Three new Boeing Scholars join Innovation Campus spring class
The Virginia Tech Innovation Campus welcomes three new Boeing Scholars to the spring 2022 class. Diego Espinoza, Elsa Gonzalez-Aguilar, and Adrian Ruvalcaba join the inaugural class of seven scholars in Virginia Tech’s Master of Engineering graduate programs.
This spring’s scholars bring a diverse array of specialized technical backgrounds – from interests in cybersecurity, machine learning, AI, and more.
Boeing’s $50 million commitment to the Innovation Campus, announced in May 2021, includes funding student scholarships, fostering recruitment of world class faculty and researchers, and funding STEM pathways programs for underserved K-12 students. The company is committed to Innovation Campus Vice President and Executive Director Lance Collins’ vision to create the nation’s most diverse graduate technology campus.
The Virginia Tech Innovation Campus – located in the Potomac Yard area of Alexandria, Virginia – will be both a place and a culture that unlocks the power of diverse people and ideas to solve the world’s most pressing problems through technology. Academic Building One of the Innovation Campus is under construction and is expected to open in 2024. Currently, its classes are held in Virginia Tech’s Northern Virginia Center in Falls Church.
Fall 2022 applicants can learn more about our scholarship opportunities.
Meet the Spring 2022 Boeing Scholars
Diego Espinoza
Innovation Campus Degree: Master of Engineering, Computer Science and Applications
Current Position: Software Developer, Case Consulting Inc., Leesburg, Virginia
Undergraduate: Virginia Tech ’21
Major: Computer Science
"My goal at Virginia Tech is to further focus on AI and data analytics, and develop the skills required to better serve others. I want to be able to create AI models, analyze datasets, detect trends, and provide insight as to why trends behave the way they do. EMBERS is a perfect example of how a meaningful tool can contribute to the well-being of people and I believe that the Master of Engineering program can put me on the right path."
Elsa Gonzalez-Aguilar
Innovation Campus Degree: Master of Engineering, Computer Science
Current Position: Junior Software Developer, Leidos, Reston, Virginia
Undergraduate: University of Texas, El Paso ’19
Major: Computer Science, Secure Cyber Systems
“Virginia Tech, the Northern Virginia Center, and the computer science department hold values that deeply resonate with me such as knowledge, innovation, and diversity. I expect to both learn and share new ideas with faculty and students in topics related to computer science, especially in the area of cybersecurity through classes such as Cryptographic Engineering, Network Security, and System and Software Security. I see the Master of Engineering in Computer Science program as a way to accelerate my career towards obtaining roles with more responsibilities, higher stakes, and most importantly greater potential for making a positive impact on our community.”
Adrian Ruvalcaba
Innovation Campus Degree: Master of Engineering, Computer Engineering, with a specialization in Machine Learning
Current Position: Software Engineer, BAE Systems through Actalent
Undergraduate: Virginia Tech ’21
Major: Computer Engineering, Machine Learning
“The human desire to innovate has shaped my entire view of the world. It is my belief that the next step in the technological advancement of humanity is in artificial intelligence. While humans are fantastic problem solvers and critical thinkers, new algorithms and methods can often find patterns in data that are impossible for humans to perceive. As a graduate student, I am excited to conduct deep dives into how commonly used equations can be derived and applied to achieve desired results. It is my goal to make significant contributions to the machine learning field, either throughout my graduate education or in future jobs.”
