photo of Brycen at his desk

Brycen Westgarth, Class of 2021

In his own words – interviewed Senior Year (Fall 2020)

About Brycen

  • Hometown: Encinitas, CA
  • Favorite Course: Introduction to Computer Vision (ECE 181)
  • Senior Project: ECE 189 (3rd Place) – TRAC:  a Real Time Coagulopathy Measuring System (RTCM) - portable medical sensor meant to be used for rapid detection of coagulopathy, a deadly condition that occurs in approximately a quarter of trauma patients
  • Student Organizations: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
  • Last Book Read: 1984 by George Orwell
  • Interesting aside about you: In high school I took an ecology trip to the Galapagos Islands and worked with the national park rangers to collect data on endemic species and help remove invasive plant species

Brycen's Favorites

  • Hobbies: Surfing, Skateboarding, Graphic Design/Digital Art, Traveling
  • Performer: Still Woozy
  • TV Show: How It’s Made
  • Movie: Jojo Rabbit
  • Book: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
  • Activity: Anything outdoors
  • Sport: Volleyball
  • Geeky Possession: A word clock that I designed and built myself

Preparation from High School to College

  • What prepared you the most for studying engineering in college?: The most useful preparation I did in high school was taking AP Computer Science during my junior year. It provided me with a solid foundation for programming and introduced me to the problem solving mindset needed to be an engineer. The foundational math and physics classes I took in high school were also very instrumental for my success in the core math and physics classes I took at UCSB.
  • Are there any classes that you suggest CE students take before entering UCSB?: I think taking a computer science course in high school is extremely important to discover and understand your interest in computers and problem solving. It will also give you an edge when taking the more foundational computer science courses at UCSB. Taking a challenging, math-oriented course in high school will also help prepare you for having to handle some of the more difficult courses that are part of the CE curriculum.
  • Any additional experiences that you would like to share with students to help them prepare for college?: The main thing that I wish someone told me early on at UCSB is the importance of linear algebra and statistics in Computer Engineering. It is easy to get the idea that calculus is the most relevant form of mathematics for engineering but I have found that, in most of my classes, I use calculus in a very limited capacity if at all. Linear algebra and Statistics, on the other hand, are incredibly useful and ubiquitous across Computer Engineering and I wish I put more effort to learn them better in my core math classes.

Favorite things about

  • CE Program: The professors are all very knowledgeable and are always available and helpful during office hours. The program is small enough that you effortlessly develop familiarity and friendships with many fellow CE students that share the same classes and interests. As you progress into your upper division classes you are given the freedom to develop and follow your specific interests within the major through elective classes.
  • UCSB: UCSB is one of the most beautiful campuses in the world. It is ideally located directly adjacent to the ocean with the scenic Santa Ynez mountains just a short drive away. The vast campus is complete with impressive bike infrastructure, notable architecture, and a wide variety of green spaces for relaxing and studying between classes.
  • Santa Barbara: Santa Barbara is a great area that has all the necessities and activities that you would ever want without the crowds, traffic, or intimidation of a bigger city. Santa Barbara has great public transportation, fantastic weather, and plenty of activities to keep you entertained whenever you are not studying.

Brycen and Computer Engineering

  • Why CE as a major?: I was first introduced to programming in high school when I took AP Computer Science and I immediately developed a passion for writing programs and problem solving with computers. I chose CE over computer science because I had a deep curiosity about how the programs I was writing were being interpreted by the computer at a hardware level. I have always found it fascinating how computers are incredibly powerful and a ubiquitous part of life, but very few people understand how they actually work.
  • Why UCSB's CE?: I chose Computer Engineering at UCSB because it is a highly accredited program at a beautiful, well respected university with a wide variety of options upon graduation. I was also excited about the prospect of a smaller program with more personal upper division classes.
  • How did you hear about UCSB CE?: I discovered the UCSB CE program while researching schools to apply to. The program’s credentials immediately stood out to me in addition to UCSB being one of my top schools to apply to.
  • Prospective students and parents often ask, what can you do with a CE degree? : In my experience, CE is one of the most flexibly applied engineering disciplines offered as a degree. Through our courses, we are generally able to choose either a software or hardware route based on our elective choices. With a software route, you could find yourself doing software engineering, firmware engineering, data science, machine learning, web development, and much more. A hardware route can be applied to an electrical engineering career, chip development, power systems, communication electronics, and much more. Some more creative applications of a CE degree could include game development, analysis of financial markets, or development of life saving medical systems. Nearly every company and organization doing any type of engineering today has a need for knowledge relating to Computer Engineering.

The Curriculum

  • What have you learned that has surprised you the most so far?: The most surprising thing I’ve learned is how digital circuits work and the incredible capacity they have for computation and complexity. It is fascinating to learn how intelligence and complex logic are built into such simple, inanimate components.
  • What has your experience been like taking the Math and Physics core classes?: The Math and Physics core classes were important steps to understanding the broader picture of engineering and its mathematical foundations. The physics classes were a great way to meet students of other engineering disciplines and provided a valuable understanding of how the world around us works both physically and electromagnetically. The math classes at UCSB taught techniques and ideas that were more directly applicable to Computer Engineering courses. In my experience, I have found that the linear algebra course (MATH 4A) and Statistics (ECE 139/PSTAT 120A) were the most relevant to my upper division Computer Engineering classes.
  • What has been your most challenging but rewarding course?: The most rewarding class I’ve taken is Digital Design Principles (ECE 152A). This was my first introduction to more complex digital circuit design and abstraction and it was incredibly tough to understand and become proficient at designing logic systems. Ultimately I overcame the challenge by applying myself to learning the correct way of thinking and by putting in a lot of practice. By the end of the course, it felt incredibly rewarding to see how much I had learned and I felt like I had a new appreciation for how much intelligence and complexity could be built into digital circuits.
  • Are there any specific classes that you are looking forward to?: As I finish up my undergraduate degree and begin my master's program I am looking forward to taking courses specific to Signal and Image Processing. In particular, courses such as Advanced Topics in Computer Vision (ECE 281) and Digital Image Processing (ECE 278A). I am excited to start exploring my most specific interests within the CE discipline.
  • Talk about your Capstone 189ABC experience so far: So far my group and I have only just kicked off my Capstone project, but I can already tell that it is going to be an incredibly challenging, rewarding, and important experience for our careers. I am happy to be able to work with a company that has trust in our engineering abilities, especially for a project that has the potential to save so many lives.
  • What area do you want to specialize in?: I am planning on specializing in Signal and Image Processing. I have a strong interest in multimedia computing and computer interpretation of images and video. I think this area of engineering will experience a lot of new growth and innovation in the coming years and I am eager to be a part of it.
  • Have you done an internship?: This last summer I interned for an engineering firm called Zmicro in San Diego doing application development and interfacing with embedded systems. At Zmicro I experienced the process of engineering product development by being a part of various stages of product design and execution. I was able to participate in several ongoing military contract projects and work with engineers of several disciplines towards a common goal.
  • Have you had any on-campus research opportunities at UCSB?: I have not had any experience with on-campus research at UCSB mainly because I have not actively pursued it. For the most part, I am interested in the practical application of engineering rather than more academic oriented research, but I am open to the possibility in the future especially if it is closely related to my specialization. From what I’ve heard from fellow classmates, it is not too difficult to secure a student research position and generally, professors are open to receiving help from passionate and dedicated students.

Student Life at UCSB

  • What is campus life like for CE students?: Like with any major, campus life is what you make of it. There are plenty of opportunities to form study groups, join clubs, or just hang out in the library to get some work done between classes. As an engineering student, you may find yourself spending more time studying or doing homework than the average student, but I have not found it difficult to develop a good balance of school work and social life.
  • What is the social scene like on campus, in Isla Vista and off-campus like for CE students?: Between campus, Isla Vista, and the surrounding county of Santa Barbara, there is something for everyone here. There is a great and diverse community of outdoor enthusiasts, workaholics, and party goers that will make everyone feel happy and at home.
  • Describe your housing experience frosh to present: For my freshman year, I chose to live in the Santa Catalina dorms off campus because I did not want to live in a triple dorm. Santa Catalina has a great community of students and a fantastic infrastructure of study rooms and a solid dining hall. After Freshman year I started living in houses towards the further end of Isla Vista from campus. Living further from campus gives you quieter nights and great access to the beach and surf spots.

After Graduation

  • What are your “big picture” plans/aspirations after graduation?: After I graduate, I will attend one more year at UCSB as part of the MS/BS program that they offer. After I graduate from the master's program, I hope to start a career in industry related to my specialization of signal and image processing. While I like the idea of staying in California, I wouldn’t mind relocating for the right career opportunity.