Chad Sterling says it would be easy to come to the lab in the morning, get caught up in research all day, and not do anything else. Not that he ever does.

"He's an outstanding individual, in his service to students, to the African American community on campus, the campus as a whole, and the general community," said Rene Maldonado, director of the Math, Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) outreach program at UC Davis.

Sterling, 24, of Vallejo, a graduate student in computer science, has won a national 2005 Black Engineer of the Year Award in the category of graduate student leadership, one of two winners in the category. Winners of this year's awards will be honored at the annual Black Engineer of the Year Awards Conference in Baltimore, Feb. 17 to 19. And the Sacramento Observer newspaper recently named Sterling one of "30 under 30" young professionals recognized for their service to the Sacramento community.

Sterling received his bachelor's degree in computer science and engineering from UC Davis in 2003, and plans to graduate this June with a master's in computer science. Following an internship with Hewlett-Packard last summer, he plans to accept a job offer with the computer manufacturer after graduating. He is considering whether to return for a doctoral degree after a few years working.

For his master's degree, Sterling has been working on software to automatically find the source of bugs in programming code.

"He's been a pleasure to work with," said his thesis adviser, computer science professor Ron Olsson. "I'm sort of disappointed he's not staying on for a Ph.D."

As an undergraduate, Sterling took a leadership role in both campuswide activities and service to the African American and minority communities. In winter quarter 2002, he was elected as a senator of the Associated Students of UC Davis, and he has served on a number of ASUCD committees and organizations.

"I wanted to highlight issues that are sometimes overlooked on campus, and to provide a voice for those who don't have one," Sterling said.

He has held a number of posts in the Black Engineers Association, including president and telecommunications chair, driving an increase in membership and activity by the club. The association is the campus chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers. The student-run society aims to increase the numbers of black engineers who "excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community."

Programs that offer a leg up

To develop a pathway for young black engineers, NSBE student members reach back into schools, offering mentoring, tutoring and advice, while professional engineers who are NSBE alumni do the same for college students, Sterling said.

Groups like NSBE and the BEA also help minority students cope with college life.

"People come from all kinds of different backgrounds. It can be a culture shock," Sterling said. "We wanted to provide an outlet for people to relax and connect with others in positive and productive ways."

Recently, Sterling and students at the School of Law, School of Medicine and College of Engineering started the campus Black Graduate and Professional Association. Like the BEA, the new association aims to provide a meeting point for African American graduate students to share experiences and resources.

"It can be very isolating to be the only black student. It's important to meet people like yourself," he said. For example, the graduate program in computer science has about five African American students out of more than 160 -- and that is a lot compared with some other programs.

On behalf of the MESA program, Sterling has tutored and mentored students in Vallejo public schools. The program is part of the statewide MESA organization, which helps students in disadvantaged schools to prepare for college.

Recently, he has worked with Maldonado to develop graduate student advising in the MESA Engineering Program, a branch of MESA that provides support to disadvantaged and minority students, many of whom are the first in their families to experience higher education.

Sterling cites as personal heroes and role models black leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., Huey Newton, Malcolm X and Paul Rusesabagina, the hotel manager who rescued hundreds from the Rwandan genocide of 1994. Integrity, a clear perception of the world and a powerful message are key themes for him.

"I want to do what is right to the best of my ability," he said.

But before these, he cited his mother, Mary Sterling, as a role model, for her sheer hard work and dedication. A former nurse at the UC Davis Medical Center, she worked graveyard shifts, commuting from Vallejo, to send him to the private St. Patrick's and St. Vincent's High School and get him started at college.

"I was so fortunate that my mom worked hard to keep me in private school. When I go back to tutor, I see kids who don't get what they need," Sterling said. Regular public schools are not preparing students for college-level engineering, he said, noting programs such as MESA can help, but their effectiveness is limited when budgets are cut.

For African American students in school or starting out in college, Sterling's advice is to seek out resources, because they will not come to you. Tutoring and mentoring programs, study centers and peer groups such as NSBE are all available to help students get the support that they need.

"Don't be afraid to put your hand up and ask a stupid question," He added. "Is it more stupid to ask a question, or not ask and be left not knowing the answer?"