Student Profile – Alec Jaculina
Alec Jaculina graduated from San José State University in 2022 with a bachelor’s in Industrial and Systems Engineering. He is currently a second-year graduate student pursuing a master’s in Human Factors and Ergonomics, with a focus on User Experience. Outside of the classroom, Alec enjoys drawing, gardening, architecture, learning about art history, and discovering new food spots.
As a Bay Area native in a family of eight, Alec and his siblings are proud to be the first generation in his family to attend college. The path to a higher education challenged Alec to overcome his difficulties with mathematics, which ultimately became the driving force behind his decision to major in engineering.
During his time at Mission College, he worked 1:1 with a professor who guided him through his pre-algebra class. His professor not only gave him the time and space to solve math problems but also helped build the confidence he needed to major in engineering. Alec emphasizes that we all have the capabilities of doing something — it just takes the right people to bring it out of us.
Being a recipient of the Silicon Valley Engineering, Future of Silicon Valley, Dean’s Student, and CSU Foundation’s Howard C. Christiansen Endowed Scholarship has been a tremendous help to his academic journey. Alec expresses that, “Without the generosity of the donors I would not have been able to achieve my bachelor’s and master’s.” He adds that thanks to the generosity of the donors, he was able to “Purely focus on my studies and find internships to help me achieve my goals.” These resources eased the financial stress on Alec and his family, allowing him to truly appreciate the value of education and a promising future that can unlock new opportunities.
Throughout his time as an engineering student, Alec developed valuable skills and lessons. Among the most impactful skills he developed was the art of collaboration with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Alec emphasized that the key to success in team projects is building personal connections with peers and understanding their past experiences to utilize their strengths for project success.
Reflecting on his journey, these are the pieces of advice Alec would give his younger self:
1. Hold yourself with confidence and surround yourself with like-minded, goal-oriented people.
2. Study hard — it will be worth it in the end.
3. Network, network, network — success is rarely achieved alone.
Currently a Human Factors Engineering Co-op at Insulet, Alec is working on studies to improve the usability of medical products. His goal is to drive the development of user-friendly medical devices that enhance the patient experience and he is committed to ensuring that these technologies are intuitive, accessible, and effective for diverse groups of users. Alec’s work is helping to shape the future of healthcare, where new technology leads to better outcomes for all patients.
Black History Month
Henry Ford Collection/Public Domain
Elijah McCoy was a Canadian-American engineer whose ingenuity transformed the railroad and manufacturing industries. Born on May 2, 1844, in Colchester, Ontario, Canada, to formerly enslaved parents who escaped from Kentucky via the Underground Railroad.
In 1847, the McCoy family returned to the United States, settling in Ypsilanti, Michigan. At 15 years old, Elijah traveled to Scotland for an apprenticeship in mechanical engineering and earned his certification before returning home to Michigan. However, despite his qualifications, racial discrimination prevented him from securing a professional engineering position.
This led him to become a fireman and oilman for the Michigan Central Railroad. While working these jobs, he identified a critical problem with locomotive machinery requiring frequent stops for manual oiling, leading to inefficiencies and delays. In 1872, he developed an automatic lubricating device that applied oil continuously to moving parts, revolutionized steam engines, and was widely adopted across industries, earning him multiple patents.
As Elijah advanced in his career, he secured nearly 60 patents, primarily focused on lubrication systems. At one point, he held the record for the most patents granted to any Black inventor. Despite his groundbreaking contributions, his name was often absent from the products he created. Due to limited capital, he was unable to manufacture his lubricators on a large scale and instead sold his patents to employers or investors. Nevertheless, the superior quality and reliability of his inventions led to the popularization of the phrase “The Real McCoy,” signifying authenticity and excellence.
In 1922, Elijah and his wife, Mary Eleanor Delaney, were involved in an automobile accident. Mary died, and Elijah survived with critical injuries and eventually passed away on October 10, 1929.
For all the engineering students we hope Elijah McCoy’s story serves as an inspiration for you to keep pushing forward and strive beyond the road he paved. This Black History Month, we honor Elijah’s legacy and celebrate the countless contributions of Black engineers who continue to shape the future of the world.
SWE Event
SWE members gathered on February 12 for their Gearring Making Socials event where the club creates earrings out of separate items that are purchased. These items are assembled to create earrings, hence the Gearing name for the event. For members, it was an opportunity to get creative with their hands, crafting unique gear earrings, and connect with fellow members. As a side benefit, the club gets to practice their manufacturing skills. The tables where the earrings were being created were made up of sorting, assembly, and packaging sections. The proceeds of the merchandise go towards reimbursing members for club expenses. Keep up the creative work SWE!
SVLS Recap
On Thursday, February 13 the SVLS speaker series kicked off with Madhubala Ayyam Perumal. She is the Lead Project Designer at Five Design Architecture and Interiors, and an Associate Director at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) California.
Madhubala is an immigrant from India who received a master’s degree in architecture engineering and is involved with interior design for the healthcare industry. In her talk with SJSU students, she emphasized the importance of getting out of one’s comfort zone and going after what you are passionate about.
She discussed what makes a good or a bad space, and that an area you design should go beyond the aesthetics and be made functional. In closing, she encouraged students to give back through mentoring when established in a career and to allow themselves to dream. Madhubala was gracious with her time and stayed after the session to speak with students one-on-one.
The next SVLS talk will happen on Thursday, February 27 at 12 pm with speaker Chris Eidler who is a Corporate Advisor driving AI Infrastructure innovation for large enterprises. SVLS is open to all students so come listen, learn, and increase your professional network.
Retail theft keeps rising in the Bay Area. Now AI is helping some owners stop thieves – featuring Prof. Ahmed Banafa
Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle
As retail theft surges across California, small business owners are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to fight back. Troy Welch, owner of Laurel Ace Hardware in East Oakland, has seen it all—from threats of violence to brazen break-ins—but AI-powered surveillance software from Veesion has helped cut shoplifting incidents in half. This innovative technology analyzes security footage for suspicious movements and alerts store employees in real time. Professor Banafa sees this as a prime example of how AI can impact the real world. With retail theft at record highs, AI tools like this are becoming essential for businesses trying to survive.
Read the full article to explore how AI is reshaping the fight against shoplifting.