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Alumna Names Engineering Student Design Center

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Rendering of building exterior with sign, "Diane Bryant Engineering Student Design Center"
Rendering with the building’s name.

Quick Summary

  • Diane Bryant, former top executive at Intel, aims for more diversity in technology sector
  • Her gift joins other major donations to renovate the College of Engineering鈥檚 design hub
  • She recalls the engineering welcome that allowed her to thrive as a first-generation and transfer student

Representation and diversity are two words that Diane Bryant champions.

With her gift to name the new Engineering Student Design Center at the University of California, Davis, the alumna and information technology executive hopes to inspire women and other underrepresented students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM; fund essential learning for aspiring engineers; and solidify her legacy as a leader in tech. She graduated in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical and computer engineering.

Bryant鈥檚 $6.5 million historic gift is the largest-ever single donation to the College of Engineering by an individual. The Diane Bryant Engineering Student Design Center 鈥 now under construction after the groundbreaking last October and due to open in fall 2022 鈥 will offer hands-on educational experiences and encourage students to envision how they will change the world.

鈥淒iane Bryant鈥檚 transformative gift allows us to achieve our college鈥檚 top priority for undergraduate education: expanding our engineering design curriculum and renovating the hub of our design ecosystem,鈥 said Jennifer Sinclair Curtis, who served as dean of engineering until stepping down in December.

From practice to start-up

The new center will provide an inclusive, supervised space to practice manufacturing and fabrication techniques and include a student start-up center for entrepreneurial ventures. Team projects and real-world applications will add to students鈥 business acumen, as they develop the collaborative skills and hands-on experience necessary for success.

Diane Bryant portrait
Diane Bryant

It will also stand as an enduring symbol of Bryant鈥檚 dedication to diversify the field of engineering.

鈥淢y hope is the Engineering Student Design Center provides a visual reminder that everyone can succeed in the field of technology,鈥 Bryant said, noting how rare women and students from historically underrepresented groups are in her field. 鈥淚 hope my gift helps to expand the population of students interested in exploring the possibilities of STEM.鈥

Entirely donor-funded, the ESDC has been made possible by dedicated supporters who have contributed to the $2 billion universitywide fundraising campaign, John Baum 鈥69 and his wife, Mindy, gave an early gift of $5 million to the project. Other key donors include Brian Underwood M.S. 鈥91 and Carol Blacutt-Underwood; John Wasson 鈥84 and Gina Wasson; and Joy Dorf and her husband, the late Professor Emeritus Richard C. 鈥淒ick鈥 Dorf. 

Blazing a path

A first-generation college student who experienced homelessness at 18, Bryant herself succeeded against all odds to go through college and become a leader in her field.

鈥淥ur deep appreciation for Diane is beyond words,鈥 Chancellor Gary S. May said. 鈥淗er gift will not only transform our engineering students鈥 educations, it underscores 嘿嘿视频鈥 commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Seeing her name every day will show all students 鈥 especially women 鈥 that they can achieve anything they work for.鈥

After earning her degree, Bryant gained an entry-level position at Intel and would go on to have a distinguished 32-year career at the industry giant, rising to become  its most senior technical woman. Her four patented technologies came with the invention of the laptop computer in 1990, including the invention allowing the computer laptop to dock and undock while active.

In 2017, Bryant joined Google as COO of Google Cloud. Today she is the CEO and chairperson of NovaSignal Corp., a medical start-up that develops robotic ultrasound technologies to scan blood flow in the brain.

Diane Bryant nenvironmental, with laptop
Bryant: 鈥淭he fact that 嘿嘿视频 explicitly invests in recruiting and developing students from [community colleges] is a statement of their true belief in the value of a diverse population.鈥 (Fred Greaves)

Leading school for women

鈥淒iane鈥檚 experiences as a first-generation college student who has risen to the top of technology leadership showcases what a 嘿嘿视频 engineering education can provide. Her gift further cements 嘿嘿视频鈥 status as a leading engineering school for women,鈥 Curtis said.

In the 2020 , 嘿嘿视频 tied at No. 1 in the nation for diversity and internationalization. The College of Engineering鈥檚 most recent data show 30.1 percent of its undergraduate population are women, well above the 2019 national engineering-program average of 23.9 percent. Similarly, 22.8 percent are underrepresented minorities, compared to 18.5 percent nationwide.

Many factors motivated Bryant鈥檚 decision to give back to her alma mater but a powerful one stemmed from her own undergraduate experience. The College of Engineering鈥檚 welcoming structure helped her thrive as a first-generation and transfer student in a new, challenging environment.

鈥淗aving attended American River College my first two years, 嘿嘿视频 was my lifeboat. The transition was positively seamless,鈥 Bryant said. 鈥淎 third of all community college students are the first in their family to attend college and over half are people of color. The fact that 嘿嘿视频 explicitly invests in recruiting and developing students from these institutions is a statement of their true belief in the value of a diverse population.鈥

Bryant noted that the 鈥渇ield of technology is severely underrepresented,鈥 with a majority of the workforce being male and white. Students from all backgrounds should have an equal opportunity to build technology careers, she said, adding that 鈥渢he industry is so intellectually and financially rewarding.鈥

Creating a more diverse pipeline

She believes that diverse perspectives and experience will also strengthen the field itself, and education is the place to start building that strength.

鈥淩ather than simply preach the importance of greater representation in STEM, I realized I needed to directly invest in the university engineering system and support the creation of a more diverse pipeline,鈥 she said.

VIRTUAL TOUR

In addition to philanthropy, Bryant lectures, mentors, and invests in start-up companies to help nurture a diverse population of young thinkers who will become the influential leaders of tomorrow. Bryant also gives her time to 嘿嘿视频, serving on the College of Engineering Dean鈥檚 Executive Committee and the Chancellor鈥檚 Board of Advisors.

She looks forward to watching this industry, which she herself has helped shape, grow and evolve.

鈥淭he pace of technology will continue to accelerate. Opportunities constantly emerge, which spark new tracks of innovation 鈥 it鈥檚 this beautiful, virtuous cycle,鈥 Bryant said.

鈥淭he amazing brain power of the engineers graduating from 嘿嘿视频 will create our future,鈥 she added. 鈥淪uccess will be achieved when there is no longer a majority population in tech, but rather a broad community representing our nation鈥檚 population. The opportunities are endless.鈥

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