Arizona Engineer | Summer 2025 | Celebrating Entrepreneurship

ENGINEER

Taking risks & realizing bold ideas

DEAR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS,

Faculty, students and alumni have worked together admirably over the last year to transform original ideas into tangible solutions. I hope you enjoy this issue of the alumni magazine full of stories about the Wildcat Engineering community’s enterprising spirit.

Seniors at the 2025 Craig M. Berge Design Day teamed with startups and tech giants alike to accelerate sponsored projects toward the market. Some students even chased their own dreams in the business world. For example, hear from Justin Smith, who is pursuing an agricultural startup. (See pages 8 and 17.)

Well over 800 students are set to join the fall 2025 class. We all look forward to following their accomplishments as Engineering continues to move toward its growth goals. I’m particularly excited to welcome the newest majors in computer science and engineering.

The world is theirs!

Alumni lift up students, faculty

The college is an incubator for changemakers.

At a time when minerals supply in the United States is at a critical crossroads, U of A alumni Tim and Rhonda Snider are donating $1.5 million to support mining engineering education and research. Tim has been a leader in the mining industry for decades. We are grateful for their vision.

Read about generous alumni who are investing in experiential learning and translational research. Electrical and computer engineering alum Don McDonald is raising his capstone program support to new heights. Mechanical engineering alum Bill Lucas is helping ensure clinical translation for cancer research. And, Scott Roberts, a chemical engineering alum, is paying forward the value of his lab experience. (See pages 11, 12 and 28.)

See how Sammy Tin, the Patrick R. Taylor Endowed Department Leadership Chair – established by materials science and engineering alum Dylan Taylor – is leading hypersonic research to strengthen national defense (page 21).

Thomas R. Brown Leadership Chair Michael Wu is transforming ECE’s machine learning lab into a facility for revolutionary discovery in areas such as artificial intelligence and Next G communication. This named leadership chair celebrates one of Arizona’s most successful entrepreneurs of all time (page 4).

I’m also please to welcome David Ebert, the university’s first AI and data science chief, as the inaugural recipient of the college’s Computer Science Engineering Endowed Innovation Chair.

Creativity, generosity sustain Wildcat spirit

Throughout the college, faculty are patenting and commercializing inventions, including life-saving discoveries (page 16)

Across a host of fields, students, faculty, staff and alumni are striving to make the world a better place. Without your support, the college wouldn’t be able to pursue these bold ideas.

On behalf of the entire team, thank you for your generosity and dedication to the vision.

David W. Hahn

Craig M. Berge Dean, College of Engineering

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The University of Arizona is an equal opportunity, affirmative action (qualified veterans/people with disabilities) institution. The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or genetic information in its programs and activities. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples. Today, Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes, with Tucson being home to the O’odham and the Yaqui. Committed to diversity and inclusion, the university strives to build sustainable relationships with sovereign Native Nations and Indigenous communities through education offerings, partnerships, and community service.

Michael Wu — The inaugural Thomas R. Brown Leadership Chair promotes research in cybersecurity and machine learning.

Thomas R. Brown Leadership Chair boosts ECE’s capacity

Inaugural holder Michael Wu expands research in crucial areas, including AI.

TTHE HEAD OF the electrical and computer engineering department will have a dedicated endowment in perpetuity to serve its highest needs, thanks to the Thomas R. Brown Family Private Foundation. Michael Wu is the first holder of the Thomas R. Brown Leadership Chair in ECE.

The Brown Foundations are the legacy of Thomas R. Brown and the Burr-Brown Corp. U of A graduates contributed greatly to Burr-Brown’s success, said Brown family members. The foundations support scholars and programs across campus.

“I’m grateful for the Brown family’s confidence in ECE to continue its record of excellence,” said David W. Hahn, the Craig M. Berge Dean of the College of Engineering. “They have made a moving tribute to Thomas R. Brown and provided resources to invest strategically as opportunities arise in education and research.”

Leading

ECE into the next era

Wu, who became ECE’s head in 2022, said the chair is not only a personal honor but a milestone for a department

growing quickly and leading crucial efforts in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

“This endowment comes at a perfect time to support new initiatives,” he said.

The department launched a BS program in computer science and engineering in 2023 and has since added graduate degree options. Wu and other faculty members have secured millions of dollars in research grants for online security and privacy, Next G communication, and emerging semiconductor technologies.

Campuswide benefits

In fact, the funds will benefit machine learning education and research across campus.

“We can upgrade lab equipment, hire student assistants, and offer the facility to researchers from Engineering and outside the college,” said Wu. “AI is a powerful tool for analyzing data, making predictions and navigating complicated situations. There’s strong potential for interdisciplinary work across fields, including humanities and arts.”

Industry titans leave academic legacy Brown, who died in 2002 at the age of 75, co-founded Burr-Brown Research Corp. in 1956. He led the company until his retirement in 1998. The Tucson business grew from a garage startup advancing transistor technology to the world’s largest supplier of highperformance analog semiconductors. Texas Instruments bought Burr-Brown in 2000.

In addition to Engineering support, the Brown Foundations have established endowed chairs, fellowships and scholarships in the College of Science, Eller College of Management and Wyant College of Optical Sciences.

“The Browns have always understood how supporting both students and faculty builds a strong university ecosystem,” said JP Roczniak, president and CEO of the U of A Foundation and vice president of development and chief development officer for the U of A.

“This chair will accelerate strategic 21st-century learning and research in AI and cybersecurity. We are deeply grateful.”

“We

can upgrade lab equipment, hire student assistants, and offer the facility to researchers from Engineering and outside the college.”

MICHAEL WU, head of electrical and computer engineering and Thomas R. Brown Leadership Chair

US Mining Summit charts bold course for industry’s future

U of A serves as a national collaboration hub

“Boosting education and advancing technology can make the difference between leaping beyond other nations and just keeping up.”

TTHE INAUGURAL U.S. Mining Summit, held in April, brought the nation’s top mining business executives to the U of A to strategize with academic experts. Attendees rallied around surging minerals demand amid unprecedented domestic obstacles.

“There has never been a more important time for our leaders to speak with one voice and clearly articulate the priorities in mining education and research,” said Kray Luxbacher, the Gregory H. and Lisa S. Boyce Leadership Chair of Mining and Geological Engineering and executive director and head of the School of Mining Engineering and Mineral Resources.

Luxbacher, who organized the inaugural summit, leads a Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration committee for university mining programs.

Luxbacher’s role in SME, a 15,000-member consortium, is one factor that makes the U of A an ideal hub for national collaboration on mining, said David W. Hahn, the Craig M. Berge Dean. Her leadership builds on the university’s storied history in mining education, he told summit attendees gathered in Old Main.

“The School of Mines opened in 1895 in this very building,” said Hahn. “Here at Arizona, mining is in our blood.”

Universities filling the gap

Arizona is one of 14 universities in the U.S. with an ABET-sanctioned mining or mineral engineering program. The accredited schools collectively educate about 650 undergraduates, according to SME. However, the society estimates that in the next four years at least half of the mining workforce – more than 221,000 workers – will retire, potentially jeopardizing industry skills and knowledge. The summit underscored the importance of investment in mining engineering education and research to meet workforce demand and develop competitive technologies.

“Boosting education and advancing technology can make the difference between leaping beyond other nations and just keeping up,” Luxbacher said.

Educators’ efforts could be strengthened by the enactment of the Mining Schools Act of 2025, which was introduced in March and has garnered strong bipartisan support in Congress. The bill proposes strategic federal grants for university research and student recruitment.

The act would be a great help to the

industry, said Bill Hancock, 2025 SME president. Universities play a vital role in developing technologies, such as those using artificial intelligence and automation, that can partly mitigate the workforce gap.

“The quality of the work will be higher and the workers more effective,” he said. “It will take some of the repetitive, tedious tasks off their plates.”

Pivoting to an offensive stance

Among other challenges, workforce and regulatory obstacles put domestic mining at a competitive disadvantage, said summit speakers. According to S&P Global, mine development in the U.S. – from discovery to production –averages 29 years, compared with 20 in Australia.

In addition to working together to accelerate technology and bolster the labor force, attendees identified unified government outreach as a priority. SME plans to hold the summit every two years to keep the momentum going.

Hear from industry leaders at the Mining Summit

Suresh Garimella speaks about the university’s history, contributions and expertise in mining.

KRAY LUXBACHER, Gregory H. & Lisa S. Boyce Leadership Chair of Mining and Geological Engineering and executive director of the School of Mining Engineering & Mineral Resources.

The college honors the materials science and engineering professor’s remarkable U of A career.

A 2025 da Vinci Fellow Pierre Deymier celebrates 40 visionary years

AS A CHILD in Carpentras, France, Pierre Deymier discovered youth science kits and eagerly began experiments with electricity, biology and chemistry. That awakening eventually led to a doctoral degree at MIT. Soon after, the 25-year-old assistant professor began in materials science and engineering at the U of A.

The college selected Deymier for the 2025 da Vinci Fellowship, which includes a $10,000 grant made possible by donors to the college’s da Vinci Circle.

Acoustic frontiers

Deymier became the founding director of the New Frontiers of Sound Science and Technology Center, or NewFoS, in 2023, when the

Forty years later, Deymier’s discoveries have advanced a range of technologies and positioned him among the world’s most prominent scientists. A leading researcher in phononics –a field at the intersection of physics and materials science that explores how sound waves move through materials – his work has attracted high-profile grants and awards.

National Science Foundation granted the university a $30 million initial investment, with a potential $30 million renewal after five years.

“There are few people in this university, or in this country, who have taken an idea from incipience to fruition with such dedication and success,” said Keith Runge, knowledge transfer director for NewFoS.

Since NewFoS launched, Deymier and his colleagues have filed nine invention disclosures and patent applications – a remarkable number, according to Runge.

NewFoS is focused on topological acoustics, a field that examines the measurable landscape sound waves create in space and how to harness the property. Deymier and his team are literally writing the book on the subject: The NSF grant stipulates that they publish a textbook to teach other researchers and students about the field.

The center is pursuing research on multiple fronts. One group is working with acoustic analogues of quantum bits and exploring the ways in which topological acoustics mirrors quantum particles.

“The idea of the phi-bit came from trying to understand how to manipulate sound in ways that mimic quantum behavior, but without the constraints of a quantum system,” said Deymier, who expects to create a computer that achieves quantum-level speed and power.

NewFoS experts are focused on three additional projects. One involves developing topological acoustic radio frequency wave devices with superior battery life and functionality. Another uses sound waves to determine

material integrity in manufacturing. Yet another is using seismic waves to measure the permafrost in Alaska.

Futuristic mindset

Deymier has also been recognized for contributions in materials theory, acoustic metamaterials, biomaterials and thermodynamics.

“We have this brandnew, beautiful center. Combining that with the knowledge and theory that Dr. Deymier presents will boost understanding of technology as we know it, in ways we’ve never been able to imagine.”

HOWARD YAWIT, materials science and engineering PhD student

MSE doctoral student

Howard Yawit believes the NewFoS center will continue to advance science and technology.

“We have this brand-new, beautiful center,” he said. “Combining that with the knowledge and theory that Dr. Deymier presents will boost understanding of technology as we know it, in ways we’ve never been able to imagine.”

Pierre Deymier, professor of materials science and engineering, is among eight of the world’s top scientists in the second class of fellow-ambassadors for France’s National Centre for Scientific Research.

A $3.5 million gift establishes endowed chair in computer science engineering.

D University hires its first AI and data science chief

DAVID EBERT, an academic with over three decades of experience in computer science and engineering, joined the university in May as its first chief AI and data science officer.

“Ebert brings extraordinary expertise in data visualization, explainable AI and interactive machine learning to our institution,” said Tomás Díaz de la Rubia, senior vice president for the U of A Office of Research, Innovation and Impact. “His leadership will be transformational as we integrate AI and data science across the university and the state, expanding our research and operational impact while training the next generation of innovators.”

A $3.5 million gift from an anonymous donor established the Computer Science Engineering Endowed Innovation Chair, of which Ebert is the inaugural holder.

Positioning students for success

“I am excited to help create an innovative program to evolve education, research and applications to be at the forefront of the field and position our graduates and faculty for future opportunities,” Ebert said. “We need to remember that incoming students will have been raised using data and AI tools, and we must ensure that we provide top-notch education and training to prepare graduates for future careers.”

With $1.5 million of the gift earmarked for recruitment, Ebert’s role includes advising on faculty hires. He also is coordinating the development of the university’s AI and health initiative and unifying existing data-centric programs into an RII Data Science Institute.

“Building on the latest advances and emerging areas, including quantum, AI-driven software engineering, new computer architectures and others, our faculty, staff and students will be positioned to improve the future and ensure that we are having an impact, not only in this field, but in the world,” he said.

Applying decades of experience

In addition to the chair position, Ebert joins the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering as a tenured faculty member. His research focuses on transforming data into visualizations, developing techniques to help users understand AI, and applying predictive analytics to solve complex data problems.

“We need to remember that incoming students will have been raised using data and AI tools, and we must ensure that we provide topnotch education and training.”

DAVID EBERT, chief AI and data science officer and Computer Science Engineering Endowed Innovation Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Ebert previously served as the Gallogly Chair Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and director of the Data Institute for Societal Challenges at the University of Oklahoma, as well as chief AI officer and associate vice president for research and partnerships. Before that, he was the Silicon Valley Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University.

He is a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and recipient of the IEEE Computer Society VGTC Technical Achievement Award. Additionally, he directed the Visual Analytics for Command, Control, and Interoperability Environments Center, part of the Department of Homeland Security’s Visual and Data Analytics Center of Excellence.

David Ebert, Computer Science Engineering Endowed Innovation Chair and professor of electrical & computer engineering, leads AI advancements campuswide.

CRAIG M. BERGE DESIGN DAY 2025

From medical treatments to robotics and mining equipment, students take on next-gen technology.

Students are required to complete the Engineering 498 Interdisciplinary Capstone course before graduation. Teams spend an academic year designing, prototyping and testing projects for corporate or campus sponsors. At Design Day they present their work – such as this non-alcoholic beverage (top) and golf-putting robot (bottom) – to industry judges, mentors, faculty, staff, students and the public.

TTHOUSANDS TURNED out on May 5 as seniors showcased their capstone designs at the 2025 Craig M. Berge Design Day.

“Design is at the heart of being an engineer,” said David W. Hahn, the Craig M. Berge Dean.

The annual event in the Student Union Memorial Center ballroom and on the U of A mall featured 79 multidisciplinary teams of engineering seniors competing for $51,000 in prizes.

STEM golf robot

The Craig M. Berge Dean’s Award for Most Outstanding Project, the program’s top prize of $7,500, went to a group of students who created GoPheR, a golfputting robot aimed at inspiring K-12 students to pursue engineering. This was the second year in a row Raytheon, an RTX Business, sponsored the firstplace team.

GoPheR’s high-accuracy putting via a gaming controller and monitor sparked plenty of interest during testing at local high schools.

“I love being able to design what you see on the screen and make something happen with tech,” said team member MiLee Vogel, a software engineering major. “That probably comes from my love of video games.”

Besides having the honor of operating GoPheR and watching their shots line up perfectly on the display, the high schoolers got an impromptu lesson in what it takes to be an engineer.

“We walked them through our design process of getting a product from A to Z,” said team lead Evan Shiel, an industrial engineering senior.

“Helping people heal was really meaningful to me.”

JOSHUA CAPEL, procurement lead on suspension bath and ECE senior

Burn treatment

A number of the teams took on health care improvements.

“A biomedical project wasn’t something I had done before, so I wanted to step outside my comfort zone,” said Joshua Capel, electrical and computer engineering senior. “Helping people heal was really meaningful to me.”

Sponsor Roy Medina tasked the group with creating an alternative to firm hospital beds for patients healing from serious burns and wounds. Capel, project procurement lead, and his teammates, prototyped a suspension bath.

“Any sort of friction or pressure on a patient’s wounds is painful,” he said.

“Suspending them in fluid means less

pressure and less friction, and we can introduce medication directly into the fluid.”

Capel, who accepted a position as systems engineer at Textron Systems –an aerospace and defense company in Maryland – said many of the skills he used to program the microprocessor, display sensor results, and integrate an alert system for temperature and pH transferred directly to the workforce.

Mining shovel resin

Industry sponsors at Design Day represent a wide range of engineering fields.

A Caterpillar-sponsored team that redesigned a hydraulic mining shovel panel won the $3,000 RBC Sargent Aerospace & Defense Voltaire Design Award.

Students reimagined the connection between the slew ring – which helps the shovel rotate smoothly – and the slew ring cover. They presented acrylic adhesives as an alternative to welding, which distorts metal.

Barbara (left) and Nancy Berge enjoy the student designs at the event named in honor of Nancy’s husband.

The suspension bath for burn treatment incorporates sensors that continuously monitor the fluid surrounding a patient.

Seniors work on their design for Caterpillar’s hydraulic mining shovel.

Teams use light to protect patients and medical professionals

LLUMIVICI, a biomedical startup, became a first-time Interdisciplinary Capstone sponsor this year. The company tasked two teams with using light to sanitize medical equipment.

One group designed a system to sterilize infection-prone areas on catheters. The other developed a self-sanitizing face shield for health care workers.

The antimicrobial catheter device

bounced light from a tube of mirrors made with optical fibers to the catheter. The reusable face shield drew on similar germicidal light technology to accomplish 90-second cycles of sterilization.

“Having some physical hardware and data showing that a device concept works is pretty convincing,” said company cofounder Neal Brock, “and it makes it a lot easier to raise money from investors.”

LumiVici wants the devices to be affordable and sees the design program as a practical path to research and development.

“The capstone program is where you get these multidisciplinary teams, these young creative minds that think differently, and it’s relatively inexpensive,” said Brock.

MD guide, exam tool pull from AI

TTWO CAPSTONE projects applied AI models aimed at improving health care.

Global Medic Force – a nonprofit that sends volunteer medical experts from Western nations to train health care workers in developing countries – sponsored an awardwinning team that created MD-Sensei.

The low-cost, AI-powered smartphone application, which is not reliant on an internet connection, delivers proven clinical guidance to medical professionals in remote areas.

Another group, as part of a funded research project at the U of A, advanced a suite of AI tools, called The Room Knows. The mechanism analyzes verbal and non-verbal cues during medical exams, then summarizes the observations for medical professionals.

Professor of public health Charles Gerba (far left), LumiVici co-founders Sharon Keene (center) and Neal Brock (far right) provide opportunities for the team they sponsored to do lab testing in the Water and Energy Sustainable Technology Center.

The MD-Sensei team celebrates winning The Mensch Foundation Award for Best Use of Embedded Intelligence for its smartphone application.

A McDonald family gives $1M to BME design projects, scholarships

ALUM DON MCDONALD – who has mentored more than 30 capstone teams over the last six years – and his wife of 57 years, Sherry, are giving back to the communities that shaped and sustained them.

They have committed $1 million for biomedical engineering scholarships and capstone projects.

Don first joined the Interdisciplinary Capstone program as a Design Day judge in 2016 and became a project mentor in 2018. He brought to the role 40 years of engineering and business experience in the semiconductor industry.

“I found that I really liked the intersection of engineering and medicine,” said Don, a 1965 electrical and computer engineering graduate. “It seemed to be an underserved area.”

Sherry – who worked in doctors’ offices and hospitals and was secretary-treasurer for Don’s companies, C2KM Consulting Group, Inc. and DRS Consulting Group, Inc. – shared her husband’s interest in health care.

Eagerly discussing each project, she has been the perfect partner in their capstone journey, said Don.

The W. Don and Sherry L. McDonald Endowed Scholarship assists Mingus Union High School alumni, Arizona high schoolers, and BME undergraduates and graduates. The W. Don and Sherry L. McDonald Biomedical Engineering Endowment sponsors BME capstone projects.

“I really liked the intersection of engineering and medicine. It seemed to be an underserved area.”

“I’m thankful to Sherry and Don for making this commitment to the department and the college,” said Mario Romero-Ortega, head of BME. “This supports our shared vision of training students to solve pressing medical challenges and improve health care in Arizona and the nation.”

A bequest from Sherry and Don McDonald supports biomedical engineering capstone projects, for which the couple shares a deep affinity.

At Design Day 2025, Don McDonald, alum and longtime capstone mentor, supports his team presenting a urinary catheter system with smartphone-tracking.

DON MCDONALD, 1965 ECE alum and capstone program mentor

Bill Lucas gifts $10M to cancer research, student support

The scholarship supports Arizona residents, and a bequest funds the college’s Cancer Engineering Initiative.

BBILL LUCAS, a 1973 mechanical engineering graduate, has committed $10 million to establish two endowed funds. One supports student scholarships, another the university’s Cancer Engineering Initiative.

70 years of love and life Lucas, who was born in Boston, spent most of his life, nearly 70 years, in Arizona. He arrived in Tucson at 6 years old and fondly remembers joining his parents for guest lectures, called Sunday Evening Forums, at the U of A campus auditorium, later named Centennial Hall.

He eventually enrolled at the university, then put his engineering degree to good use. His 40-year career included two decades as an engineering superintendent with Tucson Electric Power.

“I enjoyed my last 20 years at TEP. It’s one of those jobs where you would do some hands-on work,” said Lucas. “I took a certain pride in getting something done that felt tangible.”

His connection to the university ran deep. Lucas courted his future wife, Grace Ann “Gracie” Becker, strolling through the lush gardens on campus.

“She had a green thumb,” he said. “She could make anything grow.”

Becker graduated from the U of A in 1973 with a degree in zoology. She transitioned to real estate after graduation, and within a few short years, took over her mother’s business.

“She was a real whiz at buying and selling real estate,” Lucas said.

“I wanted to help kids with financial need”

BILL LUCAS, 1973 mechanical engineering graduate

Giving back in more ways than one

The Wildcat couple was dedicated to philanthropy, including donations to the college.

In recent years, Bill has sought to do more.

“I wanted to help kids with financial need,” he said.

That generosity led to the William Lucas and Gracie Becker Endowed Scholarship, which will be available to Arizona residents in 2026.

And he didn’t stop there. Lucas decided to make a blended gift, combining outright giving with a bequest from his estate. The bequest establishes the William Lucas and Gracie Becker Cancer Engineering Endowment, in honor of his wife, who passed away from cancer in 2022.

The cancer initiative, which began in 2022, brings together experts in biomedical engineering, biology and 3D printing to study cancer cell growth and improve treatment, particularly with individualized medicine.

“I think she’d be very happy knowing the endowment will help move technology forward in a very positive manner.”

Grace Ann ‘Gracie’ Becker and Bill Lucas pose after their Louisiana courthouse wedding in 1980.

In biomedical engineering assistant professor Shang Song’s lab, undergraduates Ethan Taylor (left) and Lucas Mellinger stand by as a 3D bioprinter creates living cells. Photo credit: Jindi Sun

Moving Products to market

GUEST COLUMN

by Doug Hockstad associate vice president, Tech Launch Arizona

“I regularly watch this passion bloom into a desire to change the world and make people’s lives better.”

Advancing inventions that bring change

The curiosity that drives a researcher is relentless. One of the things I love most about the U of A is that this passion often blooms into a desire to change the world and make people’s lives better. I see it happen every day in the professors, researchers and students we have the privilege of working with at Tech Launch Arizona.

There are many steps in the journey of moving an idea to commercialization. One milestone is the issuance of a patent signifying the uniqueness and utility of an invention. Each year, TLA produces a challenge coin for U of A inventors whose work is recognized by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. In the College of Engineering, Craig M. Berge Dean David W. Hahn hosts an annual luncheon to present patentees with their medallions. (See page 16.)

At TLA, we are continually inspired by researchers in the college. For example, biomedical engineering professor Zong-Ming Li is developing a wearable device to alleviate pain from carpal tunnel syndrome. And fellow BME faculty member Russell Witte has created an imaging system to map the brain’s electrical signals with an accuracy far exceeding current methods.

The Flinn Foundation supported both researchers to advance their designs to the marketplace and, ultimately, improve patient treatment. Other inventors have received support from TLA’s Asset Development fund to move inventions closer to commercialization or benefited from TLA’s NSF I-Corps Desert & Pacific Hub program, which focuses on customer discovery to help ensure a product is wanted. And through the Wildcat Philanthropic Seed Fund, TLA is providing support to startups.

The generosity of alumni, industry partners, investors and mentors is vital to bringing transformational ideas to life.

As my colleague Mark Van Dyke, associate dean of research for the college, said, “I’ve been at multiple universities, and the tech transfer operation at the University of Arizona is the best I’ve ever experienced. We want to provide more opportunities to take the things that our faculty and students do in the lab and bring them to fruition, in some form, as a service or a product out in the marketplace.”

We invite you to lean in, take your seat at the table, and be a part of it all.

Moving Products to market

Flinn Foundation speeds commercialization of medical devices

Two BME professors win seed grants to refine health care inventions.

TTHE FLINN FOUNDATION selected biomedical engineering professors Zong-Ming Li and Russell Witte for its 2025 $100,000 seed grants to advance their inventions.

Zong-Ming Li, also a professor in orthopedic surgery, designed a wearable device to treat carpal tunnel syndrome, or CTS. It applies local force to nerve compression in the wrist to relieve hand and arm pain, weakness, numbness and tingling.

Witte – who also received the Flinn award in 2023 and whose primary appointment is in medical imaging – created a way to rapidly map electrical signals in the brain to improve neurosurgery and therapies

for neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy.

Both are working with Tech Launch Arizona to protect and market their inventions.

“Our data shows the promise. I’m determined that now we have to move forward and bring this to the patient.”

ZONG-MING LI, professor of biomedical engineering and orthopedic surgery

Wearable for wrist pain

In the 16 years since Li first published a paper outlining the concept behind

the carpal arch space augmentation, or CASA, device, he has conducted clinical trials and other research to improve its design. He worked with Interdisciplinary Capstone teams the last two years on prototypes.

Li, who plans to join forces with an entrepreneur and start a company, is working with Tech Launch Arizona to patent and commercialize the invention. He envisions the product costing no more than $200 for the 1% to 5% of American adults with CTS, as estimated by the National Institutes of Health.

“Our data shows the promise,” said Li, also the William and Sylvia Rubin Chair of Orthopedic Research. “I’m

Biomedical engineering professor Russell Witte leads the U of A Experimental Ultrasound and Neural Imaging Laboratory.

determined that now we have to move forward and bring this to the patient.”

Better brain imaging

The resolution and accuracy of Witte’s transcranial acoustic electric brain imaging, or tABI, far exceeds standard methods, such as electroencephalography and magnetic resonance imaging. Witte’s technique uses tABI to map deep brain stimulation, or DBS, currents behind the skull to improve neurosurgery, personalize electrical stimulation therapies for neurological disorders, and monitor patients’ long-term health.

Witte’s 2023 Flinn grant supported development of an ultrasound probe to image deep brain structures and stimulation currents through the temporal window, the thinnest part of the human skull, located at the temples. The 2025 grant is supporting a feasibility study and tABI refinements. The foundation’s support extends to quarterly meetings and regional conferences for collaborating with other researchers and networking with industry experts.

Witte is working with TLA to protect the invention and identify a business partner. He expects to begin testing on human subjects within the next year with production of the system estimated to take two years.

PFAS beware: Professor invents smartphone detection system

Biomedical engineering professor Jeong-Yeol Yoon is leading a team of researchers who are developing a system that harnesses the power of smartphones and machine learning to detect toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in the environment.

PFAS – 10,000 different human-made agents that have been added to liquids to decrease surface tension with other solids, liquids and gases – can survive in the environment indefinitely. They are commonly used in nonstick cooking pans and firefighting foams.

Perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, is a variant of PFAS linked to several health risks, including some cancers and thyroid disease. The Environmental Protection Agency in 2024 updated maximum contaminant levels for PFAS, including PFOA, in drinking water to 4 parts per trillion.

While PFOA is no longer manufactured in the United States, its detection informs decisions to protect human and environmental health.

Affordable chemical detection

The gold standard for PFOA detection relies on costly lab equipment and requires specialized training. Yoon’s smartphone detection system aims to lower the costs of the technology and training.

The system measures capillary flow velocities, or the speed at which a liquid moves through a paper channel, to detect PFOA at the molecular level.

“A smartphone could capture video clips of such capillary action, assess the flow velocities, and classify PFOA presence and concentration via machine learning, all under a cloud setting,” said Yoon, who is working with Tech Launch Arizona to commercialize this and other biomedical inventions.

BME and orthopedic surgery professor Zong-Ming Li helps a 2024 Design team adjust the mechanical brace for treating carpal tunnel syndrome.

Biomedical engineering professor JeongYeol Yoon researches airborne microplastics, such as PFOAs, and respiratory diseases, including the flu and COVID-19.

Moving Products to market

Annual luncheon showcases patents for cybersecurity and cell therapy

Engineering and Tech Launch Arizona encourage researchers to transform novel ideas into startups and life-saving products.

LLEADERS FROM Tech Launch Arizona and the College of Engineering gathered at the Arizona Sands Club on March 12 to present 17 medallions to 12 researchers who were issued patents in the last year.

The U of A ranked 31st globally in 2024 among the National Academy of Inventors’ top 100 universities granted utility patents; 18% of those patents were affiliated with work in the college.

Patents are often one of the first steps toward commercialization of a product.

Medical device protection

Jerzy Rozenblit, University Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, accepted two medallions. His patent for Adaptive Risk Assessment and Mitigation has already resulted in a commercial product.

Rozenblit and ECE Professor Emeritus Roman Lysecky co-founded BG Networks, which provides tools to detect cyberattacks on electronic components in automobiles and medical devices, such as pacemakers and insulin pumps.

“By virtue of my 40th year at the University of Arizona, I’ve seen a lot in terms of technology transfer,” said Rozenblit, the Raymond J. Oglethorpe Endowed Chair.

Cells to heal hearts

Jennifer Koevary, adjunct professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering,

received a patent medallion for a cell therapy technique to improve cardiac function.

Arrhythmia, a condition in which faulty electrical signals create an irregular heartbeat, affects millions of Americans. Available therapies have low success rates, but Koevary’s method of applying cells directly to a patient’s heart without using immune suppressant drugs shows promise.

“The things coming out of the university can lead to further opportunities for future research to build on what’s being done here.”

JENNIFER

KOEVARY, adjunct professor of biomedical engineering

Most cell therapy involves immune suppression medications to ensure the implanted cells survive. Rather than suppress the immune system, Koevary’s method of cell implantation activates the immune system in a positive way to help repair the heart.

Koevary is chief operating and chief financial officer for Avery Therapeutics, a biotechnology company in Tucson born out of a Sarver Heart Center lab after licensing technology from the university 10 years ago.

“A patent can be the first step in that transition from taking something from research and trying to get it out into the world,” she said.

Regents Professor leads artificial intelligence advisory

The Patent Public Advisory Committee of the United States Patent and Trademark Office submits an annual report to the president, the Secretary of Commerce, the Senate and House of Representatives.

Dr. Marvin Slepian led a group in writing a 2024 section that assesses artificial intelligence. The Regents Professor of medicine and biomedical engineering and his collaborators outlined how AI affects the processes and subjects for invention.

“The area is evolving,” Slepian said. “And we’ll develop greater clarity in the future.”

Dr. Marvin Slepian, Regents Professor and associate department head of biomedical engineering, is a named inventor on upwards of 160 issued and pending patents.

Graduate’s soil-less, vertical farming draws attention of investors

Justin Smith applies his knowledge and business acumen to an agricultural startup

JJUSTIN SMITH, WHO graduated with a bachelor’s in chemical engineering in May 2025, is entering the workforce with ambitious plans. In his senior year he founded a startup, Lazy Towers. He is moving a soil-less, vertical farming system toward the market to reduce labor and improve space efficiency in greenhouses.

Q & A: Justin Smith

Where do you get your entrepreneurial spirit?

I’ve always sold things on the side, trying to make a little money anywhere I can. As a kid, my mom would buy snacks, and I would resell them to kids in my class at a markup. I provided a service, I benefited, and they benefited.

What inspired you to start Lazy Towers?

Joel Cuello, professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering, assigned each student a box inside the Data Center Building and tasked us with making it as efficient and productive as possible.

So that made me go “All right, let’s problem solve.” I’ve always been interested in designing different ways to grow food, and I had an idea in 30 minutes! I knew I was going to start an agriculture business.

How does the product improve farming?

The main problem it solves is space efficiency. It will be even more dense than traditional greenhouses. And traditional greenhouses are already 20 times more dense than traditional farming.

I’m also trying to reduce labor and water usage. I can create an easier process for workers and use automation to help them.

Why is this better than traditional farming?

Tech Launch Arizona’s student resources hub, Startup Wildcats, has been instrumental in connecting the company’s young founder with investors. In fact, he received $1,250 at the 2025 TLA Startup Night on Feb. 18 to build out his prototype.

Read on to learn what motivates Smith.

The system is designed to create smaller micro farms, spread across cities. This approach reduces transportation and distribution needs, which lowers the carbon footprint and production costs. With hydroponics and aquaponics, we can cut water usage by 90% compared with traditional farming. And since we won’t use pesticides, everything will be fully organic.

How did Startup Wildcats help get your business off the ground?

They gave me a lot of confidence. I did over 20 fundraising interviews, and I learned ways to be more concise with what I wanted. The funding helps significantly, especially in recuperating the costs I’ve already put into my project.

Chemical engineer Justin Smith credits the Interdisciplinary Capstone program with teaching him the economics of product development. ‘It was an eye-opener.’

Racing the Sun drives STEM career prep for high schoolers

College helps nonprofit offer the go-kart racing program across the state.

TTWO YEARS AGO, Alex Zadro was part of the first all-female team in the history of Racing the Sun, a yearlong program that engages Arizona high school students in designing, building and racing go-karts. Now a sophomore studying mining engineering at the U of A, Zadro stepped in for this year’s competition to help the Mica Mountain High School team, Rolling Thunder, program its speedometer.

“It was really nice to be reached out to, with students saying, ‘Hey, we need you,’” said Zadro.

Rolling Thunder won two awards at the 2025 RTS Race Day, held in April at the Musselman Honda Circuit in Tucson. The team took home the best documentation award for its plans and drawings, and the award for earning the most overall points in the standard division, which is for first-time competitors. Nine schools from around the state participated.

The Southern Arizona Research, Science and Engineering Foundation administers RTS. The College of Engineering has partnered with SARSEF in STEM outreach since 1997.

When SARSEF took over RTS from Arizona Tech Parks in 2019, the college continued funding the organization’s Regional Science and Engineering Fair and added the go-kart program to its support.

“The College of Engineering hopes to inspire future engineers by engaging students early and supporting their growth,” said Kelly Simmons-Potter, associate dean of academic affairs and professor of electrical and computer engineering. “We’re committed to providing meaningful, hands-on learning experiences to students as they explore educational and career paths.”

Building karts and confidence

Derek Langley, a Mica Mountain engineering and math teacher, advised Rolling Thunder and the Road Hogs team – which won the Best Presentation Award – this year.

Langley is also part of the college’s Engineering 102 High School initiative, which gives students in participating Arizona and California schools a head start on their first year as engineering majors. The students earn U of A credit while learning from teachers the college has trained. Langley has coached RTS teams for the past six years. In 2023, he advised Zadro’s team, The Thunder Sisters.

This year, Langley encouraged members of Rolling Thunder to consult Zadro

when they struggled with their kart’s speedometer, which took them two months to code and wire. Zadro still had pieces of the code from her speedometer, which she shared.

The project gave Rolling Thunder member Mia Garcia, a Mica Mountain sophomore, her first experience with coding. The skill, along with lessons learned about teamwork and time management, will serve her well.

“We’re committed to providing meaningful, hands-on learning experiences to students as they explore educational and career paths.”

KELLY SIMMONS-POTTER, College of Engineering associate dean of academic affairs and professor of electrical & computer engineering

“The fact that we won something boosted our confidence,” said Garcia.

Zadro, too, was introduced to coding as an RTS competitor. The knowledge she gained is helping her succeed in college engineering classes. Many program participants like Garcia and Zadro start with limited experience.

“Getting through the problem-solving aspect and overcoming adversity and setbacks really helps them strengthen engineering skills,” said Langley.

The Road Hogs, a team from Mica Mountain High School in the Vail district, prepares to race its solar-powered go-kart at Race Day.

Mining engineering undergraduate Alex Zadro (second from right) – whom a team called upon for help this year – celebrates winning the Endurance Award at the 2023 Race Day with her Thunder Sisters teammates from Mica Mountain High School.

Team Rolling Thunder from Mica Mountain High School accepts the Best Documentation award at Race Day 2025.

End of an Era

The college conferred 477 undergraduate, 104 master’s and 17 doctoral degrees at the university’s 161st Commencement on May 15.

Erik Weihenmayer, an adventurer known for being the first blind person to summit Mount Everest, delivered the commencement speech. He said challenges often transform students into changemakers.

Trisha Jean Lane – first-generation college student, Mo’s Policy Scholar, mother and member of the Diné (Navajo) tribe – is no stranger to changemaking.

“Growing up on the Navajo Nation reservation without running water or electricity, I witnessed firsthand the challenges of accessing basic necessities,” said the environmental engineering graduate. “This instilled in me a profound sense of purpose to address such critical issues.”

A fresh start

Admitted Students Day brought more than 200 hopeful engineering students to campus on April 12.

Students admitted to the university for fall 2025 flooded the College of Engineering’s Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Building courtyard to learn more about majors and minors, including the newest computer science and engineering program.

Representatives from 45 college clubs, such as the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and the Wildcat Rocket Club (with its rocket in tow), were on hand to greet students.

The day contributed to the college’s enrollment success. More than 800 first-year students are set to join the incoming class.

Longer-lasting wearable transforms health monitor

U of A engineers expect the non-adhesive forearm band to advance physiological tracking associated with mental health, chronic disease management and sports science.

WWEARABLE TECHNOLOGIES are revolutionizing health care, but design limitations in adhesive-based personal monitors have kept them from meeting their full potential.

“Wearable health monitoring traditionally depends on sensors that directly attach to the skin, but the skin itself constantly renews,” explained Philipp Gutruf, associate professor of biomedical engineering and member of the BIO5 Institute. “This limits how long you can collect reliable data.”

Researchers in the Gutruf Lab have created a longer-lasting, 3D-printed, adhesivefree, wearable device capable of providing a more comprehensive picture of a user’s physiological state.

“With our sensor, we overcome this constraint entirely,” Gutruf said.

‘new space in biomarkers.’

The device, which measures water vapor and skin emission of gases, continuously tracks and logs data associated with dehydration, metabolic shifts and stress levels. The results, co-authored by Gutruf with lead author and BME doctoral student David Clausen, were published in Nature Communications on May 10.

Uninterrupted data is a leap forward

Skin shedding weakens adhesives and clogs sensors, so traditional wearables must be reapplied every few days. The researchers’ forearm cuff can be worn continuously. The device sensors constantly measure gases emitted by the user, comparing their concentrations against normal outside air.

Unlike traditional adhesive-based sports science and health monitoring wearables, which only record snapshots, Gutruf’s device delivers continuous, real-time data viewable on a smartphone or computer via secure Bluetooth.

“Our design is stable even when exposed to everyday movement and environmental changes,” said Clausen. “We’re able to record data continuously over many days without recharge, all while capturing rich physiological data that isn’t typically possible in a wearable format or requires visible sweat.”

Practical applications, proven results

With this device, athletes can monitor hydration and exertion during training. The wearable can also record mental health and chronic disease symptoms to aid in treatment and prevention. In fact, tracking and monitoring physiological signs of stress in gas emissions can even help identify early metabolic disturbances.

“This opens an entirely new space of biomarkers,” said Gutruf. “For example, you can capture the metabolic signatures of exercise or stress without interrupting the subject’s normal routine. Previously, measurements of this kind required an entire room of equipment.”

The team plans to expand the range of detectable biomarkers and integrate advanced data analytics to provide personalized health insights over even longer periods.

The research was supported by Arizona’s Technology and Research Initiative Fund, the Moore Foundation, and $10,000 provided to Gutruf as the college’s 2024 da Vinci Fellow.

Philipp Gutruf, associate department head in biomedical engineering, says his work is opening an entirely

Breaking speed barriers for stronger defense and industry growth

Mach-X researchers push the limits of hypersonic technologies while training a national workforce in advanced materials and production.

AA U OF A effort to make hypersonic vehicles faster and more affordable could deliver far-reaching results. The work is funded by a $3.1 million U.S. Army grant over two years to a research group led by Sammy Tin, the Patrick R. Taylor Endowed Department Leadership Chair for the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

As part of a federal initiative, Tin and five engineering colleagues are exploring the use of multiple metallic alloys and additive manufacturing to enable fabrication of Mach-X aerospace technologies. Mach-X vehicles will travel at hypersonic speeds – beyond Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound.

“This important research partnership draws on the university’s deep experience and strategic investments in hypersonics and is tied to an area of strategic importance for the university: advancing leadership in space sciences, space technology and national security,” said

Tomás Díaz de la Rubia, U of A senior vice president for research and innovation.

The two-year project will accelerate national priorities and bring the Army closer to deploying Mach-X vehicles, said David W. Hahn, the Craig M. Berge Dean. Another important goal is to train engineering students to take on critical manufacturing roles across domestic industries.

“I anticipate the research will increase the nation’s capabilities related to homeland security, space exploration and technical manufacturing,” said Hahn.

Alloy testing

The research team also includes MSE faculty members Andrew Wessman, Krishna Muralidharan, Oana Cazacu and Benoit RevilBaudard, plus Kavan Hazeli from the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering.

The group will process two alloys and study their capacity to be shaped into the complex structures needed for ultrafast aircraft. The alloys will be joined via 3D printing using compositional grading, in which the concentration of one alloy on

the outside of a component gradually reduces to give way to a second alloy layer beneath. These components can be engineered to withstand extreme heat and stress, while rapidly dissipating heat and minimizing hot spots.

Cascading effects

Undergraduate and graduate students will assist with modeling, simulation and testing at temperatures up to 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit –work that builds real-world skills in high demand with government agencies and industry.

“In addition to defense, they could go into fields like automotive or consumer electronics,” said Wessman. The research team also expects the project to lower future production costs, enabling others to create components in nontraditional shapes that are affordable and practical.

“The challenge right now

is that the manufacturing supply chain doesn’t exist. This makes hypersonic vehicle platforms incredibly expensive,” said Tin.

“The technology translates to many commercial applications that have tremendous impact on modern society.”

SAMMY TIN, Patrick R. Taylor Endowed Department Leadership Chair for the Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Tin is confident that the hypersonic materials and protocols developed for the Army will make their way to space travel and commercial aviation.

“All flight structures have a lot of similarities to their geometries,” he said. “The technology translates to many commercial applications that have tremendous impact on modern society.”

Assistant professor of materials science and engineering Andrew Wessman says students involved in hypersonics research are gaining skills in high demand across many fields and with government agencies.

The Mach-X research team (from left): Andrew Wessman (MSE assistant professor), Krishna Muralidharan (MSE professor), Benoit Revil-Baudard (MSE assistant professor), Sammy Tin (Patrick R. Taylor Endowed Department Leadership Chair and MSE department head), Oana Cazacu (AME and MSE professor) and Kavan Hazeli (AME and BME associate professor) work in the university’s Applied Research Building.

iExpo connects employers and students

The Engineering Student Council hosts Arizona’s largest student-run career fair for engineers.

Annual event streamlines job searches and hiring

At the 2025 iExpo, held Feb. 6, representatives from about 50 companies seek to fill jobs and internships. For Engineering Student Council members who organize the event, the experience of putting on the career fair, now in its 33rd year, also fosters community.

Software undergrad resurrects Hack Arizona

Students bring back a pre-pandemic powerhouse code fest.

JJACOB ISHAK-BOUSHAKI’S sister, a U of A theatre major, served on the inaugural committee for Hack Arizona 10 years ago. Now the software engineering undergrad is following in her footsteps, determined to bring the event back to its glory days. For the last two years he has worked toward resurrecting what was once the Southwest’s largest hackathon.

Hackathons typically bring together developers, entrepreneurs, data scientists and software engineers to create product prototypes in a short amount of time.

Hack Arizona had nearly 900 participants at its height, before COVID-19 brought the 5-year-old student-organized event to a screeching halt in 2020.

“I wanted it to be something that students enjoyed and thought about for years to come,” said Ishak-Boushaki, whose efforts started in spring 2024 with a College of Engineering-sponsored hackathon that drew 50 students participating mostly for bragging rights.

Then, over 36 hours during March 22 and 23, the regional event surged to life again, drawing a few hundred competitors from state colleges and universities. Many of the team projects were AI powered – travel and study buddies, hubs for student planning, resume and interview prep chatbots, real-time language translators, environmental ecosystem simulators, online shopping assistants, and credit card fraud detectors, for example.

Industry and university judges selected the top projects in three categories, including artificial intelligence, marketing and sustainability. The winners took home a total of nearly $10,000 in company- and university-sponsored cash prizes.

Ishak-Boushaki was one of four co-chairs – along with fellow software engineering major Daniel Gallardo and students from the Eller College of Management and College of Social and Behavioral Sciences – on a committee of 10, plus faculty and staff advisors, working to fully restart Hack Arizona.

“Being an engineer isn’t just building something,” said Ishak-Boushaki. “You have to be able to work on a team, maybe with people who have different skills or backgrounds or personalities than you.”

The Division of Undergraduate Education and the College of Engineering, as well as other university units and industry partners, backed the event, which also included coding workshops, mentoring and career networking.

“We wanted to create a backbone for this to operate around and give students the support they needed,” said Greg Heileman, vice provost for undergraduate education and professor of electrical and computer engineering.

Working on these projects, including planning how to market a product, expands the perspectives of engineering students, he added.

“This is what an engineer has to do when they get a job. They have to learn to work with the other elements of a company, and it’s often challenging.”

“Being an engineer isn’t just building something. You have to be able to work on a team, maybe with people who have different skills or backgrounds or personalities than you.”

JACOB ISHAK-BOUSHAKI, software engineering undergrad and 2025 Hack Arizona co-chair

Transfer students and veterans shine at 2025 scholarship reception

The College of Engineering’s annual event recognizes exceptional students and donor generosity.

TTHE STUDENT UNION Memorial Center ballroom bustled with eager attendees for the Feb. 19 scholarship reception, celebrating donors supporting engineering students.

“One goal I’ve had since I came to the University of Arizona has been to graduate more engineers,” Craig M. Berge Dean David W. Hahn told the audience. “Thanks to the generosity of many of you in this room tonight, we can provide broader access to a firstclass engineering education.”

The college awarded nearly 650 undergraduate scholarships and 45 graduate scholarships in 2025.

Experience drives desire to serve One undergraduate scholarship recipient was electrical and computer engineering student Omar Corona Ramos, who spoke at the reception. Ramos served in the U.S. Army as a radio and satellite systems operator before joining Paradigm Labs as an information technology manager.

“These experiences have not only reinforced my passion for technology but also my desire to contribute to the betterment of my community,” he said.

Ramos, a graduating senior, said awards like the da Vinci Scholarship and the Gene E. and Marylyn Schumann Tobey

Scholarship helped him realize his potential.

“As I reflect on my journey, I am reminded that none of this would have been possible without the sacrifices of my parents and the support of donors like you.”

Honoring engineers of all types

Aerospace engineering alum Bob Rutherford presented the Benjamin W. Cowperthwait Memorial Scholarship, which was endowed to honor his grandfather, a self-made engineer without a degree.

“He was a fantastic engineer, but he did not have a piece of paper,” Rutherford explained. “So I convinced my mother to name this scholarship after him.”

The Cowperthwait scholarship supports nontraditional students like Pablo Luna Falcon, who graduated last December.

Falcon transferred from Pima Community College to become a mechanical engineer. The W.A Franke Honors College named him the Outstanding Transfer Student in his graduating class.

“Thanks to engineering scholarship donors, I had the opportunity of doing so much more than classes. I developed professional and technical skills while working with talented research groups within and outside the U of A,” he said.

Trailblazer in school, family

Pima Community College transfer student Amber Parker celebrated

winning the Wildcat Engineering Trailblazer Scholarship. She was a hairdresser for 10 years before pursuing software engineering and sometimes wondered if she belonged.

“I was behind on the learning curve, so it was very difficult to be with people who were so talented,” she said.

But Parker taught herself how to code and improved her study habits. She caught up to her classmates while also finding community in student clubs like the Software Engineering Wildcats and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.

“These experiences have not only reinforced my passion for technology but also my desire to contribute to the betterment of my community.”

In May, Parker became the first in her family to graduate with a college degree, and the work has already paid off. IBM hired her and is supporting her continued education in the college’s accelerated master’s program.

OMAR CORONA RAMOS, electrical and computer engineering graduating senior

Thanks to scholarships, electrical and computer engineering student Omar Corona Ramos is the first member of his family to graduate from college.

The scholarship reception connects students with donors and faculty members helping them along the way.

$2M Raytheon gift adds a leadership hub to studentfocused building

Civil engineering junior Reuel Florendo, speaks with a local television station about the benefits of the Student Design and Innovation Center.

RRAYTHEON, AN RTX Business, is expanding its U of A support with a $2 million gift commitment for the College of Engineering’s Student Design and Innovation Center.

The 100,000-square-foot center, called the SDIC, will be located on East Speedway Boulevard, east of North Mountain Avenue. The building will house collaborative classrooms, purpose-built makerspaces for designing and constructing projects, an advising center and the Raytheon Student Leadership Suite.

Raytheon has contributed to the university for decades, including gifts that support experiential learning in engineering and STEM initiatives across campus.

U of A President Suresh Garimella expressed his gratitude for the gift during a recent tour of Raytheon led by Barbara Borgonovi, the company’s president of Naval Power.

“I look forward to building on the history of collaboration between Raytheon and the university as we work together to develop engineers who are uniquely prepared to take on the national security and other significant challenges of the future,” Garimella said.

Raytheon’s gift accomodates the College of Engineering’s considerable growth in recent years, according to David W. Hahn, the Craig M. Berge Dean. And it brings the college closer to realizing its goal of opening a space where students can access academic support programs and gain experience with high-tech equipment and learning methods.

Construction on the center should begin in the next two to four years, with timing dependent on fundraising, Hahn said.

Clubs launch careers and encourage service

The space will also house dozens of student clubs, including the Engineering Ambassadors and Wildcat Robotics. These groups provide opportunities for students to serve communities, create networks and apply classroom learning in competitions.

Reuel Florendo, a civil engineering junior, was part of a team that won the Design-Build Institute of America’s national competition in November 2024. She spoke with a local television reporter about the leadership suite, which she said will encourage engineering students from different disciplines to collaborate.

“It can foster new ideas that wouldn’t have been possible in more secluded spaces,” Florendo said.

Students begin their professional development in clubs and organizations, said Hahn.

“Involvement teaches them to lead and to build community, honing the soft skills that foster their futures as leaders and innovators.”

Raytheon’s Barbara Borgonovi, president of Naval Power and a member of the College of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Board, says the company is excited to help foster the next generation of engineering leaders.

Wheelchair basketball captain leads team to first national championship

Third time’s a charm for engineering management grad student.

TTHE CROWD ERUPTED

celebrating the Arizona Wheelchair Men’s Basketball win, 75-65, against the University of Texas at Arlington to claim the team’s first national title. Team captain Ben Thornton raised his arms in victory and breathed a sigh of relief.

“That final buzzer going off in the championship game really set it in stone,” said the master’s student in engineering management.

The win in late March 2025 at the Champaign, Illinois, State Farm Center came after two consecutive losses in the College Wheelchair Basketball National Championship.

“We knew we had to come out and take care of business,” said Thornton.

“Wheelchair basketball gave me self-esteem and confidence. I need to earn everything that I want in life. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

BEN THORNTON, master’s student in engineering management and Arizona Wheelchair Men’s Basketball captain

“All of the rebuilding, all of the hard work that went into it was just piled up onto this year’s championship game.”

Thornton spent much of his first year in college navigating the COVID-19 pandemic and missing his family in Santa Rosa, California. Closure of the school gyms and many classrooms forced the team outside for practice and kept them home for online studies.

“I was living with a couple of my teammates, so that made it better,” he said. “It’s very special. It goes beyond basketball.”

Combining academics and top-level sports was a challenge, though. Thornton leaned into the demanding coursework and being a team leader for 25 hours of practice a week.

“He’s one of the hardest workers I’ve ever met,” said teammate Carter Jones.

Rising to the challenge

That hard work was something he’d known his whole life. The circumstances he faced growing up might have knocked down many youngsters, but for Thornton, they game him purpose.

At 3 years old, Ben needed a heart transplant, but it took time to find a matching donor. The technology keeping him alive for months inadvertently set off a spinal blood clot that partially paralyzed his legs. When a physical therapist

guided him toward adaptive athletics a few years later, he wasn’t quite ready.

“I was kind of timid and shy.”

But by middle school he had fallen in love with basketball during recess and spent the remainder of his school days playing in a youth league.

“Wheelchair basketball gave me self-esteem and confidence,” he said. “I need to earn everything that I want in life. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Thornton chose an athletic scholarship at the U of A over University of Missouri and Auburn University. He earned a BSBA in business management in 2024 and is set to graduate again in 2026 with an MS in engineering management.

“I’m here at the University of Arizona to chase my dreams,” said Thornton, adding that he has one more year of sports eligibility and is all in to defend the team’s title on home turf.

The 2026 National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball men’s and women’s tournaments come to the McKale Memorial Center March 30 through April 4.

After that he is looking to put both of his degrees to work as a project manager in the construction industry.

Engineering management graduate student Ben Thornton wraps up the academic year with a College Wheelchair Basketball National Championship title.

ECE team wins first place in inaugural AI hardware competition

AI-HDL organizers bring together five nations to train semiconductor workforce.

CCOLLEGE STUDENTS around the world in the Artificial Intelligence Hardware Design League (AI-HDL) started designing secure semiconductor chips for smartwatches in October 2024. The inaugural competition wrapped up March 27, 2025 with the best overall design winner, the U of A team AI or Die, walking away with $5,000 and lasting industry connections.

“Everyone in the Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing is thrilled to see the first student finalists in the AI-HDL finish up their designs, and we’re impressed with what they have accomplished,” said Krishna Muralidharan, incoming director for the CSM and professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering organized the competition, which brought together students from community colleges, academic institutions worldwide, and industry leaders. Sponsors included the CSM, Institute for Computation & DataEnabled Insight (ICDI), ECE, and chip design companies Arm and Nvidia.

The celebratory event featured the accomplishments of undergraduate and graduate competitors. The program combined the awards ceremony and a semiconductor career panel.

AI spurs ideas

AI or Die leader Sean Rice attributed the win to strong teamwork and AI tools such as generative pre-trained transformers, or GPTs. These large language models are used in widely accessible AI tools such as ChatGPT.

The tools paid off for Rice and fellow ECE juniors Jerald Ocaya, Jacob Grudinschi and Sam Lovas. Not only did AI or Die win best overall design among the 11 teams that finished the competition, but also the team placed first in the undergraduate student category.

Teams of three to five students competed at two academic levels: community college and undergraduate students or graduate students. Student mentors evaluated their work based on design security, energy usage and area efficiency.

Rice said the competition has opened doors to unexpected career paths.

“AI is super interesting, and semiconductor manufacturing is also surprisingly fascinating,” he said. “I’m kind of at a fork in the road, and doing well in this competition is piquing my interest in exploring this domain further.”

Uplifting design talent

Soheil Salehi, founder of AI-HDL and assistant professor of ECE, said workforce development is key given that Arizona is attracting chip manufacturers such as Intel and the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company.

“There are so many job opportunities, but few candidates who would pursue those positions,” said Salehi, who has a joint appointment in the Department of Systems and Industrial Engineering.

Including students from community colleges and international universities, many of whom who had no background in semiconductors, helped raise awareness about career opportunities.

In addition to the U of A, students from Pima Community College and Pasadena City College participated. The competition’s virtual component broadened access for international teams, including students from Australia, Vietnam, India and Germany. Salehi plans to grow the competition over the next two years, including adding high school students to the mix.

“We are developing the next generation of talent in semiconductor design.”

Mentor William Rains (right), an undergraduate software engineering student, is part of a volunteer group of U of A students providing AI training and online office hours to AIHDL competitors like Team AI or Die leader Sean Rice (left)

Team AI or Die from U of A’s ECE department accepts a $5,000 check from sponsor Nvidia at the AI-HDL awards ceremony.

Alumni generosity affords CHEE students access to valuable research experience

Students’ astonishing growth empowers them to confidently take on industry roles and graduate school.

SSCOTT ROBERTS, an undergraduate in chemical engineering in the late 1960s, struggled to work his way through college. That is, until CHEE professor Thomas Rehm hired Roberts to work in his research lab. That was the beginning of Roberts’ journey toward a PhD from the University of Washington and a 35-year career with Royal Dutch Shell.

“Working in the lab was so formative to my life and career that I want to pay it forward,” said Roberts, who since 2019 has donated annually to student research and is looking to expand the funding.

Humberto Teran earned his BS in chemical engineering alongside Roberts in 1969. He and his wife, Kris, joined Roberts and donate annually to the Roberts Lab Assistant Fund. Thanks to their combined contributions, each year five to six undergraduates receive $2,500 apiece to conduct semesterlong independent research under the mentorship of faculty members.

“We are astonished by how much students grow academically and professionally as a result of this program,” said Department Head Kim Ogden, who hopes to double the number of CHEE undergraduates

receiving support to work in research labs. Dozens more qualified students are eager to take on paid research experiences and would benefit greatly from doing so, said Ogden.

Roberts recently changed the fund name to CHEE Alumni Research Fund to open it up to donations from others.

Recent graduate Jamie Holmstrom, a chemical engineer at Hanford Tank Waste Operations & Closure in Richland, Washington, plans to pay it forward. She worked under associate professor Suchol Savagatrup on a process to detect contaminants in water and graduated in 2024.

“I benefited so much from the experience and mentorship that I am inspired to donate one day so other students can grow as much as I did,” said Holmstrom.

Success stories

Addison Seckar-Martinez was first author on an aerosol and precipitation analysis published in the journal Environmental Science: Atmospheres.

Mechanical engineering graduate receives Robie Gold Medal

Aaliyah Thompson-Mazzeo, former president of the Engineering Student Council, kicks off the 2023 Homecoming Engineers Breakfast by thanking alumni for giving students a proud legacy to continue. Thompson-Mazzeo, a May mechanical engineering BS graduate, is this year’s winner of the Robie Gold Medal. Each year at Commencement, the university honors a recipient who demonstrates integrity, initiative and willingness to serve others.

She began her career this spring at Elemental Scientific in Omaha.

May 2025 graduate Abigale Bahnick worked on materials for printable electronics in associate professor Adam Printz’s lab. Now she is mapping out a career in semiconductors.

Anticipated 2026 graduate Rohini Ghosh investigated PFAS chemicals in Savagatrup’s lab, laying the groundwork for graduate school.

“I have improved my ability to think critically, interpret data, and present results with confidence,” she said.

CHEE Alumni Research Fund recipients in 2025 include undergraduates (from left) Addison Seckar-Martinez, Abigale Bahnick and Rohini Ghosh

Alum Scott Roberts says his 35-year career began in undergraduate lab research.

Professors code better sensors, quantum computers

$2M in federal grants fuels uncharted investigations into quantum error correction.

QQUANTUM COMPUTING is considered the next generation of information technology, with the potential to revolutionize an array of fields, including machine learning, drug development, data storage, agriculture and cybersecurity.

By applying quantum mechanics, researchers aim to quickly solve complex problems that are beyond the reach of classical computers.

“Imagine a new internet, a new computer connected to the internet and how much faster it will be,” said Bane Vasic, Kenneth Von Behren Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “You can solve problems that would take thousands of years on a classic computer.”

One factor that has stymied adoption of quantum technologies is high error rates. These mistakes occur because quantum systems are highly sensitive to external disturbances like temperature and sound. Effective error correction would protect highperformance data processing, but this area of research has had limited exploration, until now.

Vasic and fellow Engineering researcher

navigation and geolocation, and medical imaging, which involves measuring magnetic fields produced by neural activity in the brain,” said Gagatsos, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and optical sciences.

Gagatsos heads a multidisciplinary team in this relatively uncharted area of research. Two on-campus cleanrooms and test beds will empower the researchers to verify theoretical findings.

Scaling up computing

With $600,000 from the NSF’s Division of Computing and Communication Foundations, Vasic and collaborators will explore quantum low-density parity-check, or QLDPC, codes. These error correction codes apply quantum physics principles to help stabilize quantum computers.

Christos Gagatsos received two grants from the federal government to advance novel areas in quantum information. Gagatsos was awarded $1.4 million from the U.S. Army Research Office to investigate the application of quantum error correction in magnetic field sensing. The National Science Foundation awarded Vasic $600,000 to stabilize quantum computing with error correction codes.

Boosting sensors

Gagatsos is using error correction to improve the measurement capability of quantum magnetic field sensors, which could impact a host of fields.

“Several potential applications come to mind, including

“There is no system now that uses these QLDPC codes,” he said. “It will enable large-scale quantum computing.”

QLDPC codes manage how qubits – tiny units of information – transmit data in quantum systems. They solve problems using fewer qubits than topological codes while still protecting against errors.

Qubits, which must be stabilized to perform large-scale computing, are fragile. They require storage at temperatures near absolute zero to avoid environmental damage.

Vasic, who directs the university’s Error Correction Laboratory, noted another way to stabilize qubits is through entanglement, a quantum phenomenon where particles mimic each other’s states across distances.

QLDPC codes show potential in entangling distant qubits to run tasks more efficiently, saving time, money and energy. Without these codes, entangled qubits would lose their quantum state and vanish.

(From left) Assistant professor Christos Gagatsos, doctoral student Oskar Novak and assistant professor Narayanan Rengaswamy in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering refine quantum sensors.

WOMAN OF THE YEAR

Civil engineer Jennifer Duan carries on legacy of role model Margaret Petersen

Jennifer Duan, professor of civil and architectural engineering and mechanics engineering, received the 2025 Margaret S. Petersen Outstanding Woman of the Year Award.

“We have to step up and make sure the field will grow,” said Duan, who, like her former colleague Petersen, has established herself as a mentor and guide for the next generation of researchers.

Since joining the U of A in 2006, Duan, also professor of biosystems engineering, hydrology, and atmospheric sciences, has made tremendous strides in sediment transport, to manage drinking water in reservoirs, for

example, and hydraulic modeling techniques, such as those that ensure bridge foundations hold up in extreme weather.

Petersen had a 35-year run with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, starting in 1942 – a time when female engineers were exceedingly rare. She joined the College of Engineering in 1981 and spent the rest of her career researching, teaching and advising graduate students. She died in 2013 at the age of 92.

The Environmental and Water Resources Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers established the award in 2011 to honor Petersen.

NSF CAREER awardee aims to improve aluminum alloys

Marat Latypov, assistant professor of materials science and engineering and applied mathematics, received a $580,000 CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation to improve recycled aluminum alloys.

Aluminum alloys are some of the most recycled materials in the world. However, alloys from postconsumer scrap are not as resilient as those produced from extracted ore.

Latypov, who joined the U of A in 2021, is advancing a method to recycle aluminum alloys from postconsumer scrap without compromising performance.

“We want to understand how the chemical composition of recycled aluminum alloys, together with processing, determine their structure and damage response so we can better navigate the large compositional space of recycled alloys and minimize the need for primary aluminum.”

MARAT LATYPOV, assistant professor of materials science and engineering and applied mathematics

Kyle Hanquist, a rising star in hypersonic flight

Kyle Hanquist – director of the university’s Computational Hypersonics and Nonequilibrium Laboratory and a founding faculty member of the Arizona Research Center for Hypersonics –received two 2025 Young Investigator awards.

The assistant professor in aerospace and mechanical engineering is simulating methods to manage the intense heat generated during hypersonic flight and modeling the effects of ultra-high speeds on flexible aircraft structures.

The early career awards, one from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and another from the Office of Naval Research, total $1.2 million.

“Kyle has been one of our most productive and successful junior faculty members, and he is on his way to stardom in his field,” said Farzad Mashayek, head of the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering.

The American Society of Civil Engineers names professor Jennifer Duan – researcher, educator and mentor – Woman of the Year.

MSE’s Marat Latypov joined the university in 2022.

Kyle Hanquist, assistant professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering, accomplishes a rare feat with two Young Investigator awards in one year.

Materials scientist joins U of A as adviser for fusion energy commercialization

Materials scientist Horst Hahn has joined the university as a special adviser to the senior vice president for Research, Innovation & Impact, Tomás Díaz de la Rubia.

Hahn, who serves as professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, is tasked with ensuring that the university’s fusion energy engineering and technology initiatives align with national energy priorities.

U of A President Suresh Garimella has identified fusion energy as a strategic imperative.

Hahn’s distinguished career in materials science and engineering includes decades of experience leading global research in advanced materials, nanotechnology and energy systems.

His research focuses on high-entropy materials, nanocrystalline structures, printed electronics and energy storage solutions. He has about 600 peerreviewed publications and more than 70 patents.

Engineering 102 High School instructor wins Teacher of the Year

Arizona Athletics selected Justin Villard, an Engineering 102 instructor from Andrada Polytechnic High School in the Vail School District, as the 2025 Teacher of the Year.

“It is my students who make me look good, far more than anything I do.”

JUSTIN VILLARD, Andrada Polytechnic High School teacher

The college’s Engineering 102 High School program gives students in 35 Arizona and California schools credit toward their first year at the U of A.

Horst Hahn, an MSE professor, is leading the university’s efforts to position itself and Southern Arizona as a global leader in fusion energy engineering and technology.

At a men’s basketball game on March 4, Justin Villard, an Engineering 102 High School instructor – shown with Arizona Athletics assistant director Meagan O’Leary, and cheerleaders – celebrates his Teacher of the Year award.

National Academy of Engineering elects U of A president a 2025 fellow

University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering, one of the highest professional distinctions for engineers. Garimella is also a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering.

Peers select academy fellows who are pioneers in their fields and leaders in major engineering endeavors. NAE recognized Garimella for contributions

to microscale heat and mass transport, academic leadership and service to the nation.

A highly cited researcher, Garimella has co-authored more than 625 research publications and holds 16 issued patents. He has mentored more than 200 undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, many of whom now hold prestigious faculty and research positions worldwide.

National Academy of Inventors selects Jennifer Barton for senior member class

The National Academy of Inventors included Jennifer Barton in its 2025 class of senior members. Barton is the Thomas R. Brown Distinguished Chair of Biomedical Engineering and director of the university’s BIO5 Institute. She is a professor of BME, biosystems engineering and electrical and computer engineering.

Among Barton’s inventions is a 0.8-millimeter diameter falloposcope that can traverse the female reproductive system and search for signs of early-stage ovarian cancer.

Barton holds eight patents, and as director of BIO5, she helps lead more than 350 faculty members working on interdisciplinary research.

BME’s Judith Su earns global recognition

The International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE) named Judith Su a 2025 fellow. The associate professor of biomedical engineering has made groundbreaking discoveries in biological sensing since joining the university in 2017.

Su, also an associate professor of optical sciences and faculty member in the BIO5 Institute, leads the Little Sensor Lab. Health diagnostics, drug discovery, and a device to protect U.S. troops from chemical weapons are among the applications for her technologies that detect trace quantities of substances.

‘I am grateful to my students and collaborators on whose work this recognition rests, and to my sponsors and the institutions where I have worked for offering the support and environment for our impactful research,’ says U of A

President Suresh Garimella of his NAE honors.

A professor in three Engineering departments, Jennifer Barton is a standout researcher, inventor and mentor.

ECE’s Abhijit Mahalanobis joins highest ranks of inventors

The National Academy of Inventors elected Abhijit Mahalanobis, electrical and computer engineering associate professor, to its 2024 Class of Fellows.

In his four-decade career, Mahalanobis has made extensive contributions to correlation pattern recognition. This AIdriven computer technology – used in diverse fields, from medical diagnostics to defense – analyzes vast amounts of visual data.

BME’s Marvin Slepian earns Entrepreneurship Award

Regents Professor and associate head of biomedical engineering Dr. Marvin Slepian won the U of A’s University Distinguished Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award.

Slepian has developed medical devices from research on biomaterials for tissue engineering and drug delivery.

On June 9, he taught educators the basics of machine learning in the university’s inaugural Public Health & AI Summer School.

Three engineers among AAAS fellows

(From left) Liesl Folks (professor of ECE), Armin Sorooshian (professor of chemical and environmental engineering and University Distinguished Scholar) and Jill C. Tardiff (professor of BME) are among 471 scientists, engineers and innovators elected in 2024 to fellowship in the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Dr. Marvin Slepian is the founder and director of the Arizona Center for Accelerated Biomedical Innovation.

ECE associate professor Abhijit Mahalanobis (left), shown here advising doctoral student Natnael Daba, is rapidly increasing computing capacities to essentially give eyes to computers.

CLASS NOTES

2000s

Jennifer Wilcox, PhD/ChE 2004, was featured in Penn Engineering Magazine for her achievements in environmental and clean energy conversion research. She is the Presidential Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering and Energy Policy at the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy and professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania.

1980s

Darrell Gillette, BS/AE 1987, was named to the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Class of 2025 Associate Fellows. Gillette is portfolio chief engineer at Raytheon, an RTX Business. As part of its Advanced Technology team, he leads development and service transition of next-generation aerospace and defense systems.

Paul Lithgow, BS/AE 1987, was hired as vice president, space group manager for Radiance Technologies. The company serves government agencies by developing solutions in the areas of cybersecurity, systems engineering,

prototyping, and integration, as well as operational and strategic intelligence. Lithgow brings 40 years of aerospace and defense experience to the position.

Marc Marra, BS/ MinEng 1985 and MS/MinEng 1987, joined Phoenix law firm Dorsey & Whitney LLP as regulatory affairs and mining attorney. Marra’s professional experience includes serving as an economics/engineering analyst. He was most recently a director at law firm Fennemore Craig.

1960s

Tom Anderson, BS/EE 1963, authored a book that was published in 2024. “Can AI Be Humorous? Exploring the Lighter Side of AI – Laugh and Learn” is a lighthearted, nontechnical work that invites readers to learn about ChatGPT alongside Anderson. Anderson earned a master’s degree in EE from Stanford and worked at IBM, two startups, and Hewlett-Packard.

Darrell Gillette

Jennifer Wilcox researches carbon-removal technology and develops novel climate solutions.

Photo credit: Penn Engineering Magazine

Paul Lithgow

Marc Marra

Philanthropy fosters the entrepreneurial spirit

Support from alumni and donors rewards creative thinkers hungry for progress

This issue of Arizona Engineer shows that entrepreneurship is more than a buzzword at the College of Engineering – it’s a philosophy we teach students to transform ideas into real-world solutions. These pages prove that as the global economy accelerates and the need for visionary problem solvers grows, Engineering is ready to meet that demand with a technically proficient and ambitious workforce.

An extraordinary opportunity to invest From first year to senior year, the spirit of entrepreneurialism is encouraged to blossom. The Engineering 102 introductory course challenges students to build ovens with recyclable materials and compete at the Solar Oven Throw Down. And in Engineering 498, seniors develop capstone projects that tackle problems with practical, marketable solutions. These experiences instill resilience, creativity and the confidence to lead in a competitive world.

Donor-supported initiatives like the Craig M. Berge Engineering Design Program provide critical exposure to product development, prototyping and pitching to industry professionals. With these skills, students have helped launch startups and collaborated with industry partners on life-changing products – from flotation tanks for severe burn patients to self-sterilizing face shields and aerospace components. But ideas like these need resources to take flight.

For example, Don McDonald’s generous bequest will fund projects sponsored by the Department of Biomedical Engineering, like Interdisciplinary Capstone Team 25060. The group won this year’s Acron Aviation Award for Most Robust Systems Engineering for their device that reduces spinal cord temperatures to improve healing.

Investing in entrepreneurship at the college means shoring up labs equipped for rapid prototyping, mentorship programs linking students with successful alumni, and seed funding that turns capstone projects into viable ventures. It means funding scholarships that empower students from all backgrounds to take risks without financial barriers. Most importantly, it means fueling a culture where engineering meets enterprise –where the next big idea becomes reality.

Engineering students are building a better future and you can be a part of it. Now is the time to invest in bold thinking. Join us in advancing entrepreneurship at the U of A College of Engineering and be a catalyst for ideas that change the world.

Margie Puerta Edson Assistant Dean, Development & Corporate Relations puertaedson@arizona.edu

The University of Arizona College of Engineering

P.O. Box 210072

Tucson, AZ 85721-0072

BEEN IN THE NEWS LATELY? CALLING ALL ALUMNI!

Where has life taken you since graduation? We’d like to know and so would your college classmates.

Please email us with details (no more than 300 words) and be sure to include the following information:

• Name and year you graduated

• Major

• Degree (BS, MS, PhD, etc.)

• Details of your activities

We’d also be interested to see – and share – pictures of your family, your latest work project, that boat or hot rod you just finished building in your garage, or your blossoming gardens. Vacation photos are great, too. We’ll publish your news and photos online and in the next print edition.

Please send your email to classnotes@engr.arizona.edu

F U EL WONDERCAMPAIGN

Let us know if you’ve been getting some media attention. Just email the link, and we’ll keep spreading the news on the college website and in social media.

See how philanthropy fuels wonder