Video coming soon!

If you'd like a copy of the DVD of Commencement 2010, please click on the link below.

Purchase Video Online

Commencement 2010: Speaker Biographies

STUDENT SPEAKERS

LEANA SCOTT

Originally hailing from Los Angeles, CA, Leana Scott is graduating from UC Santa Cruz with a Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies with a focus on environmental justice and policy.  She has been an active member of the campus community during her time here. Leana was a founding member of the Pre-Law Society, and in addition, worked in the Office of Admissions Outreach, as a Student Life & University Guide for three years.  Like many of her peers at UCSC, Leana took her educational pursuits out of the country, as she spent a summer abroad in Melbourne, Australia and Kakadu National Park studying Australian culture, history, literature, wildlife and environmental complexities.  While at UCSC, she also interned in the Office of Congressman Sam Farr, California’s 17th District.  She plans on either attending either law school or pursuing a Masters in Public Administration.  

CHELSEA SNELL

Chelsea Snell graduated from UCSC with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and a minor in Sociology.  In her four years here, she was actively involved in the community by working in the College 8 Programs Office. She also served as the Co-chair of the Student Environmental Center; was on the Earth Day Planning Committee for four years and worked on the Campus Earth Summit.  Chelsea’s environmental passion lies within education.  She has worked in numerous Life Labs throughout the Santa Cruz community as well as studied Sustainable and Environmental Education.  She grew up swimming in rivers, hiking mountains and having a great love for the outdoors.

 Raj Maitra

Raj Maitra, a Minnesota native, is a part of UCSC’s first graduating class in Bioengineering. However, he has a passion for the arts as well, and hopes to continue playing jazz piano in the future, while taking on complex challenges in the ever changing technological world. Raj has also been active in the student community, as a College Eight programs assistant, and senior graduation committee member.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

JoeBen Bevirt

JoeBen Bevirt describes himself as an inveterate entrepreneur. He was born with a passion for engineering, that has driven the formation of four successful companies over the past 10 years.

In 2000, JoeBen co-founded Velocity11 which developed high-performance laboratory equipment. He served as President & CEO until 2002, as President until 2006, and as a board member until the sale to Agilent Technologies in 2007. Under his leadership, Velocity11 repeatedly achieved record organic growth.

JoeBen founded Joby, Inc. in 2005 to develop, market, and sell useful, unique, and delightful consumer products. Profitable almost immediately, Joby continues to deliver new products and record profits.

JoeBen turned his focus to renewable energy and in 2008, founded Joby Energy Inc. to develop groundbreaking airborne wind turbines to harness the abundant power of high-altitude wind. Airborne wind turbines generate electricity at prices that promise to transform the way we power the planet.

In 2009, leveraging the control systems and electric propulsion systems developed at Joby Energy, JoeBen founded Joby Aviation to revolutionize how we commute. Joby Aviation is developing a compact electric personal aircraft designed for efficient high speed flights. Electric propulsion enables our aircraft to takeoff and land vertically while retaining the efficieny of an airplane.

JoeBen holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Davis and a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University. He holds 12 U.S. patents.