Triple Bruin and HRL Executive Leslie Momoda Elected to National Academy of Engineering

Leslie Momoda ’85, M.S. ’87, Ph.D. ’90 grew up in the Sawtelle neighborhood of Los Angeles, just a stone’s throw from UCLA. As a child, she remembers picnicking near UCLA’s iconic Janss Steps, unaware that one day she would earn three degrees from the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering and become a member of the National Academy of Engineering — one of the highest professional honors granted to American engineers.

The eldest of two daughters, Momoda was raised in a household shaped by science and engineering. Her father, an electrical engineer at Hughes Aircraft Company, and her mother, who worked part-time in a doctor’s office, taught her the value of a strong work ethic. Excelling in biology and chemistry in high school, Momoda initially envisioned a career in medicine. But at the urging of teachers and counselors, she applied to UCLA’s Chemical Engineering Department, knowing she could always transfer to pre-med later. Instead, she found herself drawn to the engineering curriculum and never looked back on the alternative path.

Ironically, Momoda’s father discouraged her from pursuing engineering at first, fearing she would be held back as a woman. Much to his relief, Momoda’s engineering career proved a great fit for her. In her senior year at UCLA, Momoda started to interview for jobs while completing her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. But she soon realized that what interested her the most was research. 

“I remember walking around an oil field during one interview and I saw a building on a hill and asked what work was conducted there. I was told that was the research building where new things were being developed and I needed a Ph.D. to work there,” Momoda recalled the experience. At about the same time, she also met a graduate student working in the lab of Bruce Dunn, a professor of materials science and engineering. That graduate student, Jim Barrie, encouraged her to consider getting a graduate degree in materials science. He would later become her husband. 

When she first started her graduate program, Momoda was only thinking about pursuing a master’s degree in materials science and engineering, but she enjoyed doing research in the Dunn Lab so much that staying on for a Ph.D. was an easy decision. Her research involved growing ion-conducting crystals at 1,700 degrees Celsius and then doping them at elevated temperatures to modify their optical properties.

“She did a terrific job of making these unique materials and developed a number of skills from making sophisticated optical and electrical measurements to fixing furnaces,” Dunn recalled his experience advising Momoda. “Even as a grad student, she demonstrated good organizational and leadership skills. She was the person who made sure that the lab was safe and well maintained.”

And the positive feelings are mutual. Momoda credits Dunn for being the biggest supporter in her career after her doctoral degree. “He reached out to his network to look for opportunities for me and gave me lots of advice,” Momoda said. “I tell everyone that I mentor now this is what a really good advisor does — looks out for their students — and to find the same in their graduate journey.”

Momoda’s own journey from being a student to an executive has been shaped by an enduring passion for research and a commitment to mentorship, values instilled in her during her time at UCLA and refined through decades of industry experience. Over the years, she has been involved in the development of smart materials, thermal management technologies, infrared sensing technology and ultralight lattice materials — all of which have had significant applications in aerospace and defense. 

“Jim and I have both benefited immensely from our UCLA education and experiences,” said Leslie Momoda about her and her husband, Jim Barrie. “We stay involved in large part to try to give back to the school and maintain and grow what we think is special about it.”

For her accomplishments in “delivering materials innovation and application of advanced technologies across diverse industry sectors, ranging from hypersonics to high performance electronics,” Momoda was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in February 2025.

Today, as executive vice president at HRL Laboratories, Momoda plays a key leadership role. She is involved in shaping the company’s strategy, identifying new research directions, fostering collaborations and partnerships, as well as supporting operations and staff.  

Established in 1960 and based in Malibu, California initially as a research arm of Hughes Aircraft, HRL Laboratories is now a research center co-owned by General Motors Corporation and Boeing. The company is focused on maturing programs such as ultra-compact sensing, high performance millimeter wave devices, infrared sensing and quantum technologies into system solutions. 

“I try to reduce as many barriers as possible for a great technological breakthrough to become a useful product or system,” Momoda said. Despite her demanding work, Momoda remains dedicated to mentorship even though it can be challenging finding enough time to mentor the large number of future leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. “The great news is the next generation is full of talented, very high potential entrants into the STEM field who desire mentorship,” she said.

Momoda is deeply committed to giving back to UCLA alongside her husband. She has been a longtime member of the Dean’s Corporate Advisory Board at UCLA Samueli and became its chair last December. In her new role, she aims to grow the community of UCLA Samueli corporate supporters to strengthen the technological ecosystem for the benefit of UCLA and the greater Los Angeles area. 

“Jim and I have both benefited immensely from our UCLA education and experiences,” she said. “We stay involved in large part to try to give back to the school and maintain and grow what we think is special about it.” In 2018, she was awarded UCLA Sameuli’s Professional Achievement Award honoring her many accomplishments and contributions to the school.

Barrie, who is a fellow at The Aerospace Corporation, and Momoda’s ties to the University of California run deep, with both their daughters holding degrees from a UC campus. The younger daughter, Catherine, followed her parents’ example, earning her B.S. in materials science and engineering from UCLA and is now pursuing a Ph.D. in the Materials Department at Johns Hopkins University. Their older daughter, Elizabeth, graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a bachelor’s degree in global studies. She is now based in Washington D.C., working in intergovernmental affairs for the City of Los Angeles.

“The advice I give both undergrad and grad students is to find the environment that feels best and right for them,” Momoda said. “We are often encouraged to pick a school, program, advisor or job based on their perceived prestige. But if the environment doesn’t feel right, then showing up every day becomes a chore.”

For Momoda, UCLA was the right place. It gave her not just an education but also a community, a career and a family. Now, she’s determined to make sure future generations of engineers find that same sense of belonging and purpose.