News
Department Updates
Team takes first place at SB Hacks
A team of ME and CS students from Mines took first place at SB Hacks VI, an annual hackathon hosted at University of California, Santa Barbara. SB Hacks is a 400-person, 36-hour event that provides college students with hands-on experience in coding and exposure to the technology industry in a fun, competitive setting. The winning team included Mines students Parker Steen, Peter Wilson, Van Wagner and Josh Rands. They designed an autonomous AED emergency response system that employs 1) a camera using neural network machine learning to detect an individual in cardiac arrest and 2) a fully autonomous AED delivery robot capable of navigating a known floor plan and identifying the individual in need. Read more and watch a video about the team’s solution »
Wijesuriya participates in UN Youth Climate Summit
PhD candidate Sajith Wijesuriya participated in the United Nations Youth Climate Summit in September. The youth summit is a platform for young leaders who are driving climate action to showcase their solutions at the UN and to meaningfully engage with decision-makers on this defining issue of our time. The event brought together young activists, innovators, entrepreneurs and change-makers who are committed to combating climate change at the pace and scale required by science. The event outcomes fed into the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit. Sajith’s advisor is ME Assistant Professor Paulo Cesar Tabares-Velasco.
Wagner, NREL researcher and Mines grad, receives PECASE
Dr. Mike Wagner (ME PhD, ’17) was one of two NREL researchers to be awarded the 2019 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. Wagner was recognized for his work addressing fundamental questions on the capability and grid value of concentrating solar power. ME professors Alexandra Newman and Robert Braun were Wagner’s PhD advisors and are co-investigators on DOE-awarded projects that were referenced in the nomination. “NREL’s partnership with Mines has led to opportunities to apply operations research and optimization to traditional ME subjects like power generation,” Wagner said, “and I believe this award is a recognition of outcomes from that groundbreaking crossover.”
From the Mines Newsroom
- Mines students qualify for 2020 NASA Moon to Mars Ice & Prospecting Challenge
Team DREAMR – short for Drilling Rig for the Exploration and Acquisition of Martian Resources – is the fourth Mines team in four years to qualify for the one-of-a-kind collegiate aerospace competition … - From fidget spinners to complex machines, 3D printing is revolutionizing manufacturing
- Manufacturing competition challenges students to design a new lunar rover wheel
Team CLOVER's winning design was a collapsible 3D-printed wheel that would act almost like a “Ferris wheel of test tubes.” - Connor McLean: "What really sets Mines apart from other universities are the people that help make all the success possible."
Why did you choose to come to Mines? What have you enjoyed most about being here? I chose to come to Mines for three reasons: Academics. I always knew I wanted to be an engineer. As one of the best en … - Electrochemical cell could split the Moon's frozen water into rocket fuel
Mechanical Engineering's Greg Jackson is collaborating with OxEon Energy on a $1.8 million NASA project that could bring interplanetary fuel stations one step closer to reality. - Lauren Sepp: "I am overjoyed to be able to positively contribute to knowledge surrounding better amputee care, which ultimately leads to improved quality of life."
Why did you choose to come to Mines? What have you enjoyed most about being here? As a high school senior, my thoughts were to either become a wedding planner or an engineer. I decided to try engineer … - Mechanical engineering PhD wins Fall 2019 Rath Research Award
Peter Weddle received the honor, which recognizes the Mines doctoral graduate whose thesis demonstrates the greatest potential for societal impact, during the Fall 2019 Graduate Commencement ceremony … - Bradley Jesteadt: "I was excited to be around so many people with the same interests and hobbies as me."
Why did you choose to come to Mines? What have you enjoyed most about being here? Mines is one of the most reputable engineering schools in the nation, which is what attracted my attention in the firs … - Additive manufacturing of shape memory alloys creates efficient, eco-friendly cooling technology
The Alliance for the Development of Additive Processing Technologies (ADAPT) at Colorado School of Mines was part of an international research team that developed a new elastocaloric cooling material … - Bats are experts at navigating in the dark. What if mine rescue first responders were, too?
"Bat vision” for first responders would represent a major advancement in mine rescue technology. Andrew Petruska, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, tells us more in this video.
