Notable Alumni of University of California-San Diego

Angela Davis 1944–

Political activist, philosopher and author

Master of Arts · Class of 1968

Also attended: Brandeis University

Alicia Garza 1981–

Activist, co-founder of Black Lives Matter

Kurt M. Campbell 1957–

Former US Deputy Secretary of State

Timothy J. Roemer 1956–

Former Indiana congressman and diplomat

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1979

Also attended: University of Notre Dame

Anna Caballero 1955–

California state senator

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Alejandro Gaviria 1966–

Colombian economist, former health and education minister

Spouse: Carolina Soto Losada (Columbia University in the City of New York)

Nick Woodman 1975–

Founder and CEO of GoPro

Ping Fu 1958–

Entrepreneur, co-founder of Geomagic

Also attended: University of San Diego

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan 1952–

Structural biologist, 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Also attended: Ohio State University-Main Campus, Ohio University-Main Campus

Sibling: Lalita Ramakrishnan (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Tufts University)

Susumu Tonegawa 1939–2026

Japanese biologist, 1987 Nobel laureate

Doctor of Philosophy

Bruce Beutler 1957–

Immunologist, 2011 Nobel laureate in Medicine

Also attended: University of Chicago

Fred Ramsdell 1960–

Immunologist and 2025 Nobel Prize laureate

Bachelor of Science · Biochemistry · Class of 1983

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Craig Venter 1946–2026

Geneticist who led early human genome sequencing

Doctor of Philosophy · Pharmacology, Physiology · Class of 1975

Also attended: College of San Mateo

Spouse: Claire M. Fraser (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University at Buffalo)

Spouse: Barbara Rae-Venter (University of California-San Diego, The University of Texas at Austin)

Jessica Meir 1977–

NASA astronaut and marine biologist

Doctor of Philosophy

Also attended: Brown University

Megan McArthur 1971–

Former NASA astronaut and oceanographer

Doctor of Philosophy · Oceanography · Class of 2002

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Spouse: Robert L. Behnken (California Institute of Technology, Washington University in St Louis)

Kathleen Rubins 1978–

NASA astronaut and microbiologist

Also attended: Stanford University

Ancel Keys 1904–2004

Physiologist who studied diet and health

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Walter Munk 1917–2019

Physical oceanographer

Also attended: California Institute of Technology, University of California-Los Angeles, Columbia University in the City of New York

Bill Atkinson 1951–2025

Computer engineer who worked at Apple from 1978 to 1990

Undergraduate degree

Also attended: University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Kim M. Cobb 1974–

Climate scientist and professor at Brown University

Also attended: Yale University

Ayana Elizabeth Johnson 1980–

Marine biologist, co-founder of Urban Ocean Lab

Also attended: Harvard University

Chu Ching-wu 1941–

Taiwanese-American physicist specializing in superconductivity

Also attended: Fordham University

Zeng Fanyi 1968–

Stem cell scientist, Shanghai Jiao Tong University professor

Also attended: University of Pennsylvania

Xiaoliang Sunney Xie 1962–

Biophysical chemist, director of Changping Laboratory

Also attended: University of Chicago

Suisheng Zhao 1954–

University of Denver professor of Chinese politics

Also attended: University of Missouri-Columbia

Kuan Chung-ming 1956–

Economist, former president of National Taiwan University

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1989

Also attended: University of California-Davis

Lizhen Ji 1964–

Mathematics professor at the University of Michigan

Also attended: Northeastern University

Robert Malone 1960–

Physician and biochemist known for early mRNA research

Master of Science · Biology · Class of 1988

Also attended: University of California-Davis, Northwestern University, Harvard University

Peter Godfrey-Smith 1965–

Philosopher of science, University of Sydney professor

Jack Sarfatti 1939–

Theoretical physicist studying quantum physics and consciousness

Also attended: University of California-Riverside, Brandeis University, Cornell University

Bonnie Henry 1966–

Provincial Health Officer of British Columbia

Preventive medicine · Attended until 1999

Also attended: San Diego State University

Sudhir Venkatesh 1966–

Sociologist, professor at Columbia University

Bachelor of Arts · Mathematics · Class of 1988

Also attended: University of Chicago

Jef Raskin 1943–2005

Conceived and led Apple's Macintosh project

Also attended: Stony Brook University, The Pennsylvania State University, The Pennsylvania State University

Child: Aza Raskin (California Institute of Technology, University of Chicago)

Khaled Hosseini 1965–

Novelist, author of The Kite Runner

Also attended: Santa Clara University

Benicio del Toro 1967–

Puerto Rican actor and Academy Award winner

Also attended: Circle in the Square Theatre School

James Avery 1945–2013

Actor known as Philip Banks in Fresh Prince

Also attended: Virginia State University

Kim Stanley Robinson 1952–

Science fiction writer known for the Mars trilogy

Also attended: Boston University

David Brin 1950–

Science fiction author, Hugo and Nebula winner

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1981

Also attended: California Institute of Technology

Kathy Acker 1947–1997

Experimental novelist, poet and playwright

Also attended: Brandeis University

Vernor Vinge 1944–2024

Science fiction author and computer science professor

Master of Arts, Doctor of Philosophy · Mathematics

Also attended: San Diego State University, Michigan State University

Spouse: Joan D. Vinge (San Diego State University)

Mike Judge 1962–

Creator of Beavis and Butt-Head and King of the Hill

Physics · Attended until 1985

Gregory Benford 1941–

Science fiction author and astrophysicist

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1967

Also attended: University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus

Diana Gabaldon 1952–

Author of the Outlander series

Marion Ross 1928–

Actress known for Happy Days

Also attended: San Diego State University

Silas Weir Mitchell 1970–

Actor in Prison Break and Grimm

Also attended: Brown University

Ricardo Chavira 1971–

Actor known for Desperate Housewives

Robert Buckley 1981–

Actor in One Tree Hill and iZombie

Raymond E. Feist 1945–

Fantasy novelist, author of the Riftwar Cycle

Father: Felix E. Feist (Columbia University in the City of New York)

Steve Blum 1960–

Voice actor known for Spike Spiegel in Cowboy Bebop

Nathan East 1955–

Jazz, R&B and rock bassist

Catherynne M. Valente 1979–

Speculative fiction writer and poet

Mario Testino 1954–

Peruvian fashion and portrait photographer

Hart Bochner 1956–

Canadian actor, screenwriter and director

David J. Peterson 1981–

Language creator of Dothraki and Valyrian for Game of Thrones

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Jimmy O. Yang 1987–

Hong Kong-born American actor and stand-up comedian

Bachelor's degree · Class of 2009

Lindsay Ellingson 1984–

Model and former Victoria's Secret Angel

Dileep Rao 1973–

Actor in Avatar and Inception

Milana Vayntrub 1987–

Actress and comedian, AT&T ads' Lily Adams

Martha Rosler 1943–

Conceptual artist working in photography and video

Also attended: CUNY Brooklyn College

Em Beihold 1999–

Singer-songwriter

Maria Dizzia 1974–

Actress and Tony Award nominee

Also attended: Cornell University

Kellie Waymire 1967–2003

Actress known for Six Feet Under and Star Trek: Enterprise

Also attended: Southern Methodist University

Carrie Mae Weems 1953–

Photographer known for The Kitchen Table Series

Master of Fine Arts

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, California Institute of the Arts

Lorna Simpson 1960–

Photographer and multimedia artist

Also attended: School of Visual Arts

Spouse: James Casebere (Michigan State University)

Sofia Pernas 1989–

Actress who starred in The Brave

Spouse: Justin Hartley (University of Illinois at Chicago, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale)

Frank Collison 1950–

Actor known for Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

Also attended: San Francisco State University

Brinke Stevens 1954–

Actress, director and screenwriter

Also attended: San Diego State University

Spouse: Dave Stevens (San Diego City College)

Lowell Bergman 1945–

Investigative journalist, TV producer and professor

Also attended: University of Wisconsin-Madison

David Lim 1983–

Actor and model in S.W.A.T. and Quantico

Attended until 2005

Ye Si 1949–2013

Hong Kong poet, writer and scholar

Hung Liu 1948–2021

Chinese-born American contemporary artist and painter

Jon Foreman 1976–

Lead singer of the band Switchfoot

Jefferson Mays 1965–

Actor and Tony Award recipient

Also attended: Yale University

Milo Aukerman 1963–

Lead singer of the Descendents, former molecular biologist

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1993

Also attended: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Olivia Liang 1993–

Actress in Kung Fu and Legacies

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Andy Weir 1972–

Novelist, author of The Martian

Also attended: University of San Diego

Zoë Chao 1985–

Actress and screenwriter, known for The Afterparty

Also attended: Brown University

Ben Gleib 1978–

Actor and stand-up comedian

Billy Beane 1962–

Former baseball player and MLB front office executive

John Leonard Watson 1951–

Chess International Master and author

Also attended: Harvard University

Julie Ertel 1972–

Water polo player and Olympic silver medalist

Also attended: Azusa Pacific University

Leilani Munter 1974–

Racing driver and environmental activist

Andrew Cunanan 1969–1997

Spree killer who murdered Gianni Versace

Rosie Stephenson-Goodknight 1953–

Wikipedia editor addressing gender gap

Attended until 1994

Also attended: University of California-Irvine, University of California-Los Angeles

Maria Ho 1983–

Taiwanese-American poker player and TV host