Spring 2026 Undergraduate Research Scholars COHORT
Jack Ashmore
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Jack Ashmore majored in Mechanical Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines. He performed research in the Mechanical Engineering Department, where he investigated thermogalvanic fuel cells and studied how electrolyte thickness affected system performance and energy conversion efficiency. He plans to continue his education at Mines through a graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, with a focus on energy systems and thermofluids. In the future, he hopes to pursue a career in the renewable energy industry and contribute to the development of sustainable energy generation and storage technologies.
Tony Salgado-Chami
B.S. in Petroleum Engineering
Tony Salgado-Chami graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering. He performed undergraduate research as part of the Mines Undergraduate Research Fellowship in 2023 under the guidance of Dr. Luis Zerpa of the Petroleum Engineering Department and as part of the Center for Rock & Fluid Multiphysics. During his time at Mines, Tony was part of the Pi Epsilon Tau honors society, SPE, AADE, and a student ambassador for the Petroleum Engineering Department. His research focused on determining the technical and economic feasibility of non-traditional sedimentary geothermal energy production and he plans to continue that work as part of his master’s degree in Petroleum Engineering in the fall. Post graduation, Tony hopes to work in the energy industry as either a petroleum or geothermal engineer.
Shelby Merriman
B.S. in Environmental Engineering, Minor in Economics
Shelby Merriman is getting her degree in Environmental Engineer with a minor in Economics. Her research was in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department with a focus on PFAS in the environment and how human infrastructure plays a role in its circulation. She has fluctuated between the Dean’s list and Honor Roll and will be graduating Cum Laude. She is looking forward to getting her master’s in environmental policy and eventually playing a role in water policy.
Melody Goldanloo
B.S. in Data Science
Melody Goldanloo graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Computer Science with a focus on Data Science. She conducted research in the Computer Science Department in the MIRROR Lab, a robotics lab, where she evaluated LLMs for astronaut assistance in mission simulation scenarios for NASA’s HERA program. Her work focused on analyzing how prompt design impacts both AI behavior and human performance in high-stress environments with communication delays. She also contributed to aerospace, astrodynamics, and data analysis research through her work with the Colorado Space Grant Consortium and the VADeR Lab at CU Boulder. She continued her studies through a Master’s degree in Quantum Engineering Software and aimed to continue toward a PhD in quantum engineering and AI abroad.
Remi Jones
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Minor in Aerospace Engineering
Remi graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Aerospace Engineering, and is currently pursuing a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a focus in Robotics & Automation as well as a graduate certificate in Space Resources. Her research for the Mechanical Engineering department in the MPALA lab initially focused on the development of a human-like robotic hand for grasping and in-hand manipulation, placing 2nd at the Fall 2024 Mines Undergraduate Research Symposium poster presentation, and pivoted to the development of a body-powered prosthesis with a gear-based clutch mechanism for switching grasping synergies and culminating in the submission of this research to the IROS 2026 conference. She has consistently received recognition on the academic honor roll, placed in competitions for other academic projects, and was initiated into the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society during her junior year. Upon completion of her M.S., she intends to pursue a career in space robotics, working in industry R&D to advance the future of sustainable space exploration.
Loreann Laou
B.S. in Biochemistry
Loreann Laou graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Biochemistry. While at Mines, she conducted research in the Department of Chemistry under the guidance of Dr. Matthew Posewitz, studying the growth of algae. More specifically, testing the growth of the algae in different levels of light and conducting experiments to prove the mutant and the wild type have different distinct growth phenotypes. After graduating, Loreann plans to pursue a career in biology research and a PhD in Biochemistry.
Camille Anderson
B.S. in Biochemistry and Quantitative Biosciences Engineering
Camille Anderson graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in both Biochemistry and Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering. She conducted research in the Chemistry department under Dr. Samantha Johnson utilizing computational tools to investigate the interfacial reactivity and behavior of microdroplets. During her time at Mines, Camille was involved on campus as the president of both the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Society, and BioBuilders. She plans to pursue a PhD in computational biology.
Wyatt Brooks
B.S. in Chemistry
Wyatt Brooks graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Chemistry. He worked with the McGuirk Group in the chemistry department on the development of a superacid to chemically recycle plastics, hoping to reduce the impact on plastic waste on the environment. During his time, he won two first place poster presentations, at the Colorado Center for Advanced Ceramics conference, and a tie with Emma Bateman at the Fall 2025 Mines Undergraduate Research Symposium. He was also invited to present at Rice University’s Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium where he gave an oral presentation to peers from across the country. He aims to use his scientific knowledge and training to tackle the human-caused problems most affecting our shared planet.
Bryce Huffaker
B.S. in Computer Science, Minor in Explosives Engineering
Bryce Huffaker graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S in Computer Science with a specialty in Robotics and Intelligent Systems as well as a minor in Explosives Engineering. Bryce conducted research with the Explosives Research Lab in the Mechanical Engineering Department for 2.5 years. Bryce’s research was focused on integration of electrical and software systems particularly for 3D printers and drones. Bryce is looking to pursue his M.S in Robotics at Mines and continue to conduct research with the Explosives Research Lab as a Graduate Researcher.
Eliza Ross
B.S. in Geophysical Engineering
Eliza Ross graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Geophysical Engineering. During her time at Mines, she conducted research under Dr. Piret Plink-Bjorklund in the Geology and Geological Engineering Department, studying the effects of hyperthermals on hydroclimate variability. Outside of Mines, she has worked with Dr. Randall Bonnell in the USGS, and with Dr. Roger Michaelides at Washington University at St. Louis, focussing on the spatial variability of snow and permafrost processes. After graduation, Eliza will be pursuing a Ph.D. at Washington University under Dr. Michaelides, studying the effects of wildfire on permafrost using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR).
Ainsley Soleta
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Ainsley Soleta graduated from Colorado School of Mines in May of 2026 with her Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering with a focus in Aerospace Engineering. Ainsley was heavily involved at Mines and when not conducting research could be found giving a tour as a Campus Student Ambassador, on the lacrosse field where she served as the VP of Fundraising for women’s club lacrosse, in office hours as a teaching assistant for Finite Element Analysis, or enjoying other aerospace student’s company as Secretary and Communications Director for Women of Aeronautics and Astronautics. She conducted research in additive manufacturing, specifically within the Dynamic Solidification Lab, where she studied powder flow behavior and its impact on deposition quality for laser directed energy deposition. Her work involved developing experimental methods to characterize powder flow rate and distribution using sensor-based measurements and image processing techniques. Following graduation, Ainsley will be attending Auburn University where she will be working on her PhD in Aerospace Engineering researching advanced materials and composites.
Julianne Stevens
B.S. in Design Engineering, McBride Minor in Public Affairs
Julianne Stevens graduated Cum Laude from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Design Engineering and a McBride minor in Public Affairs. She conducted research in the Engineering, Design, and Society department and was recognized as a Grand Challenge scholar. Her research focused on STEM education through the interogation and analysis of student experiences of inclusion and exclusion in makerspaces, and ethics education for engineering students. She is authored and published to the American Society of Engineering Education and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers having worked on two projects with two wonderful research groups. During her time at Mines she also conducted sociotechnical research as an Energy Siting Intern with Pacific Northwest National Lab and in the future she’d like to return to the relam of qualitative research for technological development.
Isaac Crossley
B.S. in Chemical and Biological Engineering, Minor in Biomedical Engineering
Isaac Crossley graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Chemical and Biological Engineering and a minor in Biomedical Engineering. He consistently performed research in the CBE department, being awarded the Mines Undergraduate Research Fellowship for two full years. He investigated potential avenues for more effective, targeted therapies that could treat type 1 diabetes using nanocapsule delivery systems. Looking ahead, he will continue to pursue medical and translational research and seeks to become a physician scientist. He has been accepted to perform postbaccalaureate research CU Anschutz medical campus as the next step in this journey.
Ava Watson
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Ava Watson graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a focus in Biomechanics and a minor in Biomedical Engineering. She was a part of the Functional Biomechanics Laboratory in the Mechanical Engineering department for 5 semesters and 1 summer. During this time she was awarded a Mines Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship and two Mines Undergraduate Research Fellowships. She presented her research at four Mines undergraduate symposiums, winning the People’s Choice Award in Fall 2025, and two Rocky Mountain American Society of Biomechanics conferences. She conducted research on human movement and muscle activity in a young non-injured, non-pathological population to provide a reference of expected movement patterns for studies in clinical populations. Ava plans to pursue a PhD in Mechanical Engineering in order to conduct biomechanical research in hypermobile populations.
Jack Logan
B.S. in Geophysical Engineering
Jack Logan graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Geophysical Engineering. He conducted research in the Mines Glaciology Laboratory with Joanna Millstein and Matthew Siegfried, where he evaluated the fracture mechanics of glacial ice in East Antarctica. He presented his findings at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting in 2024 and 2025. After graduation, he plans to continue research in remote sensing of earth systems to identify and monitor hazards affecting millions of people worldwide.
Kailey Dougherty
B.S. in Geophysical Engineering
Kailey Dougherty graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Geophysical Engineering. As an undergraduate researcher in the Department of Geophysics, she developed a Python package for the visualization of time-dependent 3D geophysical datasets under the advisement of Dr. Ge Jin. Kailey will continue geoscience research through graduate studies with the goal of creating cost-efficient, effective workflows for interpreting subsurface structure.
Matt Hammel
B.S. in Engineering Physics
Matt Hammel is a combined BS-MS-thesis student in Applied Physics at the Colorado School of Mines who has interest areas in electrochemistry, optical physics, nuclear science and engineering, and programming. Matt conducts research in the Mechanical Engineering department under the supervision of Dr. Aashutosh Mistry, with projects including molecular dynamics simulations and computations, optical metrology of metal-metal cells, and construction of a dry bath to hold samples at constant temperature. In the future, Matt hopes that he can pursue his interests in industry to make an impactful difference to the world.
Kathleen Gonzalez
B.S. in Geophysics
Katie Gonzalez graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Geophysical Engineering. She is the Education and Service Chair for Mines Without Borders, a Vanguard scholar, an undergraduate researcher in the Mines Oceanography lab, and a teaching assistant for Geophysics field camp. She enjoys research in oceanographic data analysis because coastal weather and circulation dynamics require creative thinking, personal growth, and a holistic perspective. She plans to build her field work and instructional experience before continuing to a graduate degree in marine, climate, or humanitarian geophysics.
Kathy Boyadzhieva
B.S. in Biochemistry
Kathy Boyadzhieva graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Chemistry and a track in Biochemistry. She conducted undergraduate research in the Dylan Domaille lab within the field of chemical biology. Here she focused on the design and synthesis of fluorescent probes for detecting biologically relevant oxidants along with optimizing oxygen nanosensor derivatives to improve fluorescence lifetime and brightness. Throughout her undergraduate career, she developed strong skills in organic synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, and data analysis. Following graduation, she planned to pursue graduate studies in chemistry within the same research group, with the goal of continuing the study of optimizing oxygen nanosensors further.
Daniel Ortiz
B.S. in Computer Science
Dan Ortiz graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Computer Science. Dan contributed to research in the fields of Human-Computer Interaction and Cybersecurity within the Computer Science department. They created a prototype frontend to present to parent participants for their feedback, guided a group of undergraduate students to then create the backend to that prototype, and then tested the prototype. In the future, they would like to continue working in Cybersecurity.
Sander Bouchard
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Sander Bouchard graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering while concurrently pursuing a Master of Science in Space Resources. He conducted research within the Mechanical Engineering department for the Center for Space Resources under the guidance of Dr. Dreyer. His work centered on the development of a high temperature valve system to regulate the flow of aluminum during Molten Regolith Electrolysis processes. Beyond the laboratory, Sander was an Astronaut Scholar, served as the Secretary for the Tau Beta Pi honor society, and acted as the student lead for the University Rover Challenge Team. Following graduation, he will develop lunar infrastructure and technology. Ad Luna
Cameron Hinkle
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Minor in Robotics and Intelligent Systems
Cameron Hinkle graduated from Mines with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Robotics and Intelligent Systems. He began research with Frances Zhu in the Robotics and Space Resources lab through a SURF fellowship, which resulted in a publication in Rover Mobility within a Lunar testing environment. This research consisted of testing a small formfactor “6U CubeRover” within the Mines Lunar Surface Simulator, collecting data on mobility to inform control policies and science generation through rover mobility. After graduation, Cameron will continue his education to obtain a master’s in mechanical engineering with the goal of working on space robotics systems.
Bethany Rasco
B.S. in Chemical and Biological Engineering
Bethany Rasco graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Chemical and Biological Engineering in Spring 2026. During her undergraduate career, she worked in the Chemistry Department with the Johnson Group. Her contributions to the Johnson Group are included in a future paper about catalytic hydroalkoxylation. Her work centered around optimizing a hydroalkoxylation reaction through the design of a catalyst. She has ambitions of becoming a Professional Engineer, PE, and designing future optimized processes in a variety of fields.
Marco Salgado
B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Marco Salgado graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. Marco has worked Dr. Andrew Herring and the Chemical and Biological Engineering department to investigate the synthesis, characterization, and utilization of hydrocarbon-based polymer electrolyte materials for use in electrochemical devices, such as fuel cells and electrolysis cells. Through his work in electrochemistry, Marco has been named an ARCS (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists) Foundation Scholar, Barry Goldwater Scholar, and has been awarded a Mines Undergraduate Research Fellowship and Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship. Additionally, Marco has also served as a Council on Undergraduate Research Advocacy Ambassador, Electrochemical Society (Mines Chapter) treasurer, and is a member of the American Chemical Society and American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Marco plans on attending the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to pursue a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering to investigate electrocatalysts for use next-generation electrochemical devices.
Kyle Grote
B.S. in Biomechanics, Minor in Military Science
Kyle Grote studied Mechanical Engineering with a focus in biomechanics and a minor in Military Science. Her research examined muscle capacity through dynamometry, focusing on differences between dominant and non-dominant limbs. This work supported a better understanding of functional movement and its applications in athletics, rehabilitation, and military performance. During her time at Mines, she received the Colonel Wendell Fertig Scholarship for her work as an ROTC Cadet. She plans to pursue graduate studies in biomechanics while serving in the Colorado National Guard.
Maverick Savage
B.S. in Electrical Engineering, McBride Honors in Public Affairs
Maverick Savage graduated from the Colorado School of MInes in 2026 with a B.S in Electrical Engineering with the McBride Honors in Public Affairs minor. He conducted research in the Department of Electrical Engineering’s Power, Intelligence, and Computing (PIC) Lab under Dr. Qiuha Huang. Maverick was a Thorson and McBride Honors Scholar and served on the executive board of the Mines Climbing Team. His research was centered around intelligent building management to help reduce electrical loads, improve energy efficiency, and develop tools for the PIC lab to test algorithms. Maverick is planning on attending graduate school to obtain his M.S. in power engineering and hopes to dedicate his career to help curb the effects of climate change. He also plans to one day visit all the national parks in the US.
Noah Link
B.S. in Computer Science, Minor in Engineering for Community Development
Noah Link graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Computer Science and minor in Engineering for Community Development. While at Mines, he did research across Computer Science through Dr. Estelle Smith’s #HappyPlace lab exploring the ways that users of Reddit engage in spiritual care behaviors. Additionally, he worked with Humanitarian Engineering to engage with small-scale recyclers in Medellín, Colombia through the guidance of Dr. Juan Lucena and participated in an International Research Experience for Students (IRES) trip. He was a C-MAPP Scholar, Schultz Scholar, participated in Tau Beta Pi, and served as a technical lead for the Water Project of Mines Without Borders. After graduation, he plans to continue his journey in research through a Ph.D. centering on community-engaged data science methodologies.
Madeline Travis
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Minor in Metallurgical & Materials Engineering
Madeline Travis graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. Her research was conducted within the Mechanical Engineering Department in Dr. Leslie Lamberson’s XSTRM lab. She has worked on two projects: Dynamic Characterization of Additively Manufactured Alumina Ceramics: Strength and Fragmentation & Additively Manufactured Lattice Structures under Combined Normal and Oblique Impact Loading. She is currently deciding on graduate school for a PhD in Mechanical Engineering.
Julia Berglind
B.S. in Geophysical Engineering, Geology
Julia Berglind graduated from Colorado School of Mines in May 2026 with a B.S. in Geophysical Engineering and a minor in Geology, and earned Dean’s List recognition during her undergraduate career. She conducted research in the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, where she applied the Magma Chamber Simulator to model isentropic decompression of the 1915 Lassen Peak black dacite, a novel contribution that also served as independent validation for an ongoing manuscript. Her work focused on identifying geochemical signatures of magma behavior during conduit ascent. Following graduation, Julia will pursue a PhD in supercritical geothermal exploration in New Zealand, where she plans to apply her background in computational modeling and igneous systems to high-temperature fluid and magmatic environments.
Jarev Pena
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Minor in General Electrical Engineering
Jarev A. Peña graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Electrical Engineering. During his undergraduate tenure, he worked in the X-STRM research lab within the Mechanical Engineering Department under the guidance of Dr. Leslie Lamberson, where he studied the mechanical response of open-cell foams across varying temperatures and strain rates as part of the Panther Research Group. His research was used to develop simulation models of impact-mitigating foam liners for Team Wendy’s next generation of combat helmets. He went on to pursue a master’s degree focused in solid mechanics while continuing this work. Jarev was awarded the Mechanical Engineering 2026 E-Days Engineer Award.
Bree Mitchell
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Bree Mitchell graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. Bree performed research in the Metallurgical and Materials department, where she worked on automating an optical furnace to rapidly sinter samples, and in the Mechanical Engineering department, where she worked on creating a liquidless thermal bath for electrolyte testing. In the future, Bree hopes to continue working on automation/controls or in research.
Wafa Almajhad
B.S. in Petroleum Engineering, Minor in Data Analytics
Wafa Almajhad graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering and a minor in Data Analytics. During her undergraduate studies, she conducted research in the Petroleum Engineering Department and the Geomechanics Research Lab, where she worked on rock fatigue and fracture testing as well as machine learning applications in porous media systems. Her work included conducting laboratory experiments on rock samples using MTS mechanical testing systems and developing data-driven models to explore fluid flow behavior in sandstone microstructures. She was recognized on the Dean’s List and received the Certificate of Academic Achievement from Saudi Aramco, and she served as an Undergraduate Research Ambassador at Colorado School of Mines. In the future, she hopes to apply petroleum engineering and data science to develop innovative technologies for reservoir characterization and sustainable energy systems.
Jude Lowe
B.S. in Geophysics
Jude Lowe graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Geophysics. He conducted extensive research within the Geophysics department under the mentorship of Dr. Brandon Dugan, focusing on submarine landslides, biochar, and offshore freshened groundwater. During his tenure, Jude was recognized with the FIRST, MURF, and SURF research fellowships, which helped in developing his own international research experience in Belgium. His undergraduate work provided the foundation for his transition to Rutgers University, where he intended to pursue a PhD researching peatland ecosystems across the United States.
Finn Nicholson
B.S. in Petroleum Engineering, Minor in Economics
Finn Nicholson graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering and a minor in Economics. He conducted research in the Petroleum Engineering department, focusing on machine learning applications in porous media. His work centered on modeling pressure diffusion in heterogeneous lithologies using physics-informed graph neural networks. In addition to his academic work, Finn was a member of the Colorado School of Mines football team, where he balanced the demands of athletics and academics. After graduation, Finn plans to begin his career as a petroleum engineer in Texas, applying his technical and research experience to the oil and gas industry.
Graham Walter
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Graham Walter graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He conducted undergraduate research in the X-STRM laboratory, where he helped design and develop a miniaturized Kolsky bar used to characterize material behavior at high strain rates. During his time at Mines, he presented this research at the Fall 2025 Undergraduate Research Symposium and collaborated with researchers at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS). After graduation, he plans to pursue a career in research and development before eventually attending graduate school.
Caroline Hufnagel
B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Caroline Hufnagel graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. She began her research in May 2024 through the SURF program in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. Her research focused on hydrogen recycling for future fusion energy systems. Caroline’s work was published in the journal Fusion Engineering and Design with the title “The Impact of Argon Addition on Hydrogen Superpermeation Through Palladium Alloy Metal Foil Pumps During Direct Internal Recycling.” She presented her work at the AVS 71st International Symposium and Exhibition. Her research experiences at Mines have inspired her to pursue a PhD and continue researching technologies for fusion energy.
Nicole Foss
B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Nicole Foss graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Chemical and Biological Engineering. She conducted undergraduate research in the Department of Chemistry under Dr. Shubham Vyas investigating potential atmospheric transformation pathways of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) using density functional theory calculations. Her research examined reactions between chlorine radicals and several families of PFAS in order to better understand previously unexplored atmospheric reaction mechanisms. During her undergraduate studies, she participated in the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship and the Mines Undergraduate Research Fellowship, where she continued expanding her computational analysis of atmospheric PFAS reactions. Nicole synthesized her research findings into a scientific manuscript describing the mechanistic and kinetic aspects of these reactions. She plans to pursue a career in water and wastewater treatment, with a focus on removing PFAS and other contaminants from drinking and reclaimed water.
Kate Harvey
B.S. in Computational and Applied Mathematics
Kate Harvey graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a degree in Computational and Applied Mathematics from the Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics. She participated in research with Dr. Scott Strong on numerical simulations and later worked with Dr. Cecilia Diniz Behn in her Mathematical Biology research group, studying insulin and glycerol dynamics in metabolic systems. Kate will remain at Mines for an additional year to complete her MS in Computational and Applied Mathematics and plans to attend graduate school afterward.
Davin Hughes
B.S. in Chemical Engineering (Biological Engineering Specialty)
Davin Vonn Hughes graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering with a Biological Engineering Specialty. He conducted research in the Chemistry department with the Trewyn group from 2022 to 2026, working on various materials chemistry projects. He was the recipient of the E-Days Engineer award on behalf of the Chemical and Biological Engineering department, was a recipient of both the FIRST Fellowship (2022-2023) and MURF funding (2023-2026), and was a Teaching Assistant for Grandey: Leadership by Design for three years. His research most notably included optimization of the synthesis of mesoporous cobalt phosphate (mCoPi) and his work with cobalt mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN-Co), both of which can be used in chemoenzymatic tandem systems and as active porous supports helping to industrialize enzymes. One notable application is the conversion of glutamate to α-ketoglutarate, a dietary supplement whose synthesis produces hydrogen peroxide that can degrade the desired product; these active particles can directly break down the hydrogen peroxide, increasing the product yield. His plans after graduation include returning to Colorado School of Mines for his M.S. in Chemical Engineering while applying to Medical School.
Quinn Harrand
B.S. in Biochemistry
Quinn Harrand is a senior majoring in Biochemistry. As part of FIRST, she worked with her mentors Dr. Pankavich and Dr. Pak to expand the understanding of biomolecular assembly and organization through simplified coarse-grained models. She has also had the opportunity to work in Dr. Chauhan’s lab through SURF and MURF developing gold nanoparticle (GNP) embedded contact lenses designed to help treat dry eyes. Confronted with aggressive myopic development since age 6, innovative contact lens designs have created a dramatic improvement in her quality of life for a number of optical concerns and she hopes to help others find relief in securing specialized eye and health care by pursuing optometry school to become an eye doctor.
Jimena Garciaprieto
B.S. in Geophysical Engineering
Jimena Garciaprieto earned her B.S. in Geophysical Engineering from Colorado School of Mines in 2026. She conducted research for a year with Dr. Richard Krahenbuhl in the geophysics department through both MURF and SURF fellowships. Her research involved testing drone flights to detect orphaned wells for future carbon capture storage use. During her time at Mines, Jimena worked alongside the Mines Humanitarian Engineering and Sciences department, learning what it means to engineer for good. She plans to always look at the humanitarian side of things in all of her future engineering projects.
Ryan Roccanova
B.S. in Biochemistry, Minor in Public Affairs
Ryan graduated from the Colorado School of Mines in Spring of 2026, with a degree in Biochemistry and a minor in Public Affairs. Throughout his time at Mines, he was involved with different research projects related to the treatment of common emerging environmental contaminants and the recovery of critical materials through the Civil and Environmental Engineering department. His research pushed him to continue in the field of scientific discovery, as he continued on to start his PhD in Biochemistry immediately after graduation.
Elizabeth Petersen
B.S. in Electrical Engineering with an ASI in Space and Planetary Sciences
Elizabeth Petersen graduated in May 2026 with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and an ASI in Space and Planetary Sciences. She spent three years working in the Antennas, RFID, and Computational EM Lab under Dr. Atef Elsherbeni, where she worked electromagnetic simulations and antenna design for biomedical and EMI shielding applications. Outside of class, she is a co-founder of Women in Electrical Engineering, a member of the Mines Flute Choir, and an avid horseback rider. She plans to continue at Mines to pursue her M.S. and hopes to enter the defense or aerospace industry as an RF engineer.
Aaron Brucker
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Dishita Sharma graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Computer Science. She did research across Computer Science and Applied Mathematics and Statistics. In addition, she was a Vanguard scholar, Salesforce C-MAPP scholar, and 3rd place oral presentation winner at the Mines 2025 Spring Undergraduate Research Symposium. Her most recent research focused on camera-based detection and quantification of operational emissions on an oil and gas compressor station. Her work was also presented at the 2025 American Geophysical Union conference. After graduation, she will finish her M.S. in Computer Science with a focus in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
Katelyn Aasman
B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a Minor in Biomedical Engineering
Katelyn Aasman graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a minor in Biomedical Engineering. Her nearly four years of undergraduate research in the Department of Chemistry focused on investigating the structure, kinetics, and inhibition of two essential enzymes in antibiotic-resistant S. aureus, a human bacterial pathogen, for antibiotic discovery. Katelyn received various awards and scholarships for research and academics, including the Achievement Rewards for College Scientists scholarship, the Mines Florence Caldwell scholarship, nomination for the Goldwater Scholarship, First-Year Innovation and Research Scholar Training, Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, and Mines Undergraduate Research Fellowship. Katelyn was also highly involved in Christian campus ministry through Oaks International and The Navigators. Katelyn will go on to complete her Master’s of Science in Molecular, Cellular, and Biochemical Pharmacology at the University of Cincinnati as she pursues a career in the pharmaceutical industry.
Katy Essenburg
B.S. in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering and a Minor in Public Affairs
Katy Essenburg graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering and a minor in Public Affairs. She conducted research in the Chemistry and Engineering, Design, and Society Departments, where her primary work was in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department analyzing microbial systems in sulfur cave environments. She largely focused on the comparison between the microbial diversities within these systems to each other and to previous studies. In the future, Katy hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in microbiology or biochemistry, and later a Research and Development career in the pharmaceutical industry.
Ryan Manley
B.S. in Robotics & Intelligent Systems and a Minor in Digital Systems
Ryan Manley graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Computer Science with a focus on robotics and intelligent systems and a minor in Electrical Engineering, graduating Magna Cum Laude. He received a Mines Undergraduate Research Fellowship for the 2024-2025 academic year, during which he worked with Dr. Kaveh Fathian’s Autonomy, Robotics, and Intelligent Algorithms Lab on an autonomous robot dog campus tour guide. Ryan also worked as an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Frankie Zhu’s Robotic Space Exploration Lab in the Mechanical Engineering department, supporting research on perception algorithms and terramechanics modeling for lunar rover autonomy. Through this work, he gained experience in robotics, embedded systems, and perception-driven autonomy for planetary and lunar exploration. In the future, Ryan hopes to develop embedded software and flight software systems for space exploration missions.
Kobe Prior
B.S. in Electrical Engineering
Kobe Prior, originally from Bayfield, Colorado, earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. During his undergraduate tenure, he conducted research in the Electrical Engineering Department, focusing on antennas and electromagnetics, where he explored advanced antenna designs and wave propagation phenomena. His main research interests were antenna design, computational electromagnetics, structured electromagnetic waves, including orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes, phased array synthesis, and experimental characterization of scattering phenomena. In addition to his research, he served as a Resident Advisor, Teaching Assistant, Desk Assistant, international rugby photographer, and part-time web developer, demonstrating strong leadership and time management skills. He continued at Mines to pursue an M.S. in Electrical Engineering with a focus in antennas and communications and aspired to enter the defense industry as an RF and DSP engineer, where he hoped to tackle complex and technically demanding problems.
Charles Yuroff
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a Minor in Aerospace Engineering
Charlie Yuroff graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a Minor in Aerospace Engineering. Working under the mentorship of Dr. Zhu in the Robotic Space Exploration (RoSE) Lab for a year and a half, he designed avionics layouts and mechanical components for a 6U lunar cuberover to study rover dynamics and mobility data in a lunar testbed environment. Through his research, Charlie investigated the performance of various mechanical and electrical systems to provide a reproducible and soundly built rover system capable of supporting scientific research tasks, including computer vision controls, terramechanics data acquisition, and lunar regolith alteration mechanisms. As a community-oriented student, he helped found the Mines University Rover Challenge Club and was a peer mentor for first-year students. He will continue his studies at Mines, pursuing a Master’s degree in Thermal Fluids and Energy Systems. Afterwards, He hopes to contribute to innovative propulsion systems that expand the future of space exploration.
Alexander Dhupar
B.S. in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering and a Minor in Public Affairs
Alex Dhupar graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a major in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering and a minor in Public Affairs. He conducted undergraduate research in the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department within the Kumar Biomaterials Lab, where he investigated pH-responsive amphipathic polymers for targeted drug and gene delivery applications. During his undergraduate tenure, he was recognized as a Undergraduate Research Ambassador and FIRST and MURF Scholar. His research focused on polymer synthesis and interfacial characterization to understand transport across physiological barriers, including mucosal penetration for plasmid DNA delivery. He plans to pursue biotechnology investment banking.
Andrew Hope
B.S. in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
Andrew Hope graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. During his undergraduate tenure, he earned a spot on the Dean’s List every semester and was awarded both the David C. Brown Scholarship and the AIST Student Scholarship. He conducted his research within the George S. Ansell Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, focusing on the synthesis of hybrid magnetoelectric materials and the development of custom cryogenic spectrometers. His work further involved investigating polarization fatigue in AlScN thin films and gaining extensive R&D experience in industrial metallurgy across the United States and Europe. Andrew aimed to leverage his background in fabrication and cryogenic characterization to pursue a PhD focused on developing sustainable, high-performance materials and computing architectures.
Luke Boyd
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Luke Boyd graduated with his bachelors degrees in mechanical engineering from the Colorado School of Mines in May of 2026. He continues his studies at the Colorado School of Mines pursuing a masters degree in mechanical engineering with a focus in robotics and automation, he is expected to graduate in December of 2026. Luke has worked in Dr. Xiaoli Zhang’s Intelligent Robotics and Systems Laboratory for the past three years researching machine learning applications in prosthetic hand control. Luke has also interned twice at the National Laboratory of the Rockies researching methods to improve construction robotics and automation.
Kylie VanderMeer
B.S. in Environmental Engineering
Kylie VanderMeer graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Environmental Engineering. She conducted research in the Civil and Environmental Engineering department through the MURF fellowship, where she worked on the applications of constructed wetlands for sustainable water treatment. Her work was presented at the Mines Undergraduate Research Symposium in 2025 and 2026. After graduation, Kylie will continue at Mines in pursuit of a master’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering with a focus in Environmental and Water Engineering.
Baiza Mand
B.S. in Engineering Physics and in Computer Science
DBaiza has accomplished a double major in Engineering Physics and Computer Science at Colorado School of Mines. In the Physics department, Baiza conducted undergraduate research. This involved performing backtracking simulations of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) from a variety of hypothetical source locations in the Milky Way. The simulated data were used to create hypothetical sky plots to train a machine-learning model theoretically capable of identifying the source location of real UHECRs that hit Earth. Baiza’s senior design project used a machine-learning approach to combine information from first- and second-order Spatial Frequency Modulation Images (SPIFI) to maximize resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. Baiza received the Ryan Sayers Memorial Scholarship during his Junior year. These experiences, among others, have inspired Baiza to pursue a career in computational and mathematical modeling and data science.
Kali Kisor
B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Kali Kisor graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Public Affairs in May 2026. Kali conducted research over the course of 4 semesters for the Lab of Catalysis and Applied Technology in Surface Science (LCATS) under the mentorship of Dr. Stephanie Kwon in the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department. Throughout her undergraduate tenure, Kali received Dean’s list honors in Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Fall 2024, Spring 2025, and Fall 2025 as well as membership in the Blue Key Honor Society, McBride Honors Program, Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society, and Thorson First-Year Honors Program. Kali’s role primarily consisted of synthesizing bimetallic nickel catalysts for the purpose of catalyzing the production of clean hydrogen energy. She started research as a member of the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program and presented her work at the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 Undergraduate Research Symposiums at Colorado School of Mines. Kali’s future plans involve attending graduate school to receive her master’s in Polymer Science and pursuing a career in industry.
Haleema Elsayed
B.S. in Computer Science
Hope Elsayed was an undergraduate senior majoring in Computer Science with a Data Science focus and minoring in Applied Mathematics and Statistics at the Colorado School of Mines, graduating in May 2026. She conducted research with the Mines Computer Science Department and the National Laboratory of the Rockies, examining how behavioral and social factors influence residential HVAC adoption using large-scale survey data and statistical modeling. She also conducted research under the Applied Mathematics and Statistics Department on computational blood clotting models, improving the computational efficiency of platelet aggregation and ADP release models in blood clotting simulations. Across these projects, she applied regression analysis, feature engineering, data preprocessing, and model optimization to address residential energy and biomedical challenges. She aimed to pursue a career in data science, focusing on applying technical skills to real-world problems.
Vincent Lucich
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Vince Lucich graduated as a Mechanical Engineering student at the Colorado School of Mines, where he also pursued a concurrent master’s degree in Thermal-Fluid Systems. He conducted undergraduate research in the Colorado Fuel Cell Center, supported by the FIRST Fellowship. His research focused on the fabrication and mechanical durability of proton-conducting ceramic electrochemical cells, including the synthesis of BCZYYb-based materials, fabrication of button-scale fuel cells, and extensive microstructural failure analysis using scanning electron microscopy. He collaborated with a multidisciplinary research team to publish these findings in the Journal of The Electrochemical Society. Moving forward, he intends to continue working at the intersection of energy, propulsion, and aerospace systems through advanced engineering research and industry application.
Gemma Ponce
B.S. in Ceramic Engineering, Minor in Chemistry
Gemma Ponce graduated magna cum laude from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Ceramic Engineering and a minor in Chemistry. She conducted undergraduate research in the Chemistry and Materials Science departments. She was awarded the Florence Caldwell Memorial Scholarship and the Undergraduate Ceramic Engineering Scholarship, and she was named to the Dean’s List. Gemma’s work focused on the crystallization of halogen-bonded organic frameworks and particle settling effects in vat photopolymerization additive manufacturing of ceramics. She plans to join the Edison Engineering Development Program at GE Aerospace, applying her materials science knowledge to the aerospace field.