Events

Get involved in Graduate Student Appreciation Week March 31 – April 4

Cay Leytham-Powell — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 20:27:11 +0000

Get involved in Graduate Student Appreciation Week March 31 – April 4 Cay Leytham-Powell Thu, 03/13/2025 - 14:27

Join faculty, staff and students in celebrating national Graduate Student Appreciation Week, which recognizes graduate students’ many contributions to the university’s community and academic excellence. Graduate Student Appreciation Week offers a variety of free events, workshops and services to CU �鶹ӰԺ graduate students.

New this year, the Graduate School will also be raffling off prizes at the end of the week. More information about that, including how to enter, is available on the Graduate Student Appreciation Week web page.

Keep an eye on this page for more events, including unit-specific events, as they get finalized.

From the Dean of the Graduate School

If there’s one thing that makes the Graduate School at CU �鶹ӰԺ truly exceptional, it’s our students. To celebrate that fact, now through April 4, the Graduate School is hosting Graduate Student Appreciation Week, and we want to invite you to join in on the fun.

March 31

Free Coffee

All Day Laughing Goat in Norlin Library

Mention you're a graduate student to redeem your free drip coffee of any size at the Laughing Goat at Norlin Library.

Prepare for the Career & Internship Fair

11:00am – 3:00pm Center for Community S440

Get Career Fair ready by stopping by the Career Services office for a resume review, expert tips on talking to employers, free resume printing, and a professional headshot. Book an appointment for personalized support or drop in anytime to print your resume and take a photo.

Drop-in Massage/Acupressure

3 – 5 p.m. Wardenburg Sidewalk

Join Health Promotion for a wellness drop-in event designed to help you unwind and recharge! Stop by to learn about the wellness resources available on campus, chat about your personal wellness goals, and connect with others. Enjoy relaxing activities like acupressure and massage, and leave feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day.

Graduate Student Bowling Night

6 – 8 p.m. University Memorial Center, The Connections

Join the Graduate School and the Graduate and Professional Student Government for a free night of bowling (including rental shoes), billiards, ping pong and video games. Don’t miss this chance to connect, unwind and have fun.

This event is free for graduate students. Buff One Cards are required at check-in.

April 1

Coffee & Connections

9 – 10 a.m. ISSS Front Office (C4C, Suite S355)

In celebration of Graduate Student Appreciation Week, join ISSS for a free cup of coffee (while supplies last). Stop by to grab a cup of coffee and get to know your ISSS advisors. We want to hear from YOU and show our appreciation for our International Graduate Students.

ITEAplus

10 – 11 a.m. CASE, CTL E390

Join Theresa Hernández to learn about self-acupressure using ITEAplus (Individualized Training and Education in Acupressure). ITEAplus can be an effective tool that anyone can utilize to decrease stress, increase relaxation, and improve memory and attention. Dr. Hernández will teach participants practices that can be used daily to enhance physical and emotional wellbeing.

Take-home instruction cards will be provided courtesy of the CALM Center.

Just In Time All Industries Career & Internship Fair

11 a.m. – 4 p.m. University Memorial Center, Glenn Miller Ballroom

Don't miss out on this free career fair, open to all students and alumni from any major. A list of attending employers and their open positions is available on Handshake.

Bring your Buff OneCard to attend and explore exciting job opportunities.

Grads & Cake

2 – 4 p.m. Center for Community N320

Come check out the Center for Inclusion & Social Change (CISC), enjoy a slice of cake, and learn all about our events and resources.

April 2

Graduate Student Appreciation Breakfast

8:30 – 10:30 a.m. University Memorial Center 235

Refuel midweek at our Graduate Appreciation Breakfast. Join Dean Adler and the Graduate School staff for coffee and a selection of breakfast treats as we celebrate you during Graduate Student Appreciation Week. Available while supplies last.

The Joyful Journey: Careers Beyond Higher Education Panel

10 – 11 a.m. Zoom

Join this Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL) event to hear from panelists from various disciplines to discuss their career paths from graduate degree to professional. Panelists will address how they used their degrees and training to prepare them for their current positions and any advice they can give to current graduate students. Plenty of time will be given for questions.

Please note that online events do not count toward the raffle.

Aroma Therapy Workshop

2 – 4 p.m. CASE E351

Join Health Promotion for a drop-in event where you can create your own custom aromatherapy blend. Whether you're looking for a calming scent or an energizing aroma, you'll have the chance to craft a personalized blend to take home. Feel free to stop by for just five minutes or take your time—it's entirely up to you. Enjoy relaxing chair massage and enter the raffle to win a free massage or acupuncture visit.

April 3

Free Drip Coffee

7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. SEEC Cafe (east campus)

Present a voucher (which was distributed to your graduate program assistant on April 2) to redeem your free 20oz drip coffee at SEEC café on east campus.

Mindfulness Meditation

10 – 11 a.m. CASE E351

Associate Vice Chancellor for Business Strategy Derek Silva will lead participants in a mindfulness meditation hosted by the CALM center. Whether you are an experienced meditator or have heard about the growing body of research demonstrating the benefits of meditation and want to try it for yourself, this session can support you in cultivating a deeper sense of presence, engagement and self-connection. Participants often share that this meditation practice gives them a sense of calm and resiliency in the face of the challenges of modern life.

Grad+ Weekly Write-In for Grad Students

1:30 – 4:30 p.m. CASE W344 & SEEC S225

Ready to focus and make progress on your writing? Join our weekly write-in sessions for dedicated time to work on your academic writing. These sessions help you build a consistent writing habit, stay accountable alongside fellow graduate students, and track your progress.

April 4

Q&A Session on the Academic and Non-Academic Job Search

10 – 11 a.m. Zoom

Join Career Services for expert guidance on your job search. Whether you're exploring academic or non-academic paths, they’re here to answer your questions on resumes, CVs, cover letters, networking, interviewing and job search strategies.

Please note that online events do not count toward the raffle.

Throughout the Week

Graduate Student Resident Appreciation Gifts

All Day Graduate & Family Housing Office; Marine Court A-10

Graduate and Family Housing will have Grab and Go Goodie Bags at their main front desk throughout the week for residents. There will be a mix of treat bags and destress bags.

Free Rec Center Access

All Day Recreation Center

In celebration of Graduate Student Appreciation Week, the Rec Center is offering free access to all graduate students. Enjoy a free fitness class, free skate rentals during Rec Skate, and free bouldering at the climbing gym.

A Buff OneCard is required for entry.

Unit Specific Events

Please find your unit below to see if it's participating. Please note that these events are just for the graduate students in those units and not open to all graduate students, and do not qualify for the raffle.

Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences

Thursday, April 3

Graduate Student Lunch
12:30 - 1:30pm Sievers conference room

Chemistry

Friday, April 4

Morning Mingle continental breakfast
Beginning at 8 a.m. CHEM 100

Computer Science

Tuesday, April 1

Student-only Town Hall Session
10 - 11 a.m. DLC 1 B70
Meet with only other CS Grad students to discuss student engagement and climate.

Annual Award Ceremony
3 - 4 p.m. DLC 1 B70
If you won any awards in AY 2024-2025 you will be recognized here. If you did not win any, please come to cheer for your friends!

Faculty Panel: Annual Student Town Hall
4 - 6 p.m. DLC 1 B70
Meet with various representatives of the departmental committees and faculty to share your thoughts to improve the graduate program.

Graduate Student Appreciation Dinner and Trivia Night
6 p.m. and onwards DLC 1 B70
Computer Science is catering dinner in DLC to celebrate our students and playing trivia.

Thursday, April 3

Wellness Session
5 p.m. and onwards DLC 1 B70
Breadth of live, breath out stress/anxiety, breath in calmness.

Friday, April 4

Student leaders and reps appreciation night plus recruitment event
6 - 8 p.m. DLC 1 B70

Education, School of

Tuesday, April 1

Afternoon Dessert Break
4 – 4:50 pm MBE 260

Wednesday, April 2

Taco Bar
11:30 am – 1 pm MBE 3rd floor kitchen

Engineering and Applied Sciences, College of

Wednesday, April 2

Coffee Cart for Grad Student Advisory Board (Engineering)
9 – 11 a.m. SEEC Patio & Engineering Center South Lobby

Geography

Tuesday, April 1

Bowling and Pizza
1 - 3 p.m. UMC, The Connections

Pride Office

Thursday, April 3

Queer Formal
7 - 10 p.m. J.D. Abrams Lounge, C4C

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Announcing the 2025 Three Minute Thesis Winners

Cay Leytham-Powell — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 14:59:38 +0000

Announcing the 2025 Three Minute Thesis Winners Cay Leytham-Powell Fri, 02/14/2025 - 07:59

Ten students participated in this year’s final competition for a chance at prize money and a chance to represent CU �鶹ӰԺ at the regional competition

Drones as teammates, landing safely from space, and local control of school districts were a few of the topics presented during the eighth annual Three Minute Thesis Competition on Feb. 13, 2025.

This event challenges graduate students to craft a three-minute elevator pitch for their complex—and sometimes difficult to make sense of—research in a way that even an everyday person could understand.

This year, the ten competitors did just that to a packed Glenn Miller Ballroom and a panel of judges who evaluated the competitors on comprehension, content, engagement and communication.

“It is of vital importance that the public understand the valuable work that graduate students are doing every day, and how it can impact them in lasting and positive ways, and the Three Minute Thesis competition does just that,” said Scott Adler, dean of the Graduate School. “Congratulations to those that won and to everyone that participated. You all did amazing and make me proud to be dean of the Graduate School.”

The 2025 winners are:

First Place

Aoife Henry, electrical, computer and energy engineering, Directing Wind Turbines with Foresight: The Shepherd and the Sheepdog Find a Crystal Ball

Second Place

Casey Middleton, computer science, Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3

People’s Choice

Heather Kenny-Duddela, ecology and evolutionary biology, Feathered Flings: The Dating Lives of Barn Swallows

Henry will receive $1500 in prize money and will represent CU �鶹ӰԺ at the Western Association of Graduate Schools competition. Middleton and Kenny-Duddela will receive $750 and $500 in research funds, respectively.

Judges for this year’s event are Waleed Abdalati, executive director of the Cooperative Institute for Research In Environmental Sciences (CIRES) and professor of geography; Jared Bahir Browsh, director of critical sports studies and an assistant teaching professor; Robert Streeter, site supervisor at Polar Field Services and 3MT 2023 winner; and Sonia DeLuca Fernández, senior vice chancellor for leadership support and programming. Bud Coleman, professor emeritus and former chair of the Department of Theatre & Dance, will be the event’s emcee.

More information about the 2026 Three Minute Thesis Competition will be available on the Three Minute Thesis competition webpage this fall.

Ten students participated in this year’s final competition for a chance at prize money and a chance to represent CU �鶹ӰԺ at the regional competition.

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Know before you go: Three Minute Thesis competition, Feb. 13

Cay Leytham-Powell — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 19:38:16 +0000

Know before you go: Three Minute Thesis competition, Feb. 13 Cay Leytham-Powell Fri, 02/07/2025 - 12:38

This annual event, which showcases graduate student’s ability to distill their nine-hour thesis down to three minutes, comes back Feb. 13 at 4 p.m.

What is the best way to distill a multitude of information into just three minutes?

That’s the question that 11 graduate students will be wrestling with as part of the Graduate School’s eighth annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) final competition, which will be held in the University Memorial Center’s Glenn Miller Ballroom on Feb. 13, 2025, from 4 to 6 p.m.

This event challenges students to explain their thesis to the general public. They are then judged by a panel of judges from across the university. Winners of the event will be announced at the end of the program and the audience will have the opportunity to vote for the People’s Choice award.

While the event is free and open to the public, space is limited and registration is required for in-person attendance. The event will also be live-streamed.

If you go

Date: Feb. 13, 2025
Time: 4 - 6 p.m.
Location: University Memorial Center’s Glenn Miller Ballroom

This year’s competitors include:

Anna Deese, educational foundations, policy and practice, “When Students & School-Voters Differ: The Promise and Peril of Local Control”
Celeste Guiles, aerospace engineering, “Bringing You Safely Home from Outer Space”
Aoife Henry, electrical, computer and energy engineering, “Directing Turbine with Foresight: The Shepherd and the Sheepdog find a Crystal Ball.”
Casey Hunt, ATLAS Institute, “Building a Shared Future: A Toolkit for Collaborative Robot Design”
Heiko Kabutz, mechanical engineering, “Enhancing Locomotion through Shape Morphing in Insect Robots”
Heather Kenny-Duddela, ecology and evolutionary biology, “Feathered Flings: The Dating Lives of Barn Swallows”
Casey Middleton, computer science, “Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3”
Nandi Pointer, media studies, “Exit to Entry: Black Expatriates and Teaching English as Fugitive, Liberatory Praxis”
Hunter Ray, aerospace engineering, “Drones to the Rescue: From Tools to Teammates in Public Safety”
Anna Turner, media studies, “Building Bridges through Popular Media”
Marwa Yacouti, aerospace engineering, “Unveiling the Hidden Stories of Materials”

The 3MT event began in 2008 when the state of Queensland, Australia, suffered from a severe drought. To conserve water, residents were encouraged to time their showers, and many people had a three-minute egg timer fixed to the wall in their bathroom. The then-Dean of the University of Queensland Graduate School, Emeritus Professor Alan Lawson, decided to apply the same approach with his students in a first of its kind competition.

3MT challenges graduate students to describe their research within three minutes to a general audience. To prepare, beginning last fall, 31 graduate students participated in a series of workshops focusing on storytelling, writing, presentation skills and improv comedy techniques. They then held a preliminary competition at the end of the fall 2024 semester and whittled the competition down to eleven finalists.

The graduate students competing at this year’s 3MT finals will be evaluated by a panel of judges on their comprehension, content, engagement and communication.

The winner of the competition will receive $1,500 in prize money and will have the chance to compete at the regional competition as the �鶹ӰԺ’s representative. The runner-up and the People’s Choice winner, voted on by the live audience, will also receive funding.

More information about the competition is available on the Graduate School's 3MT web page.

This annual event, which showcases graduate student’s ability to distill their nine-hour thesis down to three minutes, comes back Feb. 13 at 4 p.m.

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Meet 3MT Finalist Celeste Guiles

Cay Leytham-Powell — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 15:04:23 +0000

Meet 3MT Finalist Celeste Guiles Cay Leytham-Powell Tue, 02/04/2025 - 08:04

The 2025 Three Minute Thesis final competition will be held Feb. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m.

What is the best way to distill a multitude of information into just three minutes?

That’s the question eleven graduate students will be wrestling with as part of the Graduate School’s eighth annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, which will be held in the University Memorial Center’s Glenn Miller Ballroom on Feb. 13, 2025, from 4 to 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

This event challenges students to explain their thesis to the general public. They are then evaluated by a panel of judges from across the university and local community, including Waleed Abdalati, executive director of the Cooperative Institute for Research In Environmental Sciences (CIRES) and professor of geography; Jared Bahir Browsh, director of critical sports studies and an assistant teaching professor; Robert Streeter, site supervisor at Polar Field Services and 3MT 2023 winner; and Sonia DeLuca Fernández, senior vice chancellor for leadership support and programming.

In the days leading up to the event, we’ll feature each of the competitors. Today is Celeste Guiles, a doctoral candidate in aerospace engineering, with a focus on fluids structures and materials, specifically human-machine teaming. Her 3MT presentation’s title is, “Bringing You Safely Home from Outer Space.”

If you had to describe your research in one sentence, what would you say?

Reconstructing the chemistry puzzle of spacecraft heat shields.

What do you feel is the significance of your research to the every day audience?

The safety of space flight, whether for luxury, exploration, monitoring Earth or a dystopian future where we may colonize in space.

What led you to pursue your doctoral degree in your field of study?

I sought to find an interesting field where I can apply my enthusiasm for science and help progress our knowledge of the world/outer space.

What is your favorite thing about the research you do?

Collaborating with people, from modelers to materials experts, NASA employees to students at universities across the globe.

What are your hobbies/what do you enjoy doing outside of your academic work?

I enjoy drawing, practicing kendo, cooking, reading espionage or mystery books, watching TV and sometimes hiking.

Tell us a random fact about yourself

I have a substantial rock collection.

Celeste Guiles is one of eleven people competing in the 2025 Three Minute Thesis final competition, which will be held Feb. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m.

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Meet 3MT Finalist Hunter Ray

Cay Leytham-Powell — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 15:03:31 +0000

Meet 3MT Finalist Hunter Ray Cay Leytham-Powell Mon, 02/03/2025 - 08:03

The 2025 Three Minute Thesis final competition will be held Feb. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m.

What is the best way to distill a multitude of information into just three minutes?

In the days leading up to the event, we’ll feature each of the competitors. Today is Hunter Ray, a doctoral candidate in aerospace engineering, with a focus on autonomous systems, specifically human-machine teaming. His 3MT presentation’s title is, “Drones to the Rescue: From Tools to Teammates in Public Safety.”

If you had to describe your research in one sentence, what would you say?

I research how we can better design complex aerospace systems, like satellites and drones, to be easily operated by people.

What do you feel is the significance of your research to the every day audience?

My research enables first responders to make a bigger impact with fewer resources by keeping them safe and aware of situations.

What led you to pursue your doctoral degree in your field of study?

While in my previous job, I recognized that while our physical platforms can perform incredible individual feats, aligning human expectations with a platform’s execution remains a key challenge. Too often we expect human systems to conform to how the machine can think, instead of making the machine adapt to human methods of cooperation.

What is your favorite thing about the research you do?

Whether responders are facing massive disasters, which are becoming more intense and unpredictable, or routine operations, this technology can make an immediate impact in keeping our community safe. Feeling like I'm making an impact.

What did you do before coming to CU �鶹ӰԺ for graduate school?

I designed spacecraft systems including moon landers, satellites, hypersonic planes and rockets.

What are your hobbies/what do you enjoy doing outside of your academic work?

I spend a lot of time training to be a better first responder including how to dive under the ice, rescue drowning people, cut open a car, or carry a litter down a trail. Otherwise, you can find me skiing in the trees.

Tell us a random fact about yourself

I'm too tall to be an astronaut.

Hunter Ray is one of eleven people competing in the 2025 Three Minute Thesis final competition, which will be held Feb. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m.

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Meet 3MT Finalist Marwa Yacouti

Cay Leytham-Powell — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 15:02:12 +0000

Meet 3MT Finalist Marwa Yacouti Cay Leytham-Powell Wed, 01/29/2025 - 08:02

The 2025 Three Minute Thesis final competition will be held Feb. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m.

What is the best way to distill a multitude of information into just three minutes?

In the days leading up to the event, we’ll feature each of the competitors. Today is Marwa Yacouti, a doctoral candidate in aerospace engineering sciences, with a focus on materials. Her 3MT presentation’s title is, “Unveiling the hidden stories of materials.”

If you had to describe your research in one sentence, what would you say?

My research uses computational modeling and artificial intelligence to predict and optimize the behavior of high-performance materials for advanced engineering applications.

What do you feel is the significance of your research to the every day audience?

Even though I focus mainly on aerospace applications, my research is significant to the everyday audience because it helps create stronger, lighter, and more efficient materials that improve the performance and safety of everything from infrastructure to the automotive industry.

What led you to pursue your doctoral degree in your field of study?

Materials are everywhere! They form the backbone of everything we rely on from cities' infrastructures to aerospace systems. Their importance is what initially drew me to this field, but what keeps me engaged is their incredible versatility and potential. My journey has been interdisciplinary from the start. I began in civil engineering, studying structures and infrastructures, then transitioned to materials science, where I worked on composite materials. Along the way, I recognized the power of computational tools to revolutionize how we design and analyze materials.

So to deepen my knowledge, I took courses from the computer science department, which expanded my skill set and allowed me to integrate artificial intelligence into my work. What excites me most is how common principles, such as optimization, prediction, and modeling, can connect different disciplines. This interdisciplinary approach has been central to my research, enabling me to develop innovative solutions at the intersection of materials science, engineering and computer science. It’s amazing to see how these fields come together to address complex challenges.

What is your favorite thing about the research you do?

My favorite thing about my research is the constant opportunity to learn something new and be surprised by the behavior of materials, sometimes, they reveal unexpected properties that challenge our assumptions and open up exciting possibilities for innovation.

What did you do before coming to CU �鶹ӰԺ for graduate school?

Before coming to CU �鶹ӰԺ for graduate school, I lived in France for two years and then went to Virginia Tech to pursue a master’s in civil engineering.

What are your hobbies/what do you enjoy doing outside of your academic work?

I enjoy painting natural scenery and drawing portraits.

Tell us a random fact about yourself

I enjoy reading horror novels, even though I can't watch horror movies. Reading allows me to experience the suspense and thrill in a way that feels more manageable.

Marwa Yacouti is one of eleven people competing in the 2025 Three Minute Thesis final competition, which will be held Feb. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m.

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Meet 3MT Finalist Nandi Pointer

Cay Leytham-Powell — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 14:22:16 +0000

Meet 3MT Finalist Nandi Pointer Cay Leytham-Powell Tue, 01/28/2025 - 07:22

The 2025 Three Minute Thesis final competition will be held Feb. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m.

What is the best way to distill a multitude of information into just three minutes?

In the days leading up to the event, we’ll feature each of the competitors. Today is Nandi Pointer, a doctoral candidate in media studies. Her 3MT presentation’s title is, “Exit to Entry: Black Expats and Teaching English as a Fugitive, Liberatory Praxis.”

If you had to describe your research in one sentence, what would you say?

My research focuses on Black male identity formation in expats who enact teaching English abroad as a fugitive, liberatory praxis.

What do you feel is the significance of your research to the every day audience?

A relatively new area of study, many Americans are unaware of Black men who leave their native country to teach English overseas. My research investigates how the uneven distribution of justice and equality in the U.S., coupled with the violence that targets the Black male body, creates the desire to enter spaces in which their blackness might be seen and read differently.

What led you to pursue your doctoral degree in your field of study?

My passion for education and media.

What is your favorite thing about the research you do?

I love interviewing people and learning more about their experience as expats overseas.

What did you do before coming to CU �鶹ӰԺ for graduate school?

I was an ESL instructor at King Faisal University in Al-Hassa, Saudi Arabia.

What are your hobbies/what do you enjoy doing outside of your academic work?

I enjoy traveling, playing the flute and spending time with our dog, Ginger, in my free time.

Tell us a random fact about yourself

My aunts are The Pointer Sisters.

Nandi Pointer is one of eleven people competing in the 2025 Three Minute Thesis final competition, which will be held Feb. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m.

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Meet 3MT Finalist Anna Turner

Cay Leytham-Powell — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 14:21:32 +0000

Meet 3MT Finalist Anna Turner Cay Leytham-Powell Mon, 01/27/2025 - 07:21

The 2025 Three Minute Thesis final competition will be held Feb. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m.

What is the best way to distill a multitude of information into just three minutes?

In the days leading up to the event, we’ll feature each of the competitors. Today is Anna Turner, a doctoral candidate in media studies, specializing in political media. Her 3MT presentation’s title is, “Building Bridges through Popular Media.”

If you had to describe your research in one sentence, what would you say?

I study how media can exacerbate and mitigate political polarization.

What do you feel is the significance of your research to the every day audience?

We're really polarized politically right now, and it can be detrimental to the political system, so every American or international person living in America has a stake in polarization and depolarization because it has real effects on daily experiences.

What led you to pursue your doctoral degree in your field of study?

I love studying media, and I wanted to continue my education as far as I could go.

What is your favorite thing about the research you do?

That it has real-world consequences, and it's fun!

What did you do before coming to CU �鶹ӰԺ for graduate school?

I was an instructional specialist at the University of Central Florida. I helped other faculty design their courses and teach using research-based practices.

What are your hobbies/what do you enjoy doing outside of your academic work?

When I have time, I like to run or binge watch shows.

Tell us a random fact about yourself

I kind of collect pugs. I've had three so far.

Anna Turner is one of eleven people competing in the 2025 Three Minute Thesis final competition, which will be held Feb. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m.

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Meet 3MT Finalist Casey Hunt

Cay Leytham-Powell — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 14:36:11 +0000

Meet 3MT Finalist Casey Hunt Cay Leytham-Powell Thu, 01/23/2025 - 07:36

The 2025 Three Minute Thesis final competition will be held Feb. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m.

What is the best way to distill a multitude of information into just three minutes?

In the days leading up to the event, we’ll feature each of the competitors. Today is Casey Hunt, a doctoral candidate in the ATLAS Institute, specializing in human-robot interaction and participatory design. Her 3MT presentation’s title is, “Building a Shared Future: A Toolkit for Collaborative Robot Design.”

If you had to describe your research in one sentence, what would you say?

My work explores how to design prototyping materials to help non-engineers meaningfully contribute their expertise and perspective during the design of robots.

What led you to pursue your doctoral degree in your field of study?

After being part of the development of bespoke hardware and software for a cancer research startup, I became aware of the challenges of these processes. I became interested in representing the voices of users and navigating tradeoffs in technology development.

What is your favorite thing about the research you do?

I love listening and collaborating with people. Everyone has really interesting and impactful ideas about the future of technology, I love hearing these ideas and providing a platform that allows these ideas to be shared.

What did you do before coming to CU �鶹ӰԺ for graduate school?

Quality assurance and quality control in the pharmaceutical industry.

What are your hobbies/what do you enjoy doing outside of your academic work?

Crochet, hiking, camping, cooking and gardening.

Tell us a random fact about yourself

When I was in high school, I saw Earth Wind and Fire live in concert five times at various music festivals in Colorado and Wyoming.

Casey Hunt is one of eleven people competing in the 2025 Three Minute Thesis final competition, which will be held Feb. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m.

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Meet 3MT Finalist Heiko Kabutz

Cay Leytham-Powell — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 14:26:57 +0000

Meet 3MT Finalist Heiko Kabutz Cay Leytham-Powell Wed, 01/22/2025 - 07:26

The 2025 Three Minute Thesis final competition will be held Feb. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m.

What is the best way to distill a multitude of information into just three minutes?

In the days leading up to the event, we’ll feature each of the competitors. Today’s is Heiko Kabutz, a doctoral candidate in mechanical engineering, specializing in robotics. His 3MT presentation’s title is, “Enhancing Locomotion through Shape Morphing in Insect Robots.”

If you had to describe your research in one sentence, what would you say?

I research how locomotion in confined spaces by robotic systems can be enhanced through the development of shape-morphing insect-scale robots capable of omnidirectional terrain-adaptation.

What led you to pursue your doctoral degree in your field of study?

I like robots.

What is your favorite thing about the research you do?

I get to play with robots and animals.

What did you do before coming to CU �鶹ӰԺ for graduate school?

Study and build robots in my free time.

What are your hobbies/what do you enjoy doing outside of your academic work?

Downhill unicycling and white-water kayaking.

Tell us a random fact about yourself

I have unicycled down every outdoor stair set with at least 3 steps, a total of 456 stair sets, on the �鶹ӰԺ campus.

Heiko Kabutz is one of eleven people competing in the 2025 Three Minute Thesis final competition, which will be held Feb. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m.

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