I am the older of two sons, and we had a pretty typical middle income household in La Mirada, a suburb southeast of Los Angeles. I now live in Cerritos (also a suburb southeast of Los Angeles), and have been married to Linh for five years. She's a Psychiatric Social Worker, which couldn't be further from the technical side. I have learned a lot from her.

I received my BSEE and Math Minor from Cal Poly Pomona and my MSEE from the University of Southern California. I spent all my life in the Los Angeles area, but my parents were both born in Hawaii. Most of my relatives are in Hawaii. In fact, we just had a family reunion on the Big Island — more than 180 people showed up (most of whom I met for the first time). My brother just got married earlier this year so now it's a race to see who will give my parents their first grandchild.

I like solving complex problems and puzzles, and am one of the official statisticians for the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA professional soccer teams. I also collect anything with a logo on it, and play basketball every Saturday with my high school friends. My real job is a principal reliability engineer for Raytheon in El Segundo, California, where I analyze parts' reliability and suggest design improvements for our radar and sensor systems, and help various programs with life test data and probability calculations. And, of course, I am an IEEE volunteer and have been actively involved this year with the GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) Committee, IEEE-USA, and am an elected member of the Reliability Society AdCom.

That you can create your own seasons. While Los Angeles has pretty good weather year-round, it does not have the seasons you identify with other cities. But within an hour's drive of L.A., you can experience any season or climate you want. Drive west and hit the beaches; drive northwest to hit the national forests and waterfalls; drive north and hit the rising mountains; drive northeast and hit the ski slopes; drive east and hit the deserts; drive southeast and see the leaves change.

Did you always want to be an engineer?

I always liked computers and math in high school. So becoming an engineer was a natural marriage of the two. When I was a child, I thought being an engineer was being able to run a train, which I also found fascinating. And when I was very young, I wanted to be an astronaut to get that free lifetime supply of Tang orange drink.

What misconceptions do people have about engineers?

That we’re all men! More and more intelligent women are taking up engineering, and more than half the new hires at my company are women. Also, it’s a misconception that we can fix TVs or other major household appliances. When did we become electricians? The reason I’m a systems engineer is so that I can stay out of the labs!

Tell us about one of the most meaningful moments in your life.

That would be my marriage to Linh. And by the time this publishes, I hope to announce the first addition to our family.

Where would you travel on the journey of your choice?

As corny as it may sound, it would be to go to outer space. I think if there were a way to travel for days at a time, I’d do it, space sickness and all. I think we all can use the perspective of watching Earth from a distance and understanding our lives and place in the universe.

What is your most distinctive characteristic?

That I’m a listener. It is amazing how many times people have thanked me for just listening, or think I’ve helped them solve their dilemma just by understanding what they are trying to say.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?

I would say Ronald Reagan, and his motto,“Peace through strength.” Although applied to the Cold War, it is a philosophy of his life as well. President Reagan had strong convictions and did what he thought was right and best for the country, regardless of public opinion. And he lived with those decisions in peace, knowing his intentions were in the right place.

What is your biggest regret?

I have a few small ones — but no big regrets. I am very happy with my life. You learn to live with your decisions and make the best of things. For example, if I had decided to bow to peer pressure and go to a University of California school instead of a state school, I would not have met Linh, my soulmate. I don’t necessarily believe in fate, but I believe that out of many choices, most (if not all) can lead to good things.

What words do you live by?

“I know in my heart that man is good. That what is right will always eventually triumph. And there is purpose and worth to each and every life.”