Adrian Francisco Duran Ornelas has been selected as a PREPP fellow for the Spring 2025 cohort. This fellowship, part of the CSU Pre-Professor Program (PREPP), supports UCI graduate students with the potential to become future CSU faculty members. He is one of 24 fellows from UC Irvine who will receive mentorship from a CSU faculty member and participate in various professional development activities. This fellowship will allow Adrian to spend time at CSU Sacramento, working closely with his PREPP mentor, Dr. Kristina Victor.
Adrian’s research focuses on biomimetics and nanomechanical behavior, aiming to develop advanced bio-inspired engineering adaptations. He is particularly excited about the opportunity to gain insights into the life of a faculty member and to contribute to the academic community. He looks forward to the mentorship and resources provided by the PREPP program. “I deeply value teaching and can easily envision myself becoming a professor no matter where life takes me. I have been very fortunate to be empowered to pursue what I value by the network of professors and mentors I’ve had over the course of my undergraduate and graduate education. A core motivation of mine is to pay forward their kindness.