BME Undergraduate Named OCEC Outstanding Student

Feb. 9, 2017 - Biomedical engineering undergraduate Maaikee Kiyoe Pronda recently was named 2017 Outstanding Engineering Student by the Orange County Engineering Council. Pronda, a senior, was nominated for the award by Samueli School Dean Gregory Washington, who lauded her scholastic diligence, commitment to research, exemplary leadership and an “unwavering enthusiasm to making a tangible difference in the lives of others.”

A Dean’s Honor List awardee with a 3.5 grade point average, Pronda is a member of Alpha Eta Mu Beta and Tau Beta Pi engineering honor societies and the Biomedical Engineering Society.

Her resume is wide-ranging. She serves as president of the Engineering Student Council and works as a tutor adviser at UC Irvine’s Learning and Academic Resources Center, where she was previously a math, physics and chemistry tutor.She also was a student researcher at the Beckman Laser Institute, where she still collaborates with her principal investigator on her senior project: a handheld burn wound assessment device that analyzes optical properties to assess the severity of burns.

Pronda is an ardent volunteer as well. Over the past year, she has raised funds for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, organized collections for local homeless shelters and advocated for empowering young women through STEM. After she graduates in June, she plans to work in industry, specifically quality engineering, and research and development.

“It's an honor to be recognized for my achievements, but even more so, to represent UCI and the school of engineering,” Pronda says of her recognition.

Anna Lynn Spitzer