Students

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

CU Boulder’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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Engineering double major and student leader of the year

Jeff Zehnder — Tue, 06 May 2025 15:20:36 +0000

Engineering double major and student leader of the year Jeff Zehnder Tue, 05/06/2025 - 09:20

Jeff Zehnder

Pore (right) being recognized as the Boettcher Student Leader of the Year.

Aaditya Pore is an engineering senior double majoring in aerospace and computer science. He is an extremely active student, serving as senior class president, competing in the Daniels Fund National Ethics Case Competition and earning the 2025 Boettcher Student Leader of the Year award.

As he prepares to graduate, he reflects on his time at CU Boulder and how he juggles all of his classes and extracurricular activities:

What does it mean to you to be recognized as Boettcher Student Leader of the Year?

Gaining this recognition is such an amazing culminating achievement for my time at CU. Majoring in engineering, leadership isn’t always directed as a focus, and there’s not as much representation of engineers in campus wide leadership. Having had the chance to not participate in shared governance at CU but also make a meaningful contribution to bettering campus has been an opportunity I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Most importantly, being able to have gained support from my community, inside and outside of the College of Engineering, has enabled me to reach this point. I see this accomplishment as a tribute to those who contributed so much to me during my journey – advisors, professors, mentors, friends, and family.

You are a double major in aerospace and computer science and are the Senior Class Council President. When do you sleep?

Whether it was being involved in CU Student Government as the Legislative Council President, the President’s Leadership Class as their Professional Development Coordinator, CU Milana as a member of the dance team, or the Senior Class Council as President, my involvements have indubitably been the most important part of my time in Boulder.

I’ve found that when you value something, you can find time to prioritize it, regardless of how busy your schedule gets. Of course, this comes with sacrifices. There were many days where I stay up far too late to do homework, missing out on fun memories with friends or adequate sleep to prepare myself for the next day. But, those were all costs I was willing to take, and steps towards the balance I desired in my life.

My goal with an optimal balance was always one of playing roughly just as hard as I worked. Sleep wasn’t always on that priority list, and often got overlooked. Thought, I look back at my time over the last four years and feel content: with the memories I made, the impact I had, and the great experiences I’ll remember moving forward.

What drew you to engineering as opposed to another field of study?

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to work on rocket ships. Something about the mystery of the night sky always drew my interest. When I was in kindergarten, we had an assignment to make a poster about ourselves – our family, our hobbies, etc. There was a section about what we wanted to be when we grew up, and I still remember writing ‘NASA Scientist’ in the box.

Thankfully, through the Pathways program at NASA, that dream has come true, and it is in large part because of the Aero program at CU. The quality and ranking of Smead Aerospace brought me here from Kansas, and wanting to be at the forefront of integrating software and hardware development led me to take on CS as well.

I’ve dabbled in other programs in my time at CU: Political Science, Leadership Studies, and more; but engineering has always felt like home. Being able to solve the complex problems we do in the manner we’re enabled to is an experience that’s hard to get anywhere else, and I’m forever grateful for my decision to follow this path.

As class president, you will be speaking at commencement. Few students have the opportunity to address the entire student body. What do you hope to share?

I hope my speech is a source of motivation for those that come after me. In today’s political climate, effective leadership is more important than ever. Not just in a political space, necessarily, but even in our day-to-day: in our workplaces, our communities, even our homes.

Being a leader isn’t just about making large scale change and solving world peace; rather, being a good leader can just mean being the person that puts a smile on everyone’s face every day; being a source of support for a community; or, just doing the right thing whenever you can.

I aspire for my success and words to show other students on campus that anyone can be a leader, and in the face of the division and polarization that we see in our society today, it is imperative that we all – regardless of background - step up and play a role in leading our community to prosperity. Moreover, coming from an engineering background, I hope it serves as a sign to those who may also be in STEM but aspire to do more on the leadership front. We are all equally equipped to be change makers, it’s just a matter of acting on that potential.

Anyone can make an impact on the world, and the skills that engineering gives you makes that an easier feat to accomplish."

When did you feel like you hit your stride or felt like you were "officially" an engineer.

Two moments stand out to me. The first was actually before I even came to CU. I graduated in 2020, right when COVID started to shut down our communities. A friend and I quickly acted to try and see how we could help our local area, even if we were just high school kids. We quickly made a nonprofit that 3D printed personal protective equipment for healthcare facilities that needed them, and quickly patched a gap in supply chains that would otherwise cripple their services.

Over about two and a half years, we produced and delivered over 8,000 units of PPE to hospitals nationwide, from California to New York. In that moment, even though I hadn’t even started an engineering degree yet, I learned that anyone can make an impact on the world, and the skills that engineering gives you makes that an easier feat to accomplish. It validated that engineering was the right path for me, and I’ve been on it ever since.

The second would be when I started working at NASA. I’ve done two rotations there now, and each and every one has been one of the most professionally motivating experiences I’ve ever had. Being able to see the knowledge I’ve gained from my classes being put to work to pushing society’s frontier in space has been eye opening, and I can’t wait to continue to grow on my journey in my further work.

A project I worked on during my first internship at NASA is going to the ISS soon, and I’m so excited to see what accomplishments come next.

What accomplishment are you most proud of, either academically or personally?

By far my most proud accomplishment so far has been helping three other students, two from CU, get into the NASA Pathways program. I’m a firm believer that our legacy is defined not by what we accomplish, but rather, by what we helps others achieve.

My mom always instilled in me the value of giving back to your community, even when it may feel inconvenient, and I’m glad to have acted to have acted on that advice.

My greatest memories at CU will not be tied to things I did, but those that I worked with, made smile, helped succeed, and built long lasting relationships with.

I look forward to continuing to help facilitate the growth of those that come after me in any way possible as I progress through my professional and personal journey. I implore others to try it out, as well. Mentorship is an unbelievably rewarding journey, for yourself, and for those that you help.

Aaditya Pore is an engineering senior double majoring in aerospace and computer science. He is an extremely active student, serving as senior class president, competing in the...

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Aaditya Pore at Machu Picchu.

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CU Boulder’s concrete canoe team places third overall

Susan Glairon — Thu, 01 May 2025 21:44:05 +0000

CU Boulder’s concrete canoe team places third overall Susan Glairon Thu, 05/01/2025 - 15:44

Susan Glairon

CU Boulder’s Concrete Canoe team earned third place overall at the regional ASCE Rocky Mountain Student Symposium. The popular student group—known for designing and racing a concrete canoe each year—continues to grow, with 28 CU Boulder students participating in this year’s event.

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How Hermann Klein-Hessling Barrientos built opportunity from adversity

Susan Glairon — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 15:27:27 +0000

How Hermann Klein-Hessling Barrientos built opportunity from adversity Susan Glairon Wed, 04/30/2025 - 09:27

Susan Glairon

Hermann Klein-Hessling Barrientos faced challenges with housing, medical and food insecurity, yet overcame them to earn the College of Engineering and Applied Science Perseverance Award as well as the college’s Outstanding Undergraduate Award.

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CU Boulder's Chem-E-Car team takes home first place

Susan Glairon — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 18:19:38 +0000

CU Boulder's Chem-E-Car team takes home first place Susan Glairon Tue, 04/22/2025 - 12:19

Susan Glairon

CU Boulder took home first place in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Chem-E-Car competition, securing CU Boulder a spot at the national AIChE competition in Boston this November.

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Engineering Projects Expo 2025: Explore new inventions and technologies created by CU Engineering students

Michelle Wiese — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 15:45:18 +0000

Engineering Projects Expo 2025: Explore new inventions and technologies created by CU Engineering students Michelle Wiese Mon, 04/21/2025 - 09:45

On Friday, April 25 at the ��Ƶ, engineering students will present their capstone design projects at the annual Engineering Projects Expo. This year's event will feature projects from mechanical engineering; computer science; electrical, computer and energy engineering; biomedical engineering; and civil, environmental and architectural engineering.

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Students' building designs to be presented at Expo

Susan Glairon — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 16:10:12 +0000

Students' building designs to be presented at Expo Susan Glairon Tue, 04/15/2025 - 10:10

Susan Glairon

Seven teams from CU Boulder's architectural engineering capstone class will present their building design ideas to the public at the university's Engineering Projects Expo 2025. Each team designed a 20,000-square-foot student support building for the Business Field on the university's main campus.

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Research program sparks student’s transfer to CU Boulder

Susan Glairon — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 23:51:32 +0000

Research program sparks student’s transfer to CU Boulder Susan Glairon Mon, 02/17/2025 - 16:51

Susan Glairon

After a summer in CU Boulder’s Young Scholars Summer Research Program (YSSRP), Kate Lamb was inspired to change her path, transferring from community college to CU Boulder’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering as a biological engineering major.

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