Featured Spotlight: Jack Shoemaker – Class of 2024

In his own words – interviewed Fall Quarter 2023

• Hometown: Santa Clarita, CA
• Year: Senior
• Favorite Course: Machine Learning in Design and Test Automation (ECE 157A) instructed by Professor Li-C Wang
• Senior "Capstone" Project: ECE 189 – LumiRail
• Last Book Read: On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
• Interesting Aside About You: My friends and I were once momentarily lost in the Redwood National Forest

Jack’s Favorite

• Hobbies: Gaming, Reading, Running
• Band / Performer: Kero Kero Bonito
• TV Show: Vinland Saga
• Movie: The Tale of Princess Kaguya
• Book / Author: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
• Activity: Sleeping
• Sport: Basketball
• Geeky Possession: Original Nintendo DS

Favorite Things About

• CE Program: Every faculty member, especially the TAs, are extremely caring and do their best to ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed
• UCSB: Having the ability to leave class and walk by the ocean
• Santa Barbara: The temperate weather and the frequent beautiful sunsets

Jack’s most memorable moments that happened each year

• Freshman Year: Breakout rooms during the pandemic were quite the experience, to say the least
• Sophomore Year: Being on campus for the first time and finally being able to meet people in person was exciting
• Junior Year: The few late nights my friends and I had to pull in Harold Frank Hall (HFH) to complete assignments
• Senior Year: I look forward to spending time with my friends as many of us prepare to graduate and conclude this chapter of our lives

Jack and Computer Engineering

Why CE as a major? When I was applying to colleges I knew I wanted to do something involving software engineering after having taken AP Computer Science in high school, but at the same time, I was also interested in hardware and wanted to explore some coursework in it. Computer Engineering offered the perfect middle ground for that.

Why did you select UCSB's CE program? I was really interested in the curriculum offered by UCSB’s CE program, especially the flexibility you have when picking upper-division courses. The BS/MS program and the research opportunities were also very appealing.

How did you hear about UCSB's CE program? CE is a relatively uncommon major so when I was researching schools that offered it UCSB stood out to me.

Prospective students and parents often ask, what can you do with a CE degree? A CE degree is one of the most flexible degrees available in the engineering department and as a result, there’s a lot you can do with it. You can choose to specialize almost exclusively in the software or hardware or a mix of the two, meaning you can pursue a wide variety of positions in industry depending on where your interests lay.

The Curriculum

What has your experience been like taking the Math and Physics core classes? I found the Math and Physics core courses to be somewhat difficult at first but over time they definitely became easier. Over the 10 weeks of the quarter, it’s quite easy to lose grasp on some of the earlier concepts taught with all the material that is covered. That’s why I found it helpful to set aside some time to do practice problems from the textbook every week.

What has been your most challenging but rewarding course? Introduction to Deep Learning (ECE 180) with Professor Manjunath. Deep learning is a rapidly evolving field with a lot of background material to cover, but what you learn is highly relevant to technology today.

Talk about your ECE 189ABC Capstone experience so far: My Capstone project is called Lumirail, and it aims to be a piece of informational art that provides real time information on the transit system in the Boston metropolitan area. It has been really fun working with my team who possess a diverse range of skills in designing and constructing our project from the ground up.

What area do you want to specialize in? Currently, I am heavily favoring machine learning/artificial intelligence. I really enjoyed the various courses I have taken (ML/AI in Design and Test Automation – ECE 157A/B, Intro to Deep Learning – ECE 180, and Machine Learning – CS 165B) involving different aspects and applications of the field. It’s exciting how the field is constantly evolving, but I also want to help ensure it evolves in a way that is fair and beneficial to the people it affects.

Have you had any on-campus research opportunities at UCSB? From the latter half of my junior year to the present I have been conducting research with the Haewon Jeong Group on the relationship between fairness and different data encoding methods for heterogeneous data used to train machine learning models. I’ve found research to be a great opportunity to take what I’ve learned in my courses and apply it in a meaningful way, while also being able to greatly further my understanding. For those looking to participate in research, many professors are eager to have undergraduate students join their labs so don’t hesitate to reach out if their research interests you.

Preparation from High School to College

What prepared you the most for studying engineering in college? I think challenging myself academically through taking AP courses, especially those in subjects I was not particularly strong in helped prepare me the most for the rigor of studying engineering in college

Are there any classes that you suggest CE students take before entering UCSB: I would suggest taking as many AP/IB courses as is reasonably possible. Doing so allows you to skip taking many GEs and introductory courses in the CE major. AP Computer Science and AP Calculus BC would probably be the most helpful in terms of preparation for the major itself.

Any additional experiences that you would like to share with students to help them prepare for college? I believe the key to success in college is to be organized and maintain a strong work ethic for the entire quarter. There will be times when you will be inundated by exams and assignments, so it’s important to stay on top of your work and not wait until the last moment to do everything. Also do not be afraid to reach out for help from others, especially the TAs in your courses. Most people are always willing to help the best they can.

Student Life at UCSB

What is campus life like for CE students? The relatively smaller class sizes in the ECE department mean you’ll often encounter the same people over the years. I find this fosters a greater sense of belonging and community with your peers than you might find in other schools. Outside of that, there are a decent number of courses that involve lab work so HFH will, for better or for worse, slowly become your second home.

What is the social scene like on campus, in Isla Vista, and off-campus like for CE students? There’s a lot to do both in Isla Vista and in the general area surrounding UCSB. Just as with any other student, it's really up to you and what you want to do. Of course, an engineering degree brings with it a heavy workload, but you’ll always be able to have some time for yourself or to spend with friends if you try.

Describe your housing experience frosh to present: Due to the pandemic, I lived at home for the entirety of my freshman year. Sophomore year I lived in Santa Catalina which is an off-campus university-owned residence hall. My junior year I lived in the university-owned apartment complex, Sierra Madre. Unlike most other university housing both Sierra Madre and Santa Catalina are quite far from campus. Which has its pros and cons. Right now I live in an apartment in Isla Vista with some of my friends. My advice is if you plan on living in Isla Vista, leases begin to fill up quickly from December to January so it’s best to start looking with your roommates as early as possible.

After Graduation

What are your “big picture” plans/aspirations after graduation? Currently, I am in the ECE BS/MS program, so I will be staying a fifth year to complete my MS with a focus on machine intelligence/learning. As I have been really enjoying my time in research over the last year I will look into pursuing a PhD in the machine learning field after I complete my MS.