News /even/ en Special honors for five graduating environmental engineering seniors /even/2026/04/28/special-honors-five-graduating-environmental-engineering-seniors <span>Special honors for five graduating environmental engineering seniors</span> <span><span>Jeff Zehnder</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-28T14:35:49-06:00" title="Tuesday, April 28, 2026 - 14:35">Tue, 04/28/2026 - 14:35</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-04/AdobeStock_131209070.jpeg?h=46f4f72c&amp;itok=LEHukCSd" width="1200" height="800" alt="Multiple golden trophies"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/even/taxonomy/term/290"> News </a> </div> <a href="/even/jeff-zehnder">Jeff Zehnder</a> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p>The College of Engineering and Applied Science is recognizing five Environmental Engineering seniors with Graduating Student Awards.</p><p>Darwin Hanson, <span>Meghan Holland, Trinity Johnston, Morgan McDonough, and Abdulrahman Mokhtar are each being honored in three categories for individual accomplishments as students in CU Engineering.&nbsp;</span></p><ul><li><strong>Culture Impact Award - </strong><span>This award recognizes undergraduate students who make substantive contributions to the culture within the college by cultivating care, community, and collaborations that honor the unique contributions of others.&nbsp;</span><ul><li><span>Honoree: </span>Abdulrahman Mokhtar</li></ul></li><li><strong>Community Impact Award - </strong>Recognizes undergraduate students who contribute to improving their department/program, college, university, and/or local community.<ul><li>Honoree: Morgan McDonough&nbsp;</li></ul></li><li><strong>Global Engagement Award - </strong>This award recognizes undergraduate students who are globally engaged in areas such as research, service, professional work, study abroad, or through organizations like Engineers Without Borders.<ul><li>Honoree: Meghan Holland</li></ul></li><li><span><strong>Perseverance Award - </strong>Recognizes undergraduate students who persevere despite adversity –&nbsp;above and beyond the inherent perseverance needed in any engineering major.</span><ul><li>Honorees: <span>Darwin Hanson &amp; Trinity Johnston</span></li></ul></li></ul><p><span>Students are nominated for these awards by faculty, staff or their peer students. Nominations are reviewed and chosen by special selection committees at the college level.</span></p><h2><span>Find out more about each winner and their post-graduation plans below.&nbsp;</span><i class="fa-solid fa-circle-chevron-down">&nbsp;</i></h2></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><div class="row ucb-column-container"><div class="col ucb-column"> <div class="imageMediaStyle small_square_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/small_square_image_style/public/2026-04/Darwin%20Hanson_0.jpeg?h=66d523c3&amp;itok=9Wl-skfh" width="375" height="375" alt="Darwin Hanson"> </div> <h2>Darwin Hanson</h2><p class="lead"><span>Perseverance Award</span></p><p><span>I am grateful to be recognized for the Perseverance Award because it reinforces all the hard work that I put into earning this degree. All the struggles I went through were testaments to my strength and intelligence, and being recognized for this award reminds me of those traits I will carry into my future career.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span><strong>Post-Graduation Plans: </strong>I am looking forward to spending the summer in Boulder and travelling around for a bit. In August, I will move to San Francisco, CA for an Environmental Consulting job at Langan Environmental and Engineering Services.&nbsp;</span></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"> <div class="imageMediaStyle small_square_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/small_square_image_style/public/2026-04/meghan%20holland%202.png?h=eaa747f0&amp;itok=45gIyYc3" width="375" height="375" alt="Meghan Holland inspecting a test tube."> </div> <h2><span>Meghan Holland</span></h2><p class="lead"><span>Global Engagement Award</span></p><p><span>This award is a huge honor attesting to the hundreds of hours I have spent working with Engineers Without Borders and Engineers in Action in order to use knowledge acquired in the classroom to benefit others around the world. I am so grateful to the friendships I have made here at CU as we learn to be humanitarian engineers. My heart is also incredibly full because of all of the friendships I have made overseas in Nepal, Eswatini, and Rwanda during my work here as an undergraduate.&nbsp;</span></p><p><strong>Post-Graduation Plans: </strong><span>Shortly after graduation I will begin my career as a Civil Engineering Officer for the US Navy, where I will continue to lead mission-oriented projects around the world. Sko Buffs and Go Navy!</span></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"> <div class="imageMediaStyle small_square_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/small_square_image_style/public/2026-04/Trinity%20Johnston.jpg?h=1ccf5eed&amp;itok=6iTwTu1o" width="375" height="375" alt="Trinty Johnston"> </div> <h2>Trinity Johnston</h2><p class="lead"><span>Perseverance Award</span></p><p><span>To me, being recognized highlights that accomplishments are still possible despite adversity and insecurity. Growing up, I never thought I'd amount to much, let alone "be smart enough" to study engineering. I wouldn't be where I am if it weren't for the friends&nbsp;and professors supporting and believing in me when I failed to. I hope that this award is a reminder to people to lift up those around you and to push yourself to explore and simply attempt the opportunities around you.</span></p><p><span><strong>Post-Graduation Plans: </strong>After graduating, I'm looking forward to finishing my Legendary Halo Campaign and re-installing Overwatch and Siege, hiking/camping, 3-hour long arm days, and adding to my 5ft tall Godzilla painting collection. I'm also excited to continue my time working at Xcel Energy with the Distribution Planning team!&nbsp;</span></p></div></div><div class="row ucb-column-container"><div class="col ucb-column"> <div class="imageMediaStyle small_square_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/small_square_image_style/public/2026-04/Morgan%20McDonough_0.jpg?h=d222281a&amp;itok=XKfx0hb9" width="375" height="375" alt="Morgan McDonough"> </div> <h2>Morgan McDonough</h2><p class="lead"><span>Community Impact Award</span></p><p><span>This recognition means so much to me. While I have gotten so much out of each experience whether that's the incredible people I have met or the joyful memories I have made, receiving this award will serve as a reminder that I have also made an impact on my community, and will drive me to continue dedicating time to serving others.</span></p><p><span><strong>Post-Graduation Plans: </strong>I am excited for the opportunity to work for Trotter and Associates Inc, which is a full-service engineering firm in the west and north suburbs of Chicago.&nbsp;</span></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"> <div class="imageMediaStyle small_square_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/small_square_image_style/public/2026-04/Abdulrahman%20Mokhtar_1.JPG?h=ef2140b0&amp;itok=fGbQPL-5" width="375" height="375" alt="Abdulrahman Mokhtar"> </div> <h2>Abdulrahman Mokhtar</h2><p class="lead"><span>Culture Impact Award</span></p><p><span>To me, this recognition means a great deal because it reflects the impact of building community, supporting others, and contributing to a positive and inclusive environment within CU Engineering. My time at ̽Ƶ has shaped me not only as an Environmental Engineering student, but also as a person, and I’m grateful to have been part of a community where I could grow while also giving back.</span></p><p><strong>Post Graduation Plans: </strong><span>I plan on applying all that I have learned back home in Saudi Arabia. I aspire to be one of the country’s young leaders who contributes to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 by helping develop meaningful, practical, and sustainable solutions that support the nation’s future.</span></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p>&nbsp;</p></div></div><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2026-04/AdobeStock_131209070.jpeg?itok=volg4F5X" width="1500" height="903" alt="Multiple golden trophies"> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 28 Apr 2026 20:35:49 +0000 Jeff Zehnder 5072 at /even 2026 Environmental Engineering Capstone Senior Design Awards /even/2026/04/21/2026-environmental-engineering-capstone-senior-design-awards <span>2026 Environmental Engineering Capstone Senior Design Awards</span> <span><span>Jeff Zehnder</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-21T14:38:01-06:00" title="Tuesday, April 21, 2026 - 14:38">Tue, 04/21/2026 - 14:38</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-04/Expo%20Cover%202026_0.jpg?h=9fb3ecda&amp;itok=gyih2Qjh" width="1200" height="800" alt="Expo program cover"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/even/taxonomy/term/290"> News </a> </div> <a href="/even/jeff-zehnder">Jeff Zehnder</a> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-hidden ucb-box-alignment-right ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-black"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title">&nbsp;</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><p class="text-align-center lead"><a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCRBvE" rel="nofollow">&nbsp;<i class="fa-solid fa-camera">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;2026 Engineering Projects Expo Flickr Gallery</a></p></div></div></div><p>Seniors showcased their capstone projects at a special public expo on Friday.</p><p>The <a href="/engineering/expo" rel="nofollow">2026 College of Engineering and Applied Science Projects Expo</a> brought together students from eight majors, including environmental engineering, to present their senior capstone design projects.</p><p>Held at the Ford Practice Field on April 17, the event welcomed undergraduate and graduate students, industry, friends, family, and the general public to explore student solutions to complex engineering problems.</p><p class="lead"><strong>Five environmental engineering projects received special accolades for their work&nbsp;</strong><i class="fa-solid fa-circle-chevron-down ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i></p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default 3"> <div class="ucb-article-row-subrow row"> <div class="ucb-article-text col-lg d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><h2><i class="fa-solid fa-compass-drafting ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;<span dir="ltr">Judges' Choice Award for Best Engineering Design</span></h2><ul><li><span dir="ltr"><strong>Project: </strong>Plum Creek Water Reclamation System Upgrade for Nitrogen &amp; Phosphorus</span></li><li><span dir="ltr"><strong>Team Members:</strong> </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-monroe-a0583128a/" rel="nofollow"><span dir="ltr">Molly Monroe</span></a><span dir="ltr">, </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/colin-yeh-8580a2269/" rel="nofollow"><span dir="ltr">Colin Yeh,</span></a><span dir="ltr"> </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/elyse-panagakos/" rel="nofollow"><span dir="ltr">Elyse Panagakos</span></a><span dir="ltr">, </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-blatchford-4a6261271/" rel="nofollow"><span dir="ltr">Jenna Blatchford,</span></a><span dir="ltr"> </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-dykstra-059363228/" rel="nofollow"><span dir="ltr">Julia Dykstra</span></a></li><li><strong>Sponsor:</strong> Plum Creek Water Reclamation Authority Wastewater Treatement Facility</li><li><em>This project is also the Environmental Engineering Program entry to the </em><a href="https://www.memberleap.com/Calendar/moreinfo.php?eventid=62695" rel="nofollow"><em>2026 RMWEA Student Design Competition.</em></a></li></ul></div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-right col-lg"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default ucb-article-media-paragraph"> <div class="ucb-paragraph-media__image"> <img class="ucb-article-media-img ucb-article-media-img--original" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_size/public/2026-04/plumcreekteam.gif?itok=KGbXstdL" alt="Plum Creek Team" loading="lazy"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default 2"> <div class="ucb-article-row-subrow row"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-left col-lg"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default ucb-article-media-paragraph"> <div class="ucb-paragraph-media__image"> <img class="ucb-article-media-img ucb-article-media-img--original" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_size/public/2026-04/denverwaterteam.gif?itok=pJOdPN9-" alt="Team Denver Water" loading="lazy"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text col-lg d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><h2><i class="fa-solid fa-faucet-drip ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;<span dir="ltr">Judges' Choice Award for Best Modeling Effort</span></h2><ul><li><span dir="ltr"><strong>Project: </strong>Recycled Water System: Chlorine Boosting and Ambient Heat Recovery</span></li><li><span dir="ltr"><strong>Team Members:</strong> </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-ouellette-4800212b3/" rel="nofollow"><span dir="ltr">Laura Ouellette</span></a><span dir="ltr">, Caroline Mays, </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghan-l-holland/" rel="nofollow"><span dir="ltr">Meghan Holland</span></a><span dir="ltr">, </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-mcdonough-81518b288/" rel="nofollow"><span dir="ltr">Morgan McDonough,</span></a><span dir="ltr"> </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eyosiyas-asefa-39a920255/" rel="nofollow"><span dir="ltr">Eyosiyas Asefa</span></a></li><li><strong>Sponsor: </strong>Denver Water</li></ul></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default 3"> <div class="ucb-article-row-subrow row"> <div class="ucb-article-text col-lg d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><h2><i class="fa-solid fa-seedling ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;<span dir="ltr">Judges' Choice Award for the Best Design Impact</span></h2><ul><li><span dir="ltr"><strong>Project: </strong>Soil Vapor Extraction System to Remediate Condensate Tank Spill&nbsp;</span></li><li><span dir="ltr"><strong>Team Members:</strong> </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiahrywnak/" rel="nofollow"><span dir="ltr">Sophia Hrywnak</span></a><span dir="ltr">, </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-chandler-b3438033a/" rel="nofollow"><span dir="ltr">Elizabeth Chandler,</span></a><span dir="ltr"> </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chase-nathanson-407402353/" rel="nofollow"><span dir="ltr">Chase Nathanson,</span></a><span dir="ltr"> </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-stucky-2344473ab/" rel="nofollow"><span dir="ltr">Erin Stucky</span></a></li><li><strong>Sponsor: </strong>Trihydro Corporation</li></ul></div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-right col-lg"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default ucb-article-media-paragraph"> <div class="ucb-paragraph-media__image"> <img class="ucb-article-media-img ucb-article-media-img--original" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_size/public/2026-04/trihydroteam.gif?itok=47oQgJt6" alt="Team Trihydro" loading="lazy"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default 2"> <div class="ucb-article-row-subrow row"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-left col-lg"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default ucb-article-media-paragraph"> <div class="ucb-paragraph-media__image"> <img class="ucb-article-media-img ucb-article-media-img--original" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_size/public/2026-04/kelseasoudersteam.gif?itok=xP7kwPQX" alt="Team Kelsea Souders" loading="lazy"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text col-lg d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><h2><i class="fa-solid fa-wind ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;<span dir="ltr">Judges' Choice Award for the Best Innovative Technology</span></h2><ul><li><span dir="ltr"><strong>Project:</strong> Educational Wind Turbine Model</span></li><li><span dir="ltr"><strong>Team Members:</strong> Callum McCabe, </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexa-crossley-774949345/" rel="nofollow"><span dir="ltr">Alexa Crossley</span></a><span dir="ltr">, </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-gavney-43a670266/" rel="nofollow"><span dir="ltr">Shane Gavney</span></a><span dir="ltr">, </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-ruelle-509272267/" rel="nofollow"><span dir="ltr">Katy Ruelle,</span></a><span dir="ltr"> </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-caulk-593624305/" rel="nofollow"><span dir="ltr">Chloe Caulk</span></a><span dir="ltr">&nbsp;</span></li><li><span dir="ltr"><strong>Sponsor: </strong>Kelsea Souders</span></li></ul></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Zebra Striped</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:38:01 +0000 Jeff Zehnder 5071 at /even Two environmental engineering students earn major National Science Foundation fellowship /even/2026/04/15/two-environmental-engineering-students-earn-major-national-science-foundation-fellowship <span>Two environmental engineering students earn major National Science Foundation fellowship</span> <span><span>Jeff Zehnder</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-15T09:01:13-06:00" title="Wednesday, April 15, 2026 - 09:01">Wed, 04/15/2026 - 09:01</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/article-image/nsf-logo_0.png?h=e54d7d27&amp;itok=kBTngrdw" width="1200" height="800" alt="NSF Logo"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/even/taxonomy/term/290"> News </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div> <div class="align-right image_style-square_thumbnail_image_style"> <div class="imageMediaStyle square_thumbnail_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/square_thumbnail_image_style/public/article-image/nsf-logo_0.png?h=e54d7d27&amp;itok=gCpNtGGW" width="100" height="100" alt="NSF Logo"> </div> </div> <p>Two environmental engineering graduate students have earned prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program awards.&nbsp;</p><p>Grace Berg and Kate Rodelli are 2026 recipients of the NSF GRFP awards, which recognize and support outstanding grad students from across the country in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields who are pursuing research-based master’s or doctoral degrees.</p><p>Awardees receive a $37,000 annual stipend and cost of education allowance for the next three years as well as professional development opportunities.</p><h2>Find out about their research below:</h2></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default 3"> <div class="ucb-article-row-subrow row"> <div class="ucb-article-text col-lg d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><h2>Grace Berg</h2><p><em>1st Year PhD Student</em></p><p><strong>Advisor:</strong> <a href="/even/faculty/michael-hannigan" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="087ac9c6-ffe5-44a8-aa06-2d0d24b924dc" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Michael Hannigan">Mike Hannigan</a><br><strong>Lab: </strong><a href="/lab/hannigan/" rel="nofollow">Hannigan Air Quality and Technology Research (HAQ) Lab&nbsp;</a></p><p><span>My proposed research focuses on leveraging low-cost sensors, activity data, and crowdsourced reporting to characterize overlapping environmental hazards—such as air pollution, extreme heat, and noise—in urban environments. My goals are to identify coincident drivers of multiple hazards and help cities be more strategic about data collection and mitigation actions.&nbsp;</span></p></div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-right col-lg"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default ucb-article-media-paragraph"> <div class="ucb-paragraph-media__image"> <img class="ucb-article-media-img ucb-article-media-img--original" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_size/public/2026-04/Grace%20Berg_0.png?itok=QrSQyniu" alt="Grace Berg" loading="lazy"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default 2"> <div class="ucb-article-row-subrow row"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-left col-lg"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default ucb-article-media-paragraph"> <div class="ucb-paragraph-media__image"> <img class="ucb-article-media-img ucb-article-media-img--original" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_size/public/2026-04/Kate%20Rodelli.jpg?itok=MjdvJ603" alt="Kate Rodelli" loading="lazy"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text col-lg d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><h2>Kate Rodelli</h2><p><em><span>1st&nbsp;year PhD student&nbsp;</span></em></p><p><span><strong>Advisors: </strong></span><a href="/even/faculty/daven-henze" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="dbffed85-1e03-49ba-a3c7-a392c3537581" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Daven Henze"><span>Daven Henze</span></a> and<span><strong> </strong></span><a href="/even/kelvin-bates" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="7b9517e5-5246-4a78-a50a-62a442443e61" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Kelvin Bates"><span>Kelvin Bates</span></a><br><strong>Labs: </strong><a href="https://spot.colorado.edu/~henzed/index.shtml" rel="nofollow">Henze Group</a>, <a href="https://www.kelvinbates.com/" rel="nofollow">Bates Lab</a></p><p>Nitrogen oxides (NO<span>ₓ</span>) and ammonia (NH₃) are primary contributors to reactive nitrogen (Nr) deposition and react in the atmosphere to form aerosol ammonium nitrate, a key component of fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅). PM₂.₅ causes over four million premature deaths annually, and nitrogen deposition degrades ecosystems. While U.S. NO<span>ₓ</span> emissions have declined, NH₃ emissions remain highly uncertain and are often systematically underestimated, limiting the predictive skill of air quality models such as <a href="https://geoschem.github.io/index.html" rel="nofollow">GEOS-Chem.</a> My research uses satellite observations to improve reactive nitrogen emission estimates. I will conduct a high-temporal-resolution joint inversion of NO₂ and NH₃, assimilating TEMPO, CrIS, and IASI satellite observations into GEOS-Chem using an ensemble-based data assimilation framework. This work will produce more accurate emission estimates that strengthen predictions of air quality and nitrogen deposition, supporting exposure assessment, ecosystem analysis, and policy-relevant decision making.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Zebra Striped</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:01:13 +0000 Jeff Zehnder 5070 at /even ̽Ƶ Environmental Engineering ranked #7 among public universities by U.S. News /even/2026/04/07/cu-boulder-environmental-engineering-ranked-7-among-public-universities-us-news <span>̽Ƶ Environmental Engineering ranked #7 among public universities by U.S. News</span> <span><span>Jeff Zehnder</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-07T09:04:39-06:00" title="Tuesday, April 7, 2026 - 09:04">Tue, 04/07/2026 - 09:04</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-12/Hydrolics_Creek%20Flow%20Lab_CVEN_20230908_JMP_39.jpg?h=c2f6eccb&amp;itok=duquXbPo" width="1200" height="800" alt="Sampling in Boulder Creek."> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/even/taxonomy/term/290"> News </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p dir="ltr"><span>The University of Colorado Boulder is again ranked as one of the top 10 public engineering graduate programs in the country, according to&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-engineering-schools/eng-rankings" rel="nofollow"><em><span>U.S. News and World Report</span></em><span>’s Best Graduate Schools list for 2026-27</span></a><span>.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>In the specialty rankings, nearly all of CU Engineering’s graduate degree programs were ranked in the top 20 amongst their public peers – with two in the top 10.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><ul><li dir="ltr"><a href="/aerospace/academics/graduates" rel="nofollow"><span>Aerospace engineering sciences</span></a><span>: No. 5&nbsp;</span></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/even/prospective-students/graduate-studies" rel="nofollow"><span>Environmental engineering</span></a><span>: No. 7</span></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/chbe/academics/graduate-programs" rel="nofollow"><span>Chemical engineering</span></a><span>: No. 11</span></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/mechanical/academics" rel="nofollow"><span>Mechanical engineering</span></a><span>: No. 14</span></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/ecee/academics/graduate-programs" rel="nofollow"><span>Computer engineering</span></a><span>: No. 14</span></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/ceae/academics/ceae-graduate-studies" rel="nofollow"><span>Civil engineering</span></a><span>: No. 15</span></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/cs/academics/graduate-programs" rel="nofollow"><span>Computer science</span></a><span>: No. 15 (Best Computer Science Schools)</span></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/ecee/academics/graduate-programs" rel="nofollow"><span>Electrical engineering</span></a><span>: No. 17</span></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/bme/academics" rel="nofollow"><span>Biomedical engineering</span></a><span>: No. 19</span></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/mse/academics" rel="nofollow"><span>Materials science and engineering</span></a><span>: No. 20</span></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/chbe/academics/graduate-programs" rel="nofollow"><span>Biological engineering</span></a><span>: No. 26&nbsp;</span></li></ul><p dir="ltr"><span>“These&nbsp;U.S. News &amp; World Report rankings represent the strongest performance in the history of our graduate programs and reflect the extraordinary dedication of our faculty, staff and students,” said Keith Molenaar, dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science. “Having every department with at least one graduate program ranked in the top 20 among public universities speaks to the depth and consistency of excellence across the college. This recognition affirms our commitment to impactful research, outstanding graduate education and preparing engineers and applied scientists to lead and serve society.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>When compared to its public university peers, ̽Ƶ’s engineering graduate program landed at No. 10. The college was ranked No. 18 overall, tied with Columbia University and the University of Maryland-College Park, when compared to both public and private universities.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>To calculate its rankings, U.S. News and World Report looks at a range of data about graduate programs, including research activity, peer and recruiter assessments, and student selectivity.&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/articles/engineering-schools-methodology" rel="nofollow"><span>Read the full methodology</span></a><span>.&nbsp;</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <script> window.location.href = `/engineering/latest-rankings-college-top-10-nearly-all-graduate-degrees-top-20`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:04:39 +0000 Jeff Zehnder 5068 at /even Winter never came to Colorado. What does it mean for water supplies? /even/2026/03/31/winter-never-came-colorado-what-does-it-mean-water-supplies <span>Winter never came to Colorado. What does it mean for water supplies?</span> <span><span>Jeff Zehnder</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-03-31T10:09:04-06:00" title="Tuesday, March 31, 2026 - 10:09">Tue, 03/31/2026 - 10:09</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-03/Screenshot%202026-03-31%20at%208.57.58%20AM.png?h=3d4a165d&amp;itok=tgjOnwoO" width="1200" height="800" alt="Map showing snowpack at below 50% of normal levels as of March 30, 2026."> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/even/taxonomy/term/290"> News </a> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-tags" itemprop="keywords"> <span class="visually-hidden">Tags:</span> <div class="ucb-article-tag-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-tags"></i> </div> <a href="/even/taxonomy/term/177" hreflang="en">Ben Livneh News</a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p>For the past weeks, temperatures in Colorado have surged 20 to 30 degrees above average for March, normally one of the state’s snowiest months.&nbsp;</p><p>That’s on top of an unusually warm and dry winter for the American Southwest, a region already grappling with long-term water shortages since around 2000. In Colorado, snowpack sits at about 40% of normal levels, among the lowest since comprehensive modern records began roughly four decades ago.</p><p>In parts of the southern <a href="https://www.usbr.gov/climate/secure/docs/2016secure/factsheet/ColoradoRiverBasinFactSheet.pdf" rel="nofollow">Colorado River Basin</a>, a 250,000-square-mile watershed spanning seven states in the southwest, snowpack has dropped to less than one-third of normal. The basin provides water for 40 million people and 5.5 million acres of farmland.</p><p>Snowpack acts like frozen water towers, said <a href="/ceae/ben-livneh" rel="nofollow">Ben Livneh</a>, associate professor in the department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering. As temperatures rise and the Southwest enters its typically hot and dry spring and summer months, melting snow provides&nbsp;about 80% of the water used by downstream communities in the Colorado River Basin.&nbsp;</p><p>In response to the snow drought, the city of Denver recently declared a <a href="https://www.denverwater.org/residential/rebates-and-conservation-tips/summer-watering-rules" rel="nofollow">Stage 1 drought</a>, the first drought alert the city has issued since the summer of 2013. Other Front Range cities are considering similar measures.&nbsp;</p><p>“In Colorado, our peak snowpack happens around mid-April, so there is still a chance that we could get more snow,” said Livneh, who’s also the director of the Western Water Assessment (WWA) at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (<a href="https://cires.colorado.edu/" rel="nofollow">CIRES</a>). According to the <a href="https://www.weather.gov/bou/weatherstory#:~:text=We&amp;apos;ll%20finally%20see%20a,Range%2C%20and%20the%20Indian%20Peaks." rel="nofollow">National Weather Service</a>, a storm is bringing precipitation to Colorado this week, with the potential for a few inches of accumulation in the mountains. “But at this point, it does look like we have a long way to go to catch up.”</p><p>̽Ƶ Today sat down with Livneh to talk about the impact of a snow drought on Colorado communities, whether drought is the new normal and what individuals can do.&nbsp;</p><h2>How dry is it?</h2><p>Colorado lies in a mountainous region far from the ocean, so our climate naturally varies a lot. As a result, it’s not uncommon to see big swings between wet years and dry years.</p><p>Right now, we are in a very dry period, and the numbers are pretty stark. There’s barely any snow on mountains in lower elevations, and some snowpack could melt early because of the warm weather. When we look ahead to the amount of water expected to flow into our reservoirs, which would be the water people actually get to use, the current forecasts fall among the lowest we’ve seen since the early 1980s when the detailed snow measurements began.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><div>&nbsp;</div><p><span>Across Colorado, snowpack sits at below 50% of normal levels as of March 30, 2026. (Credit: National Weather Service)</span></p><h2>How does this year compare with previous drought years?</h2><p>There were some years that were drier, like 1977 and 1981. But those years weren’t as warm as this year. Over the past 40 years, since we’ve had continuous observation data, 2002 and 2012 were also warm with low precipitation, but they weren’t as dry as this year.</p><p>We have a lot of systems in place that were specifically designed to handle individual bad years, like these big, impressive reservoirs. But we’ve been in a dry period for the past 25 years, and every dry year puts additional stress on our infrastructure.</p><h2>What could be causing this snow drought?</h2><p>We’re currently in the warmest 25-year period on record, and warming is one of the clearest signals of recent climatic changes. When it’s warmer, the atmosphere can hold more moisture.&nbsp;</p><p>At the same time, the climate in our region naturally swings between wetter and drier decades. It’s almost like a pendulum that shifts every 20 or 30 years.</p><p>What may be happening now is that those two things— climate change and natural fluctuations— are overlapping, creating something of a perfect storm for this year.</p><h2><span>What is the WWA doing to help?</span></h2><p><span>WWA is working to support decision makers to best manage their water, based on what is actually available, as well as what is forecasted in the Colorado River Basin.&nbsp;</span></p><p>Much of our regional economy relies on water, from the ski industry to food growers and power generators. The stress from drought is widespread.&nbsp;</p><p><span>Our region’s planning and treaties in the past were based on assumptions about historical conditions. Now we’re trying to figure out whether these dry conditions are a drought or perhaps closer to the long-term normal conditions.&nbsp;</span></p><p>We are also trying to get a better sense of what mountain communities are experiencing and what types of information they need, because many of them rely on the snowpack and snow melt as their primary reservoir for water.</p><h2><span>Should people be worried about water shortages right now?</span></h2><p><span>This is really a large-scale phenomenon, so if anything, I would encourage people to get curious about the science and what we can say about the current conditions. Indoor water use doesn’t consume very much, and cities are not really at risk of running out of water. But people should be mindful not to waste water outdoors. Pay attention to city rules for outdoor water use, like when you can turn on your sprinklers and water your lawn.</span></p><p><span>Other than that, I encourage people to go outside. This is certainly a big departure from what we think Colorado winters should be like, but it also offers opportunities for people to bike to work more often, or spend more time outdoors doing things they might not otherwise be able to do.</span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <script> window.location.href = `/today/2026/03/31/winter-never-came-colorado-what-does-it-mean-water-supplies`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 31 Mar 2026 16:09:04 +0000 Jeff Zehnder 5067 at /even Distinguished Professor Linden recognized as exceptional mentor /even/2026/03/27/distinguished-professor-linden-recognized-exceptional-mentor <span>Distinguished Professor Linden recognized as exceptional mentor</span> <span><span>Jeff Zehnder</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-03-27T16:05:03-06:00" title="Friday, March 27, 2026 - 16:05">Fri, 03/27/2026 - 16:05</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-02/KarlLinden_Portrait_20250416_JMP_027_jpg.jpg?h=ef8dac21&amp;itok=1GFr7W7O" width="1200" height="800" alt="Karl Linden"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/even/taxonomy/term/290"> News </a> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-tags" itemprop="keywords"> <span class="visually-hidden">Tags:</span> <div class="ucb-article-tag-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-tags"></i> </div> <a href="/even/taxonomy/term/199" hreflang="en">Karl Linden News</a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p class="lead"><span lang="EN-US">Karl Linden is one of twenty-two faculty being recognized with this year’s </span><a href="/graduateschool/faculty-staff/mentoring/exceptional-graduate-faculty-mentor-award" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US">Exceptional Graduate Faculty Mentor Award</span></a><span lang="EN-US">, the Graduate School announced this week. &nbsp;</span></p><p class="lead"><em><span lang="EN-US">The Exceptional Graduate Faculty Mentor Award recognizes the work that faculty mentors do to improve the graduate student experience&nbsp;</span></em></p><hr><div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">These faculty were nominated by students, department or program administrators, faculty or staff for their outstanding contributions either to mentoring individual graduate students, improving the overall climate of graduate education within their program, or improving the graduate program itself.&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">“The support and enhancement of mentoring is a priority initiative of the Graduate School and that work couldn’t be done without faculty support,” said Scott Adler, dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for graduate affairs. “The faculty members recognized by this award have demonstrated their willingness to go above and beyond as a trusted mentor for their students and we’re excited to be able to honor these excellent leaders.”</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">This year’s recipients include:</span></p></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <script> window.location.href = `/graduateschool/2026/03/26/twenty-two-faculty-recognized-exceptional-mentors`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Fri, 27 Mar 2026 22:05:03 +0000 Jeff Zehnder 5066 at /even Professor interviewed on Colorado River crisis /even/2026/02/18/professor-interviewed-colorado-river-crisis <span>Professor interviewed on Colorado River crisis</span> <span><span>Jeff Zehnder</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-02-18T09:13:35-07:00" title="Wednesday, February 18, 2026 - 09:13">Wed, 02/18/2026 - 09:13</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/article-thumbnail/balaji2.png?h=503d291a&amp;itok=ZZ8ZJQfD" width="1200" height="800" alt="Rajagopalan Balaji"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/even/taxonomy/term/290"> News </a> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-tags" itemprop="keywords"> <span class="visually-hidden">Tags:</span> <div class="ucb-article-tag-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-tags"></i> </div> <a href="/even/taxonomy/term/207" hreflang="en">Rajagopalan Balaji News</a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div> <div class="align-right image_style-original_image_size"> <div class="imageMediaStyle original_image_size"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_size/public/people/balajirajagopalan.png?itok=UGAii_W4" width="240" height="240" alt> </div> </div> <p><a href="/even/rajagopalan-balaji-0" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="d8e12a27-9f15-4b51-943f-3d9b69992bc5" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Rajagopalan Balaji">Rajagopalan Balaji </a>was interviewed by KGNU radio about the extreme difficulties facing western states as they renegotiate the Colorado River Compact that governs water use.&nbsp;</p><p>Balaji, a University of Colorado Boulder professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering and Environmental Engineering program, is an expert in climate and hydroclimatology.&nbsp;</p><p>The interview follows a second missed deadline by Colorado and six western states to agree on a plan addressing record drought and water shortages.</p><p>Balaji said states are facing “sobering and humbling reality” of drought and the impossible demands placed on the Colorado River.</p><p class="lead"><a href="https://kgnu.org/a-conversation-about-the-colorado-river-crisis/" rel="nofollow">Listen to the whole interview at KGNU...</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Wed, 18 Feb 2026 16:13:35 +0000 Jeff Zehnder 5062 at /even Students study metal contamination in Colorado waterways /even/students-study-metal-contamination-colorado-waterways <span>Students study metal contamination in Colorado waterways</span> <span><span>Jeff Zehnder</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-09-12T11:37:24-06:00" title="Friday, September 12, 2025 - 11:37">Fri, 09/12/2025 - 11:37</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-09/Field%20sampling%20-%20Jun%204%2C%202024%20%282%29.JPG?h=f04c4b39&amp;itok=ZFOT8-Qx" width="1200" height="800" alt="Collecting water samples in the field."> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/even/taxonomy/term/290"> News </a> <a href="/even/taxonomy/term/241"> Research </a> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-tags" itemprop="keywords"> <span class="visually-hidden">Tags:</span> <div class="ucb-article-tag-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-tags"></i> </div> <a href="/even/taxonomy/term/203" hreflang="en">Diane McKnight</a> <a href="/even/taxonomy/term/56" hreflang="en">Research</a> <a href="/even/taxonomy/term/92" hreflang="en">Student News</a> </div> <a href="/even/jeff-zehnder">Jeff Zehnder</a> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div> <div class="align-right image_style-medium_750px_50_display_size_"> <div class="imageMediaStyle medium_750px_50_display_size_"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/medium_750px_50_display_size_/public/2025-09/Field%20sampling%20-%20Jun%204%2C%202024%20%282%29.JPG?itok=06llgkCx" width="750" height="500" alt="Collecting water samples in the field."> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p>Collecting water samples in the field.</p> </span> </div> <p dir="ltr"><span>In the most beautiful places in Colorado, hazards to aquatic life lurk in the water.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>A team at the University of Colorado Boulder is studying heavy metal pollution in a watershed near Aspen. Their efforts have a dual goal: contributing to efforts to clean up the area, and studying the potential of recovering some of those metals, including rare earth elements, from other similarly polluted streams.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“We gave a presentation to the public, and when you mention valuable minerals in Aspen, ears perk up,” said Adam Odorisio, a master’s student in environmental engineering.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>The issue concerns tributaries of Lincoln Creek, which feed into a large reservoir above Aspen. The metals in the water represent more than just pollution. The potential for recovering and utilizing the rare earth elements found in natural and mine acidic drainage is an area of active research, driven by increasing demand for these elements in many industries, such as electronics manufacturing.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Metals often leach from old mines, a process called acid mine drainage. In the case of Lincoln Creek, the primary contamination is a natural phenomenon, according to Athena Bolin, a 2025 environmental engineering master of science graduate student working on the project.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“The leaching of metals and rare earth elements can be caused by humans when they excavate and expose rock formations, but it can also occur naturally. This happens when mineral-rich rock weathers and the resulting acidic water leaches metals from rocks along its flow path. Both processes can cause significant environmental pollution,” Bolin said.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Bolin and Odorisio are part of Professor </span><a href="/even/node/273" rel="nofollow"><span>Diane McKnight</span></a><span>’s research team and ̽Ƶ’s&nbsp;</span><a href="/instaar/" rel="nofollow"><span>Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research,</span></a><span> which have been studying the problem. The contamination has caused significant fish kills in the area, and the team has determined that metal concentrations are increasing significantly, a trend that is evident both seasonally and over many years in multiple watersheds in the Colorado Rocky Mountains as summers have become warmer.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“We analyzed a sediment core from Grizzly Reservoir,” Odorisio said. “The reservoir was built in 1936, and the core shows the contamination is getting worse. The thought is the world is heating up, which is melting sub-surface permafrost more quickly, which flows through the ground and eventually reaches the surface.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>The study involves taking on-site samples of water from a small tributary, a mine outflow, and the main stream, as well as a type of sediment called flocculant material, and aquatic insects, bringing them back to the laboratory, and using analytical methods to determine elemental concentrations.</span></p> <div class="align-left image_style-medium_750px_50_display_size_"> <div class="imageMediaStyle medium_750px_50_display_size_"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/medium_750px_50_display_size_/public/2025-09/Sediment%20core%20processing%20-%20spring%202025.jpg?itok=gQxWhRZk" width="750" height="500" alt="Sediment core processing in the lab."> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p>Sediment core processing in the lab.</p> </span> </div> <p dir="ltr"><span>“One of the things we've found in the samples is copper is more elevated. That causes a lot of environmental damage. It can be extremely harmful to fish. They can't breathe. They suffocate,” Odorisio said.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>As regional officials investigate the best solutions for Lincoln Creek, McKnight’s group is also working with colleagues to see if it would be cost-effective to recover the metals and rare earth elements for sale at similar sites.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Damaging heavy metal drainage occurs at locations across Colorado and regions with mining history. Being able to generate revenue from cleanup presents a unique opportunity in locations that often present complex remediation challenges.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“This takes place in a very remote wilderness area above 11,000 feet. A standalone recovery operation would not be financially viable. However, if recovery from the small tributaries and mine outflows were to happen concurrently with remediation, the income from the operation could help offset the cost of cleanup,” Bolin said.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Regardless of the eventual outcomes, Odorisio said the research and public response have been a positive experience in an area of study that can be discouraging.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“There’s a lot of doom and gloom in environmental engineering,” Odorisio said. “It’s just the nature of the job. Here we have two different motivations. We have the potential utility of it, recovering rare earth elements, and understanding how to make creeks like this one more environmentally friendly sites.”</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>In the most beautiful places in Colorado, hazards to aquatic life lurk in the water. A team at the University of Colorado Boulder is studying heavy metal pollution in a watershed near Aspen. Their efforts have a...</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2025-09/AdobeStock_371647741.jpeg?itok=_sJZk8Ub" width="1500" height="958" alt="Independence Pass, Colorado"> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Fri, 12 Sep 2025 17:37:24 +0000 Jeff Zehnder 5036 at /even EPA awards over $300,000 to University of Colorado Boulder to develop biotechnology software tools /even/2021/07/27/epa-awards-over-300000-university-colorado-boulder-develop-biotechnology-software-tools <span>EPA awards over $300,000 to University of Colorado Boulder to develop biotechnology software tools</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-07-27T15:54:33-06:00" title="Tuesday, July 27, 2021 - 15:54">Tue, 07/27/2021 - 15:54</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/article-thumbnail/cresten_mansfeldt.png?h=7b9cbdc9&amp;itok=Yw9c5vSx" width="1200" height="800" alt="Cresten Mansfeldt"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/even/taxonomy/term/290"> News </a> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-tags" itemprop="keywords"> <span class="visually-hidden">Tags:</span> <div class="ucb-article-tag-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-tags"></i> </div> <a href="/even/taxonomy/term/173" hreflang="en">Cresten Mansfeldt News</a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default 3"> <div class="ucb-article-row-subrow row"> <div class="ucb-article-text col-lg d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p><span>The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $337,616 to the University of Colorado Boulder to create software tools to quantify and predict the effects of synthetic microorganisms on local, native and microbial communities. Last week, EPA </span><a href="https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-awards-over-3-million-towards-research-assess-health-and-environmental-impacts" rel="nofollow"><span>announced $3,041,583 in funding</span></a><span> to five institutions to develop science-based approaches to evaluate the potential human health and environmental impacts of new biotechnology products.</span></p><p><span>“EPA is funding this research to better understand advancements in biotechnology, which have many potential benefits for society, and to ensure public health and environmental protection,” <strong>said Jennifer Orme-Zavaleta, Acting Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development and the EPA Science Advisor.</strong></span></p><p><span>University of Colorado Boulder’s investigative team will use the funding to develop and deploy a Python-based bioinformatic tool called </span><em><span>EcoGenoRisk. </span></em><span>The software tool will help develop an ecological risk assessment by comparing databases of novel synthetic biological organisms to known local, native and microbial organism communities. The team will develop </span><em><span>EcoGenoRisk</span></em><span> as an open-source tool so that users may incorporate the software and approach into other bioinformatic pipelines and link with existing EPA ecological risk assessment tools.</span></p><p><span>“Developing techniques that better identify risks associated with synthetic biology organisms informs both product design and appropriate disposal processes for a new material,” <strong>said Dr. Cresten Mansfeldt, principal investigator on the grant and assistant professor in Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder.</strong> “Uniquely, the identical genomic information and databases that are driving this biotechnological product evolution can be mined to identify and mitigate potential risks to our built and natural environments.”&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>Each research team is receiving a grant of up to $760,000 through EPA’s Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Program. Their projects will lead to the development of tools and methods that allow decision makers to better understand and monitor how biotechnology products might impact public health and the environment before they are used or released into the environment.</span></p></div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-right col-lg"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default ucb-article-media-paragraph"> <div class="ucb-paragraph-media__video"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <script> window.location.href = `https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-awards-over-300000-university-colorado-boulder-develop-biotechnology-software`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 27 Jul 2021 21:54:33 +0000 Anonymous 4713 at /even Professorship at the University of Michigan named for JoAnn Silverstein /even/2021/07/22/professorship-university-michigan-named-joann-silverstein <span>Professorship at the University of Michigan named for JoAnn Silverstein</span> <span><span>Anonymous (not verified)</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-07-22T13:34:18-06:00" title="Thursday, July 22, 2021 - 13:34">Thu, 07/22/2021 - 13:34</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/even/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/article-thumbnail/joannsilverstein.jpg?h=3c699850&amp;itok=6btCRsDX" width="1200" height="800" alt="JoAnn Silverstein"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/even/taxonomy/term/290"> News </a> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-tags" itemprop="keywords"> <span class="visually-hidden">Tags:</span> <div class="ucb-article-tag-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-tags"></i> </div> <a href="/even/taxonomy/term/167" hreflang="en">JoAnn Silverstein</a> </div> <a href="/even/jeff-zehnder">Jeff Zehnder</a> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default 3"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p>Professor <a href="/ceae/joann-silverstein" rel="nofollow">JoAnn Silverstein</a> has received a unique honor: a professorship named in her honor at the University of Michigan.</p><p>Silverstein, who is a full professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering is being recognized for her work as a female leader in environmental engineering.</p><p>She was one of the first women to earn a PhD in environmental engineering and the first female engineering professor to join the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors.</p><p>"One of the most important themes of my academic career is to increase the participation, and position in leadership roles, of women and people of color underrepresented in engineering," Silverstein said. "I have been really fortunate to have had the opportunity to help achieve that as a department chair, program director and associate dean for faculty advancement – either as an example who may motivate other women to take on leadership roles or as an active promoter of diversity, equity and inclusion in hiring and development at ̽Ƶ and outside the university.&nbsp; I also think that the presence of more women in leadership roles is an overall benefit to the entire university."</p><p><a href="https://cee.engin.umich.edu/2021/07/15/nancy-love-appointed-distinguished-university-professor/" rel="nofollow">The JoAnn Silverstein Distinguished University Professor of Environmental Engineering</a> at the University of Michigan will be held by Nancy G. Love, who requested it be named in Silverstein's honor.</p><p>"I am very honored by the recognition," Silverstein said. "The credit really belongs to Professor Nancy Love. Nancy and I have known each other for many years, through our mutual interest in biological wastewater treatment research, and for our participation in the environmental engineering academic and professional communities. We also share the distinction of being the first women who chaired engineering departments in our respective schools, Nancy at Michigan and me at ̽Ƶ."</p><p>Silverstein has been a faculty member at ̽Ƶ since 1982. She holds BS, MS, and PhD degrees in civil engineering, all from the University of California, Davis, and a BA in Psychology from Stanford.</p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <script> window.location.href = `/ceae/2021/07/22/professorship-university-michigan-named-joann-silverstein`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Thu, 22 Jul 2021 19:34:18 +0000 Anonymous 4707 at /even