The Innovation Workshop is run primarily by the lab manager and the Workshop Wizards – undergraduate staff that assist with training, user-submitted jobs, lab maintenance, and more.

Bio: Brian Dincau graduated from UC Davis in 2012 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He then worked as an engineer in the semiconductor and kitchen HVAC industries for several years before returning to school. He completed his Master's at WSU Vancouver in 2018, and then his Ph.D. at UC Santa Barbara in 2022. His research was highly experimental, with an emphasis on using multiphase microfluidic platforms. He began managing the Innovation Workshop and Microfluidics Lab in July of 2022.

Hobbies & Interests Brian enjoys the tangible and creative aspects of cooking. When he finds time, he may be seen rollerblading around the UCSB campus on his lunch break around noon. In order to maintain his vision for small details and finger dexterity, he likes to occasionally build scale models, usually of Gundams or other mecha/sci-fi creations. He also maintains and drives a 1:24 scale RC rock crawler.

Brian is a firm believer that education is the most critical aspect in building an equitable, cohesive society. In particular, understanding how common everyday items function and learning to make/repair them is essential in fostering a community of creators (rather than consumers).

bdincau@ucsb.edu | (805) 724-0426‬ | Google Scholar | LinkedIn

Yanis is a sophomore mechanical engineering student at UC Santa Barbara with a strong interest in robotics and aerospace. He started working as a workshop wizard in Summer 2023.

yanis@ucsb.edu | LinkedIn

Bio: Colin is a mechanical engineering undergraduate at UC Santa Barbara. Colin is proficient in SolidWorks, Fusion360, and SketchUp. He has experience with drill presses, bandsaws, table saws, Miter saws, Lathes 3D printers, and laser cutters. Colin maintained EV chargers as an intern at Shell Recharge solutions. He is a powertrain member of UCSB's FSAE electric team Gaucho Racing, where he uses CAD and Ansys to design and simulate a drivetrain system.

Hobbies & Interests Colin enjoys 3D printing, Video games, Legos, and Star Wars.

ckwok520@ucsb.edu | Design Portfolio | LinkedIn

Rachel is a third year mechanical engineering major with a music minor. She has some background with chassis and suspension design and with product design for factory lines.

At school, Rachel has participated in ASME and FSAE, and she has worked as a bike mechanic at the AS Bike Shop. Outside of work, she likes crocheting, baking, and tending to her small vegetable garden. She is also a Minesweeper enthusiast and is working towards beating the expert level world record.

rylin@ucsb.edu | Linkedin

Bio: Remy is an incoming second year double majoring in B.S. Electrical Engineering and B.S. Data Science and Statistics. She hopes to one day work on Electrical Vehicles and continue working in Artificial Intelligence. She has experience with Python, Arduino, and Matlab in which she used to complete several personal projects throughout the year. At school, Remy is a part of IEEE and SWE and has previously worked in FABs, clean rooms, and computer science fields.

Hobbies & Interests: Her hobbies include swimming, painting, digital art, reading, crocheting, and jewelry making. She loves going to the beach and biking during sunset. She also loves any sort of animal (mostly capybaras) and used to dog foster on the side. Her dog Chewie is pictured above. Feel free to reach out!

remywong@ucsb.edu | Linkedin

Bio: Flynn is a third year student majoring in Mechanical Engineering and Chemistry.

Hobbies & Interests Flynn grew up in Seattle, and embraces the outdoor lifestyle. At UCSB he plays on the Men's Rugby team and enjoys hiking, skiing, playing saxophone and soccer.

flynnirvine@ucsb.edu | LinkedIn

Kenneth is a second year Mechanical Engineering student who is interested in joining Gaucho Racing in the fall.

Hobbies & Interests: Kenneth likes to spend his free time playing video games, eating, and going to the gym. He's a HUGE Jeremy Zucker fan; he even got a medal and free concert ticket from spotify for being a top 25 listener! If you haven't heard of Jeremy, you NEED to give him a listen.

kennethkho@ucsb.edu | LinkedIn

Grace is a third-year biology and psychology student at UC Santa Barbara. She is interested in the synthesis of drugs that pass the blood-brain barrier, such as antipsychotics or antidepressants.

Hobbies & Interests: At school, Grace works as an Athletic Training Intern at the Department of Recreation, where she evaluates and prepares rehabs for UCSB club sports athletes. Outside of school, Grace enjoys shopping (a little too much), 7/11 taquitos, and drinking coffee.

grace_zhang@ucsb.edu | LinkedIn

Bio: Elaina is a third year biology major in the College of Creative Studies. She is still undecided about which direction she wants to commit to in biology. She has always loved building things and is excited to explore her engineering interest and learn about projects that lab users are working on.

Hobbies & Interests: She enjoys exploring the area/nature (and sharing cool facts about plants/animals) and making jewelry, mostly out of sea glass and wire.

epace@ucsb.edu

Haley graduated from UCSB in 2024 and moved to San Francisco to work for SailDrone, a company that utilizes autonomous wind-power oceanographic vessels for ocean mapping & research.

Outside of school, Haley enjoys scuba diving, hiking, camping, and reading.

haleyholcomb@ucsb.edu | Linkedin | Portfolio