Dr. Sonia Naderi
When Dr. Sonia Naderi was a teenager, she was fascinated by how everyday devices worked. She often watched her mother, who had studied computer engineering, solve technical problems with patience and creativity. What started with questions about how things function grew into a passion for designing and understanding electronic circuits. Before coming to Los Angeles Valley College, Dr. Naderi worked at Samsung Electronics America and completed her PhD and postdoctoral research at UC Santa Cruz, where she developed deep expertise in wireless systems. Along the way, she discovered that teaching allowed her to combine her technical background with something equally important to her: mentoring and guiding students.
Dr. Naderi is drawn to working with students from diverse backgrounds and helping them develop practical, career-ready skills. Inside her classroom, she focuses on connecting theory to practice. Students do not just learn concepts; they build, test, and troubleshoot real circuits, gaining confidence as abstract ideas turn into working systems. She also introduces emerging topics such as renewable energy, robotics, and artificial intelligence, helping students understand how quickly the field evolves and how relevant their skills are in today’s job market.
“I believe innovation grows from curiosity, experimentation, and learning from mistakes, and I work to create a classroom environment where students feel safe to explore and take risks.”
Looking ahead, Dr. Naderi envisions the LAVC Electronics Department becoming a regional center of excellence for applied technology education. She hopes to develop advanced laboratories in robotics, renewable energy, and wireless communications, and to strengthen partnerships with universities and industry.