot.
UCLA Researchers Develop Mineral Sunscreen that Reduces White Cast A new study led by Paul Weiss, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry, bioengineering and materials science and engineering, has shown that heat-treating the UV-blocking zinc particles in sunscreen changes their shape.
How UCLA Scientists Helped Reimagine a Forgotten Battery Design From Thomas Edison Ric Kaner, a distinguished professor of chemistry and biochemistry with an appointment in materials science and engineering, co-led an international research collaboration that developed a nickel-iron battery, reviving a chemistry favored by Thomas Edison.
Redesigned Sunscreen Aims to End the 'Chalky' Look for Good Paul Weiss, a distinguished professor of chemistry and biochemistry, bioengineering and materials science and engineering, comments on the potential impact of a new sunscreen developed by UCLA researchers to reduce white cast. He is also featured in Women’s Health.
Sensors Are Transforming the World — Work Together to Maximize Their Benefits Research on AI-powered microscopy led by Aydogan Ozcan, a professor of electrical and computer engineering and bioengineering, is cited as an example of diverse impacts of sensor development in Nature’s new publication, Nature Sensors.
This Chinese Computer Can Read Your Mind — No Implant Required The article details new brain-computer interfaces that use ultrasound to scan the brain non-invasively, building on pioneering work by late UCLA computer science Jacques Vidal, who originally coined the term in a landmark paper in 1973.
Semiconductor Manufacturers Feel the Heat Distinguished professor of materials science and engineering Alexander Balandin and assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering Tiwei Wei discuss novel methods of addressing the excess heat created by increasingly powerful system-on-a-chip designs.
Quantum Leadership: America's Next Moonshot Moment Prineha Narang, a professor of physical sciences with a joint appointment in electrical and computer engineering, opines on the importance of strengthening America’s quantum infrastructure, enabling quantum computing to augment communications technology, drug discovery, national defense and many other fields.
The Winter 2026 issue highlights several UCLA Samueli faculty members, including Dino Di Carlo, chair of the Bioengineering Department, on his approach to innovation and real-world impact; Jun Chen, an associate professor of bioengineering, on his fluid magnetic biosensor research; Hal Monbouquette, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and special advisor for the UCLA Research Park; and Chee Wei Wong, a professor of electrical and computer engineering and co-director of the Quantum Innovation Hub at the UCLA Research Park.
STUDENTS
Civil Engineering Transfer Student Reflects on the Importance of Mentorship and Representation Second-year transfer student Rania Gomaa-Mersal overcame her initial trepidation in high school about pursuing civil engineering. Now she mentors youth and introduces middle and high school students to engineering as co-chair of pre-college initiatives on the board of UCLA’s chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers.
In Memoriam: Ioanna Kakoulli, 57, Materials Conservation Scientist and UCLA Professor The professor of materials science and engineering passed away Jan. 1, 2026 in her home country of Cyprus after a prolonged battle with colon cancer. An influential scholar in the study and conservation of ancient artistic and cultural materials, Kakoulli was widely respected across the international materials science and conservation communities.
