B.S. in Computer Science, focus in Robotics and Intelligent Systems

Alyssa Hanson earned her degree in Computer Science with a focus on robotics and intelligent systems. While researching for the Computer Science department in the MIRRORLab, she was also a finalist for the CRA Undergraduate Researcher Award and consistently earned recognition on the academic honor roll. Her nearly three years of research at the MIRRORLab included three projects at the intersection of human-robot interaction and moral psychology, two of which were published at the International Conference of Human-Robot Interaction and one currently under review. Alyssa aspires to continue advancing robotics by designing or working with language-enabled social robots in a variety of applications.

B.S. in Geophysical Engineering

Jackson Krieger graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Geophysical Engineering. He performed research alongside Dr. Bia Villas Bôas and Dr. Gwendal Marechal in the geophysics department studying the relationship between surface currents, winds, and waves in collaboration with NASA’s SUB-MESOSCALE OCEAN DYNAMICS EXPERIMENT (SMODE). Upon graduating, he will pursue a PhD in Physical Oceanography.

B.S. in Chemical Engineering, with a minor in Biomedical Engineering

Bella Chase graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Biomedical Engineering. Her research was focused on natural gas hydrates and experimentally quantifying the surface energy and roughness of carbon steel pipes for varying levels of corrosion and mechanical surface modification. She presented at the Mines Undergraduate Research Symposium where she placed 3rd and 1st in her first year. She was awarded the 2024 Colorado Women’s Day Outstanding Women in STEM (College) Award, as well as GPA Midstream and Chevron Facilities Engineering scholarships. She hopes her work will inspire more sustainable infrastructure and plans to continue these efforts beyond her undergraduate years.

B.S. in Computer Science in Robotics and Intelligent Systems, with a minor in Computational and Applied Mathematics

Annie Huang graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Computer Science with a focus in Robotics and Intelligent Systems and a minor in Computational and Applied Mathematics. She conducted undergraduate research with Dr. Tom Williams in the MIRRORLab within the Computer Science Department, studying human-robot interaction with a focus on robot gestural behaviors. Her research comparing the use of precise deictic and abstract pointing gestures was presented at the 2024 Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) Conference in Boulder. She plans to pursue a career in industry, focusing on the development of user-centered technologies.

B.S. in Engineering Physics

Audrey Faricy graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Engineering Physics while concurrently pursuing her M.S. in Quantum Engineering. During her time at Mines, she contributed to Dr. Singh’s lab, focusing on the characterization of silicon clathrate materials for applications in solar cells and quantum information sciences. She received second place in the Spring 2024 Mines Research Symposium. Beyond her undergraduate research, Audrey actively served as a teaching assistant for multiple physics courses through her times at Mines and held a leadership role as an officer in the Society of Women in Physics. Following graduation, she plans to begin her career at Honeywell as a physicist.

B.S. in Environmental Engineering

Caila Cassuto is currently an Undergraduate Environmental Engineering student in the department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) Colorado School of Mines. She received an associate’s degree of applied science from Warren Tech Central in Power Equipment and Motorcycle Technology. Caila served six years in the Army National Guard as a Geospatial Engineer. After her time in the service, Caila attended Community College of Aurora before enrollment at Colorado School of Mines in Fall 2021. Her research has focused on developing a method to measure total organic fluorides in soil/groundwater samples using basic lab equipment. Outside of lab and class, Caila enjoys riding dirt bikes, backpacking, drawing, playing rugby, and dancing. After Caila graduates in Spring 2025 she plans to work as an environmental engineer in the remediation sector.

B.S. in Chemical Engineering, with a Biological Engineering Track

Kylie Knutson graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a Biological Engineering Track. During her time at Mines, she conducted research in the Chemistry Department under Dr. Richard Holz for nearly three years. She worked with a notable metalloenzyme (Nitrile Hydratase) to investigate its unique mechanism of catalysis, as well as the enzymes application in remediating local watersheds. Throughout her time at Mines, Kylie was able to publish a Co-Author paper, participate in both the MURF & SURF fellowship programs at Mines, and present her research at the American Chemical Society Conference (ACS Fall 2024). Kylie was a dedicated member of the Society of Women in Chemistry (SWiC) and worked as the Undergraduate Co-Chair to help others foster a love for chemistry. Post graduation, Kylie hopes to explore her passion for bioprocess engineering and sustainable scientific practices to contribute to the pharmaceutical industry.

B.S. in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry

Erik Fiantaca graduated from Colorado School of Mines completing a dual degree program earning a B.S in Chemical Engineering and a B.S in Chemistry. During Erik’s time at Mines he conducted research of cubic iron-sulfur clusters and their potential in reducing CO2 within a Covalent Organic Framework (COF). Outside of research, Erik was heavily involved on campus within the American Institute of Chemical Engineers as the secretary of the organization, a general member of the American Chemical Society, as well as, the Executive Director of the Campus Living Student Association on campus. Erik plans to pursue a position in the oil and gas industry and eventually become a subject matter expert in CO2 treating of flue gasses. To this aim, Erik has accepted a job offer to work with bp at their Cherry Point Refinery as a Process Engineer.

B.S. in Chemical Engineering

Ashley Turnage graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. She conducted research in Dr. Susanta Sarkar’s biophysics laboratory investigating collagen fibril degradation by matrix metalloproteases (MMPs). Outside of the lab, Ashley is a member of Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women and the CBE Ambassador Program. In the future, Ashley plans to pursue her Doctor of Jurisprudence, focusing on environmental law.

B.S. in Applied Mathematics and Statistics, with a Computational Emphasis

Lara Ferreira Bezerra graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Applied Mathematics and Statistics with a Computational Emphasis. She conducted research on Performative Autonomy in Human-Robot interactions under the Computer Science Department with MIRROR Lab. Lara was one of the MURF awarded students for the 2024-2025 academic year. She plans on continuing her studies on Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences in the future.

B.S. in Geological Engineering

Nina Botvin earned both her B.S. and M.E. in Geological Engineering at the same time from the Colorado School of Mines. Since 2022, she has conducted research within the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, receiving numerous accolades, including the Realeaux Writing Grant, the AAPG L. Austin Weeks Undergraduate Research Grant, and recognition as a national co-winner of the Re-Wilding the Colorado River contest, to name a few. Her research at Mines focuses on comparing geological fan structures (alluvial fans, fluvial fans, and lava flows) and analyzing the initial avulsion angles of their channels. Beyond her academic institution, she has gained additional research experience through NASA’s Student Airborne Research Program, where she studied soil moisture, and the Arctic Research Experience for Undergraduates (Artic REU), where she collected and analyzed Greenlandic lake sediment cores. In the next phase of her career, Nina will join the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) as a Geodetic Earth Scientist. Through NGA’s education program, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Geodesy, applying her expertise to advance research initiatives within the agency.

B.S. in Environmental Engineering, with a minor in Computational and Applied Mathematics

Maddie Fox graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Environmental Engineering and a minor in Computational and Applied Mathematics. During her time at Mines, she conducted research in the Geology and Geological Engineering Department under Dr. Piret Plink-Bjorklund, studying the influence of millennial-range orbital cycles on hyperthermal activity to better understand how Earth systems respond to rapid, high-magnitude changes. Outside of the lab, Maddie was actively involved in campus initiatives promoting diversity and inclusion, as well as holding leadership roles in several student organizations. After graduation, she will be working as a water treatment engineer at the Bureau of Reclamation, focusing on developing innovative treatment processes for emerging contaminants.

B.S. in Computer Science

Connor Bremner graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Computer Science in 2025. He conducted research in computer architecture under the mentorship of Dr. Iris Bahar in the Computer Science department. Working with colleagues from the University of Colorado Boulder and Brown University, he focused on improving the performance of secure memory systems by analyzing cache behavior and implementing new caching protocols for metadata. Connor plans to pursue graduate studies in computer architecture and earn a Ph.D. before becoming a professor and starting a career in academia.

B.S. in Chemical Engineering, with minors in Biology, McBride Honors Program of Public Affairs, and Teaching

Emma Khorunzhy graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and three minors in Biology, Teaching, and the McBride Honors Program in Public Affairs. She shared equal passions for environmental research and tutoring undergraduates and high school students. Emma aspired to one day run her own lab as a principal investigator and teach chemical engineering at the collegiate level. She began her PhD in Chemical Engineering at Caltech in Fall 2025. Inspired by the exceptional faculty at Mines, she sought to master chemical engineering concepts to contribute to climate-change-related research and become a dedicated and thoughtful mentor to undergraduates.

B.S. in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering, minor in Computational and Applied Mathematics

Addison Olstad graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering with a minor in Computational and Applied Mathematics. I worked with the AMS department to complete my research in mathematical modeling of metabolism in adolescents. Alongside distinction, I achieved honor roll several times while at Mines. The research I completed while getting my degree consisted of analysis of glucose and insulin data, statistical testing, and synthetic data experiments to quantify hyperglycemia effects. After graduation, I will be entering industry in my field and hope to work with genomic data and further healthcare research.

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering; with a minor Computer Science – Robotics and Intelligent Systems

Thomas Lee graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Robotics and Intelligent Systems. During his tenure as an undergraduate researcher in the Mechanical Engineering department, Thomas contributed to the construction of a robot testing environment designed to simulate the conditions of the Moon’s surface. His work involved developing major hardware components for the testing environment’s XY-gantry structure, enabling system translation in two dimensions. After graduating, Thomas plans to attend graduate school for a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering where he hopes to study robotics and design novel robotic systems.

B.S. in Electrical Engineering, M.S. in Computer Science

Cody Fellinge graduated from the Colorado School of Mines in 2025 with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and a M.S. in Computer Science. He researched under the Department of Computer Science’s Pervasive Computing Systems (PeCS) research group, directed by Dr. Qi Han. Cody was a member of the Tau Beta Pi honors society, a Grandey Scholar, a Computing-Mines Affiliates Partnership Program scholar, and a brother of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. His research centered on drone swarm technology, and largely focused on developing a reliable unmanned aerial vehicle testbed for future drone swarm research. He was also interested in embedded systems and other low-level computing, as well as foreign affairs and law. Cody plans to head into the private sector, and continue working with drones and other robotic systems.

B.S. in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

Dominic Piccone graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. During his time at Mines, Dominic conducted research at the Center for Welding, Joining, and Coating Research (CWCJR) under Dr. Jonah Klemm-Toole, where he focused on the creep and tensile performance of wire based additive manufacturing of structural alloys. During his time at CWJCR, Dominic presented his research at the MS&T 2024 Technical Meeting, and the AWS professional Program. Dominic received the Best Poster award at AWS Professional Program for his work on wire based additive manufacturing of 316 type stainless steel and is an AIST Steel Scholar. He looks forward to continuing his research in structural materials as he pursues a Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins University studying fundamental deformation behavior in novel nanocrystalline alloys.

B.S. in Electrical Engineering

Matt Hatch graduated from the Colorado School of Mines in 2025 with a B. S. in Electrical Engineering. He performed research under Dr. Qi Han of the Computer Science Department for the Mines Pervasive Computing Systems (PeCS) group. Through his research he has explored the design and construction of a custom drone swarm. He was specifically interested in the on-board embedded programming of the swarm. During his time at Mines, Matt was also a brother of Kappa Sigma, the chair of IEEE@Mines, and a member of Tau Beta Pi. After graduation, Matt plans on obtaining his M. S. of Electrical Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder focusing on Embedded Systems Engineering.

B.S. in Civil Engineering

Nadine Wetzler graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. She conducted research in the Fire Research Division of the Engineering Laboratory at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, contributing to a project aimed at quantifying and locating PFAS concentrations in firefighter gear. At Mines, she was recognized for her academic excellence, earning a place on the Dean’s List in Fall 2023 and the Honor Roll in Fall 2024. Looking ahead, Nadine plans to focus on sustainable urban development to strengthen the connection between communities, the environment, and the built world.

B.S. in Engineering Physics

Camille Neuder graduated from the Colorado School of Mines in spring of 2025 with a B.S. in Engineering Physics and a distinction in Sustainable Energy. She has dedicated her time at Mines to growing as a person and scientist in the energy sector through research, coursework, and extracurricular involvement. Camille conducted two semesters of undergraduate research on optimizing shallow geothermal energy systems in the Engineering, Design, and Society department, earning 2nd place at the Mines Research Symposium. She was also recognized for her leadership and service to Mines’ university with the Bad Burro Award in 2024. Looking ahead, Camille plans to pursue a master’s degree in renewable energy technologies and is committed to building a meaningful career in sustainability.

B.S. in Ceramic Engineering

Aryn Loew graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a degree in Ceramic Engineering. In the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department, Aryn’s passion for research led her to conduct research with multiple groups in the department. On projects ranging from using density of broken bonds to predict surface structures, analyzing corrosion in stainless steel, modeling the compaction of sustainable rare-earth free magnets, to synthesizing iron-based cathode materials. She was awarded the Job/McAuliffe Perseverance Award (2024), a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates, and Mines Undergraduate Research Fellowship. After graduation, Aryn plans to continue to conduct research by pursuing a PhD in Materials Science.

B.S. in Computer Science, minor in Physics

Cailyn Smith graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Computer Science (focus in Robotics & Intelligent Systems) and a minor in Physics. She has conducted research at the Mines Interactive Robotics Research Lab (advised by Dr. Tom Williams), the Mines Autonomy, Robotics, & Intelligent Algorithms Lab (advised by Dr. Kaveh Fathian), and an astrophysics research group (advised by Dr. Eric Mayotte). Her research has primarily focused on robot autonomy tradeoffs during human-robot interaction, with applications to space exploration. For her research, Cailyn was awarded the 2023 and 2024 Astronaut Scholarship and the 2025 Computing Research Association’s Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Runner-Up award. After graduation, she plans to pursue a PhD in Computer Science or Robotics, focused on algorithmic human-robot interaction.

B.S. in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering, minors in Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Biomedical Engineering

Carson Wedding graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering, with minors in Robotics and Intelligent Systems and Biomedical Engineering. She was involved with undergraduate research at CU Anschutz’ Barbara Davis Center applying pattern recognition algorithms to study the relationship between menstrual cycle phases and glycemic outcomes in individuals with type one diabetes. She has presented her research at CU’s Diabetes Day in 2024, where she was recognized as an outstanding presenter, and Advanced Technologies & Therapeutics for Diabetes, the largest international conference for diabetes technology. After graduation, she would like to continue working in the diabetes technology industry and may attend graduate school in the future.

B.S. in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

Jesica Schmidt graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. During her time at Mines, she worked with the Transdisciplinary Nano-Structured Material Research Team, focusing on the biocompatibility of surgical devices, specifically analyzing surface defects and corrosion. Her research contributed to the investigation of titanium intramedullary nails and stainless steel spinal retractors, addressing critical issues like rust formation and pitting corrosion that led to patient infections. In addition to her engineering work, Jesica’s artwork was featured in The High Grade for two consecutive years, and she served as Senior Class Representative for the Materials Advantage Chapter. Looking ahead, Jesica plans to pursue a career in biomaterials research, aiming to improve the safety of medical devices.

B.S. in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering

Lauren Crain graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering (QBE). They were awarded the Mines Undergraduate Research Fellowship to conduct research under the mentorship of Dr. Jessie Troxler with the guidance of Dr. Joseph Samaniuk in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering Department. Lauren’s research ranged from rheological properties of enzymatically hydrolyzed corn stover pretreated via deacetylation and mechanical refining, simulating temperature models for auger feeders, kinetic modeling for cell free reactors, and surface tension and rheological properties of calligraphy ink. Next, Lauren will be pursuing a career in biological research.

B.S. in Ceramic Engineering, Quantum Engineering Minor

Jack Dorsey graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Ceramic Engineering and a minor in Quantum Engineering. He has done research in growing thin films of transition metal oxides in the George S. Ansell Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering with Dr. Megan Holtz. He has earned the Departmental Ceramic Engineering Scholarship as well as the Lewis C. Hoffman Scholarship from the American Ceramic Society. Jack will be pursuing a PhD in materials science and continuing researching the quantum and electrical properties of materials.

B.S. in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering, minors in Biomedical Engineering and Business & Entrepreneurship

Jillian Yanes graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering and minors in both Biomedical Engineering and Business & Entrepreneurship. She has worked in the Chemical & Biological department as a part of Kumar’s lab for the past two years where she worked with the team to optimize the assembly of Mixed Micelleplexes for Plasmid DNA Delivery and the separation of pDNA and Mixed Micelleplexes. She plans on going into the Medical Device Industry, specifically the Electrophysiology department of Abbott to fulfill her dream of helping people.

B.S. in Environmental Engineering

Logan Baker graduated from the Colorado School of Mines in May 2025 with a B.S. in Environmental Engineering. His research, conducted under the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, focused on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), specifically their fate and transport in the vadose zone of groundwater systems and their treatment using membrane technologies. During his undergraduate studies, Logan earned multiple scholarships from Mines and notable environmental organizations while maintaining Honor Roll or Dean’s List recognition every semester. He will continue his education at the Colorado School of Mines, pursuing a master’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering, expected to be completed in May 2026. Logan plans to build a career as a remediation engineer, working to address PFAS contamination in water resources and the broader environment. His passion for environmental health and sustainability drives his commitment to developing innovative solutions for contaminant mitigation and environmental reclamation.

B.S. in Computer Science

Alex Torres graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Computer Science and a focus in Computer Engineering. Through his role as a Research Assistant in the Mines Interactive Robotics Research Lab (MIRRORLab), Alex researched the effectiveness of different robot gestures towards humans using Augmented Reality. He played a significant role in running the experiments and backend development, incorporating wireless teleoperation and QR code tracking to ensure the study’s success and enhance its accuracy. Alex is excited to apply the technical and professional skills he’s learned to drive innovation and contribute to advancing technologies.

B.S. in Quantitative Biosciences & Engineering

Kyra Frank graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering (QBE). She conducted research in the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department under the mentorship of Suzannah Beeler, Kevin Cash, and Tyler Sodia, studying the impacts of static magnetic fields on organisms and developing chemical sensing systems. In Fall 2025, she plans to begin a PhD in Chemistry at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she aims to work at the intersection of organic chemistry and chemical biology.

B.S. in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

Allie grew up in Denver, North Carolina, and attended Discovery High School and the North Carolina School of Science and Math. She went on to study Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines, where she was actively involved in various campus organizations. Her engagements included the Thorson First-Year Honors Program, undergraduate research, the Oredigger Disability Activism and Community club, the Mines Materials Advantage chapter, and serving as a Peer Mentor. Inspired by her experiences at Mines, Allie will be pursuing a Doctorate in Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University. In her free time, she enjoys skiing, crocheting, reading, and music!

B.S. in Engineering Physics, minor in Economics

Maddy Hoffmann graduated from Mines Cum Laude as a Grewcock Presidential Scholar with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics and a minor in Economics. Maddy participated in research during all four years of her undergraduate degree, three of which were funded through the FIRST and MURF programs and one of which through her senior design project. Maddy worked under Dr. Jeffrey King of the MME department to both create optimization software for biological shielding of nuclear-powered spacecraft and quantify hydrogen migration through zirconium claddings using neutron imaging techniques. Maddy is now continuing her education at Mines by pursuing a Ph.D. in Materials Science jointly with NREL, where she is combining her knowledge of software development, data analytics, microscopy, and the physical sciences to create cutting-edge machine learning algorithms and techniques for the characterization and analysis of wide band gap power electronics.

B.S. in Electrical Engineering, minors in McBride Public Affairs and Computer Engineering

Kenny Hora is from Westminster, CO and received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering (Integrated Circuits & Electronics Specialty) with an honors minor in McBride Public Affairs and a minor in Computer Engineering. He is now completing his M.S. in Electrical Engineering at Mines.

At Mines, he completed research under Dr. Atef Elsherbeni, working on printing conformal antenna with nanoparticle ink, developing underground mine communication systems, and developing remote sensing systems of metabolites. Aside from research, he has served as President of the Mines Maker Society, Student Trustee, and has been involved as an undergraduate researcher, lab assistant, a Mines Foundation ‘Dignitary, and a member of the Tau Beta Pi Honor Society. Kenny is interested in VLSI design, embedded development, and PCB design.

B.S. in Chemical and Biological Engineering, minor in Biomedical Engineering

Gracie Holm graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. majoring in Chemical and Biological Engineering and minoring in Biomedical Engineering. She conducted research within the McGuirk laboratory focusing on halogen bonding within crystalline materials. She will continue her journey within engineering and chemistry as a field engineer within water treatment services.

B.S. in Design Engineering

Landon Roberts graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Design Engineering. His Mines Undergraduate Research Fellowship (MURF) research during the 2024/2025 academic year was conducted through the Engineering, Design, and Society department and focused on designing an energy self-sustained building. In this research, Landon learned how to minimize thermal loads in buildings and how to power HVAC, water heating, lighting, and other building components with building-integrated solar, wind, and geothermal systems. After graduation, Landon will join the Nuclear Field Engineering Leadership Program at GE Vernova in North Carolina where he hopes to play a key role in the energy transition.

B.S. in Computer Science

Bryce Irving graduated from Mines with a B.S. in Computer Science. He was involved in Grandey Honors and Grand Challenge Scholars programs and researched with Dr. Villas Bôas in the geophysics department, where he focused on ray tracing ocean surface waves using Rust. In the future, Bryce will be pursuing a M.S. in Computer Science from Mines.

B.S. in Civil Engineering

Zoë Brouillet graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Civil Engineering and a minor in Engineering for Community Development. She completed her research through the civil and environmental engineering department in the construction materials lab determining if mine waste could be used as a sustainable construction material. Through the process of geopolymerization, Zoë developed methods to produce stronger and more durable geopolymer bricks from mine tailings, effectively reducing or eliminating tailings stored in dams while sequestering toxins to prevent adverse effects on the surrounding environment and communities. Zoë will continue as a graduate student at the Colorado School of Mines, pursuing interdisciplinary studies in humanitarian engineering and science and civil engineering. She is driven by her passion for implementing sustainable and socially responsible engineering solutions to address global infrastructure challenges.

B.S. in Engineering Physics

Veronica Masztalerz is graduating from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Engineering Physics. She has completed optics research with the Engineering Physics department for 2.5 years and completed additional research in vision science with the University of Rochester. Her research has won her two first place presentation awards at the Conference for Undergraduate Women and Gender Minorities in Physics and she plans on continuing her research pursuits in a biomedical optics PhD program in New York. Beyond graduate school, Veronica hopes to use optics to advance medical imaging and instrumentation techniques through either industry or professorship positions.

B.S. in Engineering Physics

James Clemson majored in Engineering Physics at the Colorado School of Mines. A Dean’s List student for 3 years, he performed research with Dr. Villas Bôas of the Geophysics Department, investigating the potential for a proposed NASA satellite to provide revolutionary measurements of our ocean and atmosphere. He hopes to continue his education in a PhD program for Physics, with a specialization in gravitational physics and general relativity.

B.S. in Electrical Engineering, minor in Public Affairs

Silje Ostrem graduated in May 2025 with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and a McBride Minor in Public Affairs. She spent four years working in the Antennas, RFID, and Computational EM Lab under Dr. Atef Elsherbeni. She worked on antenna designs for aircraft, biomedical, and mining applications. In 2024, she received second place in the GRADS Computation and Theory Poster Session. Outside of class, she was heavily involved in Society of Women Engineers, a founding member of Women in Electrical Engineering, an Undergraduate Research Ambassador, and a SEED Lab TA. She’s looking forward to getting her M.S. from Mines and then entering the industry as an RF Engineer.

B.S. in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

Gabriel Thompson entered Mines in the fall of 2021, aiming to obtain his bachelors in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. Only a few semesters after starting his freshman year, began working on research with the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department. Come 2023, he wished to experience a more professional and intense form of research, and took on a MURF project with the same department as his major. The project looked at determining at what time and temperature a deleterious phase formed in a nickel super alloy. As this was the first time he had run a project, Gabriel learned to manage both time and the difficulties of research (such as broken machines) to complete the project, ultimately presenting his findings at the Undergraduate Research Symposium. Currently, Gabriel has been accepted into Carnegie Mellon’s graduate program to pursue a PhD in materials science, and he aims to work as a failure analyst in the future as his professional career.

B.S. in Petroleum Engineering

Wayne Snodgrass graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering. He conducted research in the Petroleum Engineering Department, focusing on underground hydrogen storage and phase change materials in drilling fluids. His work involved high-pressure/high-temperature rheological testing, core flooding experiments, and geochemical modeling to enhance energy storage and drilling efficiency. He presented his findings at the Mines Undergraduate Research Symposium and the American Chemical Society Conference. During his undergraduate tenure, he also worked as an assistant driller at Edgar Mine, gaining hands-on experience in subsurface operations. He plans to pursue a Master’s with Thesis in Petroleum Engineering, with a focus on advanced drilling technologies for oil, gas, and geothermal systems.

B.S. in Computer Science, minor in Engineering Physics

Zhuoyi Wang graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Computer Science and a minor in Engineering Physics. During his time at Mines, he conducted research in both the Physics and Computer Science departments, focusing on applying machine learning to ultra-high-energy cosmic ray (UHECR) and cognitive status estimation in human-robot interaction. His work on UHECR mass reconstruction explored deep learning models to extract new insights from cosmic ray shower profiles, while his human-robot interaction research investigated AI-driven methods for managing cognitive statuses in human-robot conversations. Following graduation, Zhuoyi plans to apply his expertise in artificial intelligence, either by continuing research in AI or transitioning into industry to work on cutting-edge machine learning applications.

B.S. in Computer Science, Engineering Physics

Nathan graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a M.S. and B.S. in Computer Science, and a B.S. in Engineering Physics. Nathan has successfully presented new research theory, including a neural network to predict mass of Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Rays, and a testing framework and dataset for a monocular SLAM metanalysis. Nathan tied for 2nd prize best poster at the 2024 Spring Mines Undergraduate Research Symposium, and further presented his work at the 2025 APS Global Physics Summit. Beyond research. Nathan has served as President for the Mines Robotics Club, and served as a teaching assistant for 10 courses across 8 semesters. Nathan plans on continuing to do high impact engineering and physics work in industry.

B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Energy Minor

Sabrina Wood graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a minor in Energy. She completed research as part of a multi-disciplinary lab run by Dr. Neal Sullivan of the Mechanical Engineering department. Sabrina graduated Magna Cum Laude and was a recipient of the MURF award multiple times. In her time at Mines, Sabrina was part of the Tau Beta Pi honor society, SWE, and an active member in the CBE Ambassador program. Her research focused on the fabrication and characterization of ceramic proton conducting fuel cells with an emphasis on material analysis and elemental exposure impact. Sabrina was able to grow her expertise in process development and SEM characterization through her time in the program. After Sabrina graduates she will be returning to complete a master’s degree in Chemical Engineering and then move into industry as a process engineer.

B.S. in Chemical Engineering

Chase Clements graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. As a transfer student from the Colorado Community College system, Chase was featured on the Presidents List after completing his A.S. in Chemistry and was a member of Phi Theta Kappa honors society. At Mines, he was a member of Tau Beta Pi honors society and graduated Summa Cum Laude. In the Chemical and Biological Engineering department, he conducted research in Dr. Andrew Herring’s lab group related to anion exchange membranes and the application that these materials have in water electrolysis and hydrogen fuel cells. After graduation, Chase plans to continue his education by pursuing a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at Purdue University with the goal of further enhancing our understanding of electrocatalysis.

B.S. in Geology & Geological Engineering

With a background in GIS and geology, Isaac Pope is a volcanologist and geospatial information scientist focused on integrating geospatial and petrologic data to investigate geologic history and hazards. Awarded Goldwater Scholar and All-USA Academic Team while a student at Centralia College, he transferred to Colorado School of Mines where he focused on geologic hazards analysis in landslide, volcanic, and earthquake applications, earning his Bachelor’s of Science in Geology and Geological Engineering and a Master’s of Science in GIS and Geoinformatics through the 4+1 program. As a Research Physical Scientist intern at U.S. Geological Survey, Mr. Pope worked on risk communication in the Earthquake Hazards Program, uniquely equipping him for science communication.

B.S. in Design Engineering

Lucy Gilbert-Fagen graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Design Engineering and a focus in User Experience Research. She performed undergraduate research in the Engineering, Design, and Society department for three years, exploring engineering educational cultures and the hidden curriculum, the implicit messaging through which engineering students learn what it means to be an engineer. She was awarded the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship in 2024 and spent the summer investigating the experiences of queer and trans students in engineering, how they filter or alter their expression to gain or maintain credibility, and what institutions can do to make engineering more inclusive and supportive. In the future, Lucy hopes to leverage her engineering background to co-design solutions with underserved communities.

B.S. in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering

Gabriel Ibanez graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering. During his undergraduate studies conducted research in Dr. Susanta Sarkar’s Biophysical Research Laboratory, where he studied host-virus interactions and the molecular mechanisms of neurological diseases. He also worked with the PAK LMAC group, focusing on computational modeling and molecular dynamics simulations to analyze conformational dynamics and free energy landscapes of S-layer protein EA1. In addition to research, he was actively involved with The SALT Company, a college ministry where he mentored and supported fellow students. He plans to pursue the QBE master’s non-thesis program at Mines to deepen his expertise in computational biology and molecular sciences, with the long-term goal of obtaining an MD-PhD. His long-term aspiration is to integrate patient care with translational research, advancing medical treatments and furthering the understanding of disease at the molecular level.

B.S. in Chemical Engineering, minor in Biomedical Engineering

Julia Cacciavillani graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a minor in Biomedical Engineering. During her time at Mines, she conducted research in Dr. Carolyn Koh’s Center for Hydrate Research in the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department for one summer and four semesters. There, she collected data by creating and analyzing oil-in-water emulsions, performing interfacial tension measurements, and executing contact angle experiments in solution in order to help further the understanding of hydrate formation and emulsion stability in different oil systems. After graduation, Julia has accepted a position at Trinity Consultants in Denver as an environmental engineering consultant and is excited to learn about environmental regulations and sustainability.

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

Zoe Cremona graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. Starting during her freshman year and until she graduated, she did robotics research in the Mechanical Engineering department. She was also a member of the 2021 cohort of Vanguard scholars. Her research topics ranged from fabricating robot parts to computer vision and beyond. She hopes to earn her PhD in Mechanical Engineering and go on to be a robotics professor.

B.S. in Electrical Engineering

Timothy Strawn graduated from Colorado School o Mines with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering with a focus on RF engineering and DSP. Timothy conducted research in the Electrical Engineering department within the electromagnetics and microwave lab. During his undergraduate tenure Timothy has received several honors and awards including Mines Dean’s List, Mines Phi Theta Kappa Scholar, Mines Grant, Fritz Scholar, Mines Honor Roll. Timothy’s research is within the biomedical field and he developed a noninvasive internal body temperature measurement device capable of detecting the temperature of brain tissue potentially aiding in the detection of brain cancer. This device uses a near field antenna to noninvasively measure blackbody electromagnetic radiation emitted from the brain tissue. This reading is then compared to a reference source temperature through various RF circuit and DSP techniques to calculate brain temperature as well as positional data. This has allowed the team to map brain temperature noninvasively. In the future Timothy hopes to continue his journey in biomedical research and wants to work as an RF engineer at a biomedical company.

B.S. in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering

Ethan Arends graduate from Colorado School of Mines, earning his B.S. in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering. Throughout his undergraduate Ethan worked at the National Renewable Energy Laboraotry where he worked on optimizing the anaerobic digestion process and electrochemically separating out organic acids from fermenters. From this research experience Ethan was provide with the opportunity to go the 45th Symposium on Biomaterials, Fuels and Chemicals where he was one of two undergraduate students allowed to present. Ethan plans on taking a gap year to research at CU Anschutz and volunteer at hospitals to help strengthen his application for Medical Scientist Training Programs for Fall 2026.

B.S. in Electrical Engineering

Ryan Miller graduated with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Colorado School of Mines. Her research in the Electrical Engineering department, under Dr. Kathryn Johnson, focused on using qualitative analysis to examine how educators from different disciplines teach and later examined how research is conducted to improve these processes. Through her time under Dr. Johnson, she was a coauthor on a paper published in ASEE PEER. In the future, she aims to develop technologies that are accessible and designed to meet people’s needs.

B.S. in Chemistry

Jocelyn Riley graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Chemistry. Jocelyn is a Thorson, Vanguard and FIRST scholar and is the Fundraising Chair for Mines Without Borders. In addition, she has spent her time researching in the Shafer and Jensen research groups to study actinide bonding in electronics. After her undergraduate degree, she will attend a PhD program in biomedical sciences with a long term goal of becoming a research professor.

B.S. in Applied Mathematics, minor in Computer Science

Jacob Hofer graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. and M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a minor in Computer Science. He did research in the Applied Mathematics department under Cecilia Diniz Behn and Scott Strong, modeling narcolepsy and investigating vortex dynamics. After graduation he has a job as a software developer.

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

Austin Vanderzyden is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. His experience involves working as a Robotics Research Assistant at MirrorLab Robotics Lab, where he conducted research in robot design to assist trauma survivors in self-disclosure. This research was done with the Computer Science department. He would like to work in the medical device industry, specifically in designing and engineering surgical robots.

B.S. in Quantitative Bioscience and Engineering

Ella Lyon graduated summa cum laude from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Quantitative Bioscience and Engineering. She conducted undergraduate research at the CU Anschutz School of Medicine, where she developed a novel cardiac volume estimation method in mice using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging data and adapted Kheyfet’s mathematical model for physician use. As part of the IPREFER Undergraduate Research (REU) program, she also studied plant mutations using qPCR analysis. Outside the lab, she served as a mentor resident advisor for three years, was on the executive board of the Mines climbing team, and earned her National Registry Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT) certification, which she used to gain clinical experience in rural Guatemala. She was a finalist at the international S3BC Bioengineering Conference, where she presented her cardiac volume estimation research. Ella is passionate about ultramarathons and the outdoors and plans to hit the trails before pursuing a career in medicine.

B.S. in Chemical and Biological Engineering Major, minors in Biomedical Engineering and Chemistry

Wakana Kani graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Chemical and Biological Engineering and minors in Biomedical Engineering and Chemistry. During her time at Mines, she conducted research in the Chemical and Biological Engineering department under Dr. Ramya Kumar.
Her research focused on designing polymeric drug delivery platforms using controlled radical polymerizations, with applications ranging from stimuli-responsive amphiphilic nanoparticles for ocular delivery to bottlebrush polymers for mucosal gene delivery. Following graduation, Wakana plans to pursue her PhD in Chemical Engineering and continue research dedicated to addressing human health challenges.

B.S. in Computer Science

James Crea graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Computer Science. James was also a proud Tau Beta Pi honor society member and honorable mention for the Computing Research Association’s (CRA) Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award. Throughout his time at Mines, James worked in Professor Belviranli’s High Performance Systems and Software (hypesys) Lab, researching everything from accelerating autonomous robotics and extending GPU memory with non-volatile storage to supercomputing and developing novel cybersecurity attacks. James is looking forward to pursuing a Ph.D. focused on cybersecurity following his time at Mines.

B.S. in Computer Science, minor in Business & Entrepreneurship

Isabella Fernandes de Oliveira graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Computer Science, focusing in Computer Engineering, and a minor in Business & Entrepreneurship. Her research focused on cybersecurity and aerospace systems. She conducted a comprehensive study on Content Security Policy (CSP) implementations across high-traffic websites, uncovering widespread vulnerabilities in modern web defenses against cross-site scripting attacks. Her analysis highlighted critical issues such as the misuse of unsafe directives and overreliance on whitelisting, leading to recommendations for stricter, nonce-based CSP strategies. As part of her senior capstone project, she led the development of a prototype system for capturing and de-tumbling inactive space debris in Low Earth Orbit, integrating computer vision, real-time communication, and multi-disciplinary coordination to meet aerospace standards. Through her research, Isabella demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing both cybersecurity practices and innovative space technologies.