16 CU Engineering students earn NSF Graduate Research Fellowships for 2020

Gaeron Friedrichs

Department: Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering
Advisor: Dejan Filipovic
Lab: Antenna Research Group

My research will focus on wideband, mmWave antennas for classical and Simultaneous Transmit and Receive (STAR) applications. The applicability of tightly coupled arrays, array thinning, and machine-learning driven reconfigurability will be explored for current 5G needs and future spectrum expansions as well.

Vinitha Gadiraju

Department: Computer Science
Advisor: Shaun K. Kane
Lab Name: Superhuman Computing Lab

My research develops educational toys to help visually impaired children and members of their support network (family members, friends, educators) collaboratively learn Braille. I work in the classroom with visually impaired elementary school students, parents, and teachers, to build tools that integrate with current classroom and at-home Braille literacy education practices. My tools emphasize tangible learning and often use physical elements, like blocks, to build tactile perception and spatial awareness. 

Thomas Dearing

Department: Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering
Advisors: Xudong Chen, Marco Nicotra
Lab: Robotics, Optimization, and Constrained Control (ROCC) Lab

My current research focuses on the topic of Optimal Formation Control of On-orbit Systems. In particular, my work focuses on achieving and maintaining fuel-and-measurement optimal formations with groups of cooperative satellites such as GRACE and MMS. This research applies tools from Multi-Agent, Optimal, and Geometric control theory, and involves significant collaboration with the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) and the CU Boulder Aerospace Department.

Ellen Rumley

Department: Rady Mechanical Engineering
Advisor: Christoph Keplinger
Lab: Keplinger Research Group

My lab focuses on advancing the performance of a type of artificial muscle (soft actuator) called HASELs. HASELs (Hydraulically Amplified Self-healing ELectrostatic actuators) are liquid-filled plastic pouches that are partially sandwiched between soft electrodes. HASELs undergo a shape change much like contracting muscle when an electric field is applied across the electrodes. My research aim is to investigate different plastic options that enhance the shape-changing abilities of HASELs, and to do this I study the effects of charge accumulation within plastic films under high voltage conditions. 

Hayden Fowler

Department: Chemical and Biological Engineering
Advisor: Timothy J. White
Lab: Responsive and Programmable Materials Group

My research seeks to utilize functional mechanical responses in liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs). LCEs are a special class of materials that exhibit interesting, anisotropic physical properties. I primarily seek to exploit the unique mechanical properties of LCEs for applications such as flexible electronics and soft robotics. I have recently demonstrated omnidirectional, localized, nonlinear deformation in these materials via special processing methods. Currently, I seek to push the limits of electromechanical actuation in LCEs as an approach to realize untethered soft robotic systems. This effort will produce lightweight material actuators capable of rapid response times necessary for these systems.

Sam Zhang

Department: Applied Mathematics
Advisor: Aaron Clauset (Computer Science, BioFrontiers)

I'm applying mathematical and computational techniques toward understanding complex social systems -- in particular, the scientific ecosystem. I'm interested in quantifying the forces that shape scientific careers, and modeling the ways that large-scale structure arises from the interactions of many heterogeneous scientists over time.

Ellen Considine

Department: Applied Mathematics
Advisor: Colleen Reid (Geography)

I am a graduating senior. In fall 2020 I will start a PhD program in biostatistics in the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. For the last three years, I have worked with Dr. Reid using data science to research the health impacts of air pollution. My work has involved using statistical tools both to improve spatiotemporal estimates of air pollution levels and to investigate associations between air pollution exposures and respiratory and cardiovascular health outcomes such as asthma, COPD, and pneumonia. In graduate school, I will be training under the guidance of some of our nation's experts in environmental biostatistics and epidemiology. I anticipate working on developing methods to estimate health impacts from multiple exposures and to improve uncertainty quantification for both exposures and health impacts.

Kristen Bruchko

Department: Smead Aerospace
Advisor: Natasha Bosanac
Lab: Bosanac Research Group

Throughout my time at CU Boulder, I will be researching a new approach to constructing trajectories in multi-body systems using roadmap generation and dynamical systems theory. Designing a feasible and efficient trajectory in a chaotic environment is a complex process that is time-consuming for a human, requires an adequate initial guess, and expert knowledge of the environment. By the end of my graduate studies, my goal is to develop a new approach that will support mission planning in cislunar and deep space via autonomous trajectory design. Ultimately, I want to help expand the capabilities of space exploration by enabling advanced missions to complex destinations.

Adam Herrmann

Department: Smead Aerospace
Advisor: Hanspeter Schaub
Lab: Autonomous Vehicle Systems (AVS) Laboratory

My PhD research focuses on solving the spacecraft operations scheduling problem using both classical optimization techniques and reinforcement learning to enable spacecraft autonomy in the Earth-observing and small-body domains. I am particularly interested in bridging the gap between these two fields, exploring the trades between the two in solving complex spacecraft planning problems. Furthermore, I am interested in how these computationally intensive planning algorithms can be implemented onboard spacecraft. In addition to optimal spacecraft planning, I am also interested in studying how supervised learning techniques can be applied onboard spacecraft to better predict resource usage during spacecraft plan execution, reducing constraint violations and replanning efforts.

Jaylon McGhee

Department: Smead Aerospace
Advisor: John Farnsworth
Lab: Experimental Aerodynamics Laboratory

My research is focused on analyzing the unsteady aerodynamics associated with cycloidally rotating airfoils (CRA), which are commonly found in vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs). This research includes carrying out a progressive experimental study of an isolated CRA to better characterize complex flow phenomena, such as dynamic stall. Upon completion of the experimental phase, I will focus upon developing a theoretical model of the observed behaviors in pursuit of applying this knowledge to enhance renewable energy systems such as VAWTs or wave energy converters.

Anna Montgomery

Department: Smead Aerospace
Advisor: Marcus Holzinger
Lab: Vision, Autonomy, and Decision Research Lab (VADeR)

During my time as a graduate student at CU Boulder I plan to research methods of reachable set computation. Specifically, I am interested in developing techniques to improve the speed, versatility, and accuracy of the current sample-based method for computing reachability subspace surfaces. Reachable sets allow an end-user to determine the optimal final states of a dynamical system given the initial set of states, a feasible control input, and a time horizon.  Ultimately, my goal for this research is to develop methods for computing reachable sets that can be used to transfer the task of decision-making from humans to autonomous systems.

Esther Putman

Department: Smead Aerospace
Advisor: Torin Clark
Lab: Bioastronautics Laboratory

My current research investigates whether the application of galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) in training scenarios can improve vestibular performance. We are exploring if the use of GVS may be implemented to enhance small motion perception and overall performance in functional mobility and manual control tasks for pilots and astronauts. GVS may have benefits for individuals on Earth as well, improving balance and performance, for example, in elderly individuals who otherwise may be at a higher risk for falls. I hope to utilize my research in Bioastronautics at CU Boulder to support human spaceflight for long-duration exploration missions. I am also passionate about translating the research and work we do in the space industry to benefit life on Earth.

Ella Hushka

Department: Chemical & Biological Engineering
Advisor: Kristi S. Anseth

Intestinal organoids are self‐organized, 3D tissues that are typically derived from stem cells, grown in a matrix and capture key functional, structural, and biological complexity of the organ from which they are derived. This unparalleled biomimicry holds great promise as a means to study organogenesis and disease, screen drug candidates, personalize medicine, and supply tissue for transplantation. While organoids provide an unparalleled architectural and functional complexity, this sophistication is also responsible for the high variability and lack of reproducibility of uniform crypt‐villus structures. To address this, we propose to develop dynamic, user-directed hydrogel scaffolds for adult intestinal stem cells and use them to study and optimize their expansion, colony formation, and differentiation to form organoids. Once a synthetic scaffolding system is developed, I am interested in applying the platform to test hypothesis related to mechanosensing and various gastrointestinal diseases.

Keani Willebrand

Department: Environmental Engineering
Advisor/Lab: TBD at Stanford University

My research interest is focused on alternative water management strategies, notably the development of decentralized water treatment technologies and how these technologies may be monitored, managed, and adapted remotely to promote long term resiliency and compliance with regulation. Decentralized water management systems can collect, treat, dispose, or reuse wastewaters near point-of-use and are increasingly becoming more economically feasible, less prone to accidents, and one of the most promising approaches for improving water management in urban areas. Through this research study, I plan to develop a set of design guidelines for future wetland roof construction to maximize reclaimed greywater quality and quantity.  

Justin Tran

Department: Chemical & Biological Engineering
Advisor: Alan Weimer 
Lab: Team Weimer 

My PhD research focuses on solar thermal splitting of water and carbon dioxide for renewable fuel production. I look at discovering new materials capable of splitting gas at high temperatures (> 1000°C) and optimizing reaction conditions.

Amanda Steckel

Department: Smead Aerospace
Advisor: Xinzhao Chu
Lab: Chu Research Group