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Former UCSB summer intern Juan Zepeda, now a software engineer at Raytheon, was recently honored by Great Minds in STEM (GMiS) for his work in engineering and technology. He also was named a Luminary role model by GMiS. 

In summer 2012, Juan Zepeda -- at that time, a  Santa Barbara City College student -- was a summer intern in UCSB Professor Xifeng Yan's Department of Computer Science lab, sponsored by the Internships in Nanosystems Science, Engineering and Technology program (INSET). The INSET program brings science and engineering community college undergraduates to the UC Santa Barbara campus for a summer research experience. Interns gain first-hand experience in scientific investigation in a dynamic, collaborative research environment. They are matched individually with UCSB faculty and graduate student lab mentors who provide training and support. Interns attend weekly meetings, special seminars, and have the opportunity to develop their presentation skills throughout the summer.

Recalling his earlier work with the young intern, Prof. Yan commented, "I was very impressed by Juan's motivation and persistence. He wanted to make his internship perfect, and checked with us frequently about his progress. Sometimes I felt he was pushing us. This is quite rare. Actually a very good sign!"  

Read more about Juan Zepeda's STEM accomplishments here.