Students

Campos Student Center celebrates community and future success

Charles Ferrer — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 19:37:43 +0000

Campos Student Center celebrates community and future success Charles Ferrer Fri, 09/05/2025 - 13:37

Charles Ferrer

This is your home. You are always welcomed here." ~Marco Campos

In a celebration-filled day, the College of Engineering and Applied Science honored the legacy of Marco Campos (CivEngr’98) on Aug. 29 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly named Campos Student Center in recognition of his $5 million investment in student success.

“Embrace your story and your journey,” Campos said, speaking to students in the center he called home nearly 30 years ago. “Know that we are here to support you and that you can be yourself in your college journey.”

The Campos Student Center carries out the central mission of broadening opportunities, community and leadership for undergraduate engineering students of all backgrounds. It also supports BOLD and partner-affiliated scholars and the college’s nine student societies.

Formerly the BOLD Center, the Campos Foundation’s gift creates a permanent endowment to further the center’s programming, which includes academic support, scholarships, leadership and professional development, student society programs and networking opportunities.

For many engineering students, the center is a place to gain opportunities and find community.

As for Marco Campos (CivEngr’98), the center not only bears a family name but represents a vocation of generosity through the years to ensure that students can succeed in their education.

“Marco is one of our own, a proud graduate of our civil engineering program,” said Keith Molennar, dean of the college, at the ceremony that included current scholars, faculty, staff members, college and campus leaders. “He has never forgotten where his journey started and continues to inspire students to succeed in their goals and dreams.”

David Aragon showing a class photo with Campos during his time at a summer program nearly two decades ago. (Credit: Jesse Petersen)

Campos knows firsthand the value of finding connection early on as a college student.

“The Multicultural Engineering Program, which eventually became the BOLD Center, helped me get acclimated to campus, meet professors and gave me a leg up,” Campos said. “Finding my support network was my number one focus and was instrumental at 91ɫ��.”

In a full-circle moment, Campos recognized his college mentor, David Aragon, former director of the Multicultural Engineering Program, with the Campos Foundation’s first-ever community heart award.

Just as Aragon mentored Campos, staff members at the center today support the center’s programs and scholars with advising on scholarships, tutoring, keeping the space humming and creating powerful programs for students to expand their horizons.

“The center’s incredible professional and student staff and faculty, along with our student scholars and society leaders, make this community what it is day in and day out,” said Amy Moreno-Sherwood, senior director of the Campos Student Center. “I deeply appreciate the energy and care they bring to ensure students feel seen and supported.”

A vision realized

Campos and the Campos Foundation, led by Marco’s sister, Deanna Campos-Miller (Span, Jour’99) have been longtime champions for student success at 91ɫ�� and beyond.

Keith Molennar, Deanna Campos-Miller, Caleb Woldemichael, Marco Campos, Justin Schwartz (Credit: Jesse Petersen)

They have been key financial contributors to the renovation of the BOLD Center in 2020, supported scholarships for the first cohort of the Lattice Scholars Program in 2023 and have funded the EngiNearMe summer bridge program for the past 10 years.

The Campos Foundation’s mantra is “powered by heart.” Campos Companies — a portfolio of energy infrastructure companies with nearly 800 employees — donates 1% of its revenues to supporting underrepresented communities in STEM.

“We’ve made it a purpose to help empower our students through our student centers,” Campos said. “We know through the dedication of their staff that they will get the support they need and have a safe place to succeed.”

More than 7,000 students benefit from STEM education initiatives through the foundation every year at K-12 schools and colleges including DSST: Public Schools, 91ɫ��, CU Denver, Colorado School of Mines and Colorado State University. Through the foundation, they support summer bridge programs, scholarships, internships, facilities and smartlabs.

“We want to move the needle in education,” said Campos, “because we know there is a lot of work to be done for our communities.”

Campos-Miller notes how the aligned missions of the foundation and center made it only more fitting.

“Our mission is to break down barriers in STEM and provide access to students who will ultimately make a difference in the world,” Campos-Miller said. “This center is a way for students to feel the love and support we have for their ambitions.”

By paying it forward, the foundation hopes to embody the message for the Campos Student Center students: to receive when you need it and to give back when you have it.

“Marco sets an inspiring example for others to invest in student success — building on their own personal experiences to make a real difference for those who follow in their footsteps,” said 91ɫ�� Chancellor Justin Schwartz.

Community and belonging breeds student success

Julia Wall, a BOLD scholar, serves as a peer mentor and is a member of three student societies supported by the center. (Credit: Jesse Petersen)

At the heart of the Campos Student Center lies the students they serve.

Julia Wall, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student and BOLD scholar, has been involved heavily with the center since freshman year, when she took advantage of tutoring for her physics and computer science courses.

“The Campos Student Center has given me a wide breadth of opportunities where I feel supported academically, professionally and financially,” Wall said. She also participates in student societies, such as the Society of Women Engineers (SWE); Out in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math; and the Society of Asian Scientists & Engineers.

This past year, she served as a peer mentor for several BOLD scholars and developing her leadership skills: “It’s been an amazing experience helping new scholars find their footing and organizing events to buff up their professional and academic skills.”

“Our center has been a safe space for me where I made friends and practiced my skills through leadership and mentoring,” Wall said.

For Srishti Jerath (BioMedEngr’25), who spoke at the ribbon-cutting ceremony and is pursuing her master’s in biomedical engineering, her journey has been deeply connected to the programs and societies supported through the Campos Student Center.

During her second year, Jerath stumbled upon a leadership opportunity that would change her undergraduate trajectory.

As the director of community engagement for SWE, she “discovered my passion for creating equitable spaces for women in engineering. I found myself surrounded by a community of incredible women from diverse backgrounds, all working toward the same mission.”

Anika Mathur, a senior in electrical engineering and treasurer of SWE, said she knew even before enrolling that getting involved would play a pivotal role in her leadership experience at 91ɫ��.

“The center has been a home away from home,” Mathur said, who lives in the East Bay of California.

Thanks to the Campos Foundation, countless more students will find here what I was so fortunate to find: support, community and opportunity.” ~Srishti Jerath

After attending a networking event as a high school senior, she saw how student organizations like SWE could shape her journey. “What I’ve appreciated has been being in a space where I can be with other women in STEM from every engineering major and connect with them,” Mathur said.

Mathur recently finished an internship at Apple this past summer with their signal integrity engineering team, which connects with the masters degree she hopes to pursue next year.

Kayo Abdi, a first-generation computer science student and vice president of 91ɫ��’s National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), remembers struggling to find his place during his first semester.

“I was too focused on my classes to really connect with others,” he said, “but then I met my peer mentor who encouraged me to join NSBE and start coming to the center. I would then meet a lot of my friends.”

We have a whole space through the Campos Student Center that helps us achieve goals and overcome challenges, which is something we’re privileged to have.” ~Kayo Abdi

Now a peer mentor himself, Abdi helps first- and second-year students navigate challenges and build support networks of their own, some of the support networks that helped Campos during his college experience.

“We should care for ourselves as people first, instead of just students first,” Abdi said. “Being able to help mentees figure out their hobbies, interests and their support system on campus is truly rewarding as well.”

By setting an example for peers, he prioritizes jogging and fishing for his mental health, as well as spiritual health to take breaks from the grind of courses, exams and workload.

“Engaging with students here and hearing different perspectives on how to succeed in classes and how to overcome challenges has shaped me into the person I am right now,” Abdi said. “We may all go through the same struggles, but I know we’re all gonna make it together.”

The College of Engineering and Applied Science honored the ribbon cutting ceremony of the newly named Campos Student Center in recognition of a $5 million investment for student success and the Marco Campos and the Campos Foundation who made it possible.

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Achey earns Department of Defense NDSEG fellowship

Charles Ferrer — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 19:14:38 +0000

Achey earns Department of Defense NDSEG fellowship Charles Ferrer Tue, 08/26/2025 - 13:14

Lorin Achey, a second-year computer science PhD student, has earned the prestigious 2025 National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship for her promising research in robotic perception systems. The Department of Defense fellowship was established to recognize and support science and engineering PhD students in disciplines of military importance.

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Find your community and student resources

Michelle Wiese — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 22:43:57 +0000

Find your community and student resources Michelle Wiese Fri, 08/15/2025 - 16:43

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BOLD Center renamed in honor of Campos Foundation's $5M gift

Charles Ferrer — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 14:08:21 +0000

BOLD Center renamed in honor of Campos Foundation's $5M gift Charles Ferrer Fri, 08/15/2025 - 08:08

The Campos Student Center will continue its mission of broadening engineering student opportunities, community and leadership.

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Enhancing orbital safety with better space weather predictions

Jeff Zehnder — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 18:40:25 +0000

Enhancing orbital safety with better space weather predictions Jeff Zehnder Fri, 07/11/2025 - 12:40

Jeff Zehnder

Anant Telikicherla is developing new instrumentation for an upcoming sub-orbital rocket flight.

Surrounded by racks of electronics equipment, tools, and pieces of an aluminum rocket body – the laboratory could be mistaken for a mad scientist’s lair – Telikicherla is working on an instrument he hopes can help provide advance warnings for solar flares.

“These flares are one of the most powerful explosions in the solar system,” said Telikicherla, a PhD student in the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the 91ɫ��. “Flares release an insane amount of energy that can reach Earth in eight minutes and large eruptive flares are often associated with energetic particle events that are a radiation risk to astronauts and can be really damaging to satellites.”

As a student, Telikicherla is co-advised by two leading researchers, Tom Woods, a senior research scientist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, and Bob Marshall, an associate professor in aerospace.

Flare prediction is an active area of research around the world, and Telikicherla is hopeful the instrument he and Woods have been developing could eventually provide 10-15 minutes advance warning of flares. It is a short period of time, but any additional notice would be beneficial for space weather operations.

The basis of the instrument, called the Solar Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrograph and High Energy Imager (SEUSHI), derives from a paper Telikicherla published on solar flare onsets in The Astrophysical Journal. SEUSHI is slated to fly next spring aboard a sounding rocket.

Sounding rockets are sub-orbital flights that soar to the edge of space and offer engineers and scientists an opportunity to conduct short duration experiments for a much lower cost than those on full size rockets.

“Our group tries to build new instruments to better understand the sun, and hopefully this flight demonstrates the technology and then we’ll propose it as a long-term project aboard a future small satellite,” Telikicherla said.

A native of Dehli in India, Telikicherla has been fascinated by space since a young age. He earned his bachelor’s at the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, a university run by India’s national space agency, and then worked at the Indian Space Research Organization’s Human Spaceflight Center for two years.

The desire for advanced research drew him back to school.

“My work was fun, but I had a longing to do more fundamental research, to go beyond what a normal industry job does,” he said.

He earned a master’s at the University of Alberta. There, he worked on a different sounding rocket instrument and earned first prize at the AIAA SmallSat conference student paper competition for a submission based on his master’s thesis.

Telikicherla wearing a clean room "bunny suit."

For his PhD, Telikicherla was drawn to 91ɫ��, where he had already spent time at as an undergrad in a summer exchange program called INSPIRE.

A collaboration with the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP), INSPIRE offers students from around the world the chance to come to 91ɫ�� to design and build a small satellite. It was where he was first introduced to Woods’ research.

“He was the PI on one of the satellite’s instruments and as we were building it, I realized I was more interested in the instrument than the larger spacecraft. That sounded more exciting, making new measurements of things no one has ever looked at before,” Telikicherla said “I told him I wanted to analyze the solar data after it launched and he said absolutely, even though I didn’t have a solar physics background.”

Now a year into his PhD program, Telikicherla splits his time on campus between the lab and conducting observational analysis of existing solar flare data.

“I can download data in real-time from satellites using LASP’s downlink and that’s awesome,” Telikicherla said. “Then, let’s say I get bored staring at my computer for hours, I can go work in the lab instead. I get to do both, and I feel that’s very enjoyable from a PhD student life point of view.”

SEUSHI is scheduled to launch aboard LASP’s EVE Rocket Program in April 2026 from White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

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91ɫ�� students win big at collegiate hydropower competition

Alexander James Servantez — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 23:11:36 +0000

91ɫ�� students win big at collegiate hydropower competition Alexander Jame… Wed, 06/18/2025 - 17:11

The CU Hydropower Team had a strong showing in this year's Hydropower Collegiate Competition, bringing home multiple awards including the best design award, the cybersecurity award, the best quick pitch award and the highly coveted first-place honor in the overall competition.

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Quantum Scholar’s journey into the future of computing

Charles Ferrer — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 17:20:41 +0000

Quantum Scholar’s journey into the future of computing Charles Ferrer Mon, 06/09/2025 - 11:20

Arjun Dalwadi, a third-year electrical and computer engineering student, is immersing himself in all things quantum through the Quantum Scholars program and as an undergraduate researcher in the Gyenis Lab. Dalwadi is on the journey to make an impact for quantum computing.

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Winning equation

Hanna Nordwall — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 20:00:26 +0000

Winning equation Hanna Nordwall Fri, 06/06/2025 - 14:00

For this CU Engineering student, Olympic climbing and applied math are both just matters of finding solutions

Colin Duffy is like any other applied math junior, juggling courses in probability, dynamics and chemistry. But as he walks across the quad, his mind isn’t just on acing his midterm — he is also thinking about the 2028 Olympic Summer Games.

"To be on the same boat with LeBron James and Steph Curry was wild.”

A Broomfield native, Duffy is a sport climber and two-time U.S. Olympian.

“I started competing at 8 years old on the youth circuit,” Duffy said. “I had no idea where the journey would go.”

At the 2024 Paris Games, he finished fourth in men’s bouldering and lead combined. Duffy has also twice won the International Federation of Sport Climbing World Youth Championship and is a 10-time USA Climbing Youth National Champion.

Climbing is his first love, but he brings equal passion to math.

“I love the problem-solving nature of it, that the answers are so tangible and you’re finding a definite solution,” he said. “The same approach goes into climbing — finding the individual steps to make it to the top of a climb. Solving a problem in a math class is similar. You put all the parts together to get that answer.”

Extra: CU Engineers in Paris

Val Constien (EnvEngr’19) placed 15th in the women’s 300-meter steeplechase.

Electrical and computer engineering major Noah Bernstein spent 11 weeks as a venue engineering intern with NBCUniversal to ensure every Olympics broadcast went off without a hitch.

Read about Noah in Paris

As he progressed in climbing as a teen, earning high marks at state, regional and, eventually, international competitions, Duffy was also challenging himself intellectually.

“My high school had a pretty good math program. I completed courses up to differential equations. I always resonated with the math and engineering side. For college, I wanted to pursue something interesting, even though it’s on the harder side,” he said.

Being a world-class athlete and a college student has been less of a challenge than Duffy anticipated. Climbing competitions are typically during summer months, leaving the rest of the year for coursework. His training regimen is year-round, but it doesn’t require complex routines or coaches.

“Most of the time I just go and climb. I’m not doing training-specific exercises or weightlifting,” he said.

Duffy’s goal after graduation is to become a professional climber. His prowess in competition has already given him a chance to meet and compete with athletes he has admired for years. At the Paris Olympics, that included sharing the stage with idols from all sports.

“It’s an honor. It’s such a grand experience to be among these huge performers,” he said. “This year the opening ceremony was on the Seine River, and to be on the same boat with LeBron James and Steph Curry was wild.”

In some traditional team sports, athletes can be adversarial toward each other. But climbing is different, Duffy said. Climbers are typically not competing against each other, and the sideline atmosphere is one of camaraderie and friendship.

“It’s a very positive environment. Even in the tensest of moments, after it’s over, there’s no hard feelings. We’re not going head to head with each other. It’s us versus the wall,” he said.

For this CU Engineering student, Olympic climbing and applied math are both just matters of finding solutions

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Pipe dreams

Hanna Nordwall — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 17:30:18 +0000

Pipe dreams Hanna Nordwall Fri, 06/06/2025 - 11:30

Susan Glairon

Lab establishes worldwide standards for repairing inaccessible, leaking pipelines

Millions of miles of aging water, wastewater and natural gas pipelines across the nation are at growing risk of failure, posing significant environmental, safety and financial challenges.

Repairing these urban pipelines is often complicated and expensive due to their location beneath buildings and roads, but new repair solutions that significantly cut pipeline repair costs are emerging.

"We developed unique testing capabilities that don’t exist anywhere else.”

Brad Wham

91ɫ��’s Center for Infrastructure, Energy and Space Testing (CIEST) is at the forefront, pioneering testing procedures for these innovative solutions.

Led by Assistant Research Professor Brad Wham, CIEST played a key role in establishing a new standard for internal replacement pipe testing through the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).

“Getting an ASTM standard to vote is a big deal,” Wham said. “We designed these methods for various industries and future pipe replacement solutions. We developed unique testing capabilities that don’t exist anywhere else.”

The work was made possible by a $7.8 million Department of Energy ARPA-E grant, which CIEST shared with Cornell University, the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) and the Gas Technologies Institute.

This advancement paves the way for cutting-edge pipe repair technologies, such as using robots or other methods to install internal replacement pipes that line aging pipelines, reinforcing their walls and extending their service life.

The tests carried out in the CIEST lab demonstrated that many of the internal replacement pipes effectively sealed holes, cracks and gaps, providing a lasting seal of 50 to 100 years at a cost of less than $1 million per mile — much lower than the approximately $10 million per mile to dig up and replace pipes in urban centers.

In addition to a 90 percent drop in cost, the repairs will help reduce methane emissions from natural gas lines and prevent leaking water lines from wasting significant quantities of treated water.

The USQ team used CIEST’s data to develop a publicly available app that lets users input specifications and site details to design and assess internal replacement pipe technologies.

Natural gas and water utilities have been cautious about adopting new technologies, due to strict regulations and high risks in the event of failure, Wham said. To address these concerns, the project involved major gas utilities and global experts to guide testing development.

“As an unbiased third party, we’re building confidence in these technologies and fostering industry competition, which helps reduce costs,” he said.

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Transforming the journey

Hanna Nordwall — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 16:09:50 +0000

Transforming the journey Hanna Nordwall Fri, 06/06/2025 - 10:09

Charles Ferrer

For engineering students, the path to a degree is more than just solving equations or finishing projects — it’s a journey to find belonging, overcome challenges, and build a foundation for a successful future.

Initiatives like Engineering Connections and the Lattice Scholars Program are transforming the college journey for CU Engineering students, fostering a culture of support, empowerment and resilience that helps them thrive.

A firm foundation

Transitioning to college can be daunting for first-year engineering students. Now in its second year, the Engineering Connections residential community in Williams Village was designed to ease the transition by combining academic support with community-building activities.

The results speak for themselves: Ninety percent of the fall 2023 cohort returned for their sophomore year, the highest-ever second-fall retention rate in the college’s history.

Engineering Connections integrates academic support through a first-year seminar course, peer mentoring and collaborative study spaces. These resources ensure students start their college careers on solid ground, blending faculty expertise with personalized guidance.

Plus, with events like Foodie Tuesdays, talent shows and excursions to sporting and arts events, it offers students a space to feel at home.

“Engineering Connections goes beyond academics and was incredibly helpful in making friends and finding my place in college,” said Tana McCoy, a second-year chemical engineering student who moved to Colorado from the East Coast.

Breaking barriers

The Lattice Scholars Program launched in 2023 to support Colorado residents who are the first in their families to go to college and demonstrate high financial need. At its core, the program seeks to remove financial and other barriers that might hinder a promising engineering career.

Like Engineering Connections, Lattice is off to an impressive start. Ninety-five percent of the first cohort returned to CU Engineering for their sophomore year. Program managers are conducting research to share their model with other institutions, demonstrating how this holistic support can empower students to excel.

For Abdirahman Abdi, a second-year computer science major, the program has been life-changing.

“Lattice is where I found my first core friend group,” he said. “We met during the first week of school and connected over classes, homework and shared experiences. That sense of community has made a huge difference.”

Abdi, who dreams of a career in artificial intelligence and machine learning, credits the program with teaching him financial literacy and exposing him to professional opportunities. Lattice also provides workshops on mental health and career exploration to help scholars navigate college and beyond.

Engineering Connections residential community, Lattice Scholars Program are having a big impact on student retention.

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