1. spotlights

Annie Do – Senior, Class of 2026

In Annie’s own words – interviewed Spring 2026

  • Hometown: Irvine, CA
  • Year: Senior, graduating 2026
  • Favorite Course: Electromagnetic Fields & Waves (ECE 144)  Professor York
  • Senior "Capstone" (ECE 188) Project: Teledyne FLIR VIPER Project – UAV navigation payload
  • Student Organization Memberships: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

Annie’s Favorite

  • Hobbies: Anything involving food – cooking, baking, and scouting out yummy food spots!
  • Band / Performer: Chainsmokers, Keshi, JVKE, Illenium, yung kai
  • Movie: Your Name and Spirited Away
  • Activity: …sleeping in whenever I can :)
  • Geeky Possession: Cute cat cutlery and dinnerware

Favorite things about

  • ECE Department: All the professors are incredibly welcoming and genuinely want to help their students succeed. It may seem intimidating to talk to them one-on-one at first, but it’s always worth it! They’re not only great resources for coursework but also for career advice and everyday life advice!
  • UCSB: The location is gorgeous! Being surrounded by so much nature is a constant reminder to slow down and take breaks. Even during the hard times in the lab, the environment helps put things into perspective and reminds me that there’s more to life than just academics :)
  • Santa Barbara: There are so many amazing Italian restaurants in Santa Barbara to explore! It’s definitely worth trying as many as you can and the people here are usually friendly and easy to talk to!

Annie’s most memorable moments that happened each year

  • Freshman Year: First time moving away from home and learning what electrical engineering actually entails was definitely memorable! I came in with little experience, but I met some great friends and professors who helped me along the way.
  • Sophomore Year: The ECE10 series was quite interesting my year :) Definitely a bonding experience for the majority of my year but was fun learning and meeting more people! Also, the many LA cafe trips were fun!
  • Junior Year: This was the year everything started to come together and click for me! I began to understand what I wanted to do with my degree and took some really interesting (and very very tough) classes. I also met some of my favorite professors during this time!
  • Senior Year: Capstone has been challenging and rewarding. It feels like everything is coming together and I’ve finally had the chance to try all the Italian spots I’ve been eyeing over the past few years!

Annie and Electrical Engineering

Why EE as a major? 

I chose EE because I was really interested in understanding how hardware works at a fundamental level. I was also drawn to the flexibility of the field and how it combines problem-solving with creativity. There’s rarely just one “right” answer in EE, which makes the design process both challenging and rewarding.

Why did you select UCSB's EE program? 

I chose the program because of its supportive academic environment and wide range of courses available. The program offers a good balance between theory and hands-on experience!

Prospective students and parents often ask, what can you do with a EE degree? 

There’s a lot that can be done with an EE degree! You can go into areas like circuit design, electronics, power systems, communications, embedded systems, or even software-related roles. The industry applications are practically limitless and you can work on designing hardware, developing new technologies, testing systems, or improving existing ones. It’s a very versatile degree that allows you to explore different paths and even shift focus as your interests evolve.

The Curriculum

What have you learned that has surprised you the most so far? 

Mostly by the variety of courses offered at UCSB. I appreciated how many options there were and how easy it was to just take classes that interested me. Another thing that surprised me was how applicable many of the classes were and how they came back when I least expected it!

What has your experience been like taking the Math and Physics core classes?

At first, the Math and Physics core classes may feel tedious and unimportant, but it does come back later! I would suggest learning them thoroughly because it will definitely help with better understanding upper-division classes.

What has been your most challenging but rewarding course?

The ECE137 series has been the most challenging but also the most rewarding. It really pushed my understanding by requiring me to design circuits with minimal guidance beyond lectures. One of the most valuable parts was learning about real-world tradeoffs, which aren’t always obvious until you actually build and test circuits. It was definitely one of the courses where I learned the most.

Talk about your Capstone (ECE 188 series) experience so far:

My capstone project, in collaboration with Teledyne FLIR, focuses on developing a navigation payload for UAV drones. The system integrates a suite of sensors, namely an altimeter, compass, dual IMUs, and both visual and infrared cameras, to navigate various terrains and environments. I’ve been working on the PCB design alongside a few engineers and the experience has been both technically challenging and very rewarding.

What area do you want to specialize in?

I want to specialize in circuit design, though I’m still exploring which specific area to focus on. I’m particularly drawn to RF, analog, and mixed-signal design. What I enjoy most is that there’s rarely a single “correct” solution but rather designing circuits is a creative process and it’s fascinating to see how different engineers approach the same problem.

Have you done an internship?

Last summer, I worked at TSMC in Arizona with the Power Systems team, where I helped improve battery management systems used for backup power in critical fab tools. It was a great experience working with people from diverse backgrounds and I even picked up some Mandarin along the way! The summer before that, I worked as a test engineer at Sensata in Carpinteria, where I tested high-power components for EVs. That role gave me hands-on experience with hardware testing and reinforced my interest in electrical systems. This summer, I’ll be working at Marvell as an IC validation intern!

Preparation from High School to College

What prepared you the most for studying engineering in college? 

I think the best way to prepare for engineering is to study hard and pursue things that genuinely interest you. Having a strong foundation in math and physics is definitely helpful, but more importantly, developing a solid work ethic makes the biggest difference. Learning how to stay disciplined, manage your time, and push through challenging material is what really prepares you for college-level engineering.

After Graduation

What are your “big picture” plans/aspirations after graduation? 

After graduation, I plan to pursue graduate school and earn my master’s degree. I’m still considering whether I want to continue on to a PhD. Ultimately, I plan to go into industry and apply what I’ve learned to real-world engineering problems!