Undergraduate Research Ambassadors

Undergraduate Research Ambassadors (URAs) are peer ambassadors with experience navigating research at Mines. In addition to hosting and attending events pertaining to undergraduate research, they serve as in invaluable resource to current and prospective students interested in conducting undergraduate research at Mines.

Interested in becoming a URA? Click here to apply for the 2026-2027 academic year!

meet our ambassadors!

ROYA AKRAMI: ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
URA Cohort: 2026-2027, 2025-2026, 2024-2025
Roya Akrami is a senior pursuing an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering. The Mines FIRST and SURF awards support her involvement in research. Alongside her research mentor, Dr. Phal, she studies vibrational circular dichroism spectroscopy to uncover new insights into amino acid structures. Additionally, her robotics research focuses on developing LIDAR systems. She hopes to continue her studies in optics and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering. Outside of her academic work, she enjoys enduring the trials of crocheting tote bags and baking macarons.

Have a question? Send Roya a message here.

CAmi lyman: QUANTITATIVE BIOSCIENCES AND ENGINEERING
URA Cohort: 2026-2027, 2025-2026

Cami Lyman is a senior studying Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering. Through both FIRST and MURF she has conducted research in Dr. Cash’s lab, and worked to improve nanosensor function for biomedical applications, specifically on in vivo data collection through fluorescence. Her current project focuses on controlling the size of oxygen-sensitive nanosensors using MIVM fabrication techniques. In the future, Cami aims to continue exploring innovative biomedical sensor technologies and their applications in healthcare. Outside of the lab Cami enjoys playing on the Mines Lacrosse Team, baking new desserts, and working for Echo Mountain Ski Patrol.

Have a question? Send Cami a message here.

LIAM CARROLL: CHEMISTRY
URA Cohort: 2026-2027, 2025-2026
Liam Carroll is a senior Chemistry student. He began research with Dr. Andy Herring during his first semester at Mines. A FIRST, SURF and MURF recipient, Liam synthesizes and characterizes polymer electrolytes to improve the performance and durability of hydrogen fuel cells and water electrolyzers. He’s also done electroanalytical chemistry work probing the fundamental interfacial interactions occurring within these devices. He has a deep passion for renewable energy and wishes to continue researching how it intersects with polymer science and electrochemistry in graduate school. When he’s not in the lab or classroom, Liam enjoys weightlifting, cooking and, more recently, hiking.
Have a question? Send Liam a message here.
Maddox Chastain: Geophysical Engineering
URA Cohort: 2026-2027
Maddox Chastain is a junior student at Mines studying Geophysics, and she has been doing undergraduate research since her first year at Mines under the mentorship of Dr. Brandon Dugan in the Geophysics Department. Her research is primarily focused on the permeability of sediments found in offshore freshened groundwater (OFG) systems, with OFG being groundwater found below the seafloor with a lower total dissolved solids content than the seawater above it. She plans to continue her research in Geophysics throughout her time at Mines and beyond in graduate school. Maddox also works at the Mines Museum of Earth Science and as a TA for the Thorson First-Year Honors Program, and she’s an active member of Undergraduate Student Government. In her free time, she likes to draw and spend time with her cat, Butterscotch.

Have a question? Send Chastain a message here.

Lauren Erickson: Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering
URA Cohort: 2026-2027
Lauren Erickson, class of 2029, is a Quantitative Bioscience and Engineering (QBE) Major who plans to pursue a career as a research biologist in environmental and ecological science initiatives. With her QBE degree, she hopes to take steps in conservation-related studies through applying the computational aspect this major offers (eventually pursuing a PhD in biology). Currently, she is working in Dr. Spear’s “Microbiome of Snow” lab through the FIRST undergraduate research program, where she is analyzing the various microbial life present in different storms to better understand the factors affecting the distribution of bioaerosols and the composition of this precipitation (including investigating the quantity of microplastics over time). Through this research, she hopes to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the effects of recent climate shifts, and the potential impact of such shifts on local ecosystems. She is involved in numerous clubs related to undergraduate research on campus, including BioBuilders, URSSO (Undergraduate Research Student Scholars Organization), and the Mycology Club. In her free time, Lauren loves to spend as much time outdoors as possible, camping, hiking, backpacking, and taking walks with her dog. In addition, she also loves to spend time with her family and friends, crochet, play the cello, and listen to audiobooks or science-related podcasts.

Have a question? Send Lauren a message here.

Amelia Brown: Metallurgical and Materials engineering
URA Cohort: 2026-2027
Amelia Brown is pursuing her degree in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering with a McBride Honors Minor in Public Affairs. The Mines FIRST and VIPER programs have supported her involvement in research. Alongside her research mentors, Dr. Brice and Dr. Webster, she works on the advancement of additive manufacturing methods for lunar applications and ceramic additive manufacturing processes within the material application and expansion space. Outside of her academic work, she enjoys spending time at the barn with the Mines Equestrian Team and getting involved in anything crafty on campus!

Have a question? Send Amelia a message here.

John-Austin Little: Engineering Physics
URA Cohort: 2026-2027
John-Austin Little is a sophomore in Engineering Physics and an undergraduate Researcher in the Toberer and Maughan laboratories. His areas of research include materials synthesis, transport characteristics, electrochemistry, automated manufacturing systems, and computational materials science. John-Austin hopes to continue developing his current projects and gain a deeper understanding of ionic and electronic transport properties in the context of device design and fabrication. When he’s out of the lab and finished with schoolwork he enjoys writing poetry and listening to music on long walks. He also enjoys meeting other students wanting to get involved in research or tackle a personal project, so feel free to reach out via email with any questions you have!

Have a question? Send John-Austin a message here.

Lindsay Uba: Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering
URA Cohort: 2026-2027

Lindsay Uba is a sophomore majoring in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering. Through FIRST, she worked with Dr. Suzy Beeler and Dr. Kevin Cash to explore magnetic field impacts on microbial metabolism and mitotic growth, specifically in which magnetic fields have been found to avert slime mold growth. Over the next couple of years at Mines, she aims to continue her research studying age-related patterns in slime molds in response to magnetic fields, focusing on intracellular structure as a possible driver. Lindsay’s future plans include serving in Peace Corp under the healthcare sector and attending graduate school to pursue specialized biological applications in age-related research. Outside of the lab, she enjoys sketching, volunteering, and hiking an occasional trail.

Have a question? Send Lindsay a message here.

Elaine Simeri: Chemical Engineering
URA Cohort: 2026-2027

Elaine Simeri is a sophomore majoring in Chemical Engineering and minoring in Biomedical Engineering. Through the VIPER Quantum Materials Discovery program, she performed research under Dr. Kamil Ciesielski to synthesize novel single crystals from metallic flux. These new materials harbor the exciting potential to exhibit quantum effects including superconductivity, charge density waves, and topological properties. She is currently working on an offshoot of this through a summer research fellowship, focusing on aluminum-based clathrates with vanadium. She hopes to pursue biomedical materials research in the future, including nanoemulsions and synthetic tissue. Outside of class and lab, Elaine is a member of Alpha Phi and enjoys playing piano, painting, and reading fiction (especially Virginia Woolf).

Have a question? Send Emaile a message here.

“As a URA, I have been able to share my love for research with others. Whether by advising on how to get started with undergrad research, or by explaining what I do in the lab, I get to engage with students, and this gives me a sense of satisfaction from what I do.”

Praise Olusoji

Click the Image below to Meet Our Previous URAs!

“As a URA, I have had the opportunity to share my passion for research and help other students become involved in research on campus. I have enjoyed working with other student researchers to make undergraduate research more accessible and the opportunity to engage with the Mines campus.”

Emmelia Ashton

“Being a URA allowed me to help connect countless students with new research opportunities at both Mines and other institutions. It was also an opportunity to become more involved with other on-campus organizations and meet like-minded students who are also pursuing similar programs.”

Max Garza

BENEFITS

NETWORK WITH peers

Undergraduate Research Ambassadors are privy to networking opportunities with peers, faculty, and staff at Mines as well as with other nationally recognized undergraduate research programs.

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gain professional skills

Being an Undergraduate Research Ambassadors reflects highly upon participants and gives students the opportunity to cultivate their educational and professional goals.

TRAVEL TO CONFERENCES

Undergraduate Research Ambassadors are eligible to receive a travel grant to present at conferences throughout the United States. Attending conferences is an invaluable experience for any researcher.

 

MORE INFORMATION

TO BE ELIGIBLE YOU MUST:
  • Have at least two semesters of undergraduate research experience.
  • Be graduating in spring 2025 or later.
  • Have maintained a GPA of 2.5 or higher.
  • Possess outstanding oral communication skills.
  • Be able to enthusiastically describe your undergraduate research to a general audience.
  • Be willing to serve as a source of information about the various undergraduate research opportunities at Mines.
  • Be willing to attend trainings and regular meetings.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF A URA Include:
  • An enthusiastic willingness to help facilitate the Undergraduate Research Scholars Student Organization (URSSO). For more information on URSSO, please read the toggle labeled, “URSSO: A URA’S ROLE”.
  • Attend regular group meetings. These meetings usually take place once every two weeks.
  • Participate in up to 10 hours of flexibly scheduled activities per semester – including facilitating workshops, advising students, participating in undergraduate research programs, and making presentations to classes and student organizations.
  • Maintain professionalism, interpersonal skills, and technical skills.
HOW TO APPLY:
  • Please review the eligibility requirements and expectations mentioned above.
  • Gather required information and documents, including your resume/CV.
  • The application deadline is rolling but is usually updated on an annual academic year basis. Thus, it is best to submit an application around January (for spring) or July (for fall). You will be notified before the beginning of the fall semester and/or spring semester regarding your application status and the next steps.
APPLY HERE TODAY!
URSSO: A URA's Role

The Undergraduate Research Student Organization was founded in 2020 by the 2019-2020 URA cohort. URSSO is a student lead organization intended to connect students interested in research with peers currently conducting undergraduate research at Mines. Anyone interested in research can join the organization. Annually, URSSO attends and hosts events related to undergraduate research.

Though student officer positions are elected, URAs often function as peer leaders for URSSO. In order to be a URA, you must be willing to participate and help in the growth of Undergraduate Research Scholars Student Organization.

For more information and/or to join URSSO, please visit our Engage webpage: https://mines.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/undergraduate-research-scholars