Hope Bovenzi
Product Management, AC Charging, Tesla
B.S. Electrical Engineering, '12
Hope Bovenzi graduated from UC Davis with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 2012. After graduating from UC Davis, Bovenzi joined Texas Instruments and rose through the ranks to become in 2019 the youngest sector general manager for Automotive Infotainment Systems. In 2020, Bovenzi received the Cal Aggie Alumni Association 2020 Young Alumna Award and was recognized as a leader in Silicon Valley promoting young women in STEM. Bovenzi has held various roles in the connectivity and e-mobility industry; most recently was a staff product manager at Tesla defining, scoping, and launching user-centric products for EV Charging. Bovenzi is a member of the ECE Industrial Advisory Board.
What research or technology are you most excited about right now, and why?
I’m particularly excited about the convergence of e-mobility technology and V2X (vehicle-to-anything). Many EV companies are including bidirectionality to their charge ports. The benefits of this range from conveniently powering appliances through vehicle-to-load to having peace-of-mind during power outages through vehicle to home. In the future, we can expect chargers to even interact intelligently with the grid! Beyond that, EV charging is becoming somewhat "commoditized” and that means it’s becoming more accessible for more people.
How did your time at UC Davis impact you and/or prepare you for your career?
UC Davis helped give me a good balance of important engineering theory and practical real-world application. This mixture helped me hit the ground running as an application engineer which then laid a great foundation for defining and scoping new technology as a product manager.
Did you have a favorite course or instructor at UC Davis?
Absolutely! My favorite course was my senior design project with Professor André Knoesen. We built a pulse oximeter and, later on, a plant spectrometer. It was a tough class and a lot of hard work, but it really helped prepare me for my career after college.
What advice would you give to young people who are currently seeking a degree in electrical and computer engineering?
My advice is: pretty much everyone has imposter syndrome. Both as an electrical and computer engineering student and after graduation, everyone is really just making it up as they go. Do not let the imposter syndrome keep you from stepping outside your comfort zone, taking a risk, or simply asking a question.