IGNITE - Student Professional Conference | Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering
Source: https://engr.ucr.edu/ignite
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:20
IGNITE - Student Professional Conference | Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering
IGNITE Student Professional Development Conference
February 21, 2026
Register
What is IGNITE?
Accelerate your career preparation and engage with BCOE Alumni and Industry Professionals at the 3rd Annual Student Professional Conference-IGNITE. Explore various engineering career paths, including Entrepreneurship, Project Management, Research, Biotechnology, Aerospace, Renewable Energy, Data Science, AI, and more. BCOE Alumni bring their insights to help you maximize your student experience in preparation for the engineering field. IGNITE is a powerful conference designed to broaden and stimulate your career aspirations!
Event Information:
February 21, 2026
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Riverside Convention Center
Register early and save.
Deadline to Register February 13, 2026
Register today
Schedule
More Information
Register
Save Your Spot
Support IGNITE
Become a Sponsor
IGNITE Leading Team
Guadalupe Ruiz, M.S.
Director of Student Success
Guadalupe Ruiz received a B.A. in Sociology from UCR and an M.S. in Higher Education Leadership and Student Development from California Baptist University. She is the Director of Transfer Initiatives & Professional Development in the Marlan & Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering at UCR. She has extensive experience working with California Community Colleges to establish partnerships and resources for students. Through this work, she increased the engineering transfer student enrollment at UCR. Guadalupe established an engineering transfer student center and the transfer student transition program. Moreover, Guadalupe has facilitated, led, and contributed to the development and support of multiple cross-institutional grants including multiple Department of Education grants, an
NSF Engineering Research Center
, the Regional K-16 Education Collaboratives Grant Program, and an Office Of Naval Research grant. She leads engineering undergraduate student experiences, including research bridge programs, peer mentoring programs, and student leadership.
Mai Temraz, MBA
Student Success Coordinator
Mai serves as the Student Success Coordinator in the Marlan & Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering at UCR. She holds a degree in Electrical Engineering and an MBA with a concentration in entrepreneurship. She is also a recipient of a
Fulbright scholarship
. Mai's passion for empowering women in STEM and entrepreneurship comes from her previous roles as a program manager at Manara, a social impact start-up connecting software engineers to their dream jobs, and as a co-founder of
Gaza Geekettes
, a community fostering female tech talent in Gaza. She has also been a
TechWomen
fellow, a former start-up founder, and the first Palestinian female licensed amateur radio operator. These experiences have earned her recognition and awards, including the 2015 Change Agent
ABIE Award
from the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing (GHC) and the Best Entry-Level STEM Executive at the Women in STEM conference in Dubai.
Fernanda Rojas, M.A.
Professional Development Coordinator
Fernanda serves as the Professional Development Coordinator at the Marlan & Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering at UC Riverside. She earned her M.A. in Social Sciences from California State University, San Bernardino, and her B.A. in Legal Studies from UC Santa Cruz. She supports over 17 engineering student organizations, leading initiatives that strengthen leadership, professional growth, and community engagement. She established the Student Professional Organization Center, a dedicated space for student collaboration, studying, and events, and launched the
annual student awards ceremony
recognizing excellence in research, leadership, and community impact. In recognition of her contributions to advancing women in technology and higher education, she was honored as a
UC Women Rock IT awardee in 2022
. Fernanda is passionate about creating inclusive environments that empower students to thrive academically and professionally.
2026 Speakers
Kaanon MacFarlane, B.S., 2005, Computer Science
Andrew Sanchez, Ph.D., 2024, B.S, 2018, Chemical & Environmental Engineering
Mariel Cisneros
Neo Marin, B.S, 2023, M.S., 2024, Electrical Engineering
Tony Johnston, B.S., 2022, Electrical Engineering
Natalie White
Dr. Annika Speer
2025 Speakers
Dr. Annika Speer
Matthew Ramirez
Mike Verdin, B.S., 2004 Mechanical Engineering
Sirina Nabhan, B.S., 2017 Electrical Engineering
Samuel Tapia, B.S. + M.S., 2021 Computer Science
Yvette Casillas, B.S., 2019 Mechanical Engineering
Mai Temraz
Previous Companies
Let us help you with your search
IGNITE Student Professional Development Conference
February 21, 2026
Register
What is IGNITE?
Accelerate your career preparation and engage with BCOE Alumni and Industry Professionals at the 3rd Annual Student Professional Conference-IGNITE. Explore various engineering career paths, including Entrepreneurship, Project Management, Research, Biotechnology, Aerospace, Renewable Energy, Data Science, AI, and more. BCOE Alumni bring their insights to help you maximize your student experience in preparation for the engineering field. IGNITE is a powerful conference designed to broaden and stimulate your career aspirations!
Event Information:
February 21, 2026
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Riverside Convention Center
Register early and save.
Deadline to Register February 13, 2026
Register today
Schedule
More Information
Register
Save Your Spot
Support IGNITE
Become a Sponsor
IGNITE Leading Team
Guadalupe Ruiz, M.S.
Director of Student Success
Guadalupe Ruiz received a B.A. in Sociology from UCR and an M.S. in Higher Education Leadership and Student Development from California Baptist University. She is the Director of Transfer Initiatives & Professional Development in the Marlan & Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering at UCR. She has extensive experience working with California Community Colleges to establish partnerships and resources for students. Through this work, she increased the engineering transfer student enrollment at UCR. Guadalupe established an engineering transfer student center and the transfer student transition program. Moreover, Guadalupe has facilitated, led, and contributed to the development and support of multiple cross-institutional grants including multiple Department of Education grants, an
NSF Engineering Research Center
, the Regional K-16 Education Collaboratives Grant Program, and an Office Of Naval Research grant. She leads engineering undergraduate student experiences, including research bridge programs, peer mentoring programs, and student leadership.
Mai Temraz, MBA
Student Success Coordinator
Mai serves as the Student Success Coordinator in the Marlan & Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering at UCR. She holds a degree in Electrical Engineering and an MBA with a concentration in entrepreneurship. She is also a recipient of a
Fulbright scholarship
. Mai's passion for empowering women in STEM and entrepreneurship comes from her previous roles as a program manager at Manara, a social impact start-up connecting software engineers to their dream jobs, and as a co-founder of
Gaza Geekettes
, a community fostering female tech talent in Gaza. She has also been a
TechWomen
fellow, a former start-up founder, and the first Palestinian female licensed amateur radio operator. These experiences have earned her recognition and awards, including the 2015 Change Agent
ABIE Award
from the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing (GHC) and the Best Entry-Level STEM Executive at the Women in STEM conference in Dubai.
Fernanda Rojas, M.A.
Professional Development Coordinator
Fernanda serves as the Professional Development Coordinator at the Marlan & Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering at UC Riverside. She earned her M.A. in Social Sciences from California State University, San Bernardino, and her B.A. in Legal Studies from UC Santa Cruz. She supports over 17 engineering student organizations, leading initiatives that strengthen leadership, professional growth, and community engagement. She established the Student Professional Organization Center, a dedicated space for student collaboration, studying, and events, and launched the
annual student awards ceremony
recognizing excellence in research, leadership, and community impact. In recognition of her contributions to advancing women in technology and higher education, she was honored as a
UC Women Rock IT awardee in 2022
. Fernanda is passionate about creating inclusive environments that empower students to thrive academically and professionally.
2026 Speakers
Kaanon MacFarlane, B.S., 2005, Computer Science
Andrew Sanchez, Ph.D., 2024, B.S, 2018, Chemical & Environmental Engineering
Mariel Cisneros
Neo Marin, B.S, 2023, M.S., 2024, Electrical Engineering
Tony Johnston, B.S., 2022, Electrical Engineering
Natalie White
Dr. Annika Speer
2025 Speakers
Dr. Annika Speer
Matthew Ramirez
Mike Verdin, B.S., 2004 Mechanical Engineering
Sirina Nabhan, B.S., 2017 Electrical Engineering
Samuel Tapia, B.S. + M.S., 2021 Computer Science
Yvette Casillas, B.S., 2019 Mechanical Engineering
Mai Temraz
Previous Companies
Let us help you with your search