The Institute of Transportation Studies, Irvine is proud to spotlight Melissa Lepe. Melissa is a first-generation, third-year PhD student for Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at UCI, bridging sustainable aviation and engineering education through her research. Melissa’s passion for equity and student mentorship was most recently recognized by the Outstanding Graduate Student Award from the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE).
“We often think about technical research and engineering education as two separate things, but really, it’s important to develop diverse engineers who think profoundly about the impact of their work.”
Melissa’s journey began in middle school where she attended a NASA outreach session focused on young girls in STEM. Her interest in engineering grew throughout high school, however the lack of resources and course material available posed significant roadblocks to the future Melissa imagined. With the help of her educators, Melissa chose to study aerospace engineering.
“I didn’t come into aerospace engineering knowing exactly what it entailed—but I grew alongside it, and I’m happy I made that decision.”
After visiting UCI’s Celebration Day as a high schooler, Melissa committed to UCI regardless of other offers. She faced uncertainty as an undergraduate, navigating imposter syndrome as a first-gen Latina in a male-dominated field. During this time, Melissa learned the importance of mentorship and having support systems to reinforce her confidence and commitment to engineering.
“Imposter syndrome doesn’t disappear—it just becomes something you learn to manage.”
Having completed her bachelor’s and master’s at UCI, Melissa can now focus on her research interests alongside Dr. Jacqueline Huynh and Dr. Natascha Buswell while pursuing her PhD. Currently, Melissa conducts research in the Aircraft Systems Lab and STREAM Lab, working on aircraft noise abatement and modeling techniques. Additionally, she’s created engineering design modules to support students in mastering tools like MATLAB and SolidWorks. Melissa’s research and community outreach serves as a reminder of the importance of mentorship and representation.
“One person gave me this piece of advice and I think it’s very much true: no matter what facet of life you’re in, you can always be a mentor and you can always look for a mentor. Mentorship has been one of the most pivotal aspects of my own journey and now it’s one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.”
This summer, Melissa advised students participating in the TRIP/PRIME programs with Dr. Jacqueline Huynh. She views mentorship as a lifelong, mutual process in which she hopes to foster the next generation of Latine engineers.
“Once I was in their shoes and now I get to give back. That’s the part that brings me the most joy. I want students to carry what they learn forward—to apply it in their families, their communities, and become mentors themselves someday.”
Melissa aspires to one day influence both research and student development as a university faculty member. She advocates for a sustainable and accessible future in transportation design, acknowledging that transportation is deeply tied to opportunity especially in regards to education.
“Transportation allows you to get to school, to a hospital—it is the difference between being able to do something or not. It must be accessible to everyone… Engineers must ask: who are we serving, and how do we make what we design benefit the people we intend it for?”
Author Erin Boshers is a recent graduate of Urban Studies and Literary Journalism at UC Irvine. She has conducted transportation and housing research through roles at Caltrans, the Kennedy Commission, Jamboree Housing, and the Institute of Transportation Studies.
Each summer, the ITS-Irvine Transportation Research Immersion Program (TRIP) and the Pre-college Research Immersion Program pairs undergraduate and high school student researchers with faculty to contribute meaningfully to ongoing transportation research projects. To learn more about these programs, contact ITS-Irvine Assistant Director for Programs and engagement Dr. Victoria Deguzman at vvdeguzm@uci.edu.