Aiden BeGole, Elizabeth Van Blommestein, Charlene Poon, and Ryan Pham were awarded the 2025 William S. Klug Memorial Scholarship. This merit-based scholarship is designated for MAE undergraduates who have demonstrated leadership and active participation in UCLA student group(s) and/or community service.
Aiden BeGole is a third-year Mechanical Engineering student with a love for emergent tech, macro to micro-scale. At UCLA’s Di Carlo Microfluidics lab his research brings inexpensive custom microfluidic devices into everyday research labs, from catheters to chips. He has worked in the microfluidics sector at PITTAN in Japan and later in semiconductors at AMD, designing test fixtures & assembly jigs for CPU sockets. His work has given back to the UCLA community through engineering workshops at 3D For Everyone & as assistant coach to UCLA Taekwondo. Otherwise, he is an avid cooking, 3D printing, weightlifting, & board gaming enthusiast.
Elizabeth van Blommestein is a third-year Mechanical Engineering student passionate about the automotive and medical technology fields. She is the current President of Bruin Racing at UCLA and will be working on surgical robotics this summer at Telos Health. Committed to mentoring future engineers, she also teaches E1GK: Introduction to Engineering Design Go-Karts, guiding over 20 students each quarter. Elizabeth loves contributing to UCLA’s engineering community and is grateful for all the opportunities it has provided her.
Charlene Poon is a third-year Mechanical Engineering student interested in the application of control systems in the themed entertainment industry. She is involved in the UCLA Samueli Makerspace, where she organizes weekly workshops and outreach events, as well as the Themed Entertainment Association, as part of the ride engineering team working to design and build a functional theme park ride model.
Ryan Pham is a third-year Mechanical Engineering student with a passion for sustainable infrastructure and renewable energy. He has been researching Vehicle-to-Grid electric vehicle infrastructure and grid modernization at UCLA’s Smart Grid Energy Research Center since September 2023. He also previously interned at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, working on energy benchmarking, building models, and microgrid technology. Ryan plans to pursue a master’s degree and contribute to renewable energy. In his free time, he enjoys building combat robots, staying active outdoors, and rock climbing.