Eight students from the Biomedical Engineering program (BME) have earned 10 graduating student awards from the College of Engineering and Applied Science in 2026.

These awards honor seniors who are nominated by faculty, staff or fellow students for their outstanding contributions.

Each of the eight award winners will be recognized and celebrated at the program's Graduation Recognition Ceremony on Saturday, May 2.

Read below to learn more about these students and their amazing achievements.

 

Cody Campos

Campos is receiving the Academic Engagement Award for his dedication to academic success, not just for himself but for others, as well. He served as a team leader during his senior design capstone project. He has also seized several opportunities to attain a holistic, interdisciplinary experience at CU Boulder, such as a fellowship at the Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization, a study abroad experience in Ecuador and a host of extracurricular experiences in healthcare.

For others, Campos was a great course and teaching assistant for multiple courses, hosting events regularly to help students improve and deepen their knowledge. His nominator says that Campos is “someone that his peers go to for help,” and despite being extremely busy, he always makes every effort to help them to the best of his ability. 

What's next for you and how did CU Engineering help you prepare for the future?

I plan to work on my medical school application while gaining ICU experience and building my skills by caring for patients in a demanding environment. At the same time, I want to keep volunteering because staying connected to my community and giving back is very important to me. 

These goals build on the lessons I learned at CU Boulder, where I learned to address complex problems with both technical skill and empathy. Furthermore, my experience in biomedical engineering and as a teaching assistant strengthened my critical thinking, communication, and teaching abilities. CU Boulder also taught me to balance technical work with compassion, a value I will carry into my medical career.

Now that you are graduating, what's your best advice for other students?

Take ownership of your path early and don’t be afraid to adjust it as you learn more about yourself. The most meaningful experiences I had came from stepping outside of what was required, whether that was getting involved in clinical work, teaching or volunteering. Those moments are where you actually figure out what matters to you.

 

Madison Seckman

Seckman is receiving three awards this spring, including the Community Impact Award, Global Engagement Award and Research Award.

Her community contributions come from an interesting and unique place. During her time at CU Boulder, Seckman created a cooking course called Balancing Builders, designed around mental health themes. The sustainable program helped facilitate difficult conversations regarding mental health and transition periods. 

She also served a four-year commitment with Engineers Without Borders Ecuador, where she helped lead the design of essential infrastructure, such as taps and meters, for a community in need. Her nominator says she has demonstrated a clear ability to deliver technical engineering practices while respecting and collaborating with indigenous knowledge systems.

Seckman has exhibited outstanding research ability, as well. She spent nearly a year working in the Pellegrino Lab, led by Research Professor John Pellegrino, where she focused on the development of semipermeable graphene-based membrane electrodes. Her work was highly innovative, aiming to create a device capable of powering medical implants like pacemakers and prosthetics using only blood flow.

What's next for you and how did CU Engineering help you prepare for the future?

Starting this fall, I am transitioning from an internship to a full-time position with Medtronic as a CAS Clinical Specialist providing technical support for physicians in hospitals. I am also moving to Durham, North Carolina where I will be a part-time graduate student at Duke University earning a master's in mechanical engineering. 

CU Boulder helped me make connections at Medtronic through the Biomedical Engineering Society, and provided rigorous coursework that helped me get into grad school at Duke.

Now that you are graduating, what's your best advice for other students?

Don't be afraid to have fun! Focus on your grades when you need to, but stay ahead so you can be spontaneous. Try a new sport or learn a new skill!

 

Vivian Shi

Shi, a Community Impact Award recipient, is well-known for being a dedicated student leader in the Biomedical Engineering Program (BME) during her time at CU Boulder. She was an active member in the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), even being named co-chair of the Career Symposium Committee in 2024. The activities Shi helped organize while in this role helped promote community and engagement.

Her nominator says Shi also worked tirelessly to create a welcoming, safe environment for others. Whether it was as a mentor for the BMES Peer Mentorship Program or a guest speaker at Engineering Launch, Shi has done everything in her power to help set her peers up for future success.

What's next for you and how did CU Engineering help you prepare for the future?

I'm doing a master's degree in biomedical engineering, as well as hoping to work in industry during that year. CU Boulder helped me prepare by giving me the tools and support I needed to thrive in these years. I sincerely appreciate the support staff and faculty in the BME department!

 

Hamza Ahmed

Ahmed has earned a Research Award for his work in the Borden Lab, led by Professor Mark Borden. Since joining the lab, Ahmed has helped lead the lab through an NSF I-Corps research-to-market customer discovery interview initiative, where he was tasked with reaching out to leaders in radiation detection and safety to interview them about the state of the field and shortcomings of the current solutions.

His contributions were pivotal to the project, and gleaned key insights that have guided the group’s research thus far. Ahmed was even able to disseminate his knowledge of bubble chamber dosimeters and results of customer discovery interviews to the CU Boulder community during the end-of-summer SPUR showcase. Positive results of this work will be included in a future scientific publication.

What's next for you and how did CU Engineering help you prepare for the future?

Next for me is pursuing opportunities in either engineering design and development or STEM education, depending on where I can make the most impact.

My time at CU Boulder and the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) prepared me for both paths by giving me a strong technical foundation along with hands-on experience in CAD, prototyping and system design. At the same time, I developed the ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and work with diverse groups, which is just as important in education as it is in engineering.

Now that you are graduating, what's your best advice for other students?

Take advantage of every opportunity to build and apply what you’re learning early on. Classes give you the foundation, but projects, internships and hands-on work are where everything really clicks. The biggest growth comes from getting involved, asking questions and pushing beyond your comfort zone. 

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes or take risks—that’s where real learning happens. Some of your best experiences will come from trying things you’re not fully prepared for yet. Also, make an effort to meet people who are driven and want to make an impact. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people who care about building, creating and changing the world will push you to grow in ways you can’t do alone.

 

Alisha Kumari

Kumari, a Research Award honoree, has contributed significantly to the development of a high-resolution microstenciling fabrication technique that enabled precise metallic patching on arbitrarily shaped active particles. The work stems from the Shields Lab, led by Assistant Professor Wyatt Shields, and was recently published in the prestigious Nature Communications journal.

Kumari’s research carries clear near- and longer-term impacts for both basic active-matter science and practical applications in microrobotics and targeted microscale technologies. For her career trajectory, these accomplishments demonstrate technical depth, experimental independence and the ability to translate basic-method advances into broadly useful platforms—qualities that position her to drive further innovation in active materials and microsystems engineering.

What's next for you and how did CU Engineering help you prepare for the future?

I am hoping to pursue a career contributing to the healthcare field through the development of medical devices. CEAS and CU Boulder have prepared me for this path through industry-relevant coursework and research opportunities. My experience as a research assistant in Dr. Shields’ lab has allowed me to develop applicable technical skills and grow as both a student and researcher. 

Now that you are graduating, what's your best advice for other students?

One of the most valuable things you can do is stick with the difficult classes, even when they feel overwhelming. Those foundations are what make the later, hands-on projects so rewarding.

 

Vivian Nguyen

Nguyen’s work in the Shields Lab has contributed to the advancement of three separate projects, earning her a Research Award this spring. She has generated high-quality microscopy images and videos that were critical to the group’s Monte Carlo microbot research, she operated several microscope platforms, developed robust imaging protocols and curated sets used for analysis and visualization.

She is also a co-author of two forthcoming papers on the programmable magnetic microparticles and the chemically functionalized biosensing platform. Her nominator says she is exceptionally technically versatile, reliable and meticulous. She combines hands-on fabrication and assay expertise with strong imaging and data management skills, an uncommon and valuable combination in the world of research.

What's next for you and how did CU Engineering help you prepare for the future?

After graduating from CU Boulder with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering and a minor in electrical engineering, I plan on pursuing a career in medical device design and surgical implants. I am especially interested in applying all of the technical and interpersonal expertise I have gained during my time at CU Boulder to solve real clinical problems. 

CU Boulder and CEAS have provided me with the theoretical background and practical experience that lay the foundation for my future. Through my coursework and research experience, I have had the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to projects that have the potential for real human impact in the medical field. 

Projects classes such as senior capstone and bioinstrumentation have pushed me to take a concept through ideation, design, testing and iteration. That experience, including working in teams and communicating technical ideas effectively, has made me feel confident stepping into a professional engineering role. 

 

Meredith Overton

Overton is receiving a Research Award for contributions in the Tan Research Group, led by Associate Professor Wei Tan. Since joining the team in 2024, Overton has progressed from learning foundational lab skills to independently performing complex experimental tasks, including scaffold fabrication, sample preparation and quantitative analysis.

Her nominator says her greatest strength is her high-quality and reliable work. However, her potential extends beyond that. Overton’s nominator says she shows “exceptional promise” for future impact in science and engineering.

What's next for you and how did CU Engineering help you prepare for the future?

Currently, I plan to continue at CU Boulder to earn my master's degree through the Bachelor’s-Accelerated Master’s Program (BAM). I will also simultaneously be continuing my search for potential job prospects at medical device companies. 

CEAS has helped me best prepare for this path by providing me the opportunities needed to explore my interests in medical technology, such as having access to work in a cardiovascular tissue engineering position as an undergraduate.

 

Alena Tucker

Tucker has earned a Research Award for her efforts in the FLOWLab, led by Assistant Professor Debanjan Mukherjee. Since joining in 2023, Tucker has carved out a niche expertise in developing sophisticated benchtop models that replicate physiological flow and transport scenarios, with a particular focus on the human cerebrovascular system.

Tucker’s nominator says her body of work is extremely impressive and goes far beyond the boundaries of a traditional undergraduate researcher. For instance, her designs enabled the creation of one of the very first experimental models for collateral circulation in the human brain—work that is now the subject of a journal article on which she is a co-author. 

What's next for you and how did CU Engineering help you prepare for the future?

After graduation, I'll be working full-time as a Project Engineer at Prime Path Medtech. CU Boulder and CEAS provided a community and course-load that helped me grow as a person and develop invaluable engineering tools that I aim to utilize as I move into the medical device industry. 

Now that you are graduating, what's your best advice for other students?

My advice for other students is to make the most of every single opportunity you can while you're here, whether it's social or academic events, extracurricular activities or anything else that might come your way.