UC Santa Barbara College of Engineering

What UC Santa Barbara College of Engineering does

The Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering at UC Santa Barbara is a public academic institution within the University of California system, officially named in 2024 after former dean Robert Mehrabian (1983-1990). The college operates seven academic departments — Bioengineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Materials, Mechanical Engineering, and Technology Management — plus the Media Arts and Technology graduate program, and serves undergraduate students, graduate students, working professionals, and industry research partners. It is governed by The Regents of the University of California and funded through California state appropriations, UC-system tuition, federal research grants (NSF, DOE, DOD, NIH), and licensing revenue from research commercialization.

The college's research infrastructure is anchored by five major interdisciplinary facilities: the Materials Research Laboratory (MRL), the Institute for Energy Efficiency (IEE), the Solid State Lighting and Energy Electronics Center (SSLEEC), the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI), and the Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies (ICB), together with a state-of-the-art Nanofabrication Facility. Research output is concentrated in compound semiconductors, GaN and MicroLED technologies, photonics, materials science, energy efficiency, and biotechnology. Industry engagement is operated through consortia (notably SSLEEC, whose members include Ingantec and Seoul Viosys), capstone programs, and the Technology Management Department's New Venture Competition. Student support is delivered through programs including INSPIRE (NSF HSI grant 2345377), ESTEEM (community-college transfer pathway), CAMP, and RISE, targeting first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students in STEM. The college currently enrolls approximately 337 students (Fall 2025) and awarded 87 degrees in June 2025.

Name

UC Santa Barbara College of Engineering

Legal name

The Regents of the University of California

Website

https://engineering.ucsb.edu

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering at UC Santa Barbara is a public university college offering undergraduate and graduate engineering degrees across seven departments, anchored by world-class research institutes in materials, energy, photonics, and biotechnology, serving students, industry partners, and working professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Engineering

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

akta.pro primary industry

Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technical Universities with Specialized Engineering Domains (EDAHAEAI), Public Research Universities with Engineering/Polytechnic Emphasis (EDAHAAAD), Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities (EDAHAEAB)

Keywords

• Engineering education
• Research university
• Graduate programs
• Materials science
• Technology commercialization

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Barbara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. State Funding and Student Tuition: State-funded public university receiving operational funding from the State of California and tuition from students
2. Research Grants and Contracts: Research grants and contracts from federal agencies (NSF, DOE, DOD, NIH), state agencies, and private foundations supporting faculty research
3. Technology Licensing and Startup Creation: Licensing new technologies and creating startup companies from research innovations to improve life and contribute to local and national economies

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering at UC Santa Barbara delivers undergraduate and graduate degree programs across seven engineering and science departments (Bioengineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Materials, Mechanical Engineering, and Technology Management), plus the Media Arts and Technology graduate program. The college also operates world-class research institutes and facilities including the Materials Research Laboratory, Institute for Energy Efficiency, Solid State Lighting and Energy Electronics Center, and the Nanofabrication Facility, and offers an online Master's in Engineering and Technology Leadership (METL) for working professionals.

Product overview

The Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering at UC Santa Barbara is an academic institution offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs across seven departments (Bioengineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Materials, Mechanical Engineering, and Technology Management) plus the Media Arts and Technology graduate program. The college provides research facilities including the Materials Research Laboratory, Institute for Energy Efficiency, Solid State Lighting and Energy Electronics Center, and partners with the California NanoSystems Institute. Student support includes the INSPIRE first-year mentorship program, while the Technology Management Department offers a New Venture Competition for entrepreneurship. The institution also offers an online Master of Engineering and Technology Leadership (METL) for working professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master of Engineering and Technology Leadership (METL) An online master's program designed for working professionals that blends advanced engineering insight with leadership and management experience, empowering the next generation to translate breakthrough ideas into real-world impact.
• Bioengineering Department Programs Offers undergraduate and graduate programs in bioengineering, with research in biological engineering and related areas.
• Computer Science Department Programs Offers BS in Computer Science, BS in Computer Engineering (jointly with ECE), and BS in Computing (with College of Creative Studies), along with graduate programs.
• Electrical & Computer Engineering Department Programs Offers undergraduate programs in electrical engineering and computer engineering, with research in solid state lighting, photonics, and energy electronics.
• Materials Department Programs Academic department focused on materials science and engineering research, home to the Materials Research Laboratory.
• Mechanical Engineering Department Programs Offers BS in Mechanical Engineering with research areas including bioengineering, computational science, robotics, micro/nanoscale engineering, and thermal sciences.
• Technology Management Department Programs Provides graduate programs and certificate programs focused on business principles, technology commercialization, and entrepreneurship.
• Media Arts and Technology Program Graduate program focused on interdisciplinary research at the intersection of media, technology, and arts.
• INSPIRE Program NSF-funded 'Integrated Networking, Scholarship and Peer Interaction for First-Year Engineers' program designed for high-achieving first-year majors, focusing on serving income-eligible and first-generation college students. Provides peer mentors, weekly seminars, and a $300 stipend.
• New Venture Competition Annual technology business competition providing a year of training, planning, and mentorship culminating in student team presentations of business ventures and cash prizes.

Quantifiable outcome

• No. 1 public university for scientific impact in engineering and physical sciences (Leiden Rankings 2025)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• InganteccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 April 2026Ingantec joined UCSB's prestigious SSLEEC (Solid State Lighting and Energy Electronics Center) consortium to accelerate Gallium Nitride (GaN) and MicroLED innovations. This consortium brings together industry partners to collaborate on compound semiconductor research and technology development.
• Seoul ViosyscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeoul Viosys is accelerating AI data center photonics with next-generation VCSEL technology developed through collaboration with UCSB research expertise in compound semiconductors.
• Dow FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Dow Foundation supports GSDS (Graduate Students for Diversity in Science) through a distinguished lecture series honoring world-renowned scientists from underrepresented groups, demonstrating commitment to diversity in STEM.
• Regional Community Colleges (Allan Hancock College, Oxnard College, Santa Barbara City College, Ventura College)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with four regional community colleges that are Hispanic-Serving Institutions to support the ESTEEM program for transfer students majoring in engineering, providing pathways from community colleges to UCSB.
• Jackson State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPREM (Partnership for Research and Education in Materials) promotes research and education exchanges between UCSB Materials Research Lab and minority-serving partner institutions, providing funded summer research experiences.
• University of Texas at El PasominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPREM partnership provides funded summer research experiences for UCSB undergraduates at UTEP, as well as for UTEP students to participate in internship programs at the Materials Research Lab.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• MIT School of Engineering: MIT's engineering school is the leading global peer in scale and ranking, with deep research strengths across all departments UCSB offers (materials, ECE, ME, CS, bioE, chemE). It competes for the same federal grants, faculty, and top-tier graduate students and operates similarly structured interdisciplinary labs (e.g., MIT.nano, Lincoln Lab).
• Carnegie Mellon College of Engineering: Carnegie Mellon is a leading private research engineering school, comparable in scale of research output and faculty quality, particularly in computer science, electrical/computer engineering, and materials. It is a frequent co-competitor for AI and quantum research talent.
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Grainger College of Engineering: Grainger College of Engineering is a top public engineering college, comparable in size and research intensity. It competes with UCSB for NSF/DOE funding and faculty, with particularly strong overlap in computer science, ECE, and materials research areas.
• University of Michigan College of Engineering: Michigan Engineering is among the top public engineering schools in the U.S., comparable in research breadth and faculty quality. It competes with UCSB for federal grants, top graduate students, and faculty recruitment across all shared engineering disciplines.
• Georgia Institute of Technology College of Engineering: Georgia Tech is one of the largest U.S. public engineering colleges, comparable in research scale and a frequent co-competitor for top-10 public engineering rankings, NSF CAREER faculty, and industry research partnerships in semiconductors and energy.
• Stanford University School of Engineering: Stanford Engineering is the most direct peer for industry consortium models (e.g., Stanford SystemX, Precourt Institute for Energy), and competes head-to-head with UCSB in compound semiconductors, photonics, materials, and AI research. Its Silicon Valley adjacency shapes the industry partnership model UCSB emulates with SSLEEC.
• Purdue University College of Engineering: Purdue Engineering is a leading public engineering college with comparable scale and strong industry ties in semiconductors, materials, and aerospace. It competes with UCSB for NSF funding, faculty hires, and rankings positioning among top public engineering schools.

Direct peers

• UC Berkeley College of Engineering: As the other top UC engineering college, Berkeley is UCSB's closest public-system peer and direct competitor for NSF/DOE grants, California-based industry partnerships, and in-state student talent. Both compete on the Leiden scientific-impact ranking within the same UC system governance.
• UCLA Samueli School of Engineering: UCLA Samueli is a sister UC public engineering college with similar scale, departments, and statewide recruitment dynamics. It competes directly with UCSB for California-resident applicants, NSF funding, and industry research partnerships, particularly in semiconductors and biomedical engineering.
• Caltech Division of Engineering and Applied Science: Caltech's small, research-intensive EAS division directly competes with UCSB on faculty quality (Nobel laureates, NAE members), citation impact, and grants in materials, photonics, and energy. Both are California-based and frequently appear together in research-impact rankings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/ucsbengineering.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@UCSBCollegeofEngineering?si=fOgy_0yG1jQhBxiW
• Facebookfacebook.com/ucsb.engineering
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uc-santa-barbara-college-of-engineering
• Instagraminstagram.com/ucsbengineering

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about UC Santa Barbara College of Engineering