MESM 2026
Pronouns: he/him
Bio
Isa Elias graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree from UC Berkeley in 2019 with Highest Honors. He comes to Bren to complement his technical experience with an education in management, law, policy, and the natural sciences. His overarching goal is to help protect and restore natural ecosystems.
Through his renewable energy research at Berkeley, Isa built prototypes of engines powered by waste heat. After graduating, he worked at an aerospace company where he witnessed the environmental disruption and immense amount of waste caused by heavy manufacturing processes. Committed to making a positive contribution to the health of the planet, Isa joined Saildrone, a company that makes uncrewed surface vehicles for remote ocean data collection. There, he was able to combine his passion for creating and building with his love for the sea to help design vehicles that advance our understanding of the oceans. With a Bren education, Isa is aiming to amplify his impact by working at the intersection between science and management to help protect our natural environment for generations to come.