Illumin is an online magazine dedicated to exploring the science and technology behind the things we encounter every day. Produced and published by the Engineering Writing Program at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, Illumin features the work of talented USC undergraduate engineers along with submissions from universities across the nation. These articles, supplemented with innovative multimedia features, relate the far-reaching impact of the engineering profession, and provide a broader view of the socio-economic and political implications of rapid technological change.
Nearly five years ago, Illumin was conceived at the USC School of Engineering as a way to demonstrate the relevance of engineering to engineers and non-engineers alike. In an effort to highlight the impact of engineering upon everyday life and to showcase the writing skills of USC Engineering students, the Engineering Writing Program at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering began the development of Illumin. Using articles submitted as part of a WRIT 340 class assignment, the editors and multimedia specialists built the Illumin website.
With worldwide readership, Illumin continues to evolve as an academic resource for modern society. Illumin articles have been selected for publication in textbooks and university course readers. Multimedia features now include flash animation, graphics correlating with each article, video and sounds clips, a glossary of terms, and an extensive archive of previously published articles. Additionally, a teacher's edition of Illumin is currently being created for use in high school classrooms.
Illumin is funded by the USC Viterbi School of Engineering's Office of the Dean. Seed money was also provided by the USC Fund for Innovative Undergraduate Teaching.
Andrew Bagwell
Associate Editor
Andrew Bagwell is a junior majoring in Industrial and Systems Engineering. He spends most of his time trying to figure out how to attend concerts on a college student's budget, but he has also started displaying some interest in finding the best tacos in Los Angeles.
Heather Chen
Associate Editor
Heather Chen is a sophomore pursuing a Biomedical Engineering degree. In her spare time, she enjoys dancing and oil painting. She loves reading newspapers and feeling up-to-date with regards to the world around her. After graduating, she aspires to enter the medical field specializing in pediatrics.
Sepehr Dehpour
Multimedia Editor
Sepehr Dehpour is a 3rd year graduate student at USC School of Cinematic Arts. Sepehr has been founder and director of CGTAL active media in Iran, co-founder and chairman of the e-Solutions Festival of Iran, member of the UN-World Summit Award (WSA) expert panel during 2005 and 2007 and also a member of UN-WSA Grand Jury 2005. Sepehr held the fellowship of USC Annenberg School of Communications from 2007 to 2009. Having a Bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering, Sepehr believes that art has opened new horizons for him and that's why his main focus in his thesis narrative film "Legend of Arad" is not technical issues anymore but it is the art of story telling.
Ilya Golosker
Associate Editor
Ilya Golosker is a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He enjoys playing the piano and guitar, as well as making the most out of his senior year before becoming a grad student. His technical interests include mechanical design, reliability engineering, and communicating the engineering behind everyday life.
Anna Harley-Trochimczyk
Associate Editor
Anna Harley-Trochimczyk is a junior majoring in Chemical Engineering. She is a Merit Research Scholar and also sings with the USC Crescendo Vocal Jazz Ensemble. She spends the little free time she has exploring Los Angeles and baking cookies. She hopes to take a year off after finishing her undergraduate degree to volunteer abroad.
Natasha Naik
Associate Editor
Natasha is currently a junior BME at USC and is looking forward to an exciting year at Illumin! She is also President of ASBME and a student researcher on campus. She is looking to study abroad in Madrid Spring 2009 (Spanish minor) and still graduate in four years, after which medical school seems most likely. Hobbies: traveling, eating, sleeping.
Josh Villbrandt
Website Designer
Josh is currently pursuing a BS in Astronautical Engineering. In his free time, Josh enjoys drumming for the Spirit of Troy Marching Band, and playing Ultimate Frisbee with friends. Upon graduation, Josh hopes to work in the Aerospace industry, possibly with a focus in robotics.
