Student Profile – ​​Elizabeth Bremberg

Meet Elizabeth Bremberg, a fourth-year Mechanical Engineering major with a Robotics Minor at San José State University (SJSU).  Elizabeth’s journey into engineering was sparked by her early fascination with sciences. It was her involvement in a local Girl Scout robotics troop, the Space Cookies VEX Team, that ignited her passion for robotics and engineering.

The deciding factor for her during high school to pursue engineering was the practical and applied approach that was lacking in science. Through hands-on experiences and mentorship from women engineers, Elizabeth found her calling in Mechanical Engineering, especially with robotics.

Choosing SJSU’s College of Engineering was a natural decision for Elizabeth since it was her parent’s alma mater and the opportunities presented by Silicon Valley’s tech hub. The diversity among the faculty members and their years of industry experience was what solidified her decision in the end.

Elizabeth was awarded the Gordon Family Scholarship twice, allowing her to pursue education without the burden of additional debt and alleviating financial stress on her family. Thanks to this scholarship, she was even able to declare a minor to add to her academic achievements.

Beyond academics, Elizabeth is actively involved in both school and community activities. Being in Beta Upsilon Chapter of Alpha Omega Epsilon, an SJSU sorority that focuses on promoting and uplifting women and other underrepresented individuals in STEM fields. She also volunteers with the Space Cookies VEX Team, providing guidance and support to aspiring engineers. Additionally, she serves as the president of Circle K International on campus, coordinating service projects to benefit the local community.

Looking towards the future, Elizabeth aspires to combine her passion for robotics with her love for nature. Her dream job involves exploring innovative soft robotics, with a focus on biomimicry to create robots that will help our ongoing problems of conserving natural resources.

Reflecting on her journey, Elizabeth wished that she had started researching all her possibilities and options sooner, this would have helped her tremendously when entering upper-division courses and her career field. One way she advises is talking to people with different backgrounds in classes or student organizations to get a better sense of all the opportunities that are being offered that you might not see.

Elizabeth also never thought of applying for scholarships, due to the pool of applicants she would have to compete with, but after having started the process, it was no longer intimidating. She encourages students to apply for any or all scholarships they can find, even off-campus opportunities.

Elizabeth’s story is about determination, passion, and a commitment to making a difference in both the engineering field and the world at large. As she prepares to graduate, her journey will hopefully inspire fellow students, showcasing the transformative power of education and the boundless opportunities within the engineering field.

Don’t miss out on an opportunity to apply for College of Engineering scholarships.  Apply here.

Women’s History Month – SWE

Established in 1950, the Society of Women in Engineering (SWE) is an international not-for-profit educational and service organization dedicated to advocating for women in engineering and technology. In 1978, San José State University officially recognized SWE as a club on campus.

Since its inception, the club’s mission has been to assist students, irrespective of gender, in realizing their full potential. This is done through a range of initiatives such as workshops, company tours, networking events, guest speakers, and mixers. SWE collaborates with clubs like SOLES and BASE to engage individuals from diverse backgrounds and disciplines within engineering.

SWE extends its reach beyond college students to include K-12 students interested in engineering. The club develops outreach programs like “WOW! That’s Engineering” for high school girls interested in engineering and “SWE++” Python coding classes for middle school girls.

Two of SWE’s biggest events are the SWE National and Local conferences which provide valuable opportunities for students to connect and learn from industry professionals. Recently, the club received support from the organization to sponsor 11 members to attend the Las Vegas SWE Local event, enabling these students to immerse themselves in the world of professional engineering. One highlight of the event was that attendees had the privilege of connecting with the women who founded the club in 1978.

SWE remains dedicated to empowering students in engineering and is committed to fostering inclusivity and opportunities for all. Together, we’re shaping a future where every voice matters and every dream is achievable.

Tech expert explains advantages of sovereign AI for governments, companies – Prof. Ahmed Banafa

Santa Clara-based chipmaker Nvidia announced a new partnership with Oracle focused on what’s known as sovereign artificial intelligence (AI), meaning individual countries or companies produce AI using their own infrastructure and workforce allowing them to keep data secure. KTVU’s Alex Savidge discusses the advantages of this strategy with tech expert and San José State University professor Ahmed Banafa.

Fortinet Hosts College of Engineering Students

On Monday, March 18, 2024, students from San José State University’s (SJSU) Tech 165 Wireless Communication Technology class were invited to see the inner workings of Sunnyvale, California-based company, Fortinet, a leading provider of Cybersecurity and Mobile Security solutions.

This tour was organized by Dr. Sina Aboutorabi, course lecturer, and Ms. Rachel Moussa, Director of Business Development for the Fortinet Training Institute.  Students heard from the technical staff at the company on the products – hardware and software solutions.  They also received a tour of Innovation Labs, interacted with the Human Resources team, and were able to meet SJSU alumni working at the company.

Fortinet will be working with the SJSU College of Engineering Aviation and Technology Department in providing tools and wireless cybersecurity-related training to faculty.  SJSU students appreciated the knowledge they gained and the visit that was set up by Fortinet employees, Ms. Rachel Moussa and Mr. Alex Samote, VP of Product Development.

Silicon Valley Leadership Symposium

Insight, Engagement, and How to Shape Your Life and Society

The last Spring 2024 Silicon Valley Leadership Symposium (SVLS) occurred on March 21 where guest speaker Roger Crockett, Founder & President, Return on Character (ROC) Leadership Advisory, brought a different view of industry to the College of Engineering.

Roger discussed how engineers can transition into the role of leading a team. He emphasized embedding flexibility into your career plan, and that happiness and fulfillment need to be a part of your goals. As he put it “life should be about putting a smile to the heart and peace to the soul.” Roger highlighted choosing hobbies that engage you and to surround yourself with people that bring you joy. He closed his talk by stating that no one looks like their story and not to judge a book by its cover.

Roger is a graduate of UCLA and got his master’s with honors in Business Journalism from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. He was Chicago Deputy Bureau Chief for BusinessWeek and a contributing writer for Harvard Business Review online. He also spent 27 years at Newsweek prior to moving into industry and then starting his own consulting to advise individuals in Silicon Valley leadership roles. Join us in the Fall for more opportunities to engage with more inspirational speakers!