About Us

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.

History

In the Spring of 1999, 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.

Core Team

Illumin’s core team is composed of students who edit and format papers for the online medium. Our staff also includes a web developer and multimedia guru. We interview and hire for open staffing positions every Spring.

Ashly Lam is a senior studying Electrical and Computer Engineering. Outside of Illumin Magazine, she is involved with Makers at USC and the Society of Women Engineers. In her free time, she enjoys being in nature and journaling.

Jessica Li is a senior studying Electrical and Computer Engineering. Outside of Illumin, she is a member of USC Helenes and a researcher at the WiDeS (Wireless Devices and Systems) lab. In her free time, she enjoys thrifting, traveling, and creating ceramics.

Lehar Goenka is a junior studying Biomedical Engineering with an electrical engineering emphasis. Outside of Illumin, she’s research chair for the Associated Students of Biomedical Engineering (ASBME), and a course producer for BME 502. In her free time, she likes hiking, journaling, and listening to new music.

Karl Revale is a sophomore studying Computer Science & Business Administration. Beyond Illumin, Karl is also part of the creative team at 840 West Records. He makes music in his spare time, along with his other passions for design and photography.

Lauren Smiley is a junior studying Mechanical Engineering. Outside of Illumin, she is a part of the USC Rocket Propulsion Laboratory (RPL). In her free time, she enjoys hiking, reading, and doing crossword puzzles.

Stephen Bucher is the Director of the Engineering in Society Program at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. He is the founder of and faculty advisor to Illumin magazine.

Past Staff

About Us

History

Core Team

Leire Lizarralde

Jessica Li

Lehar Goenka

Karl Revale

Lauren Smiley

Nina Chung

Steve Bucher

Past Staff