Fall 2023 Undergraduate Research Scholars COHORT
Andrew Balmaseda
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Minor in Computer Science
Andrew Balmaseda graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Computer Science with a Sustainable Energy Distinction. He has worked with the mechanical engineering department in researching the impact of residential decarbonization in Golden, CO, as well as researching the electrical cooling load of the Mines campus on the path to more sustainable energy use. Andrew will work in the Aerospace industry following graduation, hoping to influence more sustainable practices.
Kelsey Ferro
B.S. in Metallurgical & Materials Engineering
Kelsey Ferro graduated from Colorado School of Mines with her B.S. in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. She started and finished her undergraduate research experiences at Mines with the Transdisciplinary Nano-Materials Research Team led by Dr. Terry C. Lowe. This research propelled her into the world of metallurgy for medical devices, introducing her to the wide world of metallurgy through processing research on Stainless Steel, Copper, Aluminum, and Titanium. Other accolades Kelsey has earned include the ARCS scholarship, the AIST intern scholarship, the Ellwood Scholarship, and the E-Days Engineer Award for both the Board of Student Organizations and the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department. Kelsey’s future endeavors lie within the steel industry, helping to innovate and propel this industry towards more efficient and eco-friendly solutions for the world’s most important material.
Maximilian Garza
B.S. in Environmental Engineering
Max Garza graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Environmental Engineering and has been involved in a variety of undergraduate research programs that focus on finding sustainable solutions to environmental challenges. Along with a summer REU at the University of Illinois that investigated greenhouse gas fluxes from bioenergy crop systems, he has participated in three semesters of research into nature-based water treatment systems as well as two semesters of research into phytoremediation of mining waste – which also included a month-long trip to Zambia during the summer of 2023. Throughout his time conducting research, he was able to participate in regional and national conferences, receive several undergraduates research grants, and gain co-authorships on peer-reviewed papers. Following graduation, Max is planning to attend graduate school in Environmental Engineering to continue pursuing research.
Tayler Jone
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Tayler Jone worked in the Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Department. He was a Thorson First-year Honors student. He worked with Elemental to characterize a new Additive Manufactured Aluminum. He also worked with DEVCON Armaments Center to create a new lab space in Edgar Research Mine for ballistic characterization. He is moving forward in his professional career pursuing full-time positions as a Mechanical Engineer.
Sydney Medina
B.S. in Quantitative Biosciences & Engineering
Sydney Medina graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering. Sydney participated in undergraduate research with the Applied Mathematics and Statistics department with Dr. Cecilia Diniz Behn. During this research, she contributed to the mathematical modeling of glucose and insulin dynamics in adolescents with metabolic diseases. Following graduation, Sydney will continue research in industry and will pursue graduate studies in Computational Biology.
Matthew Mettler
B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Matthew Mettler graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. He performed three semesters of research in the Chemical and Biological Engineering department under the Mines Undergraduate Research Fellowship, working on synthesizing highly efficient nickel-based catalysts for carbon dioxide methanation, as well as engineering plasmonic nanocrystals for carbon dioxide reduction. He also performed research with the Kroll Institute for Extractive Metallurgy, and plans on continuing his education at Mines by pursuing a graduate degree in Earth Resource Science and Engineering.