undergraduates

Shields Lab and SPUR student team up to advance microrobot drug delivery

Susan Glairon — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 20:46:07 +0000

Shields Lab and SPUR student team up to advance microrobot drug delivery Susan Glairon Fri, 10/03/2025 - 14:46

SPUR student Joshua Smith joined researchers in the Shields Lab to develop microrobots that actively deliver drugs to the lungs—an innovative approach that could transform treatment for acute respiratory distress syndrome.

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Congratulations to our 2025 ChBE department undergraduate awardees!

Susan Glairon — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 16:56:13 +0000

Congratulations to our 2025 ChBE department undergraduate awardees! Susan Glairon Wed, 04/16/2025 - 10:56

The Chemical and Biological Engineering Department awards recognize students in the department who have excelled in one or more areas. Winners are selected by the department’s Undergraduate Awards Committee.

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Research program sparks student’s transfer to CU Boulder

Susan Glairon — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 22:21:52 +0000

Research program sparks student’s transfer to CU Boulder Susan Glairon Thu, 02/13/2025 - 15:21

Susan Glairon

Kate Lamb stands between YSSRP participants Paloma Suárez Davila (left), who attends Colorado Mesa University and Runa Kersten-Guiler, who attends the University of New Hampshire.

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

YSSRP’s nine-week program prepares undergraduate students for research careers and graduate study through hands-on experience and professional development. Open to all qualified applicants, the program strongly encourages participation from students underrepresented in engineering and those from schools with limited research opportunities.

You started classes at CU Boulder in January. How’s it going so far?

It’s good! I took chemistry, physics and biology at Arapahoe Community College (ACC), so I am well-prepared for upper-division coursework.

How did you learn about this program?

After reviewing my classes and interests, my career counselor at ACC thought I might like engineering and recommended the YSSRP. I feel really fortunate that I was accepted to the program.

What were your academic plans before participating in the YSSRP?

I was planning to major in math, though I wasn’t sure where I wanted to study. I really love math and biology and have an interest in medicine, but I wasn’t sure how they connected. That’s what drew me to biological engineering at CU Boulder—it brings everything together.

What did you enjoy about your YSSRP research project?

My project introduced me to synthetic biology, a field that combines biology and engineering, which I find fascinating. It involves designing and building new biological systems or modifying cells to give them new traits or to produce useful products.

I worked with two PhD students to optimize a biosensor—a protein that detects biological substances, and converts that detection into a measurable signal. Biosensors have the potential to be used as non-invasive medical diagnostic tools and even as therapeutic devices. Our goal was to improve T7 RNA polymerase biosensors, and after extensive troubleshooting, we finally got results that worked. That moment was incredibly gratifying and showed me how much persistence goes into research. Our results formed the basis of a paper that was accepted for publication.

How did participating in the YSSRP influence you to switch from math to engineering?

It opened a door to a way that I could combine all my different interests. Previously I thought I had to choose one specific discipline like biology or math or chemistry. After I started working in the lab, I began learning about the degrees offered at CU Boulder. Now I'm taking differential equations and organic chemistry—different areas of study that I didn’t know could fit together in one degree program.

Why did you decide to attend CU Boulder?

The graduate students who mentored me, and Dr. (Rob) Davis and Dr. (Tim) Whitehead took the time to discuss what studying at CU Boulder would be like and how the degree programs are structured. The opportunity to continue doing research was a big part of my decision to attend CU.

What was your favorite part of participating in the YSSRP?

The research was exciting, but there were other elements of the program that I really enjoyed. We had lunches with professors and weekly talks on different topics such as working in industry, intellectual property and graduate school opportunities. It made me think how cool it would be to be sitting in one of those professor’s classes.

As a group we had regular outings, for example, we went hiking, whitewater rafting and bowling. I made a couple of close friends in the program who worked in labs down the hall from me, and we had a really fun time exploring Boulder together. I only have good things to say about the program and its impact on me.

What are your plans for the future?

I’d like to stay in research, and graduate school seems like a strong possibility. I have ideas that I want to explore, and I hope to contribute meaningfully to developing diagnostics and therapeutics that will improve patient care.

To learn more, visit the YSSRP website.

After participating in CU Boulder’s Young Scholars Summer Research Program (YSSRP), Kate Lamb discovered her passion for biological engineering, leading her to transfer from community college to CU Boulder.

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Updated major offers students flexibility in exploring biological engineering courses

Anonymous — Thu, 30 May 2024 19:42:32 +0000

Updated major offers students flexibility in exploring biological engineering courses Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 05/30/2024 - 13:42

Susan Glairon

The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering is updating one of its undergraduate majors to offer students greater flexibility in exploring biological engineering-focused courses.

Starting in August and effective for incoming students, the Bachelor of Science degree in chemical and biological engineering (CBEN) will be renamed biological engineering (BIEN).

Students currently enrolled in the CBEN program will complete the CBEN curriculum and receive a CBEN degree. There will be no changes to the chemical engineering major.

Changing the major’s name from CBEN to BIEN was prompted by years of feedback from students, alumni and employers, said Teaching Professor Wendy Young, the department’s associate chair for undergraduate education.

“For years, students and alumni have requested more and earlier biological engineering-focused courses in the CBEN curriculum,” she said.

The new degree will have a pre-med track for those who want to pursue medical school. It will also allow students to work in fields such as biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, tissue engineering, sustainable biofuels, vaccine development and more.

Leaving “chemical” in the degree name resulted in more accreditation requirements, limiting students’ flexibility in upper-level engineering courses.

The BIEN curriculum will keep core classes such as Material and Energy Balances, Fluids, Heat and Mass Transfer, Thermodynamics, Biokinetics, Biomaterials, Lab and Biodesign, Young noted.

"All of those courses are highly valued by employers," she said. “However, BIEN students will have more flexibility to choose high-level technical engineering electives of most interest to them."

Key curriculum changes

The name change to BIEN will include the following curriculum changes:

The Physics 2 and associated lab requirement will be removed. A new sophomore-level Fundamentals of Biotechnology course will be taken in lieu of those classes.
Two chemical engineering-focused, upper-level core course requirements (Separations, Process Control) will be removed, allowing students to pick from a broader range of courses, including Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Drug Delivery, Tissue Engineering, Immuno Engineering, Protein Engineering, Polymer Engineering, Separations, Process Control and other courses.
The two-semester senior capstone “design” sequence will be changed to “biodesign” to allow students to focus more on design of bio-focused processes, products and equipment using appropriate simulation software.
New chemical engineering and biological engineering minors are being created.

Starting in August, the BS degree in chemical and biological engineering (CBEN) will be renamed biological engineering (BIEN).

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Updated major offers students flexibility in exploring biological engineering courses

UROP's annual Sidewalk Symposium

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 19:45:00 +0000

UROP's annual Sidewalk Symposium Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 08/24/2022 - 13:45

The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) is seeking students to participate in their annual sidewalk symposium during Research and Innovation Week 2022. The symposium – set for Oct. 18 – invites undergraduates to create and share their research with chalk art on campus walkways in collaboration with a professional artist. The event is open to undergraduates at any stage of their project timeline to participate.

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Katelynn Thammavong: A Community Leader

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 21:09:29 +0000

Katelynn Thammavong: A Community Leader Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 04/29/2022 - 15:09

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.

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ChBE students earn half of the college's top honors this semester

Anonymous — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 18:19:05 +0000

ChBE students earn half of the college's top honors this semester Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 04/26/2022 - 12:19

Jonathan Raab

Students from the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering earned half of the 24 total undergraduate awards offered by the College of Engineering and Applied Science this semester.

“Our students have set the standard for academic and community achievements this year, no question about it,” said Denver Business Challenge Endowed Professor and department chair Will Medlin. “From success in the classroom to undergraduate research to social impact, our students embody the best of the department and the class of 2022. Further, having both the Silver Medal Award winner and the Outstanding Undergraduate of the College come from the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering is a huge honor and a testament to our strengths as a center for engineering education.”

Academic Engagement Award

Taylor Buechel, BS in Chemical & Biological Engineering
Braden Carroll, BS in Chemical & Biological Engineering
Jenna Nielson, BS in Chemical & Biological Engineering

Community Impact Award

Carrie Taylor Bishop, BS in Chemical & Biological Engineering
Katelynn Thammavong, BS in Chemical & Biological Engineering

Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) Award

Jacqueline Rodriguez Mora, BS in Chemical & Biological Engineering

Research Award

Julia Bendorf, BS in Chemical & Biological Engineering
Cyrus Moezzi Haas, BS in Chemical & Biological Engineering
Isabella Horton, BS in Chemical & Biological Engineering
Jackson Peoples, BS in Chemical & Biological Engineering

Outstanding Undergraduate of the College

Cyrus Moezzi Haas, BS in Chemical & Biological Engineering

Silver Medal Award

Jenna Nielson, BS in Chemical & Biological Engineering

Students from the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering earned half of the 24 total undergraduate awards offered by the College of Engineering and Applied Science this semester.

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Nielson earns Silver Medal Award from the Colorado Engineering Council

Anonymous — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 17:59:10 +0000

Nielson earns Silver Medal Award from the Colorado Engineering Council Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 04/26/2022 - 11:59

Jonathan Raab

Jenna Nielson

The Colorado Engineering Council selected Jenna Nielson, a senior majoring in chemical and biological engineering, as this year’s Silver Medal Award recipient. The Silver Medal Award is one of the highest honors an engineering student in Colorado can receive. Nielson also earned an Academic Engagement Award this semester.

Denver Business Challenge Endowed Professor and department chair Will Medlin, Assistant Professor Adam Holewinski and Teaching Associate Professor Wendy Young nominated Nielson.

Nielson’s academic and personal accomplishments include extensive volunteer work with the Engineering Excellence Fund (EEF) as both a student board member and chair. She also worked as a research assistant in the Boulder Experimental Electronics and Manufacturing (BEEM) lab and as a course assistant in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering.

Reflecting on her accomplishments, she offered some advice for those considering a career in engineering.

“I would advise future students to establish boundaries between school and their personal lives,” Nielson said. “Personally, I made Saturdays my ‘off-day,’ and it was a great chance to recover from the previous week. I would also recommend exploring as many new things as possible, and to not rule out subjects before giving them a chance. I enjoyed the opportunities to see what other engineers were doing through my work for the EEF, and I would definitely suggest doing something similar.”

Although Nielson originally intended to pursue a career in a biology-related field, she was inspired to change her focus when she recognized the energy industry’s impact on climate change.

"I will work to reduce the impacts that the energy industry has on the environment, either by mitigating the effects of traditional energy sources or working to improve renewable energy options,” Nielson said. She recently accepted a process engineer position with Phillips 66 in Hoboken, New Jersey.

“Jenna is a fantastic student, and this recognition is well-deserved,” said Teaching Associate Professor Wendy Young. “While maintaining impressive grades at CU, Jenna has simultaneously been involved in an enormous number of activities ranging from years of research, chairing the EEF Committee and serving as an outstanding course assistant for multiple classes. In fact, her excellence as a course instructor also earned her the college’s Academic Engagement Award. We here at the department are thrilled she earned this prestigious award and know she will do well as she continues her engineering journey.”

Nielson credited family, faculty and friends for her success during her time at the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering.

“I'd like to thank my family for their unwavering support throughout my degree and my professors for their lessons and advice,” Nielson said. “I also would not have survived this major without my friends and roommates, who always made my days better. I'm also grateful to the EEF board and my graduate student for the friendships made while working long hours.”

Students from the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering have also earned the Silver Medal Award in 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2016. The department will honor the class of 2022 on Thursday, May 5.

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Haas earns Outstanding Undergraduate of the College and Research Awards

Anonymous — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 17:20:39 +0000

Haas earns Outstanding Undergraduate of the College and Research Awards Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 04/26/2022 - 11:20

Jonathan Raab

Cyrus Haas

Cyrus Haas is the Outstanding Undergraduate of the College for the 2021-2022 academic year and a recipient of a Research Award for his work with the Whitehead Research Group.

Haas earned these recognitions through his academic achievements, his work in the lab and his time as a course assistant for both Biokinetics and Thermodynamics. In the summer before his sophomore year, Haas volunteered with Engineers in Action to design and build a 69-meter long pedestrian bridge for a remote community in Eswatini.

As an undergraduate researcher in the Whitehead lab, Haas gained experience with computational and experimental projects.

“My primary focus has been SARS-CoV-2 related research since the pandemic began and I have been an author on two publications since joining,” Haas said. “I am now working on my senior thesis in the lab.”

As a graduating chemical and biological engineer, Haas is looking forward to pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of Washington.

“I am hoping to work at the intersection of chemical and biological engineering with a focus on developing novel tools and medicines for treating human diseases,” Haas said. “Outside of academics, I hope to travel this summer and spend time with friends and family before moving to Seattle in the fall.”

His work on SARS-CoV-2 — the virus that causes COVID-19 — inspired him to continue researching diseases.

“I want to use a chemical engineering lens to develop possible treatments and medicines to help cure or treat human illness,” he said. “I also want to continue teaching chemical engineering concepts in graduate school as a teaching assistant and I would like to teach others about my research in the future.”

Haas offered some advice to students who are still working toward their degree in the department.

“My advice is twofold: one, prioritize the depth of the experiences you have at CU Boulder over a breadth of different experiences,” he said. “Try to take on roles that allow you to continue making significant contributions to what you are most passionate about. And two, don’t forget to take breaks and time away from school. The four years will go by fast and it’s important to make time to enjoy those years while also learning.”

Associate Professor Timothy Whitehead mentored Haas during his time at the department. Haas began working as an undergraduate researcher in Whitehead’s lab in 2018, shortly after the professor arrived on campus. Haas helped develop a platform for the purification of ssDNA for genome editing applications.

Noting the student’s success with the project, Whitehead proceeded to assign him more challenging tasks — pivoting to computational research as campus shut down and went to a remote learning model. Haas helped the group with their research into monoclonal antibody therapies designed to fight COVID-19.

“I gave this project to Cyrus because I had faith that he had the intellectual rigor and drive to see this project to actuation,” Whitehead said. “And he did. He learned Python over the summer, learned all of the ins and outs of the experimental method including reading and evaluating the primary literature and the observables, re-developed the code and re-ran experiments that my group had previously performed for other viral and non-viral proteins, and worked hard with a postdoctoral trainee in making the code run seamlessly by non-experts. He has built an intuitive interface that can take input sequencing code and output results using a single Python scripting line.”

Haas thanked several people for supporting him during his time at the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering.

“I would like to thank my parents, Robert and Romana Haas, and siblings, Roxana and Noah, for their never-ending support and encouragement,” Haas said. “I would also like to thank my peers and friends for all their help in getting me through classes and for reminding me to take the occasional break. Finally, I want to thank Associate Professor Timothy Whitehead for his incredible mentorship and guidance throughout my time in his lab, as well as his two graduate students, Monica Kirby and Irene Francino-Urdaniz, for their support and help with the different projects I have worked on.”

Haas boasts two peer-reviewed research publications from his time here at CU Boulder and placed first in a poster competition at the AIChE National Conference in November. He was also invited to present a poster at the NC State Research Symposium in October 2021.

The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering will honor the class of 2022 on Thursday, May 5.

Cyrus Haas is the Outstanding Undergraduate of the College for the 2021-2022 academic year and a recipient of a Research Award for his work with the Whitehead Research Group.

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Two ChBE students earn Herbst Fellowship

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Two ChBE students earn Herbst Fellowship Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 02/28/2022 - 00:00

Jonathan Raab

Six students from across the College of Engineering and Applied Science were selected as Herbst Fellows this semester, joining an elite group of scholars who embody the program’s commitment to ethical engineering study and practice.

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