Advancement Feature

Kiewit Design-Build Scholars program bridges students to the infrastructure workforce

Anonymous — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 21:15:32 +0000

Kiewit Design-Build Scholars program bridges students to the infrastructure workforce Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 07/11/2024 - 15:15

Zoe Kresek (CivEng’23) had a passion for design and construction from an early age. She would sit for hours building marble runs and Lego creations.

As she advanced in her education, she knew engineering was the best path to match her interests. However, determining a specific area of focus and where to apply her engineering education was more evasive. As part of the Kiewit Design-Build Scholars program, she visited the Central I-70 construction site, where she went underground and viewed the pipe structures. This experience piqued her interest in water resources and helped narrow the focus of her civil engineering major.

“I’d seen many pictures and videos of engineering, but being on the site gave me a completely different perspective. Going down into the ground and seeing the ginormous pipes was the highlight of the trip for me,” said Kresek.

Since the Kiewit Design-Build Scholars Program launched at CU Boulder in 2020, it has given engineering students an inside view of the design and construction industry. This month, Kiewit Corporation extended the program for five years with a generous $2.5 million investment, demonstrating a sustained commitment to the success of students.

Building the engineering workforce pathway

Each academic year, 25 to 35 students participate in the program, which includes financial aid, industry mentorship, guaranteed internship offers and professional development programming. Programs that support students’ professional development are especially important to address the problem of aging and deteriorating infrastructure systems in the U.S.

The American Society of Civil Engineers' (ASCE) most recent Report Card for America’s Infrastructure in 2021 rated infrastructure in the U.S. at a C-. The government is working to improve infrastructure systems through legislation. However, according to a 2023 article from ASCE, civil engineering firms find it challenging to hire and retain the skilled employees needed for the infrastructure work that is suddenly available.

The Kiewit program is helping to educate the future workforce needed to tackle these issues by helping students understand how to apply their education to their future careers. �鶹��Ժ like Kresek can participate in internships and receive support in their search for a full-time position through resume workshops, interview practice and mentorships.

“At Kiewit, we believe in the value of leadership development for those entering the construction and engineering industry,” said John Donatelli, president of Infrastructure Engineers for Kiewit Engineering Group Inc. and executive sponsor for the Kiewit Design-Build Scholars program at CU Boulder. “Our partnership with CU Boulder and, importantly, the programming and mentoring we provide to the students is one more step we are taking toward building a pipeline of well-rounded future industry leaders.”

Offering mutually beneficial solutions

Reaching students at the college level benefits the university, students and Kiewit.

“With their Lone Tree headquarters right in our backyard, we can tap into their knowledge. We invite experts from Kiewit into the classrooms to share their experiences and lessons learned with our students,” said Chris Senseney, associate teaching professor and director of the Kiewit Design-Build Scholars program at CU Boulder.

By participating in the education process, Kiewit helps develop the skills and knowledge students need to succeed in the workforce. Likewise, CU Boulder has a strong civil engineering department, which is even more robust when students can access industry experts and internship opportunities.

The investment pays off for students like Kresek. After graduation, she accepted a position as a drainage engineer with Kiewit Engineering Group, Inc. in Lone Tree, Colorado. This demonstrates that Kiewit’s investment at CU Boulder produces the engineers needed to meet industry demand and solve critical infrastructure problems.

“The Kiewit Design-Build Scholars program is an extraordinary model for engineering workforce development, rooted in our shared vision and goals,” said Keith Molenaar, dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science. “Kiewit and CU Boulder are dedicated to creating the highest caliber and most diverse group of engineers to address the pressing infrastructure challenges of our time.”

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Longtime Boulder residents make investment in AI research

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 22:21:11 +0000

Longtime Boulder residents make investment in AI research Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/04/2024 - 15:21

Grace Wilson

Dick and Jane Stebbins have established an endowed professorship to enhance the University of Colorado’s global competitiveness. The professorship will advance research in computer science in the College of Engineering and Applied Science, with a focus on artificial intelligence.

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Diddams formally joins engineering as Robert H. Davis Endowed Chair in Discovery Learning

Anonymous — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 19:41:05 +0000

Diddams formally joins engineering as Robert H. Davis Endowed Chair in Discovery Learning Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 08/26/2022 - 13:41

Josh Rhoten

Scott Diddams, far left in blue, works with colleagues in a lab on campus.

Quantum Engineering Initiative

Professor Scott Diddams has officially joined CU Engineering as the Robert H. Davis Endowed Chair in Discovery Learning in the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering.

Diddams came to CU Engineering in fall 2021 as a visiting professor while transitioning from his previous role as a fellow at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and adjoint professor in the CU Boulder Department of Physics. He will now serve as faculty director of the new Quantum Engineering Initiative and in other key areas of the college’s research enterprise.

The Robert H. Davis Endowed Chair in Discovery Learning was first announced in 2016 as part of a $2.5 million combined gift from Colorado’s Gallogly family and members of the Engineering Advisory Council, with additional matching funds from the CU Boulder Chancellor’s office.

The position honors former Dean Robert Davis and was designed to help attract and retain brilliant scholars by providing them dedicated resources for innovative research and teaching opportunities. The endowment is also designed to provide opportunities for students, especially undergrads, to engage in discovery learning by participating in college’s research activities.

Diddams served as a fellow at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and was an adjoint professor at CU Boulder before joining engineering this fall. Diddams is well known for developing a world-leading research program in the field of optical frequency combs and quantum metrology. He has earned many awards in his career, including the Department of Commerce Gold and Silver Medals for "revolutionizing the way frequency is measured,” as well as the Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering (PECASE) and the IEEE Rabi award.

“The endowment is and was truly an honor, and I am pleased to see it being used to bring in such a top-caliber researcher who will lead something as important to the college as the Quantum Engineering Initiative, while also bringing an outstanding team and catalyzing our efforts in student engagement in research,” Davis said.

Current Dean Keith Molenaar echoed those sentiments.

“Professor Diddams is one of the most important and active researchers in the field of quantum sensing today,” he said. “His research touches on some of the most pressing and important issues of our time. However, it is his strong passion to teach and mentor students that brought him from NIST to the College of Engineering and Applied Science. Scott will help CU Boulder to become a national leader in quantum engineering education through his curriculum development efforts and approach to active learning.”

Diddams said he is happy to be joining the college and highlighted significant improvements and changes to the quantum research facilities in the college, such as the newly renovated north wing of the Engineering Center, where his labs will be housed, and the Colorado Shared Instrumentation in Nanofabrication and Characterization (COSINC) facility.

“I am especially looking forward to working with and learning from my excellent faculty colleagues across campus and also having close contact with engineering students interested in discovering and developing quantum technologies for applications beyond the research lab,” he said.

Professor Scott Diddams has officially joined CU Engineering as the Robert H. Davis Endowed Chair in Discovery Learning in the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering.

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Alumnus Jim Shaw’s engineering scholarship is inspired by own experience

Anonymous — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 14:31:42 +0000

Alumnus Jim Shaw’s engineering scholarship is inspired by own experience Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 08/17/2022 - 08:31

Chemical engineering students at CU Boulder have the opportunity to apply for a senior year scholarship inspired by alumnus James “Jim” Shaw’s own experience in his final year of undergraduate studies.

“A scholarship in my senior year made an enormous difference, allowing me to graduate without student debt,” Shaw says. “I want to similarly help a senior each year. I know from experience that a little help can go a long way.”

When Shaw (MChemBioEngr'71) received his senior year funding in 1969, he had recently transferred from the Coast Guard Academy to Oregon State University and married. A scholarship helped him and his wife finish college in four years. In 1970, they headed to CU Boulder for his graduate work in chemical engineering.

“CU Engineering has treated me well from the beginning. So, when I can, I try to reciprocate,” Shaw adds.

After completing a Master of Science in chemical engineering in 1971, Shaw worked for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) — helping to establish engineering rules behind then-new Clean Air Act (1970) and Clean Water Act (1972).

In 1974, he became environmental director of a mineral division of Union Pacific Corporation. He retired from industry work in 2015.

Shaw first became a donor to CU Boulder the year after his graduation, and currently contributes to several areas at the university. His passions at CU include the College of Engineering and Applied Science, athletic programs and the marching band. As a planned giving donor, Shaw has arranged for his will to administer the James W. Shaw Scholarship in the future, enabling his legacy and impact to live on indefinitely.

�鶹��Ժ can apply in their junior year for the James W. Shaw Scholarship through the CU Boulder scholarship application process. A scholarship committee will evaluate applications and select recipients.

“If you are a really hard-working student, doing your best to set yourself up to make this world a better place, I want to be sure to help some of you,” Shaw says. “After all, the world is better when people help each other, and it feels great to give a hand to a CU student. Let me just say, if I’d won the lottery this year, I’d be giving even more to CU.”

After a scholarship made a difference during alumnus Jim Shaw's senior year, he has tried to pay it forward by supporting CU Engineering seniors in the same way.

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Giving Back, Giving Forward

Anonymous — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 18:06:38 +0000

Giving Back, Giving Forward Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 07/22/2022 - 12:06

Since they graduated from CU in the early ’80s, Cliff (CivEngr, Hist’82) and Carol (Jour’81) Pearson have seen a lot of the world — 75 countries and counting, in fact.

But their hearts remain in Boulder.

That’s why they’re investing in the next generation of Forever Buffs by funding scholarships for students in the College of Engineering and Applied Science. They also recently created a new scholarship for students in the Department of History, within the College of Arts and Sciences.

“Education creates well-rounded human beings with a multitude of skills,” said Cliff, who is also a member of the Engineering Advisory Council. “Depending on how you take those skills and run with them, it can dictate what your success will be in life.”

This year, the Cliff and Carol Pearson Endowed Scholarship Fund is celebrating its 10th anniversary. This fund provides scholarships to undergraduate engineering students who are enrolled in a double-degree program or participants in the engineering school’s Broadening Opportunity through Leadership and Diversity (BOLD) Center.

The Pearsons have also established scholarships for first-generation students in both history and engineering — the two fields that Cliff studied at CU Boulder. In his retirement, one of Cliff’s goals is to reduce income inequality, and he says that first-generation scholarships are a great opportunity to do that. Recently, the Pearsons increased their planned bequest supporting first-generation engineering students to $1 million.

“In school, I had Pell Grants and work-study programs that helped me pay for college,” said Carol, a second-generation Buff whose father and two brothers also attended CU. “I’m happy to help students in financial circumstances similar to those I grew up in.”

By establishing and sustaining these scholarship programs, the Pearsons are opening doors for engineering and history students, especially first-generation students in both areas and others traditionally underrepresented in engineering.

“Both of the Pearsons’ engineering awards have had a tremendous impact on the awardees,” said Jenna Greenwood, the engineering college’s program manager for scholarships and college affordability. “They have provided the financial support needed for students to continue their educational journey and spend less time figuring out how to pay for their degree.”

“We are so grateful to Cliff and Carol Pearson for their generosity in establishing this scholarship fund in history, which will help our undergraduates make their education more affordable and perhaps encourage them to follow their interests and pursue a well-rounded liberal arts education,” added Marcia Yonemoto, chair of CU’s history department. “We’re looking forward to receiving our first round of applications for the Pearson Scholarship this summer.”

To the Pearsons, supporting student scholarships is a tangible way to not only invest in future generations of leaders and innovators, but also to give back to a place that is so meaningful in their lives.

The pair met while working as resident advisors at CU and attribute much of their success to their roots in Boulder. Cliff also received a small tuition scholarship while he was a student and considers his and Carol’s current and future giving a way to pay it forward.

“One of our hopes in providing scholarships is to help students avoid incurring significant debt, so that when they graduate, they’re set up for success,” said Cliff.

“I hope that all the Pearson Scholars graduate from CU and have wildly successful careers — then give a little back to CU.”

Pearson Scholars in Action

When you sit down to chat with the 2021–22 Pearson Scholars, it’s clear they’re motivated and thoughtful students. A recent conversation with scholars Jovani Guzman (MechEngr’24) and Tobin Price (MechEngr’22; MS’23) illuminated their stories and some of the ways they’re aiming to make a difference in the world.

What are you studying here at CU?

Jovani Guzman: I just finished my third year as a mechanical engineering student, as part of a five-year track. I’m involved with the Engineering GoldShirt program and the BOLD Center, which is a very collaborative space. Anyone is welcome when they go there. It’s made me feel much more comfortable being part of the engineering college. I’m also part of the Golden Buffalo Marching Band, where I play sousaphone.

Tobin Price: I recently graduated with my bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in music. I’m currently working at LASP (Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics) as the command controller, and I’m planning to continue for another year here at CU in grad school — I’ll be doing an accelerated master’s program on the mechanical engineering professional track.

What’s a recent project or accomplishment that you’re excited about?

Guzman: For me, it’s all about networking right now. As part of my “Mechanical Professions” class, I was able to speak with several professionals in the engineering field, including a former systems engineer who now leads an international engineering team. Being able to talk to those people and seeing how industry works from their perspective makes me look forward to building more connections.

Price: The last semester of your senior years offers all sorts of cool classes. For my senior design class, my team designed and manufactured an atmospheric Doppler lidar scanner — basically a laser deflector unit to measure atmospheric conditions, in affiliation with NOAA [the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]. We created a system that measures wind speeds and knows exactly where it’s pointing to 0.02 degrees of accuracy.

What are you passionate about outside of school?

Guzman: Music is a big part of my life. That stems from high school, when my former band director told me about a Venezuelan conductor who was also impoverished and went through a program for their music, which really turned their life around. It really inspired me to help people.

Price: I love being outside — running, rock climbing, hiking. It’d be really cool to go into a field that helps protect the planet. And I also love music. I’ve played the alto sax for about 10 years, and I also produce electronic music and have been DJing parties and weddings around Boulder for the past year.

What makes you hopeful for the future?

Guzman: With my Hispanic background, family is a very important aspect within our culture. So I’m driven by a hope for stability in my family. Someday, when I graduate and obtain a job that pays well, I can gain stability for my mother and father — and hopefully raise a family of my own, feeling safe about my own future and for my next of kin.

Price: I find hope in knowing that there are genuinely good, kind, empathetic people out there. There’s been a lot of nastiness in society the past couple years, but seeing people who are genuine in their intent to help others is really inspiring to me. I’m also inspired by the professors at CU and how engaged they are in every student’s personal success.

Why does education matter to you?

Guzman: Education opens doors. It feels like there’s a lot you can’t do without a certain level of education, which can be tough for those of us who can’t always afford that education — to gain opportunities for a better life. It’s also about learning more about the world. You’re not just learning things for a future job; you’re also learning about ethics and history, to allow for reflection as you move forward.

Price: I agree with Jovani — there are a lot of opportunities that are blocked off by the education barrier, so that’s a good reason why education is important. It’s also good for personal growth. Especially in a difficult field, education helps us strive to be the best person we could be. Learning new things is a very noble pursuit.

How do scholarships support your education?

Guzman: Financially, scholarships help cover tuition costs. Because of that, I’ve had a lot more time to just be a student. I don’t have to put so much time toward working to pay for tuition out of pocket. The additional time I have as a student has also allowed me to do things like be part of the marching band and interact with students through the GoldShirt program.

Price: I’ve been able to make it through my four years of undergrad without incurring any student loans, thanks to scholarships. It takes the financial pressure off of paying for tuition, along with the living situation in Boulder, food and other expenses. It’s been a blessing to not have to worry about that the way I see some of my peers having to do.

To Cliff and Carol Pearson, supporting student scholarships is a tangible way to not only invest in future generations of leaders and innovators, but also to give back to a place that is so meaningful in their lives. Learn about the Pearsons' investment and meet two engineering students currently receiving their awards.

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Honoree hopes new endowment will lead to quantum breakthrough

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 20:22:48 +0000

Honoree hopes new endowment will lead to quantum breakthrough Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 02/01/2022 - 13:22

Emily Adams

CU Boulder Professor Emeritus Karl Gustafson has high expectations for the quantum engineering researcher who will soon hold the faculty chair recently endowed in his name.

“I hope that someone might have a fundamental breakthrough in some way other than just writing papers,” he said. “It's too easy to write papers, but very hard to actually build a piece of hardware, like a quantum computer or do something else in quantum.”

Karl Gustafson

Recently created by an anonymous donor, the Karl Gustafson Endowed Chair of Quantum Engineering will be embedded in the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering. It is intended for a faculty member with multidisciplinary research and teaching interests, who is focused on the hardware side of quantum computing and devices.

“This gift, honoring Professor Gustafson for his distinguished career, will further enable CU Boulder and the College of Engineering and Applied Science to lead the way in quantum discoveries and application,” Acting Dean Keith Molenaar said. “We are deeply grateful to the donor and pleased that Karl’s legacy will be tied to the multidisciplinary impact of this faculty chair.”

Gustafson said he was initially surprised when the donor – a former student of his – reached out to him about making a gift in his name.

“It is quite an honor. It’s an honor for me; it's an honor for the university,” he said. “It's kind of a very pleasant capstone on my career.”

While he worked closely with the donor to outline the terms of the gift, it was Gustafson who insisted on the word “multidisciplinary,” as it’s the term that most accurately describes his own career.

Gustafson retired in 2020 after a 52-year career in the Department of Mathematics and holds three degrees from CU Boulder – in engineering physics, applied mathematics and business finance. Shortly before a major stroke in 2016 prevented him from traveling and publishing, he gave three significant keynote addresses around the world – one in each of those fields.

“The Department of Physics is enormously proud that Professor Gustafson is one of our alumni, and deeply grateful to the donor for endowing this chair position in Quantum Engineering in Karl’s honor,” said Michael Ritzwoller, the chair of physics. “Karl’s illustrious career spanned mathematical physics, applied mathematics, and engineering both within and outside academia, and we hope the endowed chair holder can follow in his giant footsteps.”

Gustafson advised more than 20 PhD students across science and engineering disciplines, and published more than 300 papers and more than a dozen books in topics ranging from computational fluid dynamics to financial engineering. His ties to CU Engineering include serving as a founding member of the multimillion-dollar NSF Optoelectronic Computing Systems Center from 1988 to 2000.

He has also long been interested in quantum mechanics and computation and keeps up-to-date on developments in the field even in retirement.

“My impression is that we may not get quantum computation for a while. It's a very hard problem,” Gustafson said. “The software exists, the algorithms exist, all kinds of theory, thousands of papers. But no one can really build a quantum computer. You'll read a lot of hype about people claiming they have. But they'll only be able to do 20 or 30 qubits, and that's not a very big computer.”

However, Gustafson said quantum is a fascinating field partly because of that search for the unknown. He thinks back to the Einstein-Bohr debates, which pitted a “stubborn analytical person” against “a mystic.” Gustafson said Bohr usually defeated Einstein in the thought experiments because he explained what we didn’t know and claimed that we may never know.

“I tend to hope that Einstein was right,” Gustafson said. “I tend to believe there's an underlying reality that we can maybe discover.”

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Chad’s Legacy – Honoring a 9/11 victim and CU Boulder grad

Anonymous — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 20:20:40 +0000

Chad’s Legacy – Honoring a 9/11 victim and CU Boulder grad Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 09/08/2021 - 14:20

Jeff Zehnder

Chad Keller

“He knew from when he was five or six years old that he was going to be launching rockets. His love was always of aerospace.”

Chad Keller (AeroEngr’93) grew up drawn to math, science, and sports, and had a deep concern for others. A unique scholarship at the University of Colorado Boulder honors his legacy and helps educate the next generation of aerospace engineers.

Chad died on Sept. 11, 2001. He was aboard Flight #77, which crashed into the Pentagon. At 29, he was early into his career as an aerospace engineer and propulsion specialist at Boeing.

“When we lost him, we all talked about what we could do to honor him. He didn’t die of cancer, a heart attack, or old age. What could we do that would have an impact on young people,” said Dick Keller, Chad’s father.

Working together, Keller’s parents; Chad’s widow, Lisa; and numerous friends, started a scholarship fund at his alma mater, CU Boulder, where he’d graduated in 1993 with a bachelor’s in aerospace engineering sciences.

“You have to recognize that Boulder was his love: the climbing, the hiking, the fishing, the skiing, the mountains,” Dick said. “There was a lot of support right at the beginning to say instead of flowers, send money for a scholarship. Lo and behold, it started to grow. We’ve now awarded 40-45 scholarships.”

The program has become a celebration of Chad’s life and legacy. Even the fundraising for it reflects Chad’s youthful passion: an annual beach volleyball tournament. Like the scholarship program, the tournament has grown over the years.

Typically held in early fall in Manhattan Beach, California, where Chad graduated from high school, it draws 100-150 of his friends, family, and now even past scholarship awardees.

“Usually you give money to a charity and you don’t know what happens. In this case we’re able to meet the students and hear how it made a difference in their lives,” Dick said. “The students have just blown us away, how sharp and dedicated they are. Chad would be so proud of the kids who have come through the program and have gone into major aerospace jobs.”

Each year, the program awards 1-3 scholarships to CU Boulder aerospace engineering students who are juniors/seniors, involved in an individual or team sport, and are giving back to the community through a non-profit or charity.

A commemoration for Chad Keller aboard the International Space Station.

“Chad took such advantage of the mountains, hiking, skiing, biking, and he loved CU Boulder and the football team and was active as an alumnus. We wanted to recognize well-rounded students who are involved like he was,” Dick said.

In his career, Chad worked on rocket propulsion systems that lifted national security payloads and satellites into orbit. Last year, he was able to visit space as well.

“Out of the blue in 2019 Chris Cassidy, a NASA Astronaut, called me. He had learned about Chad and his interest in rocketry and space and told me that he was going to be commander of Expedition 63 to the International Space Station. He wanted to know if Chad would like to go along for the ride,” Dick said.

The Kellers organized a selection of photos of Chad, some CU Boulder and Boeing mementos, and a portion of his ashes and gave them to Cassidy. When the Soyuz MS-16 launched in April 2020, Chad was aboard.

“He was able to go to space posthumously,” Dick said. “We were so honored by that.”

The Kellers are visiting New York and Washington D.C. this week to mark the anniversary of 9/11, knowing their son’s legacy lives on and thrives across America in the nearly four dozen students who have been supported by the Chandler R. Keller Scholarship Fund.

These alumni are building careers as aerospace engineers at organizations including Boeing, SpaceX, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and NASA, among others. Some have even gone on to become university professors, educating yet another generation of students.

“Chad wouldn’t want us to waste a minute. We lost him, but it became a push to get us to live like Chad did,” Keller said. “We’ve been so blessed the last 20 years in seeing how many people Chad really touched. He lived more life in 29 years than most people do in 100.”

“He knew from when he was five or six years old that he was going to be launching rockets. His love was always of aerospace.” Chad Keller (AeroEngr’93) grew up drawn to math, science, and sports, and had a deep concern for others. A unique scholarship at...

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$15 million - and a personal touch - accelerate aerospace research, education at CU Boulder

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Jan 2017 16:39:42 +0000

$15 million - and a personal touch - accelerate aerospace research, education at CU Boulder Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 01/23/2017 - 09:39

The gift to the College of Engineering and Applied Science from passionate CU Boulder supporters Ann Smead and her husband Michael Byram, aims to set CU Boulder apart from its aerospace peers and propel it to the top of national rankings by attracting the best and brightest students and faculty.

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