Three graduate students earn November Graduate Student of the Month award
Three graduate students in thePaul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering have been selected to receive theKenneth Johnsen Graduate Student of the Month award for the month of November.
The award recognizes outstanding students who excel academically and are examples in the department. Recipients are nominated by faculty members in mechanical engineering and acknowledged with a certificate and small scholarship at the Research Symposium banquet in March.
Read below to learn more about these students and their amazing academic achievements.
Charlie Fraga
Where is your hometown?
My hometown is Kansas City, Kansas.
What schools have you attended?
I earned my bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time I enjoy hiking, baking and watching football.
Can you tell me a little bit about your research?
I work in the, where I develop orientation-control mechanisms for biohybrid robotic jellyfish. These robots pair a living jellyfish with an electronic control system, enabling energy-efficient autonomous underwater movement. This work has broad potential applications in ocean exploration, environmental monitoring, and marine biology.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In ten years, I hope to continue working at the intersection of biology, controls and fluid mechanics. I aim to work in a role where I can conduct research that is meaningful and applicable to climate-related challenges.
What is your favorite thing about attending CU Boulder for your graduate degree?
My favorite part about attending CU Boulder is the community. I love being surrounded by the interesting, passionate and curious people who make up this department.
Parker McDonnell
Where is your hometown?
Stonington, ME, an island off the coast of Maine!
What schools have you attended?
University of New Hampshire for my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like a combination of “outdoorsy” and "indoorsy" activities. Outside, I enjoy the typical Colorado activities like skiing, mountain biking, climbing and hiking. Recently I started taking improv classes as a way to get better at public speaking and thinking on my feet. I've had such a good time learning the ropes. I'm also a big fan of socializing with friends and I'm always up for watching a good movie.
Can you tell me a little bit about your research?
My current area of research is studying the hydrodynamics of jellyfish swimming with synchronized and desynchronized (sometimes called hula hooping) bell contraction. We are using a combination of 2D and 3D tomographic particle image velocimetry to gather data on the movement of the surrounding fluid, which we hope will provide insight regarding energetic costs, tradeoffs in speed and the underlying purpose or cause behind this behavior. This knowledge will be leveraged to build a soft robotic jellyfish that can alternate between these two swimming modes on demand.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Honestly, I could see myself going in a lot of different directions after graduate school, and I will likely try out a few different roles throughout my career. In 10 years, I might be consulting, teaching, running my own company, performing research or maybe I'll do improv full time. It really just depends on what is calling to me at that period of my life.
What is your favorite thing about attending CU Boulder for your graduate degree?
The great people in the department and all the fun activities in and around Boulder!
Sufiyan Nafis
Where is your hometown?
I was born in Aligarh, India. However, I moved to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia when I was 8 years old due to my family’s transfer, and I completed my entire schooling there.
What schools have you attended?
I completed my bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Aligarh Muslim University and my master’s at CU Boulder. I am currently pursuing my PhD at CU Boulder.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Outside of work, I enjoy traveling, experimenting with cooking, spending time with friends and family and learning new things, whether that’s through reading, taking short courses or exploring new hobbies.
Can you tell me a little bit about your research?
My research focuses on advancing lithium and sodium solid-state batteries by designing, synthesizing and evaluating new solid-state electrolyte materials. I work on improving performance under different conditions, enabling fast charging and developing strategies for interphase stabilization to enhance long-term cell stability.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Over the next decade, I aim to establish myself in a stable and rewarding role in either industry or academia. Beyond my career, I want to keep pushing myself, continue growing and find ways to give back to the community.
What is your favorite thing about attending CU Boulder for your graduate degree?
Choosing CU Boulder for my graduate studies has been one of my best decisions. The vibrant and welcoming community, the supportive people and the inspiring Boulder environment have all provided constant motivation and helped me thrive throughout my PhD program.
Is there anything else we should know about you?
I would like to express my gratitude for being selected as the recipient of the Student of the Month award. It truly means a lot to me. I also want to thank my advisor,Dr. Chunmei Ban, whose constant guidance and support have played a major role in my progress.