The UC Santa Barbara College of Engineering’s 2025 Undergraduate Commencement is just days away for seniors. The ceremony will take place on Friday, June 13, at 1 PM on Commencement Green. Graduating senior Changxuan Yang will be part of a select group of students leading the class of 2025 into the ceremony as banner carriers. He earned the opportunity after receiving the Outstanding Senior of Chemical Engineering Award, a recognition for not only having one of the highest grade point averages in his graduating cohort, but also for having pursued other meaningful activities — academic and extracurricular — during his time at UCSB. Two more members of the department also received end-of-the-year awards from the class of 2025. Professor Michael Gordon received the Outstanding Chemical Engineering Faculty of the Year Award, and Anna Pischer was named Outstanding Teaching Assistant of the Year.  

OUTSTANDING SENIOR 
A native of Nanjing, China, Changxuan Yang will graduate with high honors, earning a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering with a minor in physics. 

“Receiving this award tells me that my hard work, resilience, and curiosity have paid off and been recognized by department faculty and staff,” said Yang, who will enter the Chemical Engineering PhD Program at MIT in the fall with a focus on electrochemistry. “I am confident that I possess all of the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed as an engineer.”

During his time at UCSB, Yang was a member of Singing Gauchos and the Vocal Affinity & Scholars Choir. He served as a project lead in UCSB’s American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) student chapter, and he conducted undergraduate research in the lab of Michael Gordon, a professor in and chair of the Chemical Engineering Department. Yang says that his most memorable academic moment at UCSB was when he derived the formula for measuring the refractive index of reflectin thin films in the Gordon lab. 

“The experience made me realize that I enjoy working on and am capable of doing impactful research, and I am most interested in theoretical research,” said Yang, who co-authored a published paper on the biophysical mechanisms that underlie color change in cephalopods. Ultimately, I want to become a professor to cultivate the next generation of scientists and engineers and promote sustainability.”

Yang said that he was thankful to Gordon for teaching him how to be a good person, how to manage work-life balance, and how to conduct research. He also expressed gratitude to his lab mentor, Yin-Chen Lin, a doctoral student in the Gordon Lab, for offering patience, guidance, and opportunities in research. 

OUTSTANDING TEACHING ASSISTANT
A fourth-year PhD student, Anna Pischer served as the teaching assistant this year for the department’s senior design and capstone project courses. Prior to starting her PhD, she worked at the Phillips 66 San Francisco refinery as a process and operations engineer, where she gained an appreciation for process design, chemical processing, and process simulation. For her efforts, graduating seniors selected Pischer as the department’s 2024-’25 Outstanding Teaching Assistant. 

“Receiving this award is such an honor and delight,” said Pischer, who earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from UC Davis. “I love working with students. I feel like we learn together, and it warms my heart to know that I had a meaningful impact on them, as they certainly did with me.”

Pischer says that whenever she TAs a course, she wants students to know that she is rooting for their success. 

“I truly want each student to learn the material and feel like they are succeeding in the course. I try my best to be available to meet, respond to questions quickly, and be someone who promotes an inclusive learning environment,” she said. 

Advised by chemical engineering professor Brad Chmelka, Pischer studies heterogeneous catalyst synthesis, advanced materials characterization, and reaction performance for energy production. She plans to work in industry after completing her PhD.

OUTSTANDING FACULTY 
Michael Gordon, a professor in and chair of the Chemical Engineering Department, was selected by the class of 2025 as the recipient of the Outstanding Chemical Engineering Faculty Award. This is the eighth time that graduating seniors have honored Gordon with the recognition. 

Being selected by the students is one of the most meaningful honors I could receive,” said Gordon. “Teaching is more than sharing knowledge; it's about building trust, encouraging growth, and being present for both the challenges and successes of our students. To know that my efforts have resonated with them and that I’ve made a difference in their educational journey is incredibly humbling and deeply fulfilling. I’m truly grateful for the chance to have been part of their learning and their lives.”

Gordon said that the graduates have come a long way since he first had them as sophomores in Materials and Energy and Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics. 

“They have gone far beyond those early days to become thinkers who can model complexity, engineers who can design with purpose, and teammates who know that collaboration is the key to solving hard problems and making the world a better place,” said Gordon, who also advised students to take a moment to appreciate their journeys. “Chemical engineering is no easy path — it demands discipline, resilience, and a sharp mind. You’ve solved problems that once seemed impossible, balanced theory with practicality, and developed a mindset that sees complexity as opportunity. Your education has given you more than equations and unit operations. It’s taught you how to think critically, to adapt, to collaborate, and to persist. These skills will serve you well, no matter where your path leads. Enjoy the journey forward.”