News Release
Engineering student leaders honored by Gordon Center
San Diego, Calif., April 20, 2020 -- The Gordon Engineering Leadership Center at Â鶹´«Ã½ recently announced the 2020 winners of its Engineering Leadership Awards.
The Engineering Leadership Awards recognize undergraduate and graduate engineering students who have demonstrated excellence in leadership, technical ability, communication, and teamwork. The recipients are chosen through a competitive selection process based on these four criteria. Since 2009, the Gordon Center has awarded almost 100 engineering leaders. A full list of award winners is
This year 38 highly competitive applicants applied for the Engineering Leadership Awards. The selection committee, composed of industry partners and Â鶹´«Ã½ alumni, selected four exceptional students to receive the award. These four students clearly demonstrated a commitment to dedicating the time and hard work required to serve as ethical leaders within the field of engineering. Three of these recipients were also part of the Gordon Center’s Gordon Scholars Program: Olivia Dippo, Varun Govil, and Vesal Razavimaleki.
The Gordon Center was established in 2009 with the generous support of the Bernard and Sophia Gordon Foundation and exists to educate and equip engineering leaders to positively impact society. The Gordon Center is commonly recognized for its Gordon Scholars Program, a year long application-based program offered to Jacobs School of Engineering students. Scholars attend classes and workshops that focus on leadership, communication, and team building skills. The program offers personal development training, individual and team coaching, mentoring, and connections with industry. Additionally, Gordon Center rewards outstanding students through its Engineering Leadership Awards.
2020 Graduate Engineering Leadership Award Winners
Two graduate students were awarded and received a $10,000 prize.
| Isaac Cabrera |
Isaac Cabrera
Graduate; Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Cabrera has been involved in a number of diverse research projects and has held several leadership roles during his time as an undergraduate, as well as while he pursues his PhD. His proudest accomplishment to date has been his involvement with Project Lim(b)itless, where he serves as the lead engineer and project manager. Project Lim(b)itless enables amputees to receive prosthetic care remotely and at a lower cost than existing options. He has done various research at Â鶹´«Ã½, MIT, and the University of Oxford.
| Olivia Dippo |
Olivia Dippo
Graduate; Materials Science and Engineering
Gordon Scholar, 2019-2020
Dippo is currently working towards her PhD in Materials Science and Engineering. In addition to her extensive research experience, she holds roles as a teaching assistant, research team leader, the chair of a mentoring organization, and is a current Gordon Scholar. Dippo participates in several outreach opportunities, where she has taught classes for high school students and volunteered with an organization that introduces young girls to STEM. She has received the ASM International Abe Hurlich Award, Charles Lee Powell Foundation Fellowship, and American Ceramic Society Travel Scholarship.
2020 Undergraduate Engineering Leadership Award Winners
Two undergraduate students were awarded and received a $5,000 prize.
| Varun Govil |
Varun Govil
Undergraduate; Bioengineering
Gordon Scholar 2018-2019
Govil has an affinity for medically focused innovation and bioengineering theory. He led 11 undergraduate students in a project called Epinoma, developing a new platform that screens for liver cancer. Govil is also the director and co-founder of Verde Lux, a subdivision of a national nonprofit called SendForC. For more than a year, he has conducted clinical research at Â鶹´«Ã½. Govil was a Gordon Scholar and is also the founder and project development lead for Scrybe, a company that enables real-time handwriting transcription onto any surface.
| Vesal Razavimaleki |
Vesal Razavimaleki
Undergraduate; Electrical and Computer Engineering
Gordon Scholar 2019–2020
Razavimalekil has been heavily involved in Â鶹´«Ã½'s chapter of Students for the Exploration and Development of Space. He currently serves as the director of Electrical Engineering and has also been project manager and electronics lead for SEDS’ Pythia CubeSat team, as well as electronics lead for the Vulcan II Rocket. Razavimaleki developed additional leadership skills through his involvement with student-founded company paq wearables and his PowerShare project for IDEAHack 2019.
The Gordon Engineering Leadership Center will be accepting Gordon Scholar applications for the 2020-2021 program in the fall of 2020. Undergraduates and graduate engineering students committed to further developing their leadership and management skills for the betterment of society should consider applying. Follow the Gordon Center's , , and for updates.
Media Contacts
Katherine Connor
Jacobs School of Engineering
858-534-8374
khconnor@ucsd.edu