A UC Santa Barbara PhD student who disappeared during a solo hike in California’s Eastern Sierra was found dead days later, ending a frantic search that drew in family members and rescue crews. Vikram Mubayi, a chemical engineering doctoral candidate, was reported missing after his family lost contact with him during a weekend trip to the Big Pine Lakes area of Inyo National Forest.
His brother confirmed the grim outcome in a Reddit post, telling readers, Thank you to everyone here for the support, unfortunately he was found deceased. Mubayi’s last contact with his family came around 8:37 p.m. on Aug. 1. The post said he had been hiking near Agassiz Col, while his vehicle stayed at the trailhead. He was also carrying a Garmin satellite device and had shared his GPS coordinates before communication stopped.
When Mubayi did not return, his family alerted the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office. Inyo County Search and Rescue personnel joined the effort, along with the California Highway Patrol. Mubayi’s remains were recovered on Aug. 3 in the Big Pine Lakes area. Authorities have not released a cause or manner of death, and investigators said there is currently no evidence of foul play. The circumstances remain under investigation.
Mubayi was part of UCSB’s Department of Chemical Engineering and worked in the O’Malley Lab. His research centered on anaerobic bacteria that can break down lignin, a difficult component of plant matter. He studied how bacteria and other biological processes could help turn plant waste and plastics into more sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based materials. Along with his research, he also served as a teaching assistant and mentor.
