Sarina Dahlan ‘98 and S.B. Divya MEng ‘00 Reunite at Their Alma Mater for an Evening of Storytelling

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The University of California San Diego Library’s Signature Event Series, now in its fifth year, continues with a special evening featuring two distinguished alumni authors: Sarina Dahlan ’98 and S.B. Divya MEng ’00. The event will explore the power of speculative fiction to address contemporary issues while celebrating the achievements of UC San Diego alumni. It also marks the finale of the Library’s 2024-25 Signature Event Series.

Event Details

• Date: Wednesday, May 28, 2025
• Time 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• Location: Seuss Room, Geisel Library, 9710 Hopkins Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093
• Admission: Free and open to the public
• Registration: Open and required

This Signature Event offers a rare opportunity for students, faculty, alumni and the broader community to hear directly from two acclaimed authors whose experiences as women of color in STEM and the arts inform their storytelling. Attendees will gain insight into the authors’ creative processes, the cultural and scientific influences behind their work and how their stories engage with timely societal themes.

About Sarina Dahlan ’98

Sarina Dahlan ’98, who was born into an Indonesian family in Thailand and immigrated to the United States at age 12, brings a unique global perspective to her writing. Her stories are influenced by folklore, ghost stories, mythology and Japanese manga. A graduate of UC San Diego’s School of Arts and Humanities with degrees in psychology and visual arts, Dahlan is the author of the bestselling Four Cities series: “Reset” (2021); “Preset” (2023), which explores memory, identity and the cost of utopia; and “Freeset” (2024), the series’ conclusion. She also wrote the short story collection “Shadow Play: Ten Tales From the In-between” (2018), which highlights her imaginative voice and cultural roots.

The evening’s discussion will center on Dahlan’s Four Cities series, her gripping sci-fi trilogy that explores love, loss, memory, and belonging in a deeply emotional journey through the scars of the past and the hope of what’s to come. She will also reflect on how her time at UC San Diego shaped her writing journey.

About S.B. Divya MEng ’00

Joining Dahlan is fellow alumna S.B. Divya MEng ’00, whose fiction combines hard science with compelling storytelling. A graduate of UC San Diego with degrees in computational neuroscience and signal processing, including a master’s from the Jacobs School of Engineering, Divya spent two decades as an electrical engineer before becoming a full-time writer. Her work draws from her technical background and often explores the intersections of technology, humanity and social structure.

Divya is the author of “Machinehood” (2021), which examines the implications of automation and labor in a near-future world, and “Meru” (2023), a speculative novel that considers cultural identity and artificial intelligence in a distant future setting. Her most recent release, “Loka” (2024), continues her tradition of rich world-building and delves into themes of identity, freedom and technology. A finalist for the Nebula, Hugo, Ignyte and Locus awards, Divya will talk about challenging genre norms and tackling complex ethical questions through her science fiction.

The conversation will be moderated and books will be available for purchase from the UC San Diego Bookstore at the event.

“Our Signature Event Series allows us to bring thought-provoking voices to our community, sparking dialogue and reflection around the issues that shape our world,” Mitchell said. “Sarina Dahlan’s work beautifully blends science fiction and cultural storytelling, and I’m excited to welcome her back to campus. Along with S.B. Divya, who brings a fresh and fearless perspective to speculative fiction, this event will offer an engaging conversation about how both authors use their unique backgrounds to illuminate key themes in the genre today.”

The Signature Event Series, established in 2020 to commemorate Geisel Library’s 50th anniversary, offers the campus and broader community opportunities to engage with authors, filmmakers and artists exploring culturally and intellectually significant topics. Events are made possible through the generous support of the Library’s Signature Event sponsors and Library Associates. Join today!

To learn more about this Signature Event or to register, visit lib.ucsd.edu/dahlandivya.

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