Current Students

Graduate, Undergraduate and High School students all participate as researchers in the Advanced Materials Lab. To learn more about lab opportunities, contact Dr. Brian Jaques at brianjaques@boisestate.edu

Graduate Students

Addie Lupercio

Graduate Research Assistant

Addie is originally from Eagle, ID. Before joining the Ph.D. program, Addie received her B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering from BSU. Addie joined the Advanced Materials Laboratory as an undergraduate researcher before deciding to stay on for graduate school. Her PhD research focuses on fabrication and mechanical testing of advanced nuclear fuels.

Addie is originally from Eagle, ID. Before joining the Ph.D. program, Addie received her B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering from BSU. Addie joined the Advanced Materials Laboratory as an undergraduate researcher before deciding to stay on for graduate school. Her PhD research focuses on fabrication and mechanical testing of advanced nuclear fuels.
Timothy Phero

INL Graduate Fellow

Tim is a first-generation Vietnamese-American from Boise, ID. Before joining the PhD program, Tim received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from BSU. Tim is currently an Idaho National Laboratory graduate fellow, studying direct write additive manufacturing applications for nuclear energy.

Tim is a first-generation Vietnamese-American from Boise, ID. Before joining the PhD program, Tim received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from BSU. Tim is currently an Idaho National Laboratory graduate fellow, studying direct write additive manufacturing applications for nuclear energy.
Scott Riley

Graduate Research Assistant

Scott is originally from San Diego, California. He received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from UC San Diego. While completing his undergraduate studies, he worked as a chemistry technician at Cuyamaca College. Scott’s PhD research focuses on designing and characterizing high temperature thermocouples, capable of measuring temperature inside a nuclear reactor.

Scott is originally from San Diego, California. He received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from UC San Diego. While completing his undergraduate studies, he worked as a chemistry technician at Cuyamaca College. Scott’s PhD research focuses on designing and characterizing high temperature thermocouples, capable of measuring temperature inside a nuclear reactor.
Sandeep Dhakal

Graduate Research Assistant

Sandeep is an international student from Kathmandu, Nepal. He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Idaho State University in 2019. Sandeep’s PhD research focuses on assessing the feasibility of using of metal alloys manufactured via wire-based additive manufacturing in industrial applications.

Sandeep is an international student from Kathmandu, Nepal. He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Idaho State University in 2019. Sandeep’s PhD research focuses on assessing the feasibility of using of metal alloys manufactured via wire-based additive manufacturing in industrial applications.
Kaelee Novich

NNSA Graduate Fellow

Kaelee was born and raised in Nampa, Idaho. In 2020, Kaelee graduated with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from BSU with honorable distinction from the Honors College. Kaelee is currently a National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Graduate Fellow, working in the Office of Secondary Stage Production Modernization – Depleted Uranium. Besides her NNSA fellowship, Kaelee’s PhD research focuses on fabrication and implementation of digital image correlation for nuclear reactors.

Kaelee was born and raised in Nampa, Idaho. In 2020, Kaelee graduated with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from BSU with honorable distinction from the Honors College. Kaelee is currently a National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Graduate Fellow, working in the Office of Secondary Stage Production Modernization – Depleted Uranium. Besides her NNSA fellowship, Kaelee’s PhD research focuses on fabrication and implementation of digital image correlation for nuclear reactors.
Ryan Finkelstein

Graduate Research Assistant

Ryan grew up in St. Louis, MO and received his B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Florida in 2019. He worked for Wyman Gordon Forgings as a metallurgist for 2 years before joining the AML in the fall of 2021. His current research focuses on the carbothermic synthesis and sintering of Uranium Nitride nuclear fuel.

Ryan grew up in St. Louis, MO and received his B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Florida in 2019. He worked for Wyman Gordon Forgings as a metallurgist for 2 years before joining the AML in the fall of 2021. His current research focuses on the carbothermic synthesis and sintering of Uranium Nitride nuclear fuel.
Nico Yensen

Graduate Research Assistant

Nico grew up cross-culturally, in Caldwell, ID during the school years and La Paz, Bolivia during the summers. He received two B.S. in both Chemistry and Biological Engineering from University of Idaho. After gaining some workforce experience, Nico decided to pursue his graduate studies at Boise State, starting his PhD program in summer 2023.

Nico grew up cross-culturally, in Caldwell, ID during the school years and La Paz, Bolivia during the summers. He received two B.S. in both Chemistry and Biological Engineering from University of Idaho. After gaining some workforce experience, Nico decided to pursue his graduate studies at Boise State, starting his PhD program in summer 2023.
Will Johanson

Operations Specialist