GCSP Alumni
Meet our Alumni
Since 2009, the Viterbi Grand Challenges Scholars Program (GCSP) has empowered USC students to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges through innovation, service, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Our alumni have gone on to lead in industry, academia, and entrepreneurship driving impact in fields ranging from sustainable energy and healthcare to artificial intelligence and global development. Each scholar’s journey reflects the spirit of the program: using engineering as a force for good and building solutions that make a difference in society.
GCSP Alumni
Param Patel
Param Patel earned a B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science and a B.A. in Applied and Computational Mathematics from the University of Southern California (USC). He was recognized as a National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges Scholar and Kleiner Perkins Engineering Fellow. While being advised by Dr. Bhaskar Krishnamachari, he worked on a decentralized platform for detecting misinformation with AI agents. His extensive extracurricular involvement on campus included technology entrepreneurship and multidisciplinary communities. After returning to Mumbai, India, he founded Optima.ai to make wealth management personalized, intelligent, and effortless.
Olivia Kukar
Olivia Kukar earned her Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering and will complete her Master’s in Astronautical Engineering at the University of Southern California in December 2025, specializing in propulsion systems. At USC’s ASPEN lab, she led research on CubeSat thrusters and mentored students, sharing her passion for space exploration. Olivia has presented her work internationally and completed internships in propulsion system design and risk engineering. She is dedicated to advancing aerospace innovation and inspiring the next generation of engineers.
GCSP Alumni
Mariana Avendano Herrera
Mariana completed the Progressive Degree Program (PDP) in Computer Science at USC, earning both her B.S. and M.S. degrees along with the Viterbi Grand Challenge Scholar Designation in 2024. During her time at USC, she served as a Viterbi Graduate Student Association Senator and held leadership roles in Scope and ColorStack USC, fostering collaboration and inclusion in the engineering community. She interned three times at Boeing in aerospace software, modeling, and systems integration, and will join Boeing Defense, Space & Security as a Command & Control Software Engineer. A Coca-Cola Scholar, Mariana is passionate about leveraging technology and AI to drive innovation and global impact.
Kurt Magsumbol
Kurt earned his B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from USC, where he was recognized as a Grand Challenges Scholar. Originally from the Philippines, he now works at Boeing as a Structural Engineer, contributing to the design and development of the next-generation Air Force One and supporting the 747 fleet’s structural integrity. Alongside his aerospace career, Kurt co-founded Swoop, a startup focused on innovative aerial mobility solutions, and previously worked on UAV propulsion and electromechanical integration at Condor Drone Systems. His research on shape-memory-alloy spacecraft valves was presented to the AIAA. Outside of engineering, Kurt is a competitive powerlifter and automotive enthusiast, reflecting his passion for precision and performance both in and beyond the lab.
GCSP Alumni
Sami Andari
Sami earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering (Sustainable Energy) and an M.S. in Engineering Management from the University of Southern California in May 2024, where they focused on making solar energy more economical. Sami now works as a Process Engineer at Oxy in the Permian Basin, contributing to one of the company’s largest CO₂ processing plants and helping advance a net-zero future through carbon capture and sustainable energy innovation.
Grace Chrysill
Grace Chrysilla is a Software Engineer specializing in AI and Machine Learning at The Boeing Company. A 2018 Grand Challenge Scholar, she earned her B.S. in Computer Science from USC and M.S. from Georgia Tech. Grace leads AI/ML initiatives supporting Boeing Defense programs, including the Apache helicopter and MQ-25 refueling aircraft. As a student, she conducted research with Dr. Maja Matarić, Dr. Nora Ayanian, and Dr. David Joyner, contributing to four published papers in top venues such as the ACM. Her Boeing Scholarship and work through the Engineering Accelerated Hiring Initiative launched a career dedicated to advancing intelligent aerospace systems.