BOLD

Saving the world, a hair tie at a time: Sydney Kobak

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 19:06:29 +0000

Saving the world, a hair tie at a time: Sydney Kobak Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 12/18/2023 - 12:06

Sydney Kobak, a graduating senior, has been recognized by the college for her academic engagement, including balancing her classwork with a startup venture and her leadership in the Integrated Design Engineering program.

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Flying Before Walking: The CU Trailblazers

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 21:26:39 +0000

Flying Before Walking: The CU Trailblazers Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 10/27/2022 - 15:26

Grace Wilson

Test Launch day

"Going in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1..." The eight-foot tall rocket stood, motionless.

"... Come on Chungus." the rocketeer murmured into the microphone.

With an ear-shattering roar, Chungus burst into the sky, 500 hundred feet, 1,000 feet, over 3,000 feet! A speck in the brilliant blue.

The team erupted, screaming wildly as the rocket flew.

"YES!" Reign Pagaran yelled, leaping into the air, held aloft, it seemed, by the joy of this moment. The Trailblazers did it, they flew before they walked.

Nine months to launch

It was Evie Clarke (BioMedEngr'24) who first saw the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium's First Nations Launch (FNL) display at the AISES national convention in September of 2021. FNL is a high-powered rocketry competition focusing on Native student participation. It had been Clarke's dream to participate for years.

"Evie saw the booth. The way these things work, Evie points and says, 'Reign, we've got to do this,'" Pagaran (MechEngr'25) said.

The Trailblazers, as the CU Boulder team named themselves, were all from different tribes. No one had high-powered rocket experience. The members were Clarke, Pagaran, Alexa Martinez (ChemBioEngr'23), Jadon Shortman (ChemBioEngr'23), Annalise Hildebrand (MechEngr'23) and Kaylan Madrid (AeroEngr'25). Brittany Nez (MAeroEngr'22) acted as graduate student advisor.

8��7��6��5... months to launch

From September to January, the Trailblazers had limited access to rocketry equipment. They first had to prove their rocketry understanding through a 40-60 page paper, presentations to FNL and taking on leadership roles.

Shortman became the structural and safety expert.

"This has been one of the best experiences I've had at CU Boulder," he said. "We didn't know how to do it, but we had to get it done, so I had to learn and figure it out. From an outside perspective, all of this looks so complicated, but when you really break it down, if you're willing to put in the time, almost anyone could do it."

Still, there were people who cautioned the team to not be too optimistic. 'You have to walk before you run' was a refrain from other rocketeers.

5��4��3... months to launch

The Trailblazers found allies in graduate students and the Colorado State Space Consortium, which provided funding, and the CU Sounding Rocket Laboratory, which gave them workspace and the support of Kenny Olavarria (AeroEngr'23), a rocketry student mentor.

Nez, the team's graduate mentor, said she bonded with the team over their hours of working together.

"First Nations Launch has been a big community base for me,�� Nez said. ��Moving to Colorado, it was really nice to meet very like-minded people. We were all bonded not only through engineering, but through culture. All of us are Native American and all of us enjoy rocketry and aerospace."

2��1�� months to launch

In January, the massive eight-foot K-class motor rocket kit was delivered. The team began feverishly constructing the subsystems to lift it into the air. They nicknamed the rocket Big Chungus, after a meme of a portly redrawing of Bugs Bunny.

As team lead, Pagaran set up working groups. Rather than tackling each problem centrally, the team leads were trusted to do the best they could to find a solution, then come back to the team with suggestions.

"We were meeting twice a week or more for several hours constructing the rocket," Martinez said. As avionics team lead, she learned to control the rocket's electronics through code.

Martinez said that she, like Shortman, realized how capable she was through the project.

"You can go into something, not knowing anything, and it's still gonna be okay," she said.

Day 0: Test Launch

Members of the Sounding Rocket Laboratory stand with AISES the morning of the test launch

At 4 a.m. April 16, 2022, the team assembled in the Sounding Rocket Laboratory at CU Boulder. Pagaran had been running simulations most of the night. The hope was for a clear day.

To test an eight-foot rocket, you can't just light it in a park and see what happens. Instead the team needed to travel to the Southern Colorado Rocketeers flying site at Hudson Valley Ranch.

The electronics bay, gunpowder, tools, a dog and snacks were essential elements packed into the crew's cars as an orange sunrise crept across the deserted parking lot.

Three hours later, the launch site appeared at the end of a dirt road under a piercing blue sky. Buzzing with children clutching bottle-rockets and grizzled old-head rocketeers, the Trailblazers' enormous rocket quickly attracted excited onlookers.

The team worked to assemble the rocket, piece by painstaking piece. Stickers of Bugs Bunny were added, gunpowder measured, the parachute delicately tucked into the cone, but a wire in the electronics bay had shifted. The bay no longer fit.

The wind was raising dust from the dirt parking lot, blowing small rockets off-course. Time was running out to launch Big Chungus.

Pagaran said at that moment, he saw the problem as impassable. Nine months of labor, countless hours spent, and for what?

But Martinez and Nez delicately lifted the wires. Shortman adjusted the the body. Pagaran hovered anxiously nearby. The silence of the sagebrush plains stretched out, and, in the middle of the desert, the team rewired the rocket's circuitry.

Left to right: Pagaran holds up rocket chassis to onlookers and other Trailblazers, Nez holds the electronics bay while Martinez rewires the avionics, Shortman adjusts the rocket body

"I was proven wrong by my team," Pagaran said. "They attacked the problem and came up with a solution easily and within our timeframe. That was amazing to me."

[video:https://youtu.be/CIGJE5tOhTM]

"I keep saying that baby steps are the way to go in this hobby, but apparently I'm being proved wrong regularly. The future looks real bright. These kids are real smart," said Joe Hinton, president of Northern Colorado Rocketry and part-time mentor for the team.

New Heights

After the 3,000 foot success of their test launch, the Trailblazers and their rocket traveled across the country to Kenosha, Wisconsin for the First Nations Launch.

"The biggest things came from the actual competition weekend," Clarke said. "You're able to talk about Native experiences, understand other Natives a bit more and have them understand you. It's a common ground. You're able to talk about things that you probably couldn't go up to just anyone and say."

On April 23, 2022, Big Chungus made its second and final flight. The rocket exploded in the air. Despite their explosion, the team took home first prize for their paper, won the Patch design contest and came in second in the overall challenge. Their success was only some comfort, Pagaran said.

The Trailblazers have vowed to come back, bigger and better than ever.

"Last year we were in the FNL Moon challenge category. This year, we're trying to go up to Mars. Our goal is to keep this momentum going," Clarke said.

The CU Trailblazers are Native students in the College of Engineering and Applied Science who, over the course of nine months, built and launched an eight-foot high-powered rocket for the First Nations Launch competition. They bonded over the project and the intertribal community they fostered as they became rocketry experts.

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Q&A with Davey Aguiar: "My femininity is a superpower"

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 22:42:12 +0000

Q&A with Davey Aguiar: "My femininity is a superpower" Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 06/02/2022 - 16:42

Grace Wilson

Davey Aguiar, Coordinator of BOLD Programs & Student Engagement in The BOLD Center reflects on what 'Pride' means to them, the need to remember and honor previous generations of LGBTQ+ people for their sacrifices and contributions, and how embracing their femininity has brought healing and liberation.

What is your role at CU Boulder?

Coordinator of BOLD Programs & Student Engagement in the BOLD Center! In addition to coordinating programs for students, I oversee BOLD's 8 affinity-based, professional engineering societies in areas of leadership, programming and budgeting. I also oversee the Peer Mentor program that assists in the transition of first-year students into CEAS.

What does pride mean to you?

My definition has changed over the years the more I've taken time to explore, self-reflect and decolonize my view on gender and sexual identity, especially as it relates to me, personally. This year, Pride means that we as LGBTQ+ people don't need to be accepted or tolerated by cishet (cisgender and heterosexual) people to feel validated about who we are. When I came 'out' in high school, I spent time trying to figure out how to ensure my parents/family, my cishet friends and even strangers felt comfortable being around a Queer person. Looking back, I realize it was a defense mechanism that I was using for safety that ended up harming me.

While I was spending time prioritizing their comfort, my mental health and self-esteem were declining because I was shaming my femininity, my sexual identity and gender without even realizing it. Once I learned to stop seeking acceptance and tolerance from my oppressors, that's when I really started to see my growth and self-love flourish. It was liberating. I learned that seeking acceptance and tolerance for simply existing was dehumanizing and I didn't deserve that. Nobody deserves to feel that way about themselves. That's why we celebrate 'Pride'. It's to celebrate those who don't fit in a particular box and are not afraid to draw outside the lines.

What would you say to other folks celebrating pride with you?

First and foremost, we need to honor the older generations of LGBTQ+ people who helped pave the road for us through their emotional, physical and mental sacrifices and contributions. Most of the time, those ?sacrifices (both willingly and unwillingly) cost the lives of beautiful Queer people who died at the hands of homophobia, transphobia, racism, imperialism/colonialism, domestic violence and the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

We lost engineers, educators, artists, friends, family and significant others at the hands of ignorance and fear -- two dangerous tools that have been controlled by our oppressors, especially those in political power. So, although we should celebrate all facets of our identity and community, let's never forget those who have passed, especially the thousands of QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans Black, Indigenous, People of Color) we lost to domestic violence, white supremacy and colonization.

Which of your identities would you like to take a moment and celebrate, both in the context of pride and beyond? What do they mean to you?

I have an enormous amount of love and care for my femininity. Growing up, I was a flamboyant and energetic child who felt their emotions deeply, which was often ridiculed and questioned in my patriarchal and immigrant household. I was also ostracized by my peers from middle school to high school and was called 'gay' for most of my life because of it. Unfortunately, in the context of Western society, femininity is often ridiculed under a patriarchal system because there are stereotypical traits that are, unfairly and inaccurately, tied directly to women, which is then correlated with weakness. That's why we see such similar stereotypes and discriminatory treatment directed towards LGBTQ+ people.

However, as I grew older, I noticed that my environment gravitated towards powerful and confident womxn who were identified as matriarchs, friends, supervisors and mentors to me. Instead of being taught to shame my emotions and femininity, I was met with affirmations, unconditional love and empowerment. At first, it was scary letting myself become that vulnerable, but as I embraced it, I also felt myself healing. Fast forward to present time, my femininity is now a superpower I use within my praxis as an educator and as a person. I cherish it and I cannot express how grateful I am for those womxn who helped me to become the person I am today.

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Q&A with Joelle Westcott: Celebrating ethical connections

Anonymous — Mon, 02 May 2022 23:09:33 +0000

Q&A with Joelle Westcott: Celebrating ethical connections Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/02/2022 - 17:09

Grace Wilson

Graduating senior and BOLD Scholar Joelle Westcott (CivEngr'22) has been recognized by the College of Engineering with a Global Engagement Award and a Research Award for her engineering photography and research projects.

What is your major? What interested you in that major?

My major is Civil Engineering with an emphasis in geotechnical engineering and a minor in global engineering. I chose to study civil engineering because I felt that it was a field in which I could make a tangible and positive impact on society in general and particularly on people who have been previously disadvantaged. Various case studies show the importance of ethical and thoughtful engineering and it was something I couldn��t wait to be a part of.

Were you involved in any BOLD student societies, if so what was the experience like?

I was involved in the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and I really enjoyed my experiences as a member of SWE. Through the society, I was able to meet a range of people who identified as women or allies and I enjoyed getting to know each and every one of them!

I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to attend the SWE Local conference in my first year and the SWE national conference in my fourth year. Attending these conferences was really inspiring and it also gave me the confidence and perspective that having perfect test scores is not all that important in the grand scheme of things.

How did it feel to be recognized for the work that you��ve done?

Being recognized for the work I have done feels amazing because I feel like it honors my innate curiosity, drive, commitment, and passion for engineering. I am truly honored and grateful.

What is the most important lesson you learned as an engineering student?

I think the most important lesson I have learned is that you must be an active learner. It is critical to ask questions, engage with the material, and truly understand the concepts.

You can gain an immense amount of experience and even learn about new opportunities by asking questions.

What was a struggle you went through as an engineering student? What helped you persist?

Throughout engineering school, I struggled through tough courses. Sometimes it seemed that no matter how hard I tried and no matter how many office hours I attended, I just couldn't wrap my head around certain concepts.

Throughout my engineering career, I had various mentors that told me to just keep pushing and to learn as much as I could along the way. Eventually, with time, this mindset helped me continue to learn and grow which really helped me eventually overcome the challenge of certain courses.

Additionally, my countless peers also helped me persist by always being willing to discuss concepts or homework.

What��s next?

After I graduate with my Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering with a Global Engineering minor, I will complete the rest of my Master��s of Science in Geotechnical Engineering where I will be following the thesis track.

Following that, I will begin working at the Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory (GSL) at the Department of Defense��s Engineering Research and Development Center (ERDC).

As far as an end goal, I am not exactly sure yet but I do know that I want to work on challenging projects that truly make a difference while finding a balance between working with my hands and also critically thinking about problems that require me to apply my engineering skills.

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Q&A with Jacqueline Rodriguez Mora: An advocate for inclusion

Anonymous — Mon, 02 May 2022 22:12:14 +0000

Q&A with Jacqueline Rodriguez Mora: An advocate for inclusion Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/02/2022 - 16:12

Graduating senior and BOLD scholar Jacqueline Rodriguez Mora (ChemBioEngr'22) has been recognized by the College of Engineering with the Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) Award. She has acted as a peer mentor for students in BOLD and in the department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. She also served as a leader in the CU Boulder chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and supported the college's celebration of International Women's Day in 2021 by interviewing assistant professor Kayla Sprenger.

What is your major? What interested you in that major?

I am majoring in Chemical and Biological Engineering. I developed an interest in Chemical and Biological Engineering after losing my grandpa to lung cancer. Losing my grandpa to lung cancer inspired me to want to help develop innovative treatments that have the potential to save lives or improve patients�� quality of life. My high school chemistry teacher, Mr. Knight, also served as a mentor and he helped me develop my passion for chemistry.

How were you involved with BOLD? What was that experience like?

I was involved in BOLD as a scholar and as a BOLD peer mentor. I loved being a part of BOLD as it allowed me to help students and build a fostering community in engineering. BOLD allowed me to have opportunities to grow as an engineer and individual. If I hadn��t had the support and advocacy from BOLD, I don��t think I would have stayed in engineering. BOLD allowed me to gain a sense of belonging and allowed me to create initiatives to help future students succeed. The support and compassion from the BOLD staff allowed me to gain confidence as an engineer and helped me achieve my goals.

How does it feel to be recognized for the work that you��ve done?

It feels amazing to be recognized for the work I have done! I am glad to have been able to create initiatives to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in engineering. I still plan to continue my efforts and work on improving diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout my career. I will continue to help advocate for underrepresented students as I want more students to succeed in engineering and have the opportunity to achieve their goals.

What is the most important lesson you learned as an engineering student?

The most important lesson I learned was to be fearless in pursuing my passions and to never give up on myself or my goals.

What was a struggle you went through as an engineering student? What helped you persist?

As a first-generation student, there were many obstacles I encountered throughout my undergraduate journey. At times it was very difficult as most of my peers did not share my struggles and at times, they did not understand them. My biggest struggle was finding a sense of belonging in engineering. I was fortunate enough to find communities like BOLD, that helped me gain a sense of belonging and helped me build confidence in becoming an engineer. I also constantly reminded myself of the reason behind my desire to become an engineer which encouraged me to keep pursuing my goals.

What advice would you give to someone considering engineering?

Your engineering journey may not be like everyone else��s and that is okay. We all will have a unique experience and will face different challenges. Just remember to follow your passions, be fearless, and push yourself to learn and grow.

What��s next for Jacky? (This could be professional, personal, or both, and it can be concrete or more of a goal or dream)

As of right now, I am exploring going into industry or pursuing a PharmD degree. Whichever pathway I take, I hope to work on developing innovative treatments for diseases like cancer while advocating for changes in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry. I will continue to advocate for the Latino community and find ways to give back to the community.

Graduating senior and BOLD scholar Jacqueline Rodriguez Mora (ChemBioEngr'22) has been recognized by the College of Engineering with the Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) Award for her peer mentorship involvement with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and support of International Women's Day in 2021.

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Q&A with Ahmed Ashmaig: NSBE chapter president and Ripple Award winner

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 22:18:00 +0000

Q&A with Ahmed Ashmaig: NSBE chapter president and Ripple Award winner Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 04/29/2022 - 16:18

Grace Wilson

Ahmed Ashmaig (MechEngr'23), the president of CU Boulder's chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), has received the university's Ripple Award. The award is given by the CU Boulder's Center for Inclusion and Social Change in collaboration with the Dennis Small Cultural Center.

The recipient of this award is someone who seeks to enhance cross-cultural awareness and a greater appreciation for diversity. This individual has gone above and beyond in advocating for and facilitating cultural programming.
This person has had an impact far beyond the original source.

What is your major?

Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Engineering Management.

How did it feel to receive the Ripple award?

I was very honored to receive the award. I knew that I had been nominated, but didn't know that I'd won. All year, I was focused on ensuring the success of my NSBE community. Receiving the award reminded me to reflect on my immense efforts this year, and to celebrate myself for once. I've put a lot of work into NSBE programming this year while also balancing my most challenging semester yet, and I'm glad to know that my efforts were recognized and appreciated.

What are some benefits of culturally-focused programming?

Culturally-focused programming has many benefits, but boosting my confidence as a minority in engineering is one of personal impact to me and one that I feel is extremely important. Especially at a predominantly white institution (PWI), I think it's important to be surrounded by programming, as well as people who look like you and who motivate you to succeed professionally and academically. I attribute a lot of my success to the networking and mentorship opportunities I've gained through NSBE programming.

What are some of your goals when you create culturally-focused programming?

My first goal is to ensure that as many people as possible can benefit from meaningful programming. There's a wealth of social, academic, cultural, and professional opportunities available through these programs and I'd like to make sure that everyone is taking advantage of them. I also aim for everyone to feel comfortable and excited. New members should feel welcomed and find it easy to make new friends.

What support have you felt through your communities? What has this support looked like?

I've felt most supported sharing my successes with my community. The genuine "congrats" are a reminder from my community that they are rooting for my success just as much as I am striving for my own success. By supporting each other through these simple interactions, we can uplift each other and motivate each other to succeed.

What made you want to become an engineer?

I chose engineering for the impact I can make on society. Engineers are constantly improving our quality and ease of life. I wanted to be a part of these contributions, especially when it came to the field of automotive and aviation. I've always been fascinated by planes, but I am also a car guy. With an ME degree, I have the flexibility to work in either of these fields, and many others as well.

What advice would you have for an incoming engineering student who asks you for it?

I would recommend finding upper class students who can serve as both friends and mentors. College can be difficult to navigate and having a friend to make recommendations about professors, classes, and give you general advice can go a long way. There were some classes I took freshman year which fulfilled multiple degree requirements which I never would have known about if it weren't for my upperclass friends. Their advice ultimately saved me a lot of time, money, and stress.

What drives you day-to-day?

I'm driven to complete a prestigious degree that will significantly improve my family and I's lifestyle. I'm extremely grateful to have this educational opportunity which my parents couldn't have. I'm most excited for graduation; the pinnacle of my parents' hard work as immigrants. As a first generation student, it will be their graduation day as well.

What are some of your goals for the future?

My goal is to travel more often, and meet more people along the way. College is a great time to make friends, but it was when I finally left Colorado for internships that I realized just how many amazing people and beautiful sights are out there for me to explore.

A Q&A with Ahmed Ashmaig (MechEngr'23) who has been recognized as someone who seeks to enhance cross-cultural awareness and a greater appreciation for diversity, going above and beyond in advocating for and facilitating cultural programming and having an impact far beyond the original source.

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Katelynn Thammavong: A Community Leader

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 20:18:44 +0000

Katelynn Thammavong: A Community Leader Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 04/29/2022 - 14:18

Grace Wilson

Graduating senior Katelynn Thammavong (ChemBioEngr '22) has been recognized by the College of Engineering and Applied Science with a Community Impact award for her work to connect and empower Asian-heritage STEM students through the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE) at the university and national level.

She also worked to disrupt anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic and became a peer mentor for other engineering students finding their way in the college.

Crossing Bridges

Thammavong came to CU Boulder as an Engineering GoldShirt student. The Engineering GoldShirt program supports the success of highly capable engineering students from historically underrepresented communities through connection to resources and mentorship.

"The GoldShirt program definitely helped me become more comfortable with the campus, especially through the Summer Bridge Program. I got to live on campus and work with coding and circuits for the first time,�� Thammavong said ��We had a good community �C my cohort and the cohort before me. It was so nice to have people I already knew when I moved into the dorms."

As a first year, Thammavong's peer mentors guided her to SASE.

"Growing up, I didn't have that many Asian-American friends or people of the Asian and Pacific Islander communities outside my family to look to,�� she said. ��It was interesting and fun to see other people with similar cultural beliefs as me and a similar background as me doing STEM together."

Thammavong was so impressed by the support that she received from her GoldShirt mentors that she became a mentor herself.

She also took on a leadership role in SASE, helping to organize a regional SASE conference with more than 150 attendees in early 2020.

Stopping Stigma

However, just as the conference ended, the bleak beginning of mass shut-downs in response to COVID-19 began.

The pandemic brought with it a rise in anti-Asian violence and stigma, and Thammavong joined her friends Kimberly Fung(MechEngr'23) and Jaheen Ahsan (MechEngr'21) in crafting the Unmask the Racism campaign.

Unmask the Racism started as a social media campaign that aimed to interrupt anti-Asian misinformation and grew into a celebration of Asian and Pacific Islander communities that helped support local Asian businesses through the depths of the pandemic.

"When the pandemic first started, I experienced racist encounters, and I wanted people to be aware, because most people didn't really know about what was happening across the United States."

As the pandemic continued, the desire to share hope and healing also led the Unmask the Racism group to lead the More Than 1,000 Cranes community art project.

Crafting Hope

A string of 1000 folded paper cranes "senbazuru (ǧ��Q)" is said in Japanese folklore to bring happiness and good luck. They are sometimes given to someone who is seriously ill by their classmates or coworkers as a collective effort.

At BOLD Center power hours, community gatherings and SASE meetings, Unmask the Racism team members led people in folding origami cranes.

Students, faculty and staff together folded over 2,000 cranes, working to help heal the collective hurt and suffering of the pandemic. At the culmination of the several-year project, the cranes were displayed at the Museum of Boulder, and the group gave a well-attended presentation in early April 2022.

"I was so happy to see the community come and support us, after the long years we'd been working on this," Thammavong said.

Leading Community

Thammavong led the CU Boulder chapter of SASE as president for two years, but then felt it was time for a change.

"I felt I needed to pass on the responsibility to give other people a chance to show their greatness" in the CU Boulder chapter, and so she applied for the national team.

Thammavong is now a national volunteer for the west regional team and supports all four Colorado chapters, including CU Boulder, Regis University, Colorado School of Mines, and a new chapter at Colorado State University Fort Collins.

In her role, Thammavong functions as a mentor, helping guide the chapters through their academic year, supporting chapter retention, board conflicts and fundraising efforts.

Facing the Future

Thammavong is graduating with a degree in chemical and biological engineering and is interested in either working with the pharmaceutical industry or cosmetics.

Cosmetics intrigue Thammavong because many daily products have environmental consequences.

"When we use soap with harsh chemicals, that could pollute the wastewater system. I think we can be more sustainable and eco-friendly in our daily products," she said.

Thammavong's community leadership will continue after her graduation. She is dedicated to the success of Colorado's SASE chapters and will continue in her role as regional coordinator next year, despite graduating.

Graduating senior Katelynn Thammavong (ChemBioEngr '22) has been recognized with a Community Impact award for her work to connect and empower Asian-heritage STEM students and disrupt anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Anthony Pimentel: Engineering solutions with everyone in mind

Anonymous — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 18:06:30 +0000

Anthony Pimentel: Engineering solutions with everyone in mind Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 01/07/2022 - 11:06

Anthony Pimentel (EVEN'21) was awarded one of three Research graduate awards His efforts have focused on new water treatment options and sustainable technologies to reduce the environmental impact of water infrastructure.

His path to research excellence at CU started with the college's Discovery Learning Apprenticeship (DLA) program, which placed him in professor Karl Linden's lab, which focuses on novel technologies for advanced water treatment.

Pimentel has presented at multiple conferences in the past year on a newer water filtering material and method that can stand up to strong disinfecting chemicals better than plastic filters can.

He will graduate with both an undergraduate and graduate degree in Environmental Engineering through the department's Bachelor's-Accelerated Master's program, and he's ready.

"I'm excited to graduate and get out in the real world and work with people to fix systems that need fixing." Pimentel said.

Pimentel has known that he wanted to work with water since before he came to CU Boulder.

As a child growing up in Flint, Michigan he would wander through the warehouse of his mother's plumbing business, surrounded by pipe fittings and faucets.

This was before the city started pulling water from the heavily polluted Flint river in the widely publicized ongoing Flint water crisis, and before the 2008 recession closed the business.

Pimentel's father, a first-generation immigrant from Peru and software engineer, encouraged his son to consider engineering as a career, but Pimentel, who had only seen engineers work with cars and code, didn't feel it was for him.

"I told him, 'No, I don't like math, I don't like this.' And it took some time. I took a year off after high school. Then I went down and lived in Peru." he said.

In Peru, Pimentel started to see that "engineering problems" are often far from technical.

"The issues in Flint and Peru are largely political problems, systemic oppression, racial oppression, issues that are hard to understand," he said.

"I want to encourage engineers to address problems that are technical but also multifaceted, and you need to have a holistic background to address those and to make change," he said.

At CU Boulder, Pimentel himself worked to grow that holistic background through service and involvement. As a transfer student without a freshman group of friends, Pimentel regularly went to Engineering Launch, the college's involvement fair.

Through the event he discovered Engineers without Borders, The American Society of Civil Engineers, the society for the Environmental Engineering department (SEVEN), the Society for Hispanic Engineers (SHPE) and other groups. He also found a home in the BOLD Center as a Student Success Center (SSC) tutor.

"Before CU Boulder, I took a year in community college and the courses weren't easy for me. I was working twenty to 30 hours, as a lot of students do. I wanted to give back to those students who have come from similar backgrounds like myself, a lot of whom don't have English as a first language." he said.

Pimentel is valued for his services to the BOLD SSC.

"Anthony goes above and beyond in his work. He��s always willing to support his peers, colleagues and those in his community. You can always rely on Anthony to show up, creatively problem-solve, and engage in high impact work and initiatives to make a positive difference." said Chantal Baca, BOLD Student Success Senior Professional.

Pimentel also said he values the BOLD Center for its student-oriented approach and programming. He said he believes the center is where many students from diverse backgrounds find friends and strengthen their personal and professional skills as engineers.

Looking to the future, Pimentel said he hopes his generation is the one that ensures people get access to basic services no matter where they live, what their income is or what they look like.

"Engineers are committed to providing the most basic and needed services to people. And with climate change and civil unrest, our infrastructure is at risk. We need further investment, but money doesn't solve the issue. We need smart and resourced and diverse-thinking engineers succeeding and being motivated to go into the field and to solve issues, to build the future of this country and of the world." he said.

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Leah Rivera: A helper with a passion for justice

Anonymous — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 17:44:16 +0000

Leah Rivera: A helper with a passion for justice Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 12/17/2021 - 10:44

Grace Wilson

Leah Rivera (EnvEngr��'21) is the rare recipient of two awards bestowed by the College of Engineering and Applied Science: the Community Impact Award and the Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) Award.

Rivera, however, didn��t set out to win one graduating student award, let alone two. She just wanted to be a force for good.

"I started looking up, 'What career can I have that will help people?' It was very generic, I remember googling it. And one of them was environmental engineering. I didn't know anything about engineering, but I was like, 'OK, I'll do it.'" Rivera said.

A plunge into the unknown

Despite limited knowledge of what engineering could be and no calculus or physics courses from high school, Rivera was accepted into the Engineering GoldShirt Program. Tanya Ennis, then program director of the GoldShirt program, ��took a chance on me,�� Rivera said.

The GoldShirt Program seeks to support the holistic development of promising engineers who often haven't been able to access college-preparatory courses and programs. The program provides community-building, holistic advising and financial support.

As Rivera plunged into engineering at CU Boulder, she had to balance learning independent living and feelings of academic inadequacy with the intense rigor of the engineering program. It was extremely challenging academically and, by her second year, Rivera was facing academic suspension.

Facing a failure

��It was a very shameful time for me because I felt like I had failed and that I couldn't get back to a good place in terms of academic standing,�� Rivera said. ��I also felt like I had disappointed other people. I didn't actually talk to my family about it because that's how embarrassed I was."

In the depths of her despair, Rivera went to Ennis.

��I expected her to say ��Oh, I told you so,�� because she gave me a chance and I nearly ruined it, but she didn't talk to me condescendingly or anything. She met me with grace,�� Rivera said.

��Leah asked me if I believed that she could succeed in engineering, and my response was, ��Of course I do. You are capable of succeeding in whatever you believe you can!�� I remember the hopeful look on her face,�� said Ennis.

Rivera started taking continuing education classes to get her GPA up and made the Dean��s List for her GPA that semester.

Fostering success

Boosted by that success, Rivera came back into the Environmental Engineering Program ready to succeed and to give back. She became a peer mentor to students in the GoldShirt Program, EVEN and ImagineCU.

She encourages students to be as open as they can be about their struggles and to get the help they need.

"Leah��s motivations have always been grounded in relationships and care for others." said Phil Courey, current director of the GoldShirt Program.

"A lot of people, myself included, make it worse by talking down to ourselves and not being nice or gentle with ourselves when facing failure. I'd just say, "Be nice to yourself and be gentle. Yes, we all make mistakes, but make the most out of it,��" Rivera said.

Rivera also recommends working with academic coaches and allowing yourself to have a support network rather than isolating yourself.

Rivera began to believe in herself, she said, and worked to stop comparing herself to other students and focus on her own strengths. She became co-president of the Society of Environmental Engineers (SEVEN), where she is dedicated to promoting inclusivity and helping build community.

Empowerment for all

"Engineering is not just about science and technology, but about how we implement it in communities to make people's lives better. That's why it's so important to me, and why I love it so much," Rivera said.

She used YOURE@CU, a class facilitated by the BOLD Center that pairs students and researchers over the course of a semester, to gain valuable research experience.

Ennis also connected Rivera with Professor Shelly Miller, who works closely with women students in the College of Engineering and Applied Science to mentor them and encourage them to succeed in engineering.

Rivera's involvement in promoting inclusivity carried through in her research, as she researched how to empower people living in north Denver neighborhoods disproportionately impacted by the expansion of I-70. A summer 2021 internship with the Environmental Protection Agency focused on expanding engagement with rural community leaders in Colorado.

Gratitude and hope

Reflecting on her college experience, Rivera feels gratitude. Without the BOLD Center, she said, she knows she would not be here today. ��The GoldShirt Program is a family.��

While she said she knows she can never repay what the program did for her, she hopes to continue paying it forward.

��Leah��s demeanor changed from one of concern to one of passion and curiosity. I am extremely proud of Leah and all that she��s accomplished,�� Ennis said. ��I know that she will positively impact the world with her dedication to protecting the environment and her relentless care for all people that she encounters.��

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First Generation Stories: Keith Molenaar

Anonymous — Wed, 25 Aug 2021 20:46:45 +0000

First Generation Stories: Keith Molenaar Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 08/25/2021 - 14:46

Bella Colosimo

[video:https://youtu.be/043L6uBva9o]

Keith Molenaar is a first-generation college graduate, meaning he was the first in his family to complete a four-year degree. He is also the K. Stanton Lewis Professor of Construction Engineering and Management in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering and the acting dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

Keith Molenaar

Molenaar was always a scholar, and his family encouraged him to pursue his studies past high school. However, the weight of being the first in his family to attend college added extra pressure to his experience.

��My family truly inspired me,�� he said, ��but it felt a little overwhelming at times.��

Molenaar��s path through the university didn��t start in a traditional way.

��I didn��t just end up here at CU as an undergraduate. Actually, I had a little bit of uncertainty and didn��t know exactly what I wanted to do,�� he said. ��With that pressure from my family, I did pursue school but went to junior colleges to start.��

Through junior college, Molenaar got the opportunity to explore his other interests, including photography and soccer.

��I needed that space. I needed to work through the different things I was exploring,�� he reminisced. ��If it wasn��t for that, I would��ve never found my path to Boulder or found my way to architectural engineering.��

When Molenaar made the decision to move to Boulder on his 21st birthday, it was the first time he had lived away from his family in Chicago. Eager to find his place at CU, Molenaar joined the club soccer team, participated in group study sessions, and found a part-time job at a restaurant, where he also met his future wife.

The support he found in his friends and colleagues played a major role in his success in college, which is something he wishes all first-generation students find at CU.

��I hope that first-generation students know they have something to offer and can learn to make offers,�� he said. ��Everybody has something to give, more than you probably realize.��

There are many communities on campus that foster belonging, among them the Broadening Opportunity through Leadership and Diversity (BOLD) Center.

��The BOLD Center is a place to be, a place to become,�� Molenaar said. ��And I think the students that participate here make an impact on all the college.��

Molenaar said he wanted to let students know that lacking confidence in the journey through college is a common struggle in first-generation students ��To overcome is being resilient, he said. ��You aren��t alone.��

Bella Colosimo is a second-year graduate student in Creative Technology and Design who assists with first-generation student inclusion efforts in the college.

Keith Molenaar is a first-generation college graduate and the acting dean of the College of Engineering and Applied science. His journey through college relied on the encouragement of his parents and the friends who supported him.

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