Trinh Pham

Trinh Pham serves as Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering within California State University, Los Angeles' College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology, and concurrently holds the position of Special Assistant to the Vice President for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. Her career at Cal State LA spans faculty, advisory, and administrative roles following her doctoral training at UC Irvine.

Educational background:

• Ph.D. Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (2006), University of California, Irvine
• M.S. Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (2003), University of California, Irvine
• B.S. Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (Double Major) (2001), University of California, Irvine

Her research integrates thermal-fluid sciences with sustainability applications, focusing on alternative fuel production (ethanol/biodiesel), combustion emissions analysis, and swirling flow effects. She actively connects these technical domains to societal impact through renewable energy education, particularly targeting underrepresented student engagement via hands-on learning methodologies that bridge theoretical concepts with practical engineering design.

As an advisor and administrator, Dr. Pham emphasizes student resilience and self-care derived from personal experience, implementing applied teaching approaches including facility visits, design projects, and laboratory research to foster responsible engineering practices. Her administrative role in equity initiatives extends this commitment to institutional culture.