CUE 2024

Research Briefs 2024

Anonymous — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 17:01:10 +0000

Research Briefs 2024 Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 06/21/2024 - 11:01

Shape-shifting display adds touch to digital world

In a new study, a team of mechanical engineering and materials science researchers have created a one-of-a-kind shape-shifting display that fits on a card table. The device is made from a grid of soft robotic “muscles” that can sense outside pressure and pop up to create patterns.

It’s precise enough to generate scrolling text and fast enough to shake a chemistry beaker filled with fluid. It may also deliver something even rarer: the sense of touch in a digital age.

“As technology has progressed, we started with sending text over long distances, then audio and now video,” said Brian Johnson (PhDMechEngr’22), one of two lead authors of the new study. “But we’re still missing touch.”

The group’s innovation builds off a class of soft robots pioneered by a team led by former CU �鶹ӰԺ faculty member Christoph Keplinger. They’re called Hydraulically Amplified Self-Healing ELectrostatic (HASEL) actuators.

The prototype display isn’t ready for the market yet. But the researchers envision that, one day, similar technologies could lead to sensory gloves for virtual gaming or a smart conveyor belt that can undulate to sort apples from bananas.

[video:https://youtu.be/osM1R1PnR2U?si=9oxr_PDeihWkAyeK]

Revolutionizing how heat is handled in computers

Sanghamitra Neogi

Sanghamitra Neogi of the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences is leading a multi-university research team to revolutionize how manufacturers model and deal with heat in computers.

It is well documented that microchips and transistors fail due to heating challenges. Mitigation to this point has primarily been through bigger fans and cooling channels, but as chips have gotten smaller to pack in more processing power, heat has become a larger issue.

“With microelectronics, we are moving away from planar chips to 3D stacked chips because it makes memory and processing quicker, but you can’t cool the inner channels using regular methods because you don’t have the real estate. The current ideas don’t work very well,” Neogi said.

Neogi and her team will start by creating a computational thermal model of individual transistors at the deeply scaled nanometer level and then expand the model to a millimeter-scale circuit element with 300,000 transistors.

Neogi is excited about the project’s alignment with the federal CHIPS Act of 2022, which seeks to dramatically expand semiconductor research and development in the United States.

Does better air mean fewer sick days for kids?

Mark Hernandez

Engineers at CU �鶹ӰԺ – led by Mark Hernandez of civil, environmental and architectural engineering – kicked off a new project in September to investigate whether improving classroom air quality with air purifiers can help students miss fewer school days.

The study comes at a time when millions of students across the country are chronically absent from school, a worsening trend that could have large impacts on students’ academic performance.

Hernandez and his team, including eight engineering students, helped install air quality monitors in 2,400 classrooms across Colorado’s K-12 schools. These monitors can provide teachers, school officials and researchers with real-time data on classroom temperature, humidity, CO2 and air pollutant levels.

Hernandez is co-leading the project with researchers at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus with a $2.2 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hernandez started testing air purifiers in Denver Public Schools classrooms in 2020, in an effort to help reopen schools during the pandemic. The pilot trial’s data showed that the purifiers, when working properly, were effective in improving classroom ventilation and reducing air pollutants.

Working toward better avalanche, landslide prediction

Associate Professor Nathalie Vriend finds inspiration for her research in nature.

The mechanical engineer and physicist received a prestigious experiment physics award in 2023 from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to further her research on granular flows in the natural environment. Ultimately, the work has the potential to advance the analysis, modeling and predicting of natural hazards like landslides, avalanches and ice formations.

In her laboratory experiments, Vriend uses a technique called photoelasticity that analyzes how patterns of light within particles change according to the magnitude and direction of forces exerted upon them. The changing patterns of light provide a picture of the stress distribution between particles in situations like rockslides or grains flowing out of a silo.

So far, Vriend has focused on dry granular flows, like sand and snow, but now she wants to introduce fluid between the particles. In addition to the solid contact forces already exerted onto the particles, this would add hydrodynamic stresses.

As an avid skier, Vriend wrote about avalanche causes and survival tips for the news outlet The Conversation after the deadly Lake Tahoe avalanches early this year.

Colorado prisons at risk for natural disasters

Three-quarters of Colorado prisons are likely to experience a natural disaster in the coming years, but due to aging infrastructure and outdated policies, many are ill-equipped to keep residents safe, suggests new CU �鶹ӰԺ research.

The study, published in the journal Natural Hazards Review, came on the heels of one of the hottest summers on record and as U.S. lawmakers called for an investigation into a rash of what are believed to be heat-related deaths in the nation’s prisons.

In other research, including interviews and focus groups with 35 formerly incarcerated Coloradans, the researchers found that most had already suffered from climate-related hazards, experiencing everything from “brutally hot” or “ice cold” cells to respiratory problems related to wildfire smoke and lack of toilet facilities during floods.

“We showed that the incarceration infrastructure in Colorado is highly vulnerable to climate-related hazards and that incarcerated people who are Black and Hispanic are at even greater risk,” said Shideh Dashti, associate professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering and co-author of both studies. “This is a serious racial justice and environmental justice issue that needs to be addressed.”

The research was supported by CU Engineering’s Resilient Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RISE) interdisciplinary research theme.

Advancing engineered living materials research

Assistant Professor Kõnane Bay was drawn to CU �鶹ӰԺ by the growth of faculty expertise in soft materials in both the Material Science and Engineering Program and Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering.

Her soft-materials research portfolio explores a variety of applications and approaches, but generally centers on combining tiny microorganisms with fabricated materials to achieve new or unique properties. She said applications could include protective equipment like helmets that self-repair.

Bay added that while engineering fully synthetic materials with such capabilities remains a challenge, properties like regeneration are inherent to biofilm-forming bacteria, making them a likely path forward for the work. The challenge, she said, is in designing rules for these developing materials, such as how they bend or break.

“It’s all part of this growing research trend into engineered living materials that can be used in a variety of fields like construction, water treatment or medicine as well,” she said. “There is a lot of interest from federal funding agencies like the Department of Defense and Department of Energy as well as private companies.”

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Quantum frontiers

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 22:00:32 +0000

Quantum frontiers Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 06/18/2024 - 16:00

Caroline Harrah

CU �鶹ӰԺ ready to leverage legacy in quantum science for technological advancement

In the mid-20th century, physicists at Bell Laboratories ignited a technological renaissance with the invention of the transistor, an innovation that ushered in the digital age and is arguably one of the most significant technological advancements in human history.

This relatively small device harnessed the principles of quantum mechanics to govern electric currents within semiconductor materials, rendering cumbersome vacuum tubes obsolete. It triggered a wave of advancements that are at the core of all modern communications and computing, as well as nearly every technology in use today.

Today, researchers stand at the threshold of a new quantum era. “Quantum 2.0” is distinguished not just by incremental technological evolution but by the untapped potential of melding deep quantum science with cutting-edge engineering.

“Though over a century old, quantum technology is undergoing a transformative phase. The first generation of quantum technology … relied on individual quantum particles. Now, we are working on quantum physics, which needs a combination of quantum particles to work together,” said Jun Ye, professor adjoint in the Department of Physics, JILA associate fellow and fellow at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. “This shift will open avenues to revolutionary new technologies and applications.”

CU �鶹ӰԺ and the College of Engineering and Applied Science are at the forefront of that quantum frontier, leveraging a rich legacy in quantum science and fostering a vibrant ecosystem where academic researchers, government and research laboratories and industry leaders collaborate to transform theories into real-world applications.

CU’s bold initiatives have the potential to revolutionize sectors as diverse as aerospace, defense, healthcare and energy, offering innovative new approaches to tackle global challenges like climate change.

The Quantum Engineering Initiative (QEI), under the auspices of the broader CU �鶹ӰԺ CUbit Initiative and led by CU Engineering, is specifically chartered to advance “foundational quantum science into practical technologies and ... prepare the workforce for the quantum industry,” said Scott Diddams, QEI director and professor of electrical, computer and energy engineering. “But we’re not just riding the wave of quantum advancements; we’re actively shaping it.”

Diddams’s work, particularly in optical frequency metrology and laser frequency combs, is at the heart of QEI’s efforts and crucial to bridging theoretical quantum physics with practical applications. It opens new avenues in timekeeping, navigation and environmental monitoring.

Diddams has deep expertise in quantum sensing, which harnesses quantum phenomena for high-precision measurement of physical quantities such as time, frequency, length, magnetic fields and gravitational waves.

Quantum sensors have the potential to greatly enhance GPS accuracy and advance environmental and health diagnostics — and even fundamental quantum research itself. He also sees significant potential in quantum computing and secure communication technologies.

Greg Rieker, associate director of CUbit and associate professor of mechanical engineering, stands out for his practical application of quantum science.

Leveraging research from his Precision Laser Diagnostics Lab, Rieker launched a startup, LongPath Technologies, which specializes in advanced laser technology for environmental sensing, focusing on methane emission detection.

“Quantum is the new ‘space race,’” Rieker said. “It’s the technologies developed on the pathway to big leaps like quantum computing that will find practical applications.”

In the world of quantum computing, where hype has often exceeded realities, Corey Rae McRae, a research professor of electrical, computer and energy engineering and a project leader at NIST �鶹ӰԺ, takes a grounded approach.

Her �鶹ӰԺ Cryogenic Quantum Testbed, established with funding from Google Quantum AI, is focused on improving the materials used in qubit construction — developing precise metrological techniques for these materials to improve efficiency and stability.

An integral part of McRae’s work is the development of specialized toolkits that aim to standardize and streamline quantum computing research and establish CU �鶹ӰԺ as a key contributor to setting standards in the quantum computing field.

Diddams acknowledges the obstacles on the horizon of Quantum 2.0 technology, but he remains optimistic.

“CU is really uniquely situated in this environment,” he said. “We’re poised to become a key player in Colorado’s ‘quantum valley.’”

What is quantum science?

Rooted in the enigmatic principles of quantum mechanics, it explores the realm of atoms and subatomic particles — shedding light on nature’s mysterious and often counterintuitive behaviors at its smallest scales. Central to this field are phenomena like superposition, where particles can simultaneously exist in multiple states, and entanglement, which allows particles to exhibit instantly correlated behaviors over long distances. By demystifying and harnessing these quantum behaviors, scientists and engineers are simultaneously deepening their understanding of the quantum world while paving the way for pioneering advancements in computing, communications, security, sensing techniques, novel materials and energy solutions.

Quantum partners

CU �鶹ӰԺ collaborates with several regional universities, laboratories and quantum-intensive companies. These partnerships are vital to advancing quantum information science and technology and contribute to a broad spectrum of interests, including workforce development.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST):

NIST and CU �鶹ӰԺ jointly operate JILA, focusing on advanced quantum and physical sciences research.
NIST researchers often hold faculty roles at CU �鶹ӰԺ, enabling joint research and expertise exchange, including through QEI.
The partnership enriches educational and training programs in quantum science.
Joint efforts contribute to developing quantum technologies like sensors and computing systems.
NIST provides grants for quantum research at CU �鶹ӰԺ.
Both institutions work on initiatives to prepare a skilled quantum workforce.

Lockheed Martin and Boeing collaborate with CU �鶹ӰԺ for advancements in quantum information science and technology, contributing to the broader quantum ecosystem.

Atom Computing Inc. is a quantum computing hardware platform provider, working with CU �鶹ӰԺ’s CUbit Quantum Initiative to drive R&D and talent development in quantum computing.

Infleqtion specializes in quantum technology and collaborates with CU �鶹ӰԺ in research and development in quantum science and technology.

Elevate Quantum Consortium has been designated a Regional Technology Hub for Quantum Information Technology by the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration; it works to maintain the leadership of Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming in quantum technology.

LongPath Technologies helps fight climate change by utilizing Nobel Prize-winning dual-comb laser technology from NIST and CU �鶹ӰԺ to monitor methane emissions from oil wells.

Meadowlark Optics Inc. focuses on optics and photonics, engaging in partnerships that provide insights into research and training and collaborating on workforce development programs.

SPIE, an international society for optics and photonics, cooperates with CU �鶹ӰԺ to expand and accelerate quantum efforts, including providing opportunities for students and researchers

Near- and long-term applications

Within 5 years

Quantum Sensing: Advance high-precision measurement technologies, including the detection of physical quantities like magnetic fields and gravitational waves, driving scientific advancements and technological breakthroughs.

Atomic Clocks: Enhance GPS accuracy, aid in space exploration and synchronize telecommunication networks, ensuring precise timekeeping for critical applications.

Sensing Minute Quantities: In healthcare, safety, agriculture and scientific research, enable the detection of minute quantities, addressing challenges in disease detection, gas monitoring and crop management.

5-10 years

Environmental Monitoring: Enable the detection of minute environmental changes, trace elements and pollutants, contributing to better environmental protection and management.

Medical Diagnostics: Detect diseases early by identifying biomarkers at the molecular level.

Secure Communication: Quantum key distribution helps to ensure secure communication, safeguarding sensitive information in an era of increasing cyber threats.

Materials Science: Analysis at the quantum level facilitates development of materials with enhanced properties.

Neuroimaging: Quantum research extends to the study of brain activity, offering novel insights into neuroimaging techniques.

Medical Imaging/MRI: Quantum sensors find application in MRI machines, leading to more accurate medical imaging.

Navigation and Communication (Space Exploration): Quantum expertise plays a pivotal role in space missions, including navigation, communication and conducting scientific experiments in deep space exploration.

Geophysical Surveys (Oil and Gas Exploration): Quantum sensors contribute to geophysical surveys, supporting sustainable resource exploration.

Longer-term

Quantum Computing: Pioneering work in quantum computing, alongside expertise in quantum sensors, fuels progress in various quantum computing applications, revolutionizing computation.

Gravitational Wave Detection: Precision measurement capabilities enable the measurement of space-time distortions caused by celestial events, such as black hole mergers.

Biological and Medical Research: Quantum sensors are instrumental in studying brain activity, biomolecule detection, and the development of advanced medical imaging techniques, facilitating breakthroughs in biological and medical research.

Building 1 on NIST’s �鶹ӰԺ campus. Photo: R. Jacobson/NIST (from left); a quantum engineer inspects a vacuum component at Atom Computing in �鶹ӰԺ, Colorado, photo: Atom Computing; LongPath Technologies methane detection monitoring, photo: Casey A. Cass/University of Colorado.

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An Ethical Edge

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 19:56:21 +0000

An Ethical Edge Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 06/18/2024 - 13:56

Grace Wilson

We’re well-positioned for the tough questions of the future, thanks to a history of looking beyond the technical

The rise of generative artificial intelligence has shone a spotlight on the need for responsible technological progress. Happily, the College of Engineering and Applied Science at

CU �鶹ӰԺ has for many years been dedicating time and resources to support ethical engineering.

The Herbst Program

Started in 1989, the Herbst Program for Engineering, Ethics and Society has led generations of engineers to think beyond the technical and into the purpose of their creations.

“Part of our charge is to educate responsible engineers,” said Paul Diduch, a Herbst teaching associate professor. “We have to alert them to the different dimensions of what they’re doing.”

Diduch, who also leads the Engineering Leadership Program, explained that the common argument for technology as a neutral force being misused ignores the larger effect that some technologies have.

“Our culture relies on a complex and interconnected stack of technologies. If something goes wrong in the stack, bad things can happen, often in unanticipated ways,” he said. “It’s important for engineers to see our technological pursuits in the light of fundamental questions of ethical concern.”

This is a thread that carries back to the 1992 Herbst Lecture Series on Technology and Responsibility and up through today, with the Moulakis Lecture Series on Responsible Engineering.

The Moulakis Lecture Series, made possible by alumnus Lucky Vidmar and his wife, Aubrey Ardema, is named after an influential Herbst faculty member, Athanasios “Thanasi” Moulakis.

Engineering Connections

A new first-year seminar course, spearheaded by Engineering Connections residential community Faculty Director Scot Douglass, is another example of the college’s mission to graduate ethical engineers.

With 27 separate sections taught by professors across the college, including Dean Keith Molenaar, first-year engineering students were able to connect with one another in a small cohort and consider what it means to be an ethical engineer.

“Most times when you are doing truly innovative work, things are much messier,” said Assistant Professor Sarah Stanford-McIntyre, who led one of the sections. “Training in engineering ethics sets up engineers to get comfortable with, even embrace, the messiness and come up with real solutions.”

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=VczZiU4iW3wfrfle&v=6nkKFmFOoOE&feature=youtu.be]

Ethics for all

College faculty are also committed to engaging with the broader �鶹ӰԺ community and the world.

Last year, a panel of faculty hosted a public event to explain ChatGPT’s capabilities and limitations, exploring how it could be used in an ethical way and what quandaries we need to navigate.

Professor Bobby Schnabel, computer scientist and champion for access to computing, is offering new courses through Coursera that focus on ethics in computing. The massive open online course provider makes course content available to anyone in the world.

“We have to start early and impress often that what we’re creating — the power that we have — is truly immense,” Schnabel said.

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Technical and Beautiful

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 19:54:15 +0000

Technical and Beautiful Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 06/18/2024 - 13:54

Michael Kwolek

ATLAS PhD student Ruhan Yang blends papercraft and circuit design to make engineering more tangible, accessible and fun for tinkerers of all ages.

Yang began her academic career with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from CU �鶹ӰԺ in 2019. As an undergraduate, she co-founded EdBoard, a simple and intuitive circuit-building platform with easy-to-use magnetic electronic components to teach engineering skills to young learners. EdBoard has since launched two successful crowdfunding campaigns, driving hundreds of pre-orders for its products.

But an aspiration to deepen her skills as a designer led her to pursue a master’s degree in creative technology and design at the ATLAS Institute.

“I had this engineering (side), and I needed to learn how to make things beautiful,” she said.

As a master’s student, Yang began attending weekly meetings at the institute’s ACME Lab, which researches computational tools for design, creativity, cognition, tangible and embedded interaction, and computing for health and wellness. She soon became an ACME member, working among others adapting humble materials for new means of computer interactivity.

But when the pandemic struck, Yang instantly lost access to most of the materials and fabrication tools ATLAS students usually have at their disposal.

So she did what any creative designer does when faced with such an obstacle: she sought a new way to move forward.

Drawing on childhood memories of her grandmother teaching her origami and other traditional papercraft techniques, Yang shifted her focus to paper as a medium for tangible interfaces and interactivity. Low-cost, easily accessible, recyclable and versatile, paper is ideal for exploring ways to bring engineering principles to more people.

“I love making, and I want to share this joy with more people,” Yang said.

The endless possibilities of paper intrigued her enough to keep studying it even as other resources became available once again. She developed a series of paper robots and explored haptic feedback to show that even paper can respond to touch the way so many devices in our lives do.

“We are doing engineering design,” said Professor and ACME Lab Director Ellen Do. “Sometimes it’s problem solving, but it is also problem finding.”

Engineers have explored paper as an interface before, but the material does not inherently offer haptic feedback without extremely complex designs. Yang has found simple, elegant solutions by working within the constraints of a single letter-sized sheet of paper paired with everyday craft supplies and off-the-shelf magnets.

Yang recently completed her comprehensive exam and continues research for her dissertation, “Paper Modular Robot: Circuit, Sensation Feedback, and Geometry.”

Next, she hopes to launch Paper Builders, adapting EdBoard circuit building technology to papercraft to give aspiring engineers hands-on experience in designing cool things.

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CU Engineering News 2024

Anonymous — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 16:56:30 +0000

CU Engineering News 2024 Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 06/05/2024 - 10:56

Frontiers of Engineering comes to �鶹ӰԺ

CU �鶹ӰԺ hosted the National Academy of Engineering’s Grainger Foundation Frontiers of Engineering Symposium in September. The prestigious annual event brought together around 100 early-career engineers to discuss cutting-edge developments in resilience and security in the information ecosystem; engineered quantum systems; complex systems in the context of health care; and mining and mineral resource production. Kate Starbird (PhDTechMedSoc’12), now a faculty member at the University of Washington, presented on online disinformation, while Assistant Professor Josh Combes co-chaired a session on quantum systems.

(Left) John L. Anderson, president of the National Academy of Engineering, gives opening remarks. (Center) CU’s Diane McKnight presents on the challenges and opportunities of mining legacies in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. (Right) Janet Hunziker, director of The Grainger Foundation Frontiers of Engineering, blows out candles.

New community college pathways launched

The �鶹ӰԺ and the Colorado Community College System have signed an agreement to expand an existing program that allows community college students who have earned an associate in engineering sciences (AES) degree to transfer into four additional bachelor’s degree pathways at the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

With the new agreement, CU �鶹ӰԺ will be the only Colorado campus to offer six pathways, including new architectural, computer, electrical and general engineering programs. In 2022, CU �鶹ӰԺ was the first campus to provide a civil engineering transfer program, joining other campuses with a mechanical engineering track.

The streamlined transfer process to CU �鶹ӰԺ allows students who begin their academic journey at one of the state’s 13 community colleges to choose from major-specific paths or a new general pathway. The pathways enable students to take coursework that fits directly into CU engineering degree programs without credit loss.

The four additional engineering pathways will be open to students beginning in fall 2024.

Biomedical, partnership programs graduate first classes

The first-ever graduating class of the Biomedical Engineering Program received their diplomas in spring 2023, marking a significant achievement for both the program and the 15 graduating students.

The interdisciplinary degree program launched in fall 2020 to meet demand for engineers with training across medicine, biology and engineering. The first program graduates will pursue futures in medical school, graduate engineering research and industry, where they will design and manufacture cutting-edge medical devices.

The CU �鶹ӰԺ-Western Colorado University Partnership Program in mechanical engineering and computer science also celebrated its first class of graduates in May 2023. The inaugural class of 19 graduates — 14 of whom were from Colorado — included two first-generation students and three women.

The partnership program allows students to complete their first two years as Western students, and the balance of their education as �鶹ӰԺ students, all while remaining on the Western campus in Gunnison, Colorado.

Professor honored for computational linguistics work

Professor Emerita Martha Palmer was recognized for 50 years of contributions to computational linguistics in July, earning the Association for Computational Linguistics’ (ACL) 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Palmer joined the CU �鶹ӰԺ faculty in 2005 as a professor of computer science and fellow of the Institute of Cognitive Science. Her research focused on natural language processing and understanding, particularly on capturing elements of the meanings of words that can comprise automatic representations of complex sentences and documents.

In 1985, Palmer was the first woman to obtain a PhD in artificial intelligence from Edinburgh University. In 1994, Palmer and Zhibiao Wu wrote a seminal paper, now cited over 5,000 times, called “Verb semantics and lexical selection.”

Amadei inducted into ASEE Hall of Fame

Distinguished Professor Bernard Amadei has been inducted into the American Society for Engineering Education Hall of Fame, in acknowledgment of his numerous contributions to engineering and engineering technology education.

Amadei is the founding director of CU �鶹ӰԺ’s Mortenson Center in Global Engineering & Resilience, the co-founder of Engineers Without Borders-International and founding president of Engineers Without Borders-USA.

Amadei said he was “deeply grateful” for the recognition.

“It serves as a reminder of the importance of engineering education in shaping the future of humanity in the 21st century,” he said. “It validates the belief that quality education is the cornerstone of progress and innovation.”

Community college students participate in research program

Eighteen Denver-metro community college students got their first taste of research in summer 2023 when they participated in CU Engineering’s SPUR (Summer Program for Undergraduate Research) program.

The community college students were supported by the broader Denver-Metro Engineering Consortium (DMEC) consisting of local community colleges, four-year institutions and industry partners seeking to increase the number of engineering professionals. DMEC received funding from the U.S. Department of Defense to support this initiative.

SPUR participants are mentored by a College of Engineering and Applied Science faculty member and work alongside undergraduate and graduate students. The community college researchers tackled projects across engineering, from mitigating indoor air quality in Colorado public schools and improving GPS performance in mobile phones, to 3D printing of novel static mixer elements.

Bridge to doctorate program welcomes first cohort

CU �鶹ӰԺ’s Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Bridge to the Doctorate program, funded by the National Science Foundation, welcomed its first cohort of 12 students to campus in fall 2023.

The program’s goal is to increase the quantity and quality of STEM graduate students from underrepresented populations, with emphasis on PhD matriculation and completion.

The fellows are pursuing doctorates in the College of Engineering and Applied Science across multiple departments and programs: aerospace, environmental engineering, biological engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science and biomedical engineering. There are also students pursuing degrees in physics through the College of Arts and Sciences.

Alumnus wins National Medal of Technology

Charles W. Hull (EngrPhys’61) was named among the 2023 recipients of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation for his exemplary achievements in technology and innovation through his invention of 3D printing.

Awarded by President Biden in October, the National Medal of Technology and Innovation is the nation’s highest award for technological achievement. Along with the National Medal of Science, it recognizes American innovators whose vision, intellect, creativity and determination have strengthened America’s economy and improved our quality of life.

After Hull completed his degree in engineering physics at the �鶹ӰԺ, he worked with a DuPont subsidiary before going on to invent the solid imaging process known as stereolithography. This became the basis of the first commercial 3D printing technology, which spurred the dawning of a dynamic industry in the United States.

Engineering leader joins campus leadership

This spring, Massimo Ruzzene celebrated his one-year anniversary as vice chancellor for research and innovation and dean of the institutes at CU �鶹ӰԺ.

Before his appointment in March 2023, Ruzzene, the Slade Professor of Mechanical Engineering, served as acting vice chancellor following the retirement of Terri Fiez in June 2022.

Ruzzene also previously served as associate dean for research in the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

Ruzzene joined CU �鶹ӰԺ in 2019 from the Georgia Institute of Technology. From 2014 to 2016, he held a directorship with the National Science Foundation’s Dynamics, Control and System Diagnostics unit of its Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation Division.

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Out in Space

Anonymous — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 16:55:41 +0000

Out in Space Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 06/05/2024 - 10:55

Ellen Fike

Reimuller is breaking barriers, both for astronauts and for the LGBTQ+ community

Jason Reimuller (MAeroEngr’07, PhD’11) didn’t necessarily set out to be a groundbreaker.

He likes to say he “herds the cats and tells the stories,” but his activism is more than that. Reimuller is breaking barriers, both for astronauts and for the LGBTQ+ community.

“You grow a movement, and it grows organically. And then there’s so many people that come in and bring their own expertise and expand this in ways you never thought possible,” Reimuller said. “We’re addressing gaps that need to be addressed. The questions are being asked that were far too long ignored.”

Reimuller is the founder and executive director of the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS) and of Out Astronaut, a nonprofit organization intended to increase LGBTQ+ visibility within the aerospace industry, particularly spaceflight.

Reimuller earned his PhD in aerospace engineering sciences at CU �鶹ӰԺ. He said the IIAS really grew from his dissertation research.

It started with clouds — noctilucent ones, to be precise. These high-altitude clouds can be seen on clear summer nights at high latitude. Reimuller’s advisor, Professor Emeritus Jeff Thayer, got him interested in the phenomena, which then led to Reimuller piloting a small instrumented plane in northern Alberta, Canada, to image the clouds at a high altitude.

“It was a bit of an adventure, being in such remote places and in an unpressurized plane at 25,000 feet,” Reimuller said.

This research led to conference presentations, which then unfolded into discussions about encouraging citizen research that would leverage a new generation of suborbital space vehicles, thereby making spaceflight research more accessible to the general public.

“Over the years, I’ve led [the IIAS] to make sure we can eliminate barriers of access so that more people can become professionals in the industry and demand a seat at the table over what the future of space will look like,” Reimuller said.

This idea of removing obstacles is also one of the driving missions of Out Astronaut. As a gay man who was twice selected by NASA as a highly qualified astronaut candidate, Reimuller knows how important LGBTQ+ representation in the science community is.

There has never been an astronaut who has openly identified with the LGBTQ+ community at the time of their selection. But Reimuller wants young people to be able to look at astronauts, scientists, researchers and others in the STEM world and see themselves, no matter their gender or sexual identity.

“Our heroes can be STEM professionals, not just actors and entertainers,” he said. “I want them to see astronauts as someone who is the best version of themselves, someone they could aspire to become. That image is so important, because it shows someone that succeeds on their merit. They’re a truly global-minded person that puts world humanity above everything else. They are someone who assumes great risks because of the importance of what they set out to do.”

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Inclusion by Design

Anonymous — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 16:54:07 +0000

Inclusion by Design Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 06/05/2024 - 10:54

Charles Ferrer

Campos’ support for Lattice Program driven by his background and values

Marco Campos (CivEngr’98) is driven by student success and opening doors for future engineers.

Campos, chief executive and founder of Campos Companies, was a key donor for the first cohort of the Lattice Scholars Program.

“This is a chance to level the playing field for these students,” Campos said. “To graduate debt-free is something to me that is just beautiful.”

Nearly 30 years ago, Campos — a first-generation college student himself — participated in a summer bridge program to kick off his CU Engineering journey.

“I was able to meet my first roommate, friends, my professors and gained a network of support, which was empowering,” Campos said. Little did he know it would inspire him to donate to future summer programs for aspiring engineers.

As with most engineering students, the first two years of college were a grind with calculus and physics classes. Campos said he remembers this period being particularly challenging because he wasn’t prepared academically and was working in addition to going to school.

“What I gained was the understanding that there were people that helped me through the journey,” he said.

This mindset set the stage for Campos’ eventual philanthropy efforts.

“We didn’t have any money and resources growing up as a kid,” he said. “When I ultimately did incur success, I wanted to give back in meaningful ways for others.”

Shifting focus

Through the Lattice Program, Campos hopes to “give these students an opportunity to focus on studies, getting a positive college experience and opportunities like studying abroad. This will get them closer to these things.”

He advises engineering students, regardless if they are Lattice Scholars, to expand their network and know that people are there to help in even the most difficult of times.

“You have to believe in yourself that you have got to fight. Perseverance and grind,” said

Campos. “If you have those two things, you’re going to make it.”

Campos understands the power of diversity and valuing different opinions, perspectives and ideas. Eighty percent of his C-suite at Campos Holding Co. are either women or from underrepresented backgrounds.

That’s by design, said Campos.

“We put our money where our mouth is, and we’re successful for that.”

Philanthropy for student success

In addition to the Lattice Scholars Program, the Campos Foundation — whose mission is to elevate historically marginalized students through STEM education initiatives — has supported more than 5,000 students every year through high school summer bridge programs like CU �鶹ӰԺ’s EngiNearMe, as well as scholarship programs at Colorado State University and Colorado School of Mines.

“Every dollar we provide comes directly from us to our foundation. And every dollar will directly impact a student,” Campos said.

The foundation was essential to the renovation of the College of Engineering and Applied Science’s BOLD Center in 2020. Campos has also funded 13 smartlabs for K-12 schools across the Denver metro area to help students explore their possibilities in STEM learning.

“With our STEM labs, students get an idea of how the world works. They get to code, see robots and drones in action, and see what a circuit looks like for the first time,” Campos said. “These types of things are simple things to get them thinking in a different way. It’s special.”

Recently, Campos met a student at CSU’s ENvision summer program who was interested in aerospace engineering. Campos encouraged him to attend EngiNearMe and consider CU �鶹ӰԺ’s top-tier aerospace program.

That student later messaged Campos letting him know that he decided to start his college journey at CU �鶹ӰԺ.

“If we put good into the universe, good comes back,” Campos said.

Lattice Mentor Profile

Fishion Yohannes

Senior majoring in biomedical engineering
Lattice and GoldShirt Program mentor
Member of the National Society of Black Engineers

What motivated you to be a mentor for the Lattice program?

As a Black woman in STEM, ensuring that students who are coming into CU recognize

there is a space for them is really important. It’s already daunting enough coming into college as a first-generation student without any prior knowledge or having anyone to rely on. Giving back was something I always wanted to do, and Lattice gives students that important access to opportunities.

What does your role as a mentor look like?

We plan monthly seminars for the scholars focused on financial literacy and what it means to be financially responsible as a student. I know firsthand what it’s like getting a refund check as a student and not knowing how to spend your money wisely. Setting the students up for success early on is super important. We host academic and social events for the students throughout the month and check in with them regularly to see how we can support their journey.

What are some things Lattice Scholars are looking forward to?

We are planning a mountain retreat to build more community with our students! It’s important to have a community within CU �鶹ӰԺ. As first-generation students, it can get incredibly isolating at times, and it’s important to know you have a community rooting for you and there are people who are there to bring you up and share your successes as well. We’ve gone through similar experiences being an engineering student — we want students to know you’re not alone in this journey.

Why is diversity, equity and inclusion important in higher education?

In order to represent all students on college campuses, it’s important that all voices are heard. It’s one thing to ensure you have different perspectives and backgrounds, but access and representation have to be equitable.

Diversity and equity create a space of inclusion. Without that, not only are you hindering the spaces for students, but also you’re not effectively giving all students the same access and equal opportunity for everyone.

I hope people are able to see the importance of programs like Lattice and are able to implement it nationwide. These programs create spaces for change and inclusion.

How has your CU Engineering experience been like so far?

I’ve loved every minute of it. Of course, there are challenges when it comes to academics. There are moments where an exam was just incredibly difficult or the assignments kept piling up and you feel like there’s nothing you can do. You just have to persevere.

I appreciate all the people I’ve met. They have different stories and backgrounds and come from different walks of life. Being a mentor, I get to witness that, but we all have the same hunger and drive to be an engineer. It’s so fulfilling to see the passion that people have for engineering.

What does the future hold?

I envision going into the biomedical industry and working toward having medicines be more effective and equitable. But I want to also pursue my PhD and be a professor — perhaps here at CU �鶹ӰԺ!

Is there anyone you would like to give a shout-out to?

My parents and sister have definitely been one of my greatest support systems. They’re always rooting for me, and they’re always saying, “You’re the one who can do it. You can do it!”

I would like to add a thank-you to my community. Without my friends and mentors I work with or my bosses, I wouldn’t have the privilege to be a part of such a beautiful program. Without a community in engineering, it’s impossible to push forward, and I really want to emphasize the importance of a community that is almost like a family!

Lattice Scholar Profile

Angelica Arambula-Olivas

First-year student
Mechanical engineering
Lattice Scholar

What does being part of the Lattice Scholars program mean to you?

It gives me a chance to go to and finish college. My parents didn’t go to college, so there’s this relatability between Lattice students of being the first one in their family to accomplish this. There’s a lot of unforeseen challenges that you just wouldn’t expect. The impostor syndrome of not feeling like you belong there. I know some people give up halfway through their degree because the debt is too much and it’s difficult to stay motivated.

Lattice is a great opportunity to get that support that we need and be able to relate to others. Most parents of students I’ve met at �鶹ӰԺ have finished college and get help from family members. It’s really helped me stay motivated and see the positive side despite facing challenges at times. Lattice provides a community of students who might be feeling the same obstacle and are able to help you through that.

What are aspects of Lattice that have helped so far?

The seminars on stress management and managing your finances have been most interesting. We had a whole activity where we wrote down what we spent, how we deal with our money and where our money habits come from — things we don’t really learn in high school. I love hearing from our mentors and their life experiences since they’re relatable and listening to others who have dealt with similar challenges. Our mentors are always great. They’re always willing to talk, help and be vulnerable with our Lattice group.

Why mechanical engineering?

I met one of the Engineering Ambassadors who graduated last year and who studied mechanical engineering, and I got interested in her work in sustainability. Mechanical engineering gives me an opportunity to explore what I want to focus on — everything from sustainability to biomedicine.

What are you looking forward to accomplishing during your CU Engineering journey?

I’m excited about applying to internships through career events. I’m really looking forward to my future classes like statics and dynamics of solids and pursuing a biomedical engineering minor. I’ve talked to some of my fellow Engineering Ambassadors, and hearing about the research projects they’ve done has encouraged me to explore research down the road.

What does this mean to you being a first-generation Latina woman pursuing engineering?

This is really huge for me because I have a baby sister, and I want her to know she doesn’t have to limit herself to anything as she grows up. Finishing this degree is a way of proving to myself and others that it’s possible and you’re able to do anything you set your mind to. There’s increasingly more women in engineering, but the amount of Latina women I know of, I can count on maybe two hands, and that’s being a little generous. It’s important to encourage more students like me who are first-generation Latina women to pursue fields like engineering. Just because you don’t see people like you doing something doesn’t mean that you can’t. It just means that you need to be one of the first people to push others to do so!

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Framework for the Future

Anonymous — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 16:44:00 +0000

Framework for the Future Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 06/05/2024 - 10:44

New program expands access to engineering education for first-generation Colorado students

Thank you to our 2023 Lattice supporters:

Dana Andersen
John Bradley
Paul Brinkman
William Brown
Marco Campos
Dale Hatfield
Kile Morgan
Richard Munday
Beth Myers
Ann Smead
Robert Yoches

In fall 2023, the first cohort of 67 Lattice Scholars began their academic journey in the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

Each one will be the first in their family to earn a college degree.

“As a first-generation college student myself, and a proud CU �鶹ӰԺ alum, this program is near and dear to my heart,” said Dean Keith Molenaar.

The Lattice Scholars Program aims to expand access to a CU Engineering education to all first-generation Colorado students who are Pell Grant-eligible and face financial or other barriers that might hinder a promising engineering career.

Lattice scholarships close the total cost-of-attendance gap for these students across four full years of study — an estimated value of up to $64,000 over those four years.

In addition to financial support, the program includes academic advising and mentoring so students develop the necessary skills and connections to thrive in their engineering studies and beyond.

Lattice Scholars builds on the university’s CU Promise commitment to ensure equitable access to higher education and to address the growing burden of student debt.

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Message from the Dean 2024

Anonymous — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 16:29:49 +0000

Message from the Dean 2024 Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 06/05/2024 - 10:29

Keith Molenaar

Dear CU Engineering community,

As we close out another year and celebrate the class of 2024, I am filled with gratitude. Our students, faculty, staff and alumni create a remarkable, innovative community. I am more optimistic than ever for our future, and that’s why we are calling this edition of CU Engineering magazine “New Frontiers.”

The theme came to us in the fall, when we had the honor of hosting the National Academy of Engineering’s Grainger Foundation Frontiers of Engineering Symposium. This prestigious event brought together around 100 early-career engineers to discuss cutting-edge developments in various fields. It got us thinking about all of the ways CU Engineering is pioneering new ideas in research, education and more.

In this issue, you’ll meet two students who are part of our first Lattice Scholars cohort. This program is leading the way in offering debt-free engineering education to Pell Grant-eligible, first-generation college students from Colorado. I’m personally so proud of Lattice and so thankful to the supporters, faculty, staff and students who make it possible.

Our commitment to accessible education also took a significant step forward with the launch of new community college pathways with the Colorado Community College System, the first cohort of our LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate program and the inaugural graduating class of the CU �鶹ӰԺ-Western Colorado University Partnership Program. You’ll read more about those initiatives in the College News section.

We remain dedicated to assuring that all students leave CU Engineering with the skills they need to join the engineering workforce of the future. To that end, we recently celebrated the second graduating class of our interdisciplinary Biomedical Engineering Program. In fall 2025, we will welcome the first graduate students to our Robotics Program, another interdisciplinary initiative that is among just a handful of programs of its kind in the U.S. You’ll also learn more about how we are grounding all of these educational opportunities in ethics and responsible engineering.

On the research side, CU Engineering is building on CU �鶹ӰԺ’s long legacy of accomplishments in applied science to open new frontiers in quantum engineering. From work happening in labs across the college to new entrepreneurial ventures, we’re exploring the boundaries of what’s possible in the new quantum era.

Thank you for your continued support and engagement with our college. Together, we are shaping the future of engineering, making a positive impact on the world, and exploring new frontiers.

Go Buffs!

Keith Molenaar
Dean

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