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Electrical & computer engineers tackle real-world solutions for Expo 2026

Charles Ferrer — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 16:12:51 +0000

Electrical & computer engineers tackle real-world solutions for Expo 2026 Charles Ferrer Thu, 04/09/2026 - 10:12

Charles Ferrer

The Basically Wizards team developed an environmental monitoring system that collects long‑term data on climate and soil conditions, collaborating with the NASA Colorado Space Grant from 2025.

Graduating seniors from the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering (ECEE) at CU �鶹ӰԺ are set to showcase their capstone projects at the Engineering Project Expo. The highly anticipated event highlights the creativity, expertise gained and problem-solving skills of students as they tackle real-world challenges.

This year, 22 ECEE capstone teams will present a wide range of projects that elevates technology and innovation. The projects address areas in biomedical engineering, wireless power systems, RF connectivity and portable instrumentation, among others that demonstrate students’ ability to design, test and propose solutions for a variety of applications.

The Senior Design course is a two-semester program for all graduating electrical & computer students. Over the course of the year, students collaborate in teams to bring a product from initial concept to functional prototype.

Each team partners with an industry or faculty sponsor to define a product, explore possible technologies and develop custom electrical and computing solutions.

Students gain hands-on experience that prepares them for engineering careers by immersing them in the full product development cycle from brainstorming and design to testing and implementation.

Industry collaboration

Join us at Expo 2026!
Who: K-12 students, prospective CU engineers and community members
When: Friday, April 17, 2-5 p.m.
Where: Ford Practice Facility, 2150 Colorado Ave., �鶹ӰԺ, CO
Parking: Parking is available in lots 391 (Folsom Garage), lot 169 or lot 177 for $5.

Under the leadership of Assistant Teaching Professor Erik Hodges and Scholar in Residence Eric Bogatin, the capstone design program partners with professionals from industry organizations who want to provide a collaborative experience for ECEE students.

This year’s sponsors include leading organizations such as Qualcomm, Pico Technology, NASA’s JPL, Medtronic, SamTech, Hyperlabs, Cardiost, NASA Space Grant and Teradyne. CU �鶹ӰԺ faculty also sponsored projects including Marco Nicotra, Al Gasiewski, Cody Scarborough and Mona El Helbawy.

“Capstone is special to me because it is where students transition from being engineering students to being full-fledged engineers,” Hodges said. “I see capstone as a key environment for students to develop strong communication skills—not only formal presentation skills, but also how to communicate their work to both engineers and non-engineers.”

Hodges noted the progress students have made throughout the capstone process from nailing down a product’s initial concept to building a prototype.

“I am extremely proud of my students for their work and I cannot wait for them to show off their projects at Expo.”

He is also advising ten electrical & computer engineering students who are doing their capstone as part of the CU Racing Team, where they are building an electric car for Expo.

Surgical robotics accelerates next-gen medical device

The Easy‑Z student team is designing a compact benchtop replica from Medtronic’s surgical robot that aims to help with the development of next‑generation surgical instruments.

Electrical engineering senior Kylie Auerbach is leading a team working with Medtronic to develop the Easy-Z, a compact benchtop replica of one arm from Medtronic’s Hugo surgical robot.

Hugo is a human-sized robotic-assisted surgery platform used in real operating rooms, where its arms hold and maneuver precision instruments that surgeons control during procedures.

Gaining access to the full Hugo system just to test a single new instrument is slow and logistically complex and the Easy-Z solves that problem.

“The Easy-Z replicates one of those arms in a compact, standalone form, putting it directly in the hands of engineers and speeding up the development of next-generation surgical instruments," Auerbach said.

The key to the Easy-Z is a motor control technique called Field Oriented Control, one of the main methods available for electric motors. Unlike simpler approaches, it continuously calculates and adjusts magnetic forces inside the motor in real time, delivering smooth, precise and efficient motion at the millimeter scale, critical in surgical robotics.

The team also designed a custom motor driver circuit board from scratch using components made from Gallium Nitride, a next-generation semiconductor material.

“GaN switches faster, runs cooler and wastes less energy than conventional components,” Auerbach said. “Being able to design that hardware and push GaN’s capabilities within a demanding control system, on a project with surgical robotics implications, is exactly the kind of cutting-edge work that makes this project so compelling.”

The project is advised by Medtronic engineer Keith Malang alongside engineers Madelyn Polly and Donovan Facey, both former CU �鶹ӰԺ electrical engineering graduates who completed their own Medtronic capstone.

After graduation, Auerbach will join Arvada-based startup Bifrost Electronics as an Applications Engineer, where she will work on ultra-low noise, magnetically insensitive parametric amplifiers for quantum computers.

A smarter bench multimeter

The Quantum Eels student team develop a compact, lightweight benchtop multimeter designed for electronics design, in collaboration with Pico Technology.

Sponsored by Pico Technology, the team known as the Quantum Eels is designing a small, lightweight portable benchtop multimeter intended for electronics design, repair and education purposes.

The instrument will measure a range of electrical properties, such as voltage, current, resistance, capacitance, inductance and impedance, with each team member taking ownership of a specific measurement domain as a subject matter lead.

Every member has expanded both their technical skill set and their collaborative abilities. For example, each student has a designated role and area they are responsible for including voltage sensing, PCB lead analog output, software and USB.

“Working with our sponsor, Pico Technology, has been an excellent experience,” said electrical engineering student Andrew Rusin. “The project has allowed us to fully experience the R&D process from start to finish, which has been incredibly rewarding.”

Wireless power for life-saving heart devices

Another compelling project comes from a team working with Cardiost, a medical startup developing implantable heart-assist devices. Left atrial and left ventricular assist devices, known as LAUDs and LVADs, use electrically driven pumps to help weakened hearts circulate blood, extending the lives of patients with critical heart disease.

I really enjoy working with our students on translating the theory and skills learned in their coursework to solve real-life engineering challenges."
Dr. Erik Hodges

However, these devices currently require an external power cable that pierces the patient’s skin, creating a persistent infection risk that can lead to serious complications.

The team is developing the Transcutaneous Energy Management and Transfer (TEMT) system, a prototype wireless charging system for an implanted battery that would power Cardiost’s LAUD device, eliminating the need for that dangerous external wire.

The engineering challenges are significant: the distance between charging coils can be 10-15 mm even under ideal implant conditions, the system must tolerate coil misalignment and heating of tissue must be minimized for patient safety. Additionally, the implanted module must remain compact and the system must deliver substantial power efficiently to quickly recharge the battery between the device’s long operating periods.

The team’s goal is to demonstrate a wireless power transfer system capable of delivering 25 watts at 80% DC-to-DC efficiency while meeting all of those constraints, something that could eventually become a viable medical device.

Cardiost CEO and Co-Founder Nico Anzellini mentors the student team, along with ECEE faculty members Professor Dragan Maksimovic and Associate Professor Luca Corradini.

Validating complex RF cable networks

One team has developed an RF connectivity analyzer designed to help engineers validate dense cable interconnection networks in partnership with Qualcomm.

The device consists of three main components: an RF signal generator, a switching unit that routes the signal to one of eight outputs and a signal detector with ten inputs to measure incoming signal power.

“Our project with Qualcomm is highly significant for our entire team,” said electrical engineering student Taite Hartman, “as it presents the opportunity to develop a device that will be utilized in labs worldwide for a company that plays a critical role in wireless technology infrastructure.”

Their RF connectivity analyzer addresses a real need in the validation of complex RF systems and represents the team’s work on signal generation, switching computer architecture and precision measurement.

Graduating seniors will showcase their capstone projects at the Engineering Project Expo. This year’s 22 teams from ECEE will present innovative solutions spanning biomedical engineering, wireless power and RF connectivity for industry partners, alumni and the public.

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CU �鶹ӰԺ to host International Workshop on Biodesign Automation this June

Charles Ferrer — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 15:55:56 +0000

CU �鶹ӰԺ to host International Workshop on Biodesign Automation this June Charles Ferrer Wed, 04/08/2026 - 09:55

Charles Ferrer

The �鶹ӰԺ will host the 18th annual International Workshop on Biodesign Automation (IWBDA) on June 18-20. IWBDA will be held immediately following the Synthetic Biology: Engineering, Evolution & Design (SEED) Conference, which will be held in Denver from June 15-18.

Graduate and undergraduate students at a synthetic biology outreach event led by the Genetic Logic Lab at CU �鶹ӰԺ.

“Hosting IWBDA is a great opportunity for our faculty and students to engage with world-class researchers and industry leaders in the emerging field of synthetic biology,” said Chris Myers, department chair of electrical, computer and energy engineering. “We look forward to forming new collaborations that will move this exciting field forward.”

Synthetic biology involves redesigning organisms for useful purposes by engineering them to have new abilities. Scientists around the world are harnessing synthetic biology to solve the pressing problems in medicine, manufacturing and agriculture.

For example, microorganisms can be engineered to clean pollutants from water, soil and air that are essential in the fight against environmental contamination. In agriculture, scientists have modified rice to produce beta-carotene, a nutrient typically associated with carrots, helping to prevent vitamin A deficiency in populations that rely heavily on rice as a dietary staple.

However, synthetic biology faces a significant challenge where the field has lagged behind other industries when it comes to adopting computational and digital solutions. Unlike software engineering, where standardized tools and workflows are common, biological systems are highly complex and variable. A solution that works for one organism or process often must be completely redesigned for another.

This is where biodesign automation (BDA) comes in. BDA applies the principles of engineering and computer science to streamline and accelerate biological research and development.

By developing innovative software tools, standardized components and automated workflows, researchers aim to make synthetic biology faster, more reproducible and accessible.

IWBDA pushes the mission forward bringing synthetic biology, systems biology and design automation communities together for stronger collaboration.

What to expect at the SEED conference

Synthetic Biology: Engineering, Evolution & Design (SEED) is the premier technical conference for the synthetic biology community, serving as a global venue to share transformative breakthroughs across academia and industry.

Attending SEED 2026

Who: Open to the public
When: Monday, June 15- Thursday, June 18
Where: Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center
Registration: Required

The conference highlights how advances such as artificial intelligence and biological engineering are accelerating the field faster than ever.

Covering synthetic biology from its scientific foundations to its commercial applications, SEED offers attendees insight into development strategies from leaders in research, biomanufacturing and product innovation.

Whether participants focus on research and development, commercialization or bringing discoveries into real-world impact, SEED provides significant networking opportunities for those engaged in the synthetic biology community.

By attending both SEED and IWBDA, participants gain an opportunity to engage in technical workshops, as well as hands-on design automation strategies for individuals in research, academic and industry.

Get the scoop about IWBDA 2026

IWBDA aims to bring academic researchers and industry partners together to lead the field of biodesign automation for synthetic biology forward.

Attending IWBDA 2026
Who: Researchers, faculty, students, industry
When: Thursday, June 18 to Saturday, June 20
Where: KOBL 352 / ECCS 201
Registration: Required

This year’s IWBDA workshop, led by the Department of Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering (ECEE), takes place immediately following the SEED conference, held in �鶹ӰԺ which is less than 40 miles from Denver, making the two events a natural pairing for attendees traveling to Colorado for the week.

IWBDA will include presentations and poster talks selected from submitted abstracts, Birds of a Feather discussions and interactive breakout sessions.

Topics will span artificial intelligence and machine learning in synthetic biology, biosecurity considerations in lab automation, the growing role of biofoundries, computer-aided design tools and synthetic biology education and outreach.

Keynote speakers include Dr. Domitilla Del Vecchio of MIT and Dr. Emma J. Chory of Duke University, both prominent researchers in the intersection of engineering and biological sciences.

Hands-on tutorials

Attending IWBDA Tutorials

Who: Researchers, faculty, students, industry
When: Saturday, June 13 to Sunday, June 14
Where: KOBL 352
Registration: Required (fee can be waived for CU students)

For those who want to dive deeper before the main workshop, IWBDA tutorials will be held June 13-14 in �鶹ӰԺ.

These two days hands-on sessions are designed to give faculty, researchers, industry members and students practical experience with synthetic biology software tools and to close the gap between tool developers and experimental biologists.

Parallel tracks will be offered for both users and developers, allowing attendees to tailor their experience to their skill level and interests.

The user track will guide participants through a complete synthetic biology workflow using open-source tools, while the developer track will introduce libraries and resources for building standard-enabled synthetic biology software.

CU �鶹ӰԺ will host the 18th International Workshop on Biodesign Automation (IWBDA), June 18–20, following the SEED Conference in Denver. The workshop brings together researchers and industry leaders advancing biodesign automation in synthetic biology.

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Electrical and computer engineering graduate program rank top 20 nationally

Charles Ferrer — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:42:00 +0000

Electrical and computer engineering graduate program rank top 20 nationally Charles Ferrer Tue, 04/07/2026 - 08:42

The electrical and computer engineering programs at CU �鶹ӰԺ are among the top 20 engineering graduate programs according to the U.S. News and World Report for 2024-25. In the specialty rankings, computer engineering is No. 14 and electrical engineering is No. 17 among public universities.

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Electrical and computer engineering graduate program rank top 20 nationally

Charles Ferrer — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:42:00 +0000

Electrical and computer engineering graduate program rank top 20 nationally Charles Ferrer Tue, 04/07/2026 - 08:42

CU �鶹ӰԺ’s electrical and computer engineering programs are ranked among the top 20 nationally, with 2026 U.S. News specialty rankings placing computer engineering at No. 14 and electrical engineering at No. 17 among public universities.

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Assistant Professor Jensen recognized as exceptional mentor 2026

Charles Ferrer — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 14:22:10 +0000

Assistant Professor Jensen recognized as exceptional mentor 2026 Charles Ferrer Mon, 03/30/2026 - 08:22

Assistant Professor Emily Jensen was recognized with the Exceptional Graduate Faculty Mentor Award by the Graduate School at CU �鶹ӰԺ.

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Nobel Laureate Donna Strickland to visit CU on April 1

Charles Ferrer — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 15:57:36 +0000

Nobel Laureate Donna Strickland to visit CU on April 1 Charles Ferrer Wed, 03/18/2026 - 09:57

Nobel Laureate Donna Strickland to visit CU on April 1
Lectures & Presentations
Physicist Donna Strickland will give a lecture on "From Nonlinear Optics to High-Intensity Laser Physics," including her Nobel-winning developments of chirped pulse amplification.

On April 1, Nobel Laureate & physicist Donna Strickland will give a lecture "From Nonlinear Optics to High-Intensity Laser Physics," including her Nobel-winning developments of chirped pulse amplification.

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Scientists harness AI to reveal forces behind glacier surges

Charles Ferrer — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 22:12:42 +0000

Scientists harness AI to reveal forces behind glacier surges Charles Ferrer Thu, 03/05/2026 - 15:12

Charles Ferrer

Ute Herzfeld (PI), Harald Sandal (pilot), Gustav Svanstroem (helicopter technician) and Matthew Lawson (research assistant) during the Negribreen Glacier System Airborne Geophysical campaign (Photo Credit: Thomas Trantow).

Glaciers are constantly changing and reshaping the Earth’s surface.

CU �鶹ӰԺ researchers have developed a new machine learning tool to better understand how Arctic glaciers suddenly accelerate or “surge”.

The team, led by Ute Herzfeld, a research professor in the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, created an open-source cyberinfrastructure called GEOCLASS-image, designed to decode the physical processes behind glacier motion using high-resolution satellite imagery and machine learning.

Glacier surges are sudden bursts of movement in otherwise slow-flowing ice.

Normally, glaciers move at a steady pace, but during a rare “surge”, that rate can accelerate up to 200 times faster than usual. The ice fractures into deep crevasses and pushes large volumes of ice toward the ocean. These dramatic events provide scientists with new insight into the unpredictable drivers of sea-level rise.

“Most deep machine learning systems don’t know what to look for in images,” said Herzfeld, who is also the director of the Geomathematics, Remote Sensing and Cryospheric Sciences Laboratory. “We have built a system that understands the physics of ice deformation, so the classifications actually mean something.”

Understanding how a glacier surges

Unlike traditional artificial intelligence systems that often struggle to interpret complex natural phenomena, the team created a new neural network approach—VarioCNN—to better understand glacial acceleration.

“Surging glaciers are one of the deep uncertainties in sea-level rise projections,” Herzfeld said. “They can move much faster than normal and current earth system models do not yet have the ability to account for them.”

To tackle this problem, Herzfeld and her team merged two powerful approaches: a deep convolutional neural network (CNN), common in the field of computer science and remote sensing and a physics-informed neural network model that captures how crevasses in the ice form, widen and intersect during motion.

“Think of neural networks as Lego blocks,” Herzfeld said. “We’ve taken some from physically informed models, some from deep learning and built a new kind of AI that’s meaningful.”

Putting AI to the test

The team tested their approach on a real-world event: the unexpected 2016 surge of Negribreen, a glacier located in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard a 1,000 km south of the North Pole.

This isn’t just another AI model but one that understands the physics of glacial acceleration.
~Ute Herzfeld

Using Maxar WorldView satellite imagery collected in 2016-2018, the researchers tracked subtle changes across the glacier’s surface with remarkable detail.

They discovered that crevasse patterns, which change dramatically during a surge, hold information about surge dynamics that can be retrieved using their neural network approach.

One-dimensional crevasses appeared at the leading edge of the surge, while deeper within the surge area, complex patterns tell the story of the transformation and deformation of the ice, which can be of use in numerical modeling of the glacial acceleration.

Shear, a type of deformation that plays a key role in glacial acceleration, is easily misclassified in deep learning, but correctly identified using VarioCNN.

With their new VarioCNN model, they classified different types of crevasses from satellite images and used those patterns to interpret how the glacier moved and changed.

Results of the classification were then used to understand how the surge expanded and affected the entire Negribreen glacier system. Ultimately, ice mass equivalent to 1% of global annual sea-level rise transferred to the ocean.

Published in Remote Sensing, their results demonstrated how integrating physical knowledge into a neural network model, carried out at the computational level, can advance machine learning and glaciological understanding of glacier surges. The paper was selected as the cover story of Remote Sensing receiving record downloads during the first two weeks after publication.

Student Connor Meyers setting up a GPS station at the edge of Negribreen (Photo Credit: Ute Herzfeld).

“The problem of task-oriented machine learning is especially intriguing to me,” said Silas Twickler (Phys’25) who was a research assistant on the project. “While simply applying pre-existing neural networks may be sufficient for certain applications, the augmentation of these networks can allow for a drastic improvement in machine learning.”

AI for the geosciences

A major hurdle in applying machine learning to studying glaciers is the limited amount of labeled data. To overcome this, Herzfeld’s team developed a way that allows scientists to gradually refine the model using a relatively small number of hand-labeled satellite images.

VarioCNN was trained on just a few thousand of examples, far fewer than the 100,000 images than typical deep learning models require. Due to its modular design, the GEOCLASS cyberinfrastructure can be adapted to study other geophysical processes and potentially surfaces of other planets.

“Our tool is not just for glaciologists, but for anyone working with remote sensing and physical systems,” Herzfeld said. “Ultimately, we hope to give scientists better tools to understand how the Earth is changing.”

This research was funded by the National Science Foundation Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure and NASA Earth Sciences Division.

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Negribreen glacier during an ice surge in 2017 (Credit: Ute Herzfeld).

Researchers build ultra-efficient optical sensors shrinking light to a chip

Charles Ferrer — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 16:37:42 +0000

Researchers build ultra-efficient optical sensors shrinking light to a chip Charles Ferrer Mon, 02/23/2026 - 09:37

Charles Ferrer

Lu at the new electron beam lithography system used to develop microresonators at COSINC.

CU �鶹ӰԺ researchers have built high performing optical microresonators opening the door for new sensor technologies.

At its simplest form, a microresonator is a tiny device that can trap light and build up its intensity.

Once the intensity is high enough, researchers can perform unique light operations.

“Our work is about using less optical power with these resonators for future uses,” said Bright Lu, a fourth-year doctoral student in electrical and computer engineering and a lead author on the study. “One day these microresonators can be adapted for a wide range of sensors from navigation to identifying chemicals.”

For this endeavor published in Applied Physics Letters, the team focused on ‘racetrack’ resonators, named for their elongated shape that resembles a running track.

Specifically, researchers used ‘Euler curves’ — a type of smooth curve also found in road and railway design. Just as cars can’t make sharp right-angle turns in motion, light can not be forced into abrupt bends.

“These racetrack curves minimize bending loss,” said Won Park, Sheppard Professor of Electrical Engineering, a co-advisor on the study. “Our design choice was a key innovation of this project.”

By guiding light smoothly through the resonator, they dramatically reduced light loss, allowing photons to circulate longer and interact more strongly inside the device.

If too much light is lost, Lu says, high light intensities can’t be achieved for these microresonators to operate at the needed performance.

Made in Colorado

Incredibly small in size, the microresonators were built using the Colorado Shared Instrumentation in Nanofabrication and Characterization (COSINC) clean room’s new electron beam lithography system.

The facility provides a highly-controlled environment required to work at the microscopic scales that can lead to reliable device performance.

Optical waveguide microresonators on a chip created in this effort, which are ten times thinner than human hair.

Many optical and photonic devices are smaller than the width of a piece of paper, meaning even tiny dust particles or surface imperfections can disrupt how light travels through a material.

“Traditional lithography uses photons and is fundamentally limited by the wavelength of light,” Lu said. “However, electron beam lithography has no such constraint. With electrons, we can realize our structures with sub-nanometer resolution, which is critical for our microresonators.”

For Lu, the hands-on fabrication process was a fulfilling aspect of the project.

“Clean rooms are just cool and you’re working with these massive, precise machines and then you get to see images of structures you made only microns wide. Turning a thin film of glass into a working optical circuit is really satisfying.”

A key success from the work was the ability of the researchers to use chalcogenides, a broad term encompassing a family of specialized semiconductor glasses.

“These chalcogenides are excellent materials for photonics because of their high transparency and nonlinearity,” said Park. “Our work represents one of the best performing devices using chalcogenides, if not the best.”

Chalcogenides were helpful since they have strong transparency for light to pass through the device at high intensities needed for microresonators.

However, the materials are not easy to process for the device, so there’s a balancing act to tread.

“Chalcogenides are difficult, but rewarding materials to operate for photonic nonlinear devices,” said Professor Juilet Gopinath, who has worked on this project with Park for more than ten years. “Our results showed that minimizing the bend loss enables ultra-low loss devices comparable to state-of-the-art in other materials platforms.”

Measuring light at the microscale

Erikson with the optical setup for capturing data measuring absorption and thermal effects.

Once fabricated, the microresonators were handed off for testing, work led by James Erikson, a physics PhD student specializing in laser-based measurements. He carefully aligned lasers with microscopic waveguides, coupling light into and out of the device while monitoring how it behaved inside.

They looked for ‘dips’ within the data in transmitted light that indicate resonance as photons get trapped. By analyzing the shape of those dips, they were able to extract properties like absorption and thermal effects.

“The most obvious indicator of device quality is the shape of the resonances and we want them to be deep and narrow, like a needle piercing through the signal background,” said Erikson. “We’ve been chasing this kind of resonator for a long time, and when we saw the sharp resonances on this new device we knew right away that we’d finally cracked the code.”

Erikson added, to make a good device you need to know how much light will be absorbed versus transmitted. Thermal effects become important when adding laser power as you run the risk of damaging the device.

“The way most materials interact with light also changes depending on the temperature of the material,” said Erikson, “so as a device heats up its properties can change and cause it to work differently.”

In the future, the microresonators could be used for compact microlasers, advanced chemical and biological sensors and even tools for quantum metrology and networking.

“Many photonic components from lasers, modulators and detectors are being developed and microresonators like ours will help tie all of those pieces together,” said Lu. “Eventually, the goal is to build something you could hand to a manufacturer and create hundreds of thousands of them.”

CU �鶹ӰԺ researchers have built high performing optical microresonators opening the door for new sensor technologies. In the future, the microresonators could be used for compact microlasers, advanced chemical and biological sensors and even tools for quantum metrology and networking.

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The fabrication cleanroom facility provides state-of-the-art instrumentation including lithography, thin-film deposition and among others. (Credit: COSINC)

Erickson, Anderson elected to National Academy of Engineering

Charles Ferrer — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 22:20:07 +0000

Erickson, Anderson elected to National Academy of Engineering Charles Ferrer Fri, 02/13/2026 - 15:20

Dana Anderson and Bob Erickson are among the 130 scientists and engineers from around the country who will be inducted as members of the NAE at a meeting this fall.

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How one engineering alum optimizes clean energy operations before they break

Charles Ferrer — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 23:04:05 +0000

How one engineering alum optimizes clean energy operations before they break Charles Ferrer Thu, 02/05/2026 - 16:04

Charles Ferrer

When Aoife Henry isn't leading her energy optimization company, she enjoys trail running wherever she goes.

Aoife Henry (PhDElEngr‘24) is optimizing technology for wind and solar energy operations.

The doctoral graduate is leading Zentus, a startup she founded that addresses a critical challenge in the energy sector: how to prevent costly equipment failures that can bring wind and solar farms offline without warning.

Her solution uses machine learning to forecast when and how defects in wind turbine blades and solar panels will develop, notifying operators to plan repairs proactively rather than react to emergencies.

“We’re trying to model how defects like cracks on blades will develop and impact power output so operators can prepare proactively,” said Henry. “Spontaneous failures are incredibly expensive.”

The stakes are particularly high for offshore wind installations, where Henry sees the greatest market opportunity. Repairs cost approximately $250,000 per day, individual turbine blades run around $6 million and complete turbines cost about $20 million. For solar energy, they are maximizing the maintenance of solar panels to limit how much time they spend offline. The less time panels are offline, the more power can be generated.

For operators managing these massive technologies, the ability to anticipate maintenance needs could translate to millions in savings while improving energy reliability.

Zentus currently offers two key capabilities: categorizing defects and assigning risk scores and forecasting how those defects will impact power generation. These tools will help engineering teams decide whether to repair, replace or simply monitor equipment within specific weather conditions.

Currently, Zentus is running three pilot programs, two in the United States and one in the United Kingdom. They aim to launch their product commercially later this year while actively fundraising to support continued development.

From CU �鶹ӰԺ to Silicon Valley

After participating in the Ascent Deep Tech Accelerator, a CU �鶹ӰԺ program that helps university researchers commercialize their technologies, Henry landed a fellowship with the Stanford Sustainability Accelerator at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.

Launched in September 2024, the Stanford accelerator supports early-career scientists working to translate sustainability research into real-world impact. The program provides fellows with research and development funding.

Aoife Henry and her fiancé, Zach Schwartz, currently an ecology and evolutionary biology PhD candidate at CU �鶹ӰԺ.

“I had a great advisor, Professor Lucy Pao, who always kept an eye out for opportunities,” said Henry. “CU �鶹ӰԺ helped me build a strong application through programs like Venture Partners and the NSF I-Corps.”

After defending her dissertation, Henry drove straight to California and assembled a five-person team, including a CU �鶹ӰԺ master’s student she had previously worked with.

Henry’s commitment to clean energy was shaped throughout her entire academic trajectory. After completing her master’s degree, she received offers from three PhD programs but chose CU �鶹ӰԺ specifically for its wind energy research. On top of that, Henry won first place in the 2025 Three Minute Thesis competition on campus for her talk titled, Directing Wind Turbines with Foresight: The Shepherd and the Sheepdog Find a Crystal Ball.

“There’s no doubt clean energy will always matter,” she said. “We’re not going back to a de-electrified world and we can’t reach carbon reduction targets without transforming the electricity industry.”

While Zentus launched with a focus on wind turbines and solar panels, the company is already expanding its work on storage systems.

Energy storage is essential for renewable energy because weather-dependent sources like solar and wind require support to keep supply and demand balanced on the electric grid.

While lithium-ion batteries currently dominate due to cost advantages, Henry notes that longer-duration storage technologies and solutions continue to emerge.

“Our team has strong backgrounds in wind, storage and renewable systems,” said Henry. “In the long term, we hope to apply our tools to energy storage to reduce downtime and costs.”

As climate challenges accelerate and the world leverages renewable energy, innovations like those emerging from Zentus will be key to building a reliable, sustainable power infrastructure.

“Contribution is a core value of mine whether it’s to the planet and people. I want to contribute to the clean energy transition and our work of improving the reliability of renewables and energy storage supports that mission.”

Aoife Henry (PhDElEngr‘24) is optimizing technology for wind and solar energy operations. The graduate is leading Zentus, a startup she founded that addresses a critical challenge in the energy sector: how to prevent costly equipment failures that can bring wind and solar farms offline without warning.

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