Title
Associate Professor of Teaching
Faculty Director of International Programs
Faculty Profile
Department
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Samueli School of Engineering
Area of Study/Expertise
Engineering Education
Office Location
1080 Anteater Instruction and Research Building
Phone Number
(949) 824-4613
Email
lwu@uci.edu
Lily Wu, Ph.D.
Curriculum Vitae
Biography
It is my passion to provide educational opportunities for young adults. When I visited my sponsored child in Uganda in 2017, I was moved by her eagerness to learn as her dream to pursue higher education motivated her to walk four hours each day to school. Currently, she is attending university in Uganda and desires to serve her community upon receiving her law degree. I am honored to be part of the reason why someone would change their life trajectory through higher education to eventually give back to society.
My academia background from my undergraduate through Ph.D. in research along with both engineering training and education has shaped me into a dedicated educator. In my previous role as the Director of Academic Innovation, Programs, at the UCI Samueli School of Engineering, I initiated, developed and implemented multiple versions of the two-quarter freshmen engineering design course (ENGR 7). It focuses on a design-build-test approach to provide a project-based and team-based course. Based on the continual positive student feedback since 2014, I introduced innovative components such as adding a professional development training section with a strong focus on entrepreneurship to the course to better support and enrich the overall undergraduate learning experience. Since the program inception, I have collaborated with colleagues in Engineering and Education to perform research in engineering education to assess the impact of experiential learning on students.
Furthermore, as a “home-grown” first-generation immigrant student at UCI, I understand the struggle to excel at a top public institute, and I want to contribute to the community that nurtured me to success. Hence, I am involved with various units on campus, such as Math Engineering Science Achievement (MESA), UCI DREAM Center (serving the undocumented/DACA students), etc., to support our underrepresented and underprivileged students. To many students, I am a mentor and maybe even a friend. In addition, during my role as the Director of Academic Innovation, Programs, at the UCI Samueli School of Engineering, I was tasked to develop and implement international programs, to recruit prospective international students. I took the initiative to organize various seminars/workshops to provide additional information on classroom culture and communications, graduate school application process, etc., to assist many international students better adjust and assimilate to the U.S. academic culture. I am privileged to make a different for both URM students and those from all cultural backgrounds at our campus.
Education
- Ph.D. in Engineering, with a Concentration in Materials Engineering and Manufacturing Technology, University of California, Irvine
- M.S. in Engineering, with a Concentration in Materials Engineering and Manufacturing Technology, University of California, Irvine
- B.S. in Chemical Engineering, University of California, Irvine
Appointments
Oct 2024 – Present
Associate Professor of Teaching
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
University of California, Irvine
Nov 2023 – Present
Faculty Director of International Programs
The Henry Samueli School of Engineering
University of California, Irvine
July 2023 – Sept 2024
Assistant Adjunct Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering
University of California, Irvine
2012 – Oct 2023
Director of Academic Innovation, Programs
The Henry Samueli School of Engineering
University of California, Irvine
2007 – 2012
Research Lab Manager
Integrated Nanosystems Research Facility
The Henry Samueli School of Engineering
University of California, Irvine
Awards and Honors
- March 2024, Nomination of “Professor of the Year” for Biomedical Engineering, Engineering Student Council, The Henry Samueli School of Engineering, University of California, Irvine
- January 2019, Staff Appreciation and Recognition Award (STAR), University of California, Irvine
- December 2014, Staff Appreciation and Recognition Award (STAR), University of California, Irvine
- December 2013, Staff Appreciation and Recognition Award (STAR), University of California, Irvine