Chemical engineering major Anika Mahajan Jena and electrical engineering major Christopher Andrew Hariman, who are both entering their senior year in The Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering at UC Santa Barbara, have been named Tau Beta Pi Scholars, joining just 254 students nationwide selected by the world’s largest engineering honor society. Candidates are chosen based on academic excellence, leadership, service, and the promise of future contributions to the profession.
For Jena, a chemical engineering major with a minor in English, the award offers support at a pivotal moment in her academic journey.
“I am honored to be a recipient of the Tau Beta Pi scholarship,” said Jena. “This award provides me with valuable support during my senior year as I complete my chemical engineering capstone coursework, finish my English minor, conduct independent research, and apply to PhD programs.”
Jena is a soft matter researcher in the lab of physics professor Deborah Fygenson, where she engineers DNA nanotechnology building blocks to self-assemble into novel and valuable molecular architectures. Her research, which has potential applications in biosensors, soft electronics, ad drug delivery, was recently highlighted at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall Meeting, where she presented after receiving an Eli Lilly Travel Award from the ACS Women Chemists Committee. A 2024 Congressional Goldwater Scholar, Jena previously studied swarming behavior, droplet growth, and polymer nematics in membrane-bound actin networks in the lab of chemical engineering assistant professor Sho Takatori. She also leads the university’s Polymer Science Journal Club, which organizes monthly seminars to showcase campus research in polymer science and engineering. She plans to pursue a PhD in chemical engineering focused on developing soft and biocompatible materials and fabrication methods that elevate the human condition at the nano and micron scales.
Hariman, a fourth-year electrical engineering major, said that the scholarship represents both validation and motivation.
“I am very honored to be recognized with the Tau Beta Pi Scholarship, especially among my peers who continue to motivate me and who I learn from every day,” said Hariman, who is a member of the UCSB student chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. “The scholarship encourages me to continue what I’ve been doing so far, motivating me to keep learning and contributing to projects that are meaningful to me.”
Curiosity for the field of neuroscience compelled Hariman to become involved with undergraduate research as a freshman. For nearly two years, he worked in the lab of Sung Soo Kim, an assistant professor in the Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, whose research group investigates visual navigation in animals. Hariman helped design a closed-loop experimental system for future behavioral experiments. More recently, in the lab of electrical and computer engineering professor and chair Luke Theogarajan, Hariman has been part of a team developing a compact scanning microscope aimed at enabling brain imaging in untethered mice. He plans to pursue a master’s degree in electrical engineering, with an emphasis in signal processing and the electronics that enable it.
Founded in 1885, Tau Beta Pi has chapters on more than 250 collegiate campuses and has initiated nearly 650,000 members. Since launching its scholarship program in 1998, the society has awarded a total of 4,656 scholarships.
