Each week, the College of Engineering highlights an outstanding member of our engineering community. This week, we are introducing Yaman Singh Sangar, an assistant professor of electrical engineering.

What brought you to Cal Poly College of Engineering?  

The Electrical Engineering Department offering me a job was a big reason. Jokes aside, I found that the underlying philosophy guiding my teaching matched Cal Poly perfectly: You truly learn through implementation, though that implementation can take many forms. All the systems I developed during my graduate education were tested outdoors in real-world settings. I think that is critical to understanding how theory can be very different from its application. It was evident to me from my first interaction with the Electrical Engineering Department that every decision about students centers on creating opportunities to learn by creating tangible artifacts.

What do you want others to know about your research?  

My work is interdisciplinary and that is by design. I collaborate with experts from a variety of scientific fields and that exposes me to alternative ways of conceptualizing ideas. It enables me to apply concepts that are well established in other fields to my research. This is crucial for cross-disciplinary innovation, but it is not emphasized enough. Think about it — bullet trains mimic the beak of the kingfisher bird to eliminate sonic booms; surgical stents are inspired by origami; camouflage patterns were developed during World War I by impressionist painters; and so on.

What is your favorite part of working in engineering education?

I believe in the philosophy of educating the whole person, which extends beyond academics and includes ethical values, emotional intelligence, social skills and critical reflection. Working as an educator gives me this opportunity. I see it as my way of giving back to society. In my experience, most courses engage students in applying critical thinking skills to solve problems and stop there. I believe that classes must extend beyond problem solving. Students must be taught a sense of responsibility by reflecting on how their actions affect the people and communities around them and develop humility by learning from those communities.  

What is your favorite place in San Luis Obispo County and why?  

Right now, my morning commute takes me through the hills, and on days when there is dense fog, it feels like I'm driving through clouds. While the rest of the city may hate it, the views I experience bring a smile to my face.  

How do you like to spend your free time?  

Food and various art forms are some of my biggest passions. I enjoy all aspects of food — cooking, eating out, gardening, consuming media and books, inviting friends over for meals and much more. I have always maintained that the kitchen was where I learned how to conduct experiments, not the labs where I worked. I learned glassblowing a few years ago, and I plan to start practicing it again in a few months once I am settled in. I am also hoping to learn Argentine tango. If anyone knows where I could go, please let me know!

What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming academic year?

All the projects that my students are working on in my classes. I am very excited to see them through to completion.  

What is the most helpful advice you’ve received?  

I was told by professor Mikhael Kats that whenever I plan a timeline for a paper or a project, I should also plan when I will celebrate the achievement. There are always going to be more things to do, and by the time you finish one, it can be tempting to simply move on.  

How does engineering apply to your daily life?  

Engineering training taught me the process of structured debugging. I have a tendency to overthink, as many of us do, which leads to catastrophizing every aspect of life and spiraling. I have learned to apply the first step of debugging — isolating the problem — to disentangle the real issue from all the hypothetical debacles I create in my mind.  

How do you encourage engineering students to make an impact on the community?  

I am so glad that you have this question. By listening to community members. I cannot stress this enough. Communities must be involved in every aspect of the work we do, from framing the problem to developing solutions or prototypes to testing and deployment.