Luis Kitsu Iglesias, a fifth-year PhD candidate in Professor Mike Toney’s lab, received the prestigious gold award—the highest graduate student honor—at the 2024 Fall Meeting of the Materials Research Society (MRS) for his exceptional battery research. The renowned international conference brings together experts from around the globe to showcase and discuss the latest advancements in materials science.

Initially selected as a finalist for the MRS Graduate Student Award, Kitsu Iglesias of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, received the award after presenting his sodium-ion battery research at the MRS fall meeting in Boston on Dec. 3.

“This award marks a personal milestone and highlights the significance of advancing sustainable battery technologies,” Iglesias said. “It underscores the urgency of addressing challenges like energy, equity and environmental responsibility through research.”

Iglesias’s research focuses on advancing sodium-ion batteries as a sustainable alternative to lithium-ion batteries, addressing challenges like safety, cost, limited lithium resources and ethical concerns around lithium extraction. He studies sodium storage in hard carbon anodes, a key material for these batteries, using advanced X-ray techniques to observe how the structure and behavior of hard carbon change during charging and discharging.

By utilizing abundant and environmentally friendly sodium resources, these batteries offer a competitive solution for large-scale grid energy storage.

“My work provides the foundation for designing sodium-ion batteries with higher capacity, improved efficiency and greater durability,” Iglesias said. “These advancements pave the way for more accessible renewable energy storage, enabling the widespread adoption of clean energy technologies and contributing to a more sustainable and resilient energy future.”

Iglesias received his BS in chemical engineering from the  Polytechnic University of Catalonia. In his third year, he received a fellowship to study in Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden. His fourth year he received another fellowship to study at CU Boulder.

In May, Iglesias will begin a postdoctoral research position at ETH Zurich, where he will continue exploring energy storage technologies.

“My goal is to lead projects that bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and societal needs, ensuring that advancements in green technologies benefit all sectors of society,” he said. “Being recognized by the Materials Research Society inspires me to keep exploring innovative energy storage solutions and contributing meaningfully to the global scientific community.”

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Emma Aldrich, a member of the , received a Division 15 Oral Presentation Award at the 2024 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Annual Meeting, held Oct. 27-31 in San Diego. The award included a $600 prize.

Tom Chaney of the Toney Group has been selected for the American Chemical Society's Excellence in Graduate Polymer Research Symposium and invited to present in the oral session at the 2025 Spring ACS Meeting in San Diego on March 24 and 25.

Claire Ely's proposal, ChemECar, was approved for full funding ($3,000) by the Engineering Excellence Fund. Ely is with the Toney Group.

Luis Kitsu Iglesias, a fifth-year PhD candidate in Professor Mike Toney’s lab, received the prestigious gold award—the highest graduate student honor—at the 2024 Fall Meeting of the Materials Research Society (MRS) for his exceptional battery research. Read more.

Delaney McNally, an undergraduate student in the Anseth Lab, earned first place in the Food, Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology VIII category of the national poster competition at the 2024 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) annual meeting, held Oct. 28-31 in San Diego. 

Tanvi Pati, an undergraduate student in the Hind Lab, earned first place in the Food, Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology category of the national poster competition at the 2024 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) annual meeting, held Oct. 28-31 in San Diego. 

Paula Pranda, a member of the White and Hayward labs, was selected as a recipient of the 2025 Peebles Award for Graduate Student Research in Adhesion Science. The award provides partial support for attendance at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Adhesion Society. 

Nathanael Ramos, a member of the Holewinski and Medlin Groups, has been awarded a Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) fellowship. Ramos will begin his research at Pacific Northwest National Lab in December.

Nidhi Thite of the Randolph group was recognized by the Journal of Pharmaceutical Science as an ".”

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                             Professor Al Weimer

Three undergraduate researchers from Professor ’s team received national poster awards at the 2024 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) annual meeting, held Oct. 28-31 in San Diego. 

Hermann Klein-Hessling Barrientos, a chemical engineering senior, and Jessica Connell, a chemical engineering junior, each took home first-place, Barrientos in the "Catalysis and Reaction" category and Connell in "Materials Engineering and Science." Nathan Smith, a chemical engineering senior, took home third place in the "Separations" category.

The achievement places them among top undergraduate researchers in chemical engineering, selected from over 400 presenters and judged by approximately 100 professionals.

"Through focused team meetings, our students are encouraged to delve into the 'why' questions that underlie their research—a critical step for effectively communicating their work and standing out in a competitive setting," said Weimer, a Melvin E. and Virginia M. Clark professor of chemical and biological engineering. 

Students are also coached to deliver concise, one-minute presentations, allowing them to present confidently and capture the interest of their audience, he said. PhD mentors assist the undergraduates with the development of their posters, offering support with presentation techniques and strategies to maximize their impact.

Additionally, attending the AIChE meeting also allows undergraduate students to network with professionals and peers, often leading to job offers or graduate school opportunities.

"This exposure opens doors for future career paths," he said. 

Over the past 25 years, Weimer has mentored roughly 125 undergraduate students through independent study and internships, with more than 25 of them going on to earn PhDs, MDs or other professional degrees. Each year, he supports undergraduate participation in the AIChE annual meeting with assistance from the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) or the Discovery Learning Apprenticeship Program (DLA). 

Weimer's research spans diverse areas of engineering, focusing on particle surface modification by atomic layer deposition and high-temperature chemical reaction engineering using concentrated sunlight.

Catalysis and Reaction 

First Place:  Hermann Klein-Hessling Barrientos, senior, chemical engineering

Title:  “Optimizing Tungsten Powder Fluidization:  Applications for Atomic Layer Deposition"

PhD student mentor: Davis Conklin

Materials Engineering and Sciences

First Place: Jessica Connell, junior, chemical engineering

Title: “Iron-aluminate Reticulated Porous Ceramic Fabrication for use in Solar Thermochemistry”

PhD student mentor: Linnea Helenius

Separations

Third Place:  Nathan Smith, senior, chemical engineering

Title:  “Additive Manufacturing Plant-derived Char Meshes for Point-source CO2 Capture”

PhD student mentor: Katarina Odak

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Todd Whittaker, a Chemical and Biological Engineering PhD student in the Holewinski and Musgrave research groups, has been awarded the , a prestigious fellowship for citizens of the "Quad countries" (USA, Japan, India and Australia). Whittaker, a citizen of Australia, was one of 50 students selected as a 2024 Quad Fellow.  The fellowship is administered by the , a global not-for-profit organization managing prestigious scholarship and fellowship programs.

The Quad Fellowship aims to build connections among the next generation of scientists and technologists by fostering academic excellence and promoting cross-cultural understanding. The award will support Whittaker's research on catalytic phenomena in electrochemical devices such as fuel cells, electrolyzers and batteries. With the expected rapid increase in renewable electricity, Whittaker's research aims to develop rigorous experimental and theoretical frameworks to understand what drives reactivity at electrochemical interfaces and leverage those insights to design superior catalysts for a more sustainable future.

"I am extremely proud to represent Australia as a scientist at this scale," Whittaker said. "I come from a small town in rural Australia, where this career path is relatively uncommon. It excites me to know that my research, which is mostly directed at engineering renewable energy systems, will contribute to the long-term protection of vulnerable rural communities like mine."

Now in its second year, the Quad Fellowship supports exceptional master's and doctoral students pursuing studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in the United States. Initially supporting students from the four Quad countries, the program has expanded this year to include students from various ASEAN countries.

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Eight graduating seniors from the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering were honored with 10 Graduating Student Awards from the College of Engineering and Applied Science this year. Below, you can explore the students' reflections on their time at CU Boulder.

“We are extremely proud to have so many outstanding undergraduate students within our department, many of whom have received well-deserved recognition from both the department and the college for their excellence in academics, research, teaching and outreach,” said Teaching Professor and Associate Chair Wendy Young. “We faculty and staff have always recognized the extraordinary talents of our students, and it is gratifying to see their achievements recognized so broadly.”

The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering will celebrate graduation on Thursday, May 9, 2024 at 12 p.m. 

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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.

“Our students are performing cutting-edge research, helping their peers as course assistants and student leaders, and generally serving as outstanding representatives of CU,” said Teaching Professor and Associate Chair Wendy Young. “They continually impress us with their creativity, hard work and devotion to their community.”  

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Five chemical and biological engineering graduate students and one ChBE undergraduate student have received 2024 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships, a prestigious award that recognizes and supports outstanding students in a wide variety of science-related disciplines. This year the NSF awarded 27 University of Colorado Boulder students, including 18 from the College of Engineering and Applied Science, with the graduate research fellowship.

Fellows receive a three-year annual stipend of $37,000 and full coverage of tuition, fees and insurance, along with opportunities for international research and professional development that span five years. 

Emma Aldrich

Biological Engineering
Advisor: Kayla Sprenger

My research leverages computational tools to address questions in immunology, inflammation and cancer. Specifically, I aim to investigate novel therapeutics between Alzheimer’s Disease and glioma, using physics-based simulations to identify and target mechanisms that disrupt the tumor immunoediting process. One of my current projects is investigating how TREM2, a protein expressed on the immune cells of the brain, can mediate tumor suppression mechanisms of a platinum-IV chemotherapeutics in colorectal cancer. Creative applications of computational pipelines allow me to ask new questions at the interface of immunology, oncology and engineering, hopefully leading to solutions to urgent challenges. 

Timotej Bernat

Chemical Engineering
Advisor: Michael R. Shirts

My research focuses on development of software and techniques for constructing and modeling general organic polymer systems at the atomic, molecular and nanoscale using molecular dynamics. Polymer design is essential to many active research areas including identifying suitable sustainable and recyclable plastics, compatibilizing polymer-biopolymer interfaces for biomedical engineering and therapeutics, and designing self-healing materials with dynamic covalent networks. However, systematic exploration of chemical and morphological polymer design spaces is practically impossible using experimental methods alone and requires assistance from computational structure-function models. I am currently active in two sustainability-driven collaborations with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), dealing with high-throughput screening of biomass-derived replacements for petroleum plastic monomers and lignin-derived replacements for common commercial plasticizers, respectively.

Zoe Cruse

Chemical and Biological Engineering (undergraduate)
Advisors: Wyatt Shields and Ankur Gupta

The goal of my research is to build a deeper understanding of active particle systems for improving targeted systems, such as targeted drug delivery. By leveraging both computational frameworks and experimental methodologies, I will gain a holistic understanding of how we can fabricate microparticle systems and integrate them into biological environments safely and effectively. In doing so, I hope to develop a framework that allows researchers to bridge the gap between the lab bench and patient bedsides. I look forward to starting my  PhD at the University of Michigan this fall! 

Olivia Irvin

Biological Engineering
Advisor: Timothy Whitehead

In my research, I use protein engineering to make better influenza vaccine immunogens. I use computational design tools, yeast display and deep sequencing techniques to redesign viral proteins. Upon immunization with these proteins, the immune system should more robustly target regions of the influenza protein that offer broader protection against a variety of flu strains. 

David Saeb

Chemical Engineering
Advisor: Kayla Sprenger

My research uses computational tools, namely molecular dynamics simulations, to determine the protein-ligand binding mechanisms underlying Alzheimer's disease. Specifically, I aim to understand how an immune receptor protein known as TREM2, and its soluble form, modulate neuroinflammation. The ultimate goal of my project is to combine computational and wet lab tools to design novel Alzheimer's therapeutics. 

Katie Trese

Biological Engineering
Advisor: Wyatt Shields

Some immune cell types are particularly good at migrating to sites of inflammation, such as solid cancer tumors. The goal of my project is to harness this capability of immune cells to bring drug-loaded nanoparticles directly to diseased tissue. To do so, I will investigate nanoparticle engineering, the ability of sound waves to purify cells, and the effect of nanoparticles on immune cell behavior. My hope is that the work done in this project will improve accessibility and patient outcomes for cell-based immunotherapies for a variety of treatment scenarios. 

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Photo caption: An organoid patterned into desired shape using engineered biomaterial. Cell boundary is in green with magenta nuclei.

Kaustav Bera, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, was awarded a three-year postdoctoral fellowship from the Helen Hay Whitney 

Foundation, which supports career growth of young scientists engaged in basic biomedical research.

The highly prestigious and very selective fellowship—less than 5 percent of applications are awarded—will support Bera’s postdoctoral training in studying the body’s maintenance of the gut epithelium, the inner lining of the gastrointestinal tract. The fellowship provides Bera, a member of CU Boulder’s Anseth Research Group, with a combined stipend of $220,500 over three years along with a $1,500 annual research allowance.

“I am honored to have received this fellowship and grateful for the trust the scientific committee has shown towards my scientific proposal,” Bera said. “Besides the financial benefits from the award, I am excited to be associated with this prestigious scientific community of past awardees, scientific advisory committee members and biomedical research luminaries, some of whom have been my research role models.”

Bera received his PhD in chemical and biomolecular engineering in 2022 from Johns Hopkins University. At CU Boulder he studies how the shape and function of the gut epithelium, a single layer of cells that plays a crucial role in nutrient absorption and secretion of digestive enzymes, is maintained. This layer also acts as a barrier to protect against harmful substances.

In a healthy state, intestinal stem cells frequently divide and regenerate to maintain the integrity of the epithelium in a highly controlled manner. But irregularities can lead to various diseases, including irritable bowel syndrome and colon cancer, Bera said. 

Utilizing innovative biomaterial-based platforms developed in the laboratory of Distinguished Professor Kristi Anseth, Bera aims to gain deeper insights into how different factors precisely regulate the epithelial composition. He also collaborates with Associate Professor Peter Dempsey from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus to further develop three-dimensional models known as organoids which are derived from stem cells or tissue samples and mimic the function of organs or tissues in a laboratory setting.

“At the completion of this research, we should have a clearer understanding of how certain intestinal diseases can be better managed,” Bera said.

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