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Target acquired

Hanna Nordwall — Thu, 21 May 2026 16:12:59 +0000

Target acquired Hanna Nordwall Thu, 05/21/2026 - 10:12 Charles Ferrer

NIH internship inspires student’s career interest in “new world” of cancer treatment

Janeth Marquez Rubio (BioMedEngr’25) always wanted to make a difference in the medical field.

Little did she know that journey would take her to the National Institutes of Health, one of the world’s leading research centers, where she spent a summer helping advance a promising new approach to treat cancer.

"Walking by Nobel Prize winners and having my office next to an esteemed physician was surreal."

During her NIH internship, Marquez Rubio worked with radiopharmaceuticals, a growing new class of drugs designed to deliver precise doses of radiation directly to cancer cells.

Unlike traditional radiation therapy that targets broad regions of the body, radiopharmaceutical therapy provides highly targeted doses of radioactive material — in this specific research case, Actinum-225 — that bind to cancer cells and destroy them.

“I didn’t know anything about radiopharmaceuticals,” Marquez Rubio said. “Learning about this new world of drugs and realizing how it could someday cure cancer was fascinating.”

Mentored by NIH medical physicist Roberto Maass-Moreno, she focused on the challenges of bioimaging and dosimetry — determining how to measure and deliver the right dose of radiopharmaceuticals for clinical trials — and compiled data for an upcoming clinical trial.

“We know you can’t use a one-size-fits-all method for doses,” she said. “Being able to measure the effects of the drug accurately is key for future clinical trials.”

Early experimental results showed improvement in cancer cells after treatment with radiopharmaceuticals and Actinum-225, giving scientists hope that this method could one day transform the future of radiation oncology.

Working alongside leading researchers and physicians gave Marquez Rubio a rare glimpse of research up close.

“It would be incredible to conduct clinical trials on the very radiopharmaceuticals I worked with,” Marquez Rubio said. “This internship has inspired me to one day work at the NIH again, so that is the hope.”

Marquez Rubio got her initial research experience in Assistant Professor Rob MacCurdy’s Matter Assembly Computational Lab in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering. There, she explored microfluidics — how fluids behave at tiny scales — and co-authored a paper she later presented at an international conference, an experience she says was pivotal in building her confidence.

“Having those incredible research experiences as an undergraduate student made me prepared and competitive,” she said.

CU Boulder’s biomedical engineering degree allowed Marquez Rubio to take courses in both mechanical and electrical engineering, helping her draw connections with bioimaging tools like CT and SPECT machines during her internship.

Her interest in radiopharmaceuticals is growing as she pursues her accelerated master’s. She chose the topic for multiple assignments and noted how some of her professors wanted to learn more about it, given how new it is in medicine.

“As a first-generation student, I still couldn’t believe I conducted research at the NIH that could one day cure cancer.”

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Explore. Achieve. Lead.

Hanna Nordwall — Tue, 19 May 2026 21:54:23 +0000

Explore. Achieve. Lead. Hanna Nordwall Tue, 05/19/2026 - 15:54

The Smead Program provides excellence in research, academic programming, and personal and professional enrichment for the brightest minds pursuing graduate- and faculty-level research in aerospace engineering.

A unique community within the larger Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, the Smead Program emphasizes ground-breaking interdisciplinary research and leadership through a multi-pronged approach:

PhD Student Scholars
Faculty Fellows
Visiting Professorships
Distinguished Post- Doctoral Associates

Learn more

2025 Student Scholars

Madison Lin
Research: Trajectory
design and optimization

Hasani Spann
Research: Modeling and timing
of orbits and orbital transfers

2024 Student Scholars

Sarah Kinney
Research: Fluid structure interactions
in hypersonic applications

Lisa Ventura
Research: Decision-making for autonomous
aircraft, robot and human interactions

2023 Student Scholar

Cate Leszcz
Research: Characterizing
uncertainty in hypersonic
aerothermodynamic environments

2022 Student Scholars

David Dezell Turner
Research: Astrodynamics

Evangelina Evans
Research: Astrodynamics
for cislunar space applications

2021 Student Scholars

Sarah Luettgen
Research: Dynamics of the
Earth’s upper atmosphere

Mitchell Wall
Research: Hypersonics
and reentry vehicles

Meet the Smead Scholars – some of the brightest minds pursuing graduate research in aerospace engineering today, thanks to generous donors.

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Engineering students compete in national hospital design competition

Susan Glairon — Tue, 19 May 2026 20:43:58 +0000

Engineering students compete in national hospital design competition Susan Glairon Tue, 05/19/2026 - 14:43

Susan Glairon

Four CU Boulder architectural engineering students participated in a national healthcare design competition typically geared toward graduate students, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to design a cancer center for Houston’s underserved Third Ward community. The experience challenged students to think beyond technical engineering and consider patient comfort, community needs and healthcare access in the design process.

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New flight simulator lab for engineering education

Jeff Zehnder — Mon, 18 May 2026 20:09:57 +0000

New flight simulator lab for engineering education Jeff Zehnder Mon, 05/18/2026 - 14:09

Jeff Zehnder

Flying the (virtual) skies

Jackson Clark pushes to full throttle, pulls back on the yoke, and eases into the right rudder pedal as he soars through the sky on a clear day – all without leaving the Aerospace Building.

In a room packed with the latest in flight simulator technology, students are testing out virtual aircraft, not to become licensed pilots, but to study the engineering of aircraft design.

The Undergraduate Flight Simulation Studio is a new facility at the University of Colorado Boulder, giving students in the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences hands-on aeronautical experience.

“You can teach with a book or on a MatLab plot, but students don’t really understand until they fly it,” said Charles Hoke, an associate teaching professor who led development of the center.

Funded with major support from aerospace engineer, attorney, and passionate CU Boulder advocate Richard F. Schaden, the facility has seven simulator bays stocked with flight yokes, rudder pedals, and aircraft throttles, complete with the myriad switches, buttons, and lights that comprise actual plane cockpits.

�鶹��Ժ also have the option of wearing virtual reality headsets for a 360-degree experience.

“As a pilot, I have flown in flight simulators over the past 35 years to demonstrate compliance with the performance, stability and control of aircraft as they were designed,” said Schaden, who visited the lab for an official unveiling May 7. “Now, here in the lab, students can experiment with design changes to see the effects on the performance, stability and control as modified by them as engineers. This allows the students to experience immediate engineering feedback in ways that may be more precise than they could achieve through wind tunnel tests ”

The lab allows students the chance to test classroom projects and new aircraft concepts. It also offers the ability to show how small changes in existing planes alter their airworthiness.

You can teach with a book or on a MatLab plot, but students don’t really understand until they fly it." - Charles Hoke

“Standard flight simulators are for pilot training,” Hoke said. “That’s not useful for engineers. We want to get into the guts of these things, change the parameters, and learn about aircraft dynamics.”

The lab will be a standard component of sophomore-level courses, impacting over 300 students per year. It will also be available for clubs and other projects.

�鶹��Ժ have already been able to use the facility to test plane designs they developed as part of spring semester capstone senior projects. By loading 3D models of their aircraft into the simulator, they were able to collect high fidelity data on drag and aerodynamic performance for analysis

“It has been really cool to see senior project teams come in and use the tools,” said Clark, an aerospace master’s student who helped build the facility. “It’s incredibly immersive and shows the vision for this lab is immediately being applied.”

Hoke also emphasized the simulator’s value as a learning tool.

“When teams design an airframe, they get the chance to fly at Boulder Model Airfield, but you’re lucky to get 1-2 flights. With this simulator, they could fly their designs for hours and hours and get more data for analysis. When I came to CU Boulder, I made it my mission to create a facility like this. It’s very exciting to see it come to life.”

Jackson Clark pushes to full throttle, pulls back on the yoke, and eases into the right rudder pedal as he soars through the sky on a clear day – all without leaving the Aerospace Building...

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27 CU Boulder engineering students earn presitigious National Science Foundation fellowships

Jeff Zehnder — Wed, 13 May 2026 22:19:27 +0000

27 CU Boulder engineering students earn presitigious National Science Foundation fellowships Jeff Zehnder Wed, 05/13/2026 - 16:19

Jeff Zehnder

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has bestowed 27 Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) awards to University of Colorado Boulder engineering students.

The national awards recognize and support outstanding grad students from across the country in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields who are pursuing research-based master’s or doctoral degrees.

Awardees receive a $37,000 annual stipend and cost of education allowance for the next three years as well as professional development opportunities.

CU Boulder is ranked 14th among all U.S. universities and eighth among public institutions.for NSF GRFP fellowship recipients for 2026, with 40 awardees across all majors.

Learn about each CU Engineering recipient below

The National Science Foundation has bestowed 27 Graduate Research Fellowship Program awards to University of Colorado Boulder engineering students...

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Two CU Engineering undergrads earn national Student Employee of the Year recognition

Charles Ferrer — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:54:50 +0000

Two CU Engineering undergrads earn national Student Employee of the Year recognition Charles Ferrer Wed, 04/08/2026 - 10:54

Arianna McCarty, senior in chemical & biological engineering, received the National Student Employment Association award in leadership and Braden O’Brien, senior in electrical & computer engineering, was named the overall student employee of year and category winner in technology & innovation.

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ME outreach program brings big engineering dreams to small rural towns

Alexander Servantez — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 21:56:29 +0000

ME outreach program brings big engineering dreams to small rural towns Alexander Servantez Wed, 04/01/2026 - 15:56

Associate Research Professor Daniel Knight and Professor Michael Hannigan are leading an outreach program that connects CU Boulder students with rural high schools to introduce hands-on engineering experiences in the classroom. The initiative, known as the Science and Engineering Inquiry Collaborative (SCENIC), serves 12 schools and nearly 700 high school students across rural Colorado each year, turning local questions about air and soil quality into real-world research projects.

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Cyber team reaches national cyber defense competition after first place regional finish

Charles Ferrer — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 16:50:33 +0000

Cyber team reaches national cyber defense competition after first place regional finish Charles Ferrer Wed, 04/01/2026 - 10:50

A team of computer science students earned first place at the 2026 Rocky Mountain Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition, marking the team’s first time qualifying for its national cyber defense competition.

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ME senior project turns waste heat into clean energy savings

Alexander Servantez — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 20:53:21 +0000

ME senior project turns waste heat into clean energy savings Alexander Servantez Wed, 03/25/2026 - 14:53

Many industrial facilities rely on cryogenic gases for processes such as cooling, materials testing or energy transport. But before those gases can be used, they must be vaporized with electricity-intensive equipment that can cost companies tens of thousands of dollars each year. A team of seniors are working to address that problem by developing a heat-exchange device for their senior capstone project that captures waste heat circulating through refrigeration systems.

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Student awarded Churchill Scholarship—the 4th in CU Boulder history

Susan Glairon — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 17:38:06 +0000

Student awarded Churchill Scholarship—the 4th in CU Boulder history Susan Glairon Fri, 01/30/2026 - 10:38

Chemical and biological engineering senior Arianna McCarty has earned the prestigious Churchill Scholarship, becoming just the fourth student in university history to receive the honor. The award will support a year of master’s study at the University of Cambridge, recognizing her exceptional research achievements and academic excellence.

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