Grad Profile

Skydiving into a PhD

Jeff Zehnder — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 18:28:30 +0000

Skydiving into a PhD Jeff Zehnder Thu, 10/16/2025 - 12:28

Jeff Zehnder

Harris at the Phononics 2023 conference in
Manchester, England.

Adam Harris is advancing the frontiers of aerodynamics as a non-traditional student, finishing up a doctoral program in which he never expected to enroll.

“I’m writing computational fluid dynamics and finite element codes to study flow control by phononic materials and structures. A phonon is the quantum of vibrational energy, a quasi-particle that could give birth to a whole new species of technology,” Harris said.

A PhD student in the materials science and engineering program, Harris began his college journey in 2012 as a psychology major, but his time at CU 91��Ҹ� did not last long.

“I didn’t show up to classes and just really didn't care. I was placed on academic probation my first semester and academic suspension my second,” Harris said.

A native of Miami, he elected to stay in 91��Ҹ�, working in construction and landscaping. In 2014, Harris enrolled at Front Range Community College for an associate’s degree in business.

Skydiving Hobby

Harris also started skydiving as a hobby, hanging out at Vance Brand Airport in Longmont, making up to 10 jumps a day. Eventually, he was hired there for a paid ground crew position.

“I was surrounded by people who were monitoring weather, maintaining aircraft, and discussing flight mechanics. I started teaching myself basic aerodynamics, watching TED talks and physics documentaries online. It all became more and more interesting to me,” he said.

After finishing at Front Range, Harris decided to continue onto a four-year business degree at CU 91��Ҹ�. Because of his past suspension, enrolling required an appointment with an admissions advisor. The meeting would change the direction of his life.

Changing Gears

“I told her about all the science, engineering, and physics I was being exposed to. She looked at me suspiciously and said, ‘Are you sure you want to study business?’ Nope, put me down for physics,” Harris said.

He steamrolled through his courses, earning As and Bs in subjects where he had previously shown little interest. In the five years since his first stint at CU 91��Ҹ�, Harris had grown significantly.

“Turns out I really love math. I think my success was a product of motivation and how much I enjoyed where I was, the people around me, what I was learning, and relevance to my passions. I have a GPS in my skydiving helmet and I would always try to connect course concepts to data acquired from wingsuit flights,” he said.

As he was completing his bachelor’s, a connection with Mahmoud Hussein, a professor in the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, opened the door to graduate school.

Graduate School

“I was still enjoying classes but I paid for undergrad myself, so I didn’t want to continue accumulating debt. I started talking to Mahmoud, and when I learned engineering PhD programs cover tuition and living expenses, there was no question. What an opportunity,” Harris said.

Hussein became his graduate advisor as Harris earned two master’s degrees – in aerospace and materials science. He expects to finish his PhD in materials science next spring.

His dissertation is centered on phononic subsurfaces (PSubs), which could lead to radical increases in fuel economy for jet aircraft and hypersonic vehicles. It has been a focus of Hussein’s lab for 15 years, beginning at the theoretical level and now approaching the applied stage, thanks in part to a major Office of Naval 91��Ҹ� grant awarded last year.

“This started with purely computational work and now we’re 3D printing PSubs. We can validate the PSub’s tuned frequency response with a laser vibrometer, and we have candidate prototypes that yield the response we expect. We’re going to begin the first wind tunnel tests in collaboration with the Experimental Aerodynamics Laboratory at CU 91��Ҹ� very soon,” Harris said.

What's Next?

As he writes his dissertation, Harris’s research background offers a wealth of career opportunities, but he is hoping for a particular dream job that would combine fluid dynamics and computational modeling with his love of skydiving.

It may sound like a fantasy. It is not.

“There’s a company in California that builds parachutes used for space craft atmospheric re-entry,” Harris said. “The job description is everything I’m doing at CU 91��Ҹ�, plus a requirement of parachute rigging experience, which I have.”

Wherever Harris lands, he is a long way from his beginnings in 91��Ҹ� as an 18-year-old psych major.

“I think this is where I was supposed to be all along,” Harris said. “I just wasn’t aware of it back then. The synchronicity is really cool.”

Additional Photos

Harris BASE jumping in La Mousse, Switzerland.

Gliding into a canyon

Harris skydiving over Vance Brand Airport in Longmont.

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Countering space radiation materials damage with machine learning

Jeff Zehnder — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 21:11:30 +0000

Countering space radiation materials damage with machine learning Jeff Zehnder Tue, 06/24/2025 - 15:11

Jeff Zehnder

Jason Rivas is researching materials at the atomic level to improve reliability and resistance of electronics to space radiation.

A PhD student in materials science and engineering at the 91��Ҹ� 91��Ҹ�, Rivas is tackling a problem that faces any technology that goes beyond the confines of Earth’s atmosphere: damaging bursts of radiation from our sun and other stars.

“We’ve gotten good at shielding electronics,” he said. “But we’re not good at making things radiation hard by design. You can shield anything if you put enough iron, steel and lead around it, but if you add that to a satellite, how many millions of dollars extra is it to launch that weight?”

Working with his PhD advisor, Associate Professor Sanghamitra Neogi, Rivas has earned a major graduate fellowship from the Draper Laboratories in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Through the program, he intends to use computational materials modeling expedited by machine learning to advance the science of space hardened electronics.

The fellowship provides four years of funding for his PhD, as well as access to scientists and engineers at Draper Labs.

“We want to make this research faster and cheaper. Currently the testing requires physically using a neutron beam in a radiation environment. It’s expensive. We think we can change that using with machine learning,” Rivas said.

Developing computational 91��Ҹ� to map out the effects of ionizing radiation on materials requires exploring the problem at the level of individual atoms.

“We want to determine how much degradation a transistor can stand. It’s called displacement damage. If radiation hits an atom in a material, it displaces that atom, which hits another atom, which hits another atom. How well can that material then return to its original form,” he said.

Tackling the challenges of radiation at an atomic level requires analysis using supercomputers, like CU 91��Ҹ�’s Alpine system. If the work is successful, it could aid researchers across the spectrum of engineering fields. That prospect is appealing to Rivas, and part of why he chose to pursue a PhD in materials science and engineering: the interdisciplinary nature of the work.

“It’s this intersection of all these different needs. Materials are everywhere. It’s problem solving that means something to the real world,” he said.

Rivas has long been interested in math and science. As a child, he was encouraged by positive teachers and through exploring YouTube channels like 3Blue1Brown, which outlines math problems visually.

“I had a really good calculus teacher in high school. She inspired me. Calculus is just beautiful. Math tells you how the world works,” Rivas said.

Rivas earned his bachelor’s in physics and computer science from Austin Peay State University, which is located near where he grew up in Tennessee. After completing his undergraduate degree, he was drawn to earn a PhD by the prospect of becoming an educator and to break new ground in science.

That eventually led him to 91��Ҹ� and the materials science and engineering program.

“I want to teach in a college setting. You sort of need a PhD to do that,” Rivas said. “The jobs that come with it are also pretty interesting. Doing research, the problems are self-defined. I get bored doing the same thing everyday.”

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Grad student researching 3D printing and ultrasound for medicine

Jeff Zehnder — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 21:05:50 +0000

Grad student researching 3D printing and ultrasound for medicine Jeff Zehnder Thu, 02/13/2025 - 14:05

Jeff Zehnder

Lily Mortensen is advancing research at the leading edge of biomedicine, working on new ways to improve human health.

A materials science and engineering PhD student at the 91��Ҹ� 91��Ҹ�, Mortensen is investigating ways to combine 3D printing and ultrasound technology to benefit individuals suffering from certain medical conditions.

The eventual goal is to be able to inject a liquid polymer into the body and then use ultrasound frequencies to harden the material without cutting open the skin.

“Repairing a hole in the heart right now requires surgery,” Mortensen said. “What if you could inject something and repair it at a distance? Ultrasound is so cool because you can use it through a barrier like skin. Instead of cutting a patient open, we could inject a small amount of 3D printed material as a liquid and repair a defect in place.”

It is still very early research, but is the subject of investigation by scientists and engineers across the United States because of its great potential.

“We can choose polymers and components which are bio inert/compatible, so the body doesn’t attack it,” Mortensen said. “And the properties of ultrasound that make it good for noninvasive human examination, to see something under the skin, make it good for this too.”

It is still early research, with Mortensen testing various types of polymer inks and experimenting with the ultrasound parameters to determine the best compounds and intensities to cure the materials in place.

"It’s very hands-on. One of the issues I’m trying to solve is ultrasound printing has acoustic streaming, where the ultrasound force is so intense it causes the liquid to flow, but if it flows out of the area you want, that’s not giving us good resolution or focal size. We’ve made some progress, but it’s definitely difficult,” she said.

Mortensen utililizing ultrasound-induced polymerization to 3D print the CU 91��Ҹ� Ralphie Logo through a clear barrier.

Working at the forefront of a research area presents unique challenges – notably that there is limited published research to fall back on.

“I’m building off other people's work, but branching into areas where I have to figure it out myself because nobody has figured it out yet,” she said.

Now in the third year of her PhD program, Mortensen did not always envision herself earning an advanced degree. After completing her bachelor’s in materials science at the University of Idaho, she found a job at a semiconductor company in upstate New York. It was engaging work, but Mortensen realized she wanted more.

“I learned a lot there, and I liked it, but I realized the work that I found really interesting was the research and development projects, and they were all handled by PhDs. So I applied to PhD programs,” she said.

She was drawn to CU 91��Ҹ� by the variety of faculty research in the materials science program, the university’s culture, and the Rocky Mountains.

“Certain institutions are not known for treating their PhD students well. CU 91��Ҹ� has a really good culture, and 91��Ҹ� has great outdoor access and lots of interesting people,” she said.

Mortensen is currently finalizing her first research paper as lead author, on new types of inks that will enable ultrasound 3D printing of hydrogels. She is also hopeful her current work will lead to a patent application.

“This is a really cool technology, but there’s always the possibility it won’t work out,” she said. “That’s a chance with any research, but it’s where I want to be. Working in research and finding the next new thing.”

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MSE Student Profile: Melvin Colorado Escobar

Anonymous — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 17:12:30 +0000

MSE Student Profile: Melvin Colorado Escobar Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 11/17/2021 - 10:12

Jonathan Raab

Melvin Colorado Escobar

Melvin Colorado Escobar is a second year PhD candidate in the Responsive and Programmable Materials Group under the supervision of Gallogly Professor Timothy White. He earned his bachelor's degree in chemistry at the American University in Washington, DC and his master's degree in chemistry at UC Irvine in California.

What brought you to CU 91��Ҹ�?

Family brought me to Colorado after I obtained my master's degree from UC Irvine. After moving to Colorado, I wanted to continue studying to earn a PhD and be the first in my family to obtain this degree. I had visited the CU 91��Ҹ� campus before and loved the collaborative culture vibe and found the research to be a good fit for my background. The people and abundance of outdoor activities around campus make CU 91��Ҹ� a perfect work-life balance for getting my PhD.

Where are you from?

My family is from San Salvador, El Salvador. I was born and raised in San Francisco, California. School allowed me to travel across the country and learn about many other cultures and languages.

What is the focus of your research thus far? What problems do you hope to solve?

My research focus is on soft materials. Currently I am working with liquid crystal elastomers as actuators with various applications.

What attracted you to the MSE program?

I have always been interested in multi-disciplinary research projects. Being able to collaborate across programs was attractive to me because it fosters innovative ideas. I also like meeting new people because it helps me find solutions by seeing multiple perspectives.

How has the program benefited your research?

I have been able to be part of some collaborations and do research that is application focused. There are internal fellowships such as GAANN, which I was able to get. This has given me some freedom to explore projects that interest me and also do some outreach. I am very passionate about outreach because as a first-generation student, I could’ve benefitted from seeing representation in higher education.

What is a problem or challenge you encountered as a student here, and how did you overcome it? Who gave you a helping hand?

I moved to Colorado during the COVID-19 pandemic, prior to applying to graduate school, I worked as a professional research assistant in Professor White’s lab. My first day in the lab was the day everything shut down. I had not met everyone in the lab nor been trained on anything. However, my lab peers and advisor were all very supportive and quickly transitioned to the virtual environment. This time was challenging for all of us, but we tried to make each other laugh until we were able to go back to in-person work.

How do you strike a balance between your work as a student and your personal life?

I have been able to prioritize my physical health by attending a daily Muay Thai class. I commute daily and this is a sport I used to do in high school and has helped me manage the demands of graduate school. On the weekends, I try to go outdoors and explore nature with my fiancé. This program is designed for students to be able to prioritize their passions.

Why might you recommend MSE to students considering a graduate program in science and engineering?

Apart from the outdoor activities and beautiful nature around the campus, there is a culture of collaboration. I think this culture really fosters learning and enables us to pursue our individual research interests, while supporting each other. The students and the faculty really value working together to solve problems and come up with new ideas.

Where might you want to go next (industry, academia, national lab, etc.)?

My ideal goal would be to work at a national lab conducting my own research projects. I previously worked at NIST as an undergraduate and really enjoyed the work culture. I have also thought about being in academia because I enjoy teaching and mentoring future generations of students.

What do you do for fun or in your spare time (if you have any!)?

I enjoy going out with my fiancé to explore nature. We like seeing the buffalo at the National Wildlife Refuge and Genesee Park. During the pandemic, we also held several virtual game nights with family and friends. After getting vaccinated we have been exploring Denver nightlife with friends.

My favorite movies and shows have always been about superheroes. Growing up, I always liked the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. My favorite was Donatello (the purple one). He was always making some gadgets for the team and I thought It would be awesome to be able to make cool things like that. I think now as I am doing research, I find myself making samples or thinking of new applications or ideas for something that could benefit society.

Melvin Colorado Escobar is a second year PhD candidate in the Responsive and Programmable Group under the supervision of Gallogly Professor Timothy White. He earned his bachelor's degree in chemistry at the American University in Washington, DC and his master's degree in chemistry at UC Irvine in California.

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MSE Student Profile: Meagan Arguien

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 17:32:07 +0000

MSE Student Profile: Meagan Arguien Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 10/20/2021 - 11:32

Jonathan Raab

Meagan Arguien

Meagan Arguien is a second year graduate student in the Bowman 91��Ҹ� Group. She earned her BS in chemical engineering from Clarkson University in 2020. She hails from Churchville, New York.

What brought you to CU 91��Ҹ�?

When I started looking at graduate schools, my interest was drawn to schools that had the prestige of well known professors in the area of polymer research. As I began looking closer at my top choices, I became increasingly attracted to CU 91��Ҹ� for the professors doing research as well as the feeling of community that exists here. 91��Ҹ� combines all of the top qualities I saw in other universities — interesting and groundbreaking research opportunities, driven research groups and a location that supports a ‘research-life balance.’

Aside from research opportunities, CU 91��Ҹ� also has one of the most interesting surrounding areas. Choosing where I would attend during the COVID-19 pandemic meant not being able to visit any of the universities I was accepted to, so many of my decisions were based largely on word of mouth from the students I talked to during virtual visit days. When speaking with students at CU 91��Ҹ�, everyone’s first comment was always “if you love being active or outdoors, you’ll love it here.” Being right on the range and waking up to the mountains every day definitely has a way of putting a smile on my face.

The other huge motivator in choosing to attend this university also came from my conversations with the students — everyone was so upbeat and welcoming. Whether people were telling me about their research or the dog park they recently went to, there was an unmatched level of excitement. People here wanted to talk about what they were doing and share all of the experiences they had, which was really encouraging to see and instantly got me engaged.

What is the focus of your research thus far? What problems do you hope to solve?

So far, my work has largely been centered around biologically compatible polymers with incorporated stimuli responsive elements. The main focus of my work has been looking at ultrasound degradable polymers. Some of the most common degradation methods include photo-initiated or chemically induced. However, these means of polymer degradation limit the applications to places where light can reach or a chemical — typically an oxidizer, acid or base — can be inserted. By using ultrasound degradation, targeted areas of the body, locations within solid components and various otherwise unreachable places can have a polymer component that will degrade without detracting from the exterior shell or any non-degradable units within the polymer itself.

What attracted you to the MSE program?

The unique interdisciplinary nature of this program is really what grabbed my attention. Rather than being limited to professors in one branch of the university, the MSE program has allowed me to spread out a little more — providing me with more opportunities to broaden my understanding of not only my research project but also the projects others are doing.

How has the program benefited your research?

Much of my experience with the MSE program so far has been with the entrance into the program and the initial steps in graduate school. It has definitely been apparent from the beginning that this program is committed to helping us achieve our goals — largely by encouraging networking between students, professors and lab groups. For my research in particular, this encouragement has helped to build bridges leading to new possibilities for analysis and applications for the materials I am working with. The MSE program definitely feels like a place where you can get as much out of it as you put in, if not more, which is exciting to think about for my upcoming years in this program.

How do you strike a balance between your work as a student and your personal life? Does the program allow for that?

This was one of the key elements I looked into when deciding what graduate school I wanted to attend — did professors encourage a work-life balance that students took advantage of? I’ve always thought that your brain needs a break, no matter how dedicated and engaged you are in your work, both to keep a rounded personality as well as to have new or off the wall ideas when you reboot your brain. There may be times that I need to run a reaction over the weekend for the convenience of having a large space to myself, but I chose a lab where I know that it isn’t expected of me to be in the lab seven days a week.

I think the MSE program in general really encourages that we as students get together and engage with one another outside of our field of study — often this is through picnics, group hikes, coffee hours, or the like. From my experience, this has really helped to connect students from various years of the program.

Why might you recommend MSE to students considering a graduate program in science and engineering?

I think the MSE program is perfect for multidisciplinary study. Since beginning research I have been able to do chemical engineering, organic chemistry, biomolecular and material characterization geared work all under the MSE umbrella. In choosing a particular program I knew I wanted to have access to all the disciplines available here so that I could do research with wide ranging applications that would be useful to more than just those in a very small area of study. By having connections through the MSE program all over campus, I am able to reach out to other professors in disciplines I am not as familiar with to do collaborative work, allowing me to go further with my research.

Where might you want to go next?

For the longest time, I have been interested in continuing research after I finish my PhD. Whether this leads me to working in a lab or in academia I am not sure, but I have always loved teaching and interacting with students which might push me closer to academia. At this point I know my PhD won’t close any doors for me and I thankfully still have a fair amount of time to figure out what my exact path will be.

What do you do for fun or in your spare time?

91��Ҹ� is an amazing place to have spare time when you can find it as a grad student! I am definitely an ‘outdoorsy’ person — and most of the time I spend outside I spend with my dog. Before moving to Colorado, I was an avid hiker and I have continued that since moving here, starting easy with some hikes right out of some local parks and then moving to some 14’ers and overnight range hikes. Between hikes, I also really enjoy running and have gotten involved with the club crew team here at CU so that I can continue rowing, which is something I did at my undergrad university.

Aside from being outdoors, I also really enjoy cooking and baking, two things that really fed my love of chemistry and that I wind up doing daily as a means of stepping out of my research completely. This is also true of reading — I always have at least one book I’m in the middle of because I find them to be a way to slow down and achieve the total gear switch for my brain that allows me to return to research the next day with an excitement to ask the next set of questions.

I love reading books that take me into the world of the main characters — for this reason I don’t have a favorite author or series. More often than not I find myself drawn to science fiction, historical fiction, adventure or old mystery novels because of the descriptions these books offer early on that allow me to immerse myself in the story. Some of the books that I could always pick up and read at any time include The Hobbit, Ringworld and One Second After — all very different novels but all written in such a way that I as a reader have most of the details but my imagination is left open to build elements of the story on my own.

I think that my interests in literature, wanting to have the ability to expand my imagination and test the limits of the world I can create in my mind with only the words of an author, does reflect my work as a researcher. Constantly in research you have to be able to ask the new questions and push past the invisible boundaries to imagine what could be so that new discoveries can be made, big or small. You may know what the overall goal of your research topic is but you have to fill in all the pieces along the way, kind of like how I picture a book as a template for the story that you get to create in your mind.

Meagan Arguien is a second year graduate student in the Bowman 91��Ҹ� Group. She earned her BS in chemical engineering from Clarkson University in 2020. She hails from Churchville, New York.

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MSE Student Profile: Shane Frazier

Anonymous — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 19:30:24 +0000

MSE Student Profile: Shane Frazier Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 03/30/2021 - 13:30

Jonathan Raab

Shane Frazier

Shane Frazier is a graduate student in the Materials Science and Engineering Program, working in the Living Materials Lab under Associate Professor Wil Srubar. He is preparing to defend his PhD thesis in late May. Frazier earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering and his BA in Chemistry from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. He is originally from Greenfield, Indiana.

What brought you to CU 91��Ҹ�?
We moved to 91��Ҹ� so my wife could start her PhD in German Studies at CU. I had been considering coming back to graduate school since I finished my undergraduate degrees. After her first year, I decided it was time for me to leave industry and make the dive into graduate school.

What is the focus of your research thus far? What problems do you hope to solve?
My research focuses on utilizing biomimetic antifreeze polymers to provide freeze-thaw resistance to concrete. The current approach to make concrete more resistant to freeze-thaw damage—think potholes on the highway—is to introduce a bunch of air bubbles, and this approach has been basically unchanged since the 1930s. Although this approach can be effective, adding air bubbles lowers compressive strength of concrete, and it is difficult to do reliably and consistently in the field.

A variety of cold-tolerant species produce antifreeze proteins which bind to ice nuclei to stop or slow the growth of ice within cells, extracellular fluid, etc. Proteins are relatively expensive to produce at scale, but luckily there are a few polymers that have been shown to display similar "antifreeze" properties.

I have shown that these biomimetic antifreeze polymers can provide freeze-thaw resistance in cement paste, but I am still working on understanding the limitations and their impact on fresh- and hardened-state properties of cement and concrete.

What attracted you to the MSE program?
My favorite undergraduate course was Materials Engineering, and since taking that class I had been interested in the MSE field. It was a mix of my undergraduate degrees in chemistry and mechanical engineering.

I was very interested in the work being done by Wil, my adviser, which is what ultimately made me choose the MSE program at CU.

How has the program benefited your research?
A really big benefit of the program is the ability to access equipment. Since the program is tied to so many departments, I have been able to access every piece of equipment I needed except one—CU does not have the piece of equipment on campus.

Professors that are affiliated with the program have always been responsive to inquiries about using equipment. I have used equipment in labs with PIs from chemistry, chemical and biological engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, INSTAAR, USGS and civil engineering, plus all of the core facilities.

What is a problem or challenge you encountered as a student here, and how did you overcome it? Who gave you a helping hand?
I had several major life events happen during my time here at CU. My adviser, labmates and friends that I made at CU helped me through all of these. Wil has always been extremely understanding and accommodating. The exact same thing can be said of my labmates who were always quick to ask how they could help.

How do you strike a balance between your work as a student and your personal life?
Having a kid in graduate school has made me strike a balance because there is truly no option. I just spend more time planning and thinking things through to ensure I meet deadlines.

For those without kids, I know MSE students in many different labs, and I think it is safe to say that advisers at CU are very understanding of work-life balance—many friends and acquaintances go skiing, snowboarding, climbing or hiking almost every weekend.

Why might you recommend MSE to students considering a graduate program in science and engineering?
So much research being done is interdisciplinary, and in my opinion MSE is by default interdisciplinary because every science and engineering discipline uses materials.

Where do you want to go after earning your PhD?
Wil and I just started a company at the beginning of 2021 called Minus Materials. After I defend my thesis, I will focus on leading and growing the company.

What do you do for fun or in your spare time?
I spend almost all my spare time with my wife, daughter and our two dogs. Outside of spending time with them, I always make time to exercise.

What is your favorite film(s), book(s), sport(s) or other media-related interests, and why? Do your interests in art, literature, and cinema have an influence on your research and goals as a materials scientist?
My favorite books are The Kingkiller Chronicle series and The Expanse series. I try to read books at night to get my mind off research. Outside of books, I love sports.

Shane Frazier is a graduate student in the Materials Science and Engineering Program, working in the Living Materials Lab under Associate Professor Wil Srubar. He is preparing to defend his PhD thesis in late May. Frazier earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering and his BA in Chemistry from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. He is originally from Greenfield, Indiana.

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MSE Student Profile: Danielle Beatty

Anonymous — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 19:24:15 +0000

MSE Student Profile: Danielle Beatty Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 03/17/2021 - 13:24

Jonathan Raab

Dani Beatty

Danielle Beatty is a first-year graduate student studying under Professor Wil Srubar in the Living Materials Laboratory. Beatty completed a bachelor’s-master’s degree in materials science and engineering at the University of Utah in May 2020. Beatty hails from the Salt Lake City area.

What brought you to CU 91��Ҹ�?
The main thing that brought me to CU was the interdisciplinary nature of the MSE program and the focus on environmental sustainability from multiple faculty. Most MSE programs I was looking at were much more traditional in their coursework and research focus, but CU stood out as a place where I could study different kinds of materials with the main prerogative of decreasing negative environmental impacts.

I am studying ways to make building materials more sustainable using biology with a civil engineering professor, which would not be possible in any other MSE program of which I am aware.

There was also a feeling of excitement from the faculty and students about their work and their lives here in 91��Ҹ�. Being near the mountains and all the outdoor things I like to do, as well as being in a smaller college town that is part of a large metropolitan area, were also big factors in my decision to come to CU.

I became really excited about the prospect of studying materials science and engineering with the underlying purpose of increasing the sustainability of the materials we make and use. The program also seemed very welcoming and unpretentious despite all the high-ranking professors and research within it.

What is the focus of your research thus far? What problems do you hope to solve?
My research is focused on using microorganisms to create biologically derived materials, which we can then use to make more sustainable building materials. I hope to help reduce the environmental footprint of current building materials and potentially help develop new, greener alternatives. I also ultimately want to move the field of MSE toward a more sustainable approach to materials development that considers all aspects of materials design—from raw materials all the way through to end-of-life and reuse.

How has the program benefited your research?
I am still pretty new to the program and to my research, but so far the program seems very supportive of all kinds of research and of fostering collaborations between students and between labs and professors. The MSE program also does an amazing job of meeting you where you are and working with your interests and what you want to get out of the program.

Coming in with a BS/MS degree, I have been able to work with the MSE program to transfer credits toward my PhD here at CU and to select courses that will benefit my interdisciplinary research while also counting towards my degree requirements.

What is a problem or challenge you encountered as a student here, and how did you overcome it? Who gave you a helping hand?
As I am sure most first-years would agree, starting a PhD in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic was a big challenge and was quite a struggle at times. It was very difficult to try to get started on new research that I do not have a solid background in, while also taking classes and trying to get settled into a new city and new routine. Having the support of my research advisor and the MSE academic advisors Laramie and Alex was a huge help dealing with all of this.

There is also a program here at CU open to all graduate students called Endurance PhD, which I am participating in. It helped me deal with all of these struggles through the fall semester. Its main purpose is to help grad students deal with PhD life struggles and gives us strategies to successfully, happily and healthily work and grow through our PhD programs.

Overall, just knowing that I had the support and understanding of the MSE program while dealing with a lot of difficult new things relieved some stress and helped me work through everything.

How do you strike a balance between your work as a student and your personal life? Does the program allow for that?
While everyone here is very excited about and dedicated to their work, it also seems that everyone makes time to do the things they love outside of work as well—including professors! 91��Ҹ� definitely has a work-hard-play-hard feeling to it, where everyone is just excited about what they do, both during work and when they are actively choosing not to work.

Some of this balance will be dictated by which lab group you join and how you are as a person, but in my experience having a work-life balance is encouraged. I have definitely been able to start figuring out this balance during my first year, and I know a lot of the other PhD students in the program do have a healthy balance between the two.

I have been able to make school and research progress while also making time for the non-work-related things I enjoy doing, like running and skiing and spending time with my significant other. Having a set schedule of work-specific hours has helped, especially when a lot of work still happens from home, and planning out research, school and personal activities each week helps as well.

Why might you recommend MSE to students considering a graduate program in science and engineering?
All other science and engineering disciplines are limited by and built on the materials they have access to. One reason I think MSE is so interesting is that you get to study and make those new materials that everyone else will be using a few years from now.

MSE is also extremely interdisciplinary, especially here at CU 91��Ҹ�, encompassing everything from biology to physics. This enables a lot of exploration and gives you a lot of options as you move through your career. It is also a fast-moving and exciting field where there is always something new and interesting on the horizon.

For anyone interested in sustainability-related things, MSE has a huge role to play in designing the next generation of green materials: from renewable energy to fully recyclable or compostable materials and everything in between.

Where might you want to go next?
One of the reasons I am pursuing a PhD is because I love teaching, and I would like to keep that option on the table. I am definitely considering jobs in academia but may also explore industry first following graduation. Luckily, I have a few years to figure this out!

What do you do for fun or in your spare time?
I enjoy many of the outdoorsy things 91��Ҹ� has to offer! I ride my bike to school and run along the bike paths all around 91��Ҹ�. I go skiing most weekends, and I enjoy trail running, hiking and backpacking. I also love reading books for fun and cooking both new and tried-and-true recipes, which I do most nights. I also really enjoy going to sporting events and hope to be able to go to both CU and professional team events throughout the Denver area as vaccines roll out throughout this next year. The same goes for live concerts, theatrical productions and art shows.

What is your favorite film(s), book(s), sport(s) or other media-related interests, and why? Do your interests in art, literature, and cinema have an influence on your research and goals as a materials scientist?
My favorite series is Harry Potter, mainly because it played a huge role in my childhood and growing up and I just love it. My favorite genre is probably crime—both true crime and crime fiction—or thriller novels, but I also enjoy reading science-y books about things I am not directly studying that are written in a fun, novel-like way—for example: books about quantum biology, mosquitoes, emotions and neuroscience, etc.

I tend to be drawn towards books where I can learn something new, especially if it has nothing to do with materials science. I think this generally keeps me curious about the world and how things work, and I am always thinking of the materials science considerations that come into play in all these different books and ideas.

I think the biggest influence these various books have on my research is on my insistence that research be written and effectively communicated for a general audience so everyone can learn and benefit from it.

I am also interested in art history but have fallen off studying this over the past few years. I played sports all throughout high school, and I still enjoy watching all kinds of sports, especially at the college level.

Although I haven’t been able to yet since moving to 91��Ҹ�, I also make my own functional ceramics, like bowls, plates, mugs, etc. While ceramics are a class of functional materials, they are also a class of advanced engineering materials, and having an understanding of and actively studying both types has informed both my artistic side of throwing ceramics and my engineering side of making them for advanced applications.

Danielle Beatty is a first-year graduate student studying under Professor Wil Srubar in the Living Materials Laboratory. Beatty completed a bachelor’s-master’s degree in materials science and engineering at the University of Utah in May 2020. Beatty hails from the Salt Lake City area.

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MSE Student Profile: Emmanuel Bamidele

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 16:41:55 +0000

MSE Student Profile: Emmanuel Bamidele Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/08/2021 - 09:41

Jonathan Raab

Emmanuel Bamidele

Emmanuel Bamidele is a third-year graduate student in the Materials Science and Engineering Program, studying under Professor Rishi Raj of the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering. Bamidele was recently nominated to join the Sigma Xi Scientific 91��Ҹ� Honor Society and joined the Materials 91��Ҹ� Society. He earned his undergraduate degree in metallurgical and materials engineering at the Federal University of Technology in Akure, Nigeria.

What brought you to CU 91��Ҹ�?
CU 91��Ҹ�’s graduate engineering programs are reputable, and there is lots of interesting research going on here. Many of the professors at CU are leaders in their field and are among the best in the world. My decision to choose CU for graduate school was greatly influenced by those reasons. I was also fascinated by the beauty of the campus: the pictures I saw with many red brick buildings, the beautiful campus layout and the Flatiron mountains in the background reinforced my decision to attend CU.

What is the focus of your research thus far? What problems do you hope to solve?
I’m currently working on the study of flash sintering and related phenomena in tungsten and its composites. This is in collaboration with Professor Alan Weimer’s group in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. The project is combining three exciting technologies—additive manufacturing, atomic layer deposition and flash sintering—to achieve doping, direct ink writing and sintering of high-density tungsten parts.

What attracted you to the MSE program?
The MSE program at CU 91��Ҹ� allows students to choose an adviser from different departments. This was particularly interesting to me. I considered this an opportunity to choose from some of the best professors in the world. I was also fascinated by the fact that the MSE program at CU is very young but has found its way into the top MSE programs in the country—and even in the world. How else can we define quality?

How has the program benefited your research?
The program has been very supportive. As a new student back in 2019, the system was new to me, and I had to figure out so many things in order to get up to speed. The MSE graduate advisor was very helpful in ensuring I settled in properly, as he introduced me to many PIs. I’ve always had massive support from the graduate advisors and my program director—even when I thought things were going to crumble.

What is a problem or challenge you encountered as a student here, and how did you overcome it? Who gave you a helping hand?
One challenging problem I encountered was having to change labs during the COVID-19 pandemic. I felt like it was almost impossible to get into another group in such a short time that I had. I was particularly scared of becoming stranded after leaving my then-lab. I reached out to Laramie and Alex, the MSE graduate advisors, and that was a turning point for me. They understood how I felt, and they offered me more support than I expected. They made sure I had a TA option for the next semester, and they also put me through the process of getting in touch with potential advisors. That worked out perfectly, and I got into an interesting research group in a short time. My program director, Professor Robert McLeod, was also very nice, and the different faculty members I reached out to were very supportive.

How do you strike a balance between your work as a student and your personal life?
The way the MSE program is structured makes it easy to engage in many other activities without sacrificing performance. Being in the beautiful city of 91��Ҹ� has allowed me to explore many interesting activities like hiking, biking, participating in interesting cultural events and concerts downtown and attending concerts in Denver—especially whenever my favorite African artists like Davido, Femi Kuti and Burna Boy come around. Although some weeks are very demanding, which is normal in a doctoral program, I'm still able to create time for many interesting activities with proper planning and doing what I have to do at the right time.

Why might you recommend MSE to students considering a graduate program in science and engineering?
I will recommend taking your time to look at the research going on in the different departments affiliated with MSE, then reach out to the professors in those labs and talk to them about your background and what you find interesting in their work. An opportunity to study at CU 91��Ҹ� is one to relish, and the MSE program is a great destination for international students that might be worried about having supportive advisors and colleagues. Everything around here is set up to make you successful, both during and after your study.

Where might you want to go next after earning your PhD?
I might join a reputable company with great culture and core values that aligns with mine, as my current research is setting me up for that, and I am getting the best guidance and mentorship that will help me achieve that. My long-term goal is to attain top leadership positions in government, international organizations or reputable companies to directly or indirectly solve challenging problems in different sectors.

What do you do for fun in your spare time?
I’m a big fan of soccer, so I enjoy watching soccer games and I occasionally play with friends in nearby fields or at the Rec Center. When I have a week or more to spare, I like to travel to different states or countries, taste new food and experience new culture.

What is your favorite film(s), book(s), sport(s) or other media-related interests, and why? Do your interests in art, literature, and cinema have an influence on your research and goals as a materials scientist?
I enjoyed seeing a film called Silicon Valley. For books, it is difficult to choose between The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. I listen to different genres of music, but I love African music a lot. I’m a soccer and basketball fan—my favorite soccer team is Manchester United, as is any team Cristiano Ronaldo is playing for.

My interest in literature and the curiosity to explore the reasons behind the uniqueness of certain stories has influenced my perspective as a researcher. I now see research beyond just placing bricks of data in the tower of knowledge but as part of a process that delivers impactful insights. I believe a great idea or innovation is just another idea or innovation if it is not properly conveyed.

This has helped me place significant emphasis on the power of writing. Beyond just storytelling or publishing, the way we write and convey an innovation has some degree of proportionality to the impact of that innovation. One of my goals as a materials scientist is to leverage the power of good writing and storytelling to push my work beyond the laboratory to become a product, or to influence policies that benefit different businesses and the common man.

Emmanuel Bamidele is a third-year graduate student in the Materials Science and Engineering Program, studying under Professor Rishi Raj of the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering. Bamidele was recently nominated to join the Sigma Xi Scientific 91��Ҹ� Honor Society and joined the Materials 91��Ҹ� Society. He earned his undergraduate degree in metallurgical and materials engineering at the Federal University of Technology in Akure, Nigeria.

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"I have focused on doing research that contributes to society's health care needs" - Asais Camila Uzategui

Anonymous — Sat, 06 Oct 2018 00:07:14 +0000

"I have focused on doing research that contributes to society's health care needs" - Asais Camila Uzategui Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 10/05/2018 - 18:07

Name: Asais Camila Uzcategui
Hometown: Miami, FL
Major: Materials Science & Engineering, PhD Student
Advisor: Stephanie Bryant & Robert McLeod

I was born in Valencia, Venezuela but moved to South Florida when I was eight years old. The transition between cultures led me to develop a distinct sensitivity concerning social issues, and a regard for solidarity. After immigrating, I was at a stage of cognitive development in which I was questioning not only the cultural, but also the physical realm around me. I developed a passion to quantitatively understand how social factors that differentiate people’s health translate to the biological level. Growing up in a single-mother household, learning a second language, and challenging myself in the physical sciences made me further interested in the social and biochemical factors that influence people’s lives. Since then, I have focused on doing research that contributes to society’s health care needs, while engaging underserved communities to advance their understanding of the overarching consequences of science.

My Path to Materials Science & Engineering

When I started undergrad, I was determined to understand the minutia that drives social and medical phenomena. I considered medical school, and subsequently founded a GlobeMed chapter at my university. GlobeMed’s mission is to bring awareness to global health and empower students by giving them a chance to work with a nonprofit, non-governmental organization (NGO) through long-term partnerships. We partnered with Escuela de la Calle (EDELAC), a Guatemalan indigenous organization dedicated to improving the lives of at-risk children in the city of Quetzaltenango, known locally as Xela (SHAY-la). The GlobeMed project at FIU raised funds for the establishment of a medical clinic alongside the EDELAC school. After having a chance to work there, I realized that although the medical clinic was staffed with medical doctors and nurses, they did not have the tools necessary to treat patients. My decision to pursue a materials science doctoral degree, with a focus on biomaterials was driven by this need.

My research at CU in the Bryant and McLeod research labs focuses on the osteochondral (OC), or bone-cartilage, interface, which does not naturally heal when damaged and leads to osteoarthritis (OA), the most common cause of chronic disability in adults over 65. Our approach is to use 3D printed biomimetic scaffolds for bone and cartilage tissue regeneration. If successful, the advent of this technology will enable low-cost fabrication of osteochodral regenerative implants customized to the specific needs and tissues of the patient.

Why CU 91��Ҹ�?

I decided to attend CU because of the interdisciplinary nature of the Materials Science and Engineering program and the faculty’s research expertise. I love the research opportunities I have at CU. I love that CU is very progressive in their ideas and actions. I love that they are very inclusive and strive to make changes where necessary. I also love that they offer many resources to their graduate students such as the graduate student advisory board, special events, as well as organizations like WiSE (Women in Science and Engineering). I love that they are striving to become a more diverse campus and that they support initiatives such as the SMART program, CU Cafe, and the new SACNAS chapter, among others. I also love that they were vocal about supporting Dreamers and other political issues that affect students.

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"I realized that I truly loved understanding and teaching the science behind the medicine" - Sarah Schoonraad

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 23:03:03 +0000

"I realized that I truly loved understanding and teaching the science behind the medicine" - Sarah Schoonraad Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 10/05/2018 - 17:03

Name: Sarah Schoonraad
Hometown: Johannesburg, South Africa & Los Angeles, CA
Major: Materials Science & Engineering, PhD Student
Advisor: Stephanie Bryant, Bryant 91��Ҹ� Group

I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and moved to California when I was three-years-old. Honestly, I didn’t know that I wanted to work as a biomaterials scientist until much more recently in life. My earliest recollections of professional interests relate to pediatrics - I wanted to be able to provide medical care to the youngest members of society. Ultimately, through the completion of my bachelor’s degree, I realized that I truly loved understanding and teaching the science behind the medicine, particularly the chemistry, which led me to moving away from pre-med aspirations and towards those related to biomedical research.

My Path to Materials Science & Engineering

While completing my bachelor’s degree at the University of California, Santa Barbara, I was given the opportunity to teach general and organic chemistry classes to supplement the main lectures. It was here that I developed a great passion for teaching and continued to do so for 9 years! Ultimately, I grew a greater and greater desire to engage in the research related to the content I had been teaching and sharing with my students, which meant going to graduate school.

This realization that graduate school was the next step was a little daunting, as I had not been a student for a while and was definitely older than the average science graduate student. Additionally, I was married and had two kids - the idea of re-entering into this arena seemed unlikely. In spite of my uncertainty, I began to explore the world of research and found the highly interdisciplinary field of materials science; particularly, biomaterials.

I am now working in the Bryant 91��Ҹ� Lab, a biological and chemical engineering laboratory, studying tissue engineering. Specifically, I am researching the growth plate and possible treatment approaches for pediatric injuries to this tissue. Additionally, I have received a traineeship in molecular biophysics to further enhance my ability to examine the various factors that impact my research area.

I love my lab! I have a very supportive and knowledgeable advisor in Stephanie Bryant, and the people that I get to work with on a daily basis are absolutely wonderful. We have a great community of people who readily learn from and collaborate with one another.

Why CU 91��Ҹ�?

I chose to come to CU because there were a number of incredible research areas and opportunities. The University has established itself as an epicenter for biomaterials innovation, particularly with respect to tissue engineering. Additionally, I have the opportunity to work in collaboration with research and clinical groups at the 91��Ҹ� Anschutz Medical Campus. In this, I have the unique opportunity to use resources, learn experimental procedures and understand the medical context for the materials I am developing. I have also been able to work complete my Master’s degree in education at the CU School of Education. CU has provided the opportunity to pursue my diverse interests in a meaningful way.

There are so many resources on campus that I love, like CU’s Student Academic Success Center (SASC). The SASC is a fantastic program on campus, and I teach chemistry for them. This program has fostered an incredible community with a dedicated staff and amazing group of students. Also in the realm of teaching: I love the Integrated Taching & Learning Laboratory (ITLL)! This is a fun space that offers access to a lot of really cool equipment and the training to effectively use it all. My students also really love getting to explore this space; there are a lot of hands-on opportunities throughout the building.

There are also incredible members of the faculty and staff that I have had the pleasure of getting to work with and know. I have found a great support system on this campus - people who have truly supported my endeavors towards completing my PhD. Before starting here, I was often told to hide the fact that I had kids - I was told it would be difficult to find an advisor willing to take me or it would create issues within my lab. I can honestly say that I have not encountered this in my time at CU - that is something I definitely treasure!

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