Fall 2009 – 2020
For older issues of the COEN Spotlight Newsletter please contact Michele Armstrong or Jamie Fink
Spring 2025
FROM THE DEAN
In my first semester as dean for the Boise State College of Engineering, I joined a passionate and bold group of students, faculty, staff and community who continually set new benchmarks for excellence and success as we drive forward the university’s momentum toward R1 Carnegie status. With record doctoral graduates and the 26th NSF CAREER Award in college history, this past year showcased the innovation, dedication, and boldness that define blue turf thinking.
From breaking ground on the new Construction Management Building to growing our research infrastructure and capabilities, we are building the future. Our students have claimed top awards in regional and national competitions, demonstrated excellence in research, and earned some of our university’s and nation’s most prestigious recognitions as Top Ten Scholars and Goldwater Scholars.
Our college is a hub of electric energy, ingenuity, and achievement. Whether they’re advancing sustainability by advocating in our nation’s capital or developing AI-driven engineering solutions, Broncos are tackling today’s toughest challenges with confidence and creativity. These milestones are more than individual wins, they represent the collective momentum of Boise State’s rise. We continue ahead to forge new frontiers and push the boundaries of possibility.
Go Broncos!
Amy S. Fleischer, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Engineering
COEN BY THE NUMBERS
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Boise State breaks ground for new ESI Construction Management Building
CM students take home record number of awards at Reno Competition
Boise State secured the most trophies in the Associated Schools of Construction Region 6 competition in Reno, Nevada, with six of the eight teams securing top three finishes. This year marked the 22nd consecutive year a Boise State team has secured at least one top-three finish.
Alums' startup transforming engineering efficiency with artificial intelligence
When two Boise State engineering students realized how much time was wasted digging through technical documents and datasheets, they didn’t just complain–they built a solution. In an industry where engineers often spend hours parsing through datasheets and inefficient tools, QTex offers a conversational AI platform to help reduce hours of work to just minutes. With their custom-built solution, what once took a team of five engineers multiple days can now be accomplished by one engineer in 30 minutes. This shift could represent a major shift in engineering efficiency.
Blazing A New Trail
At Boise State University, Computing Ph.D. students in the School of Computing are harnessing the power of data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to develop solutions to some of wildfire science’s most pressing challenges.
Alongside Civil Engineering associate professor Mojtaba Sadegh, Amirhossein “Amir” Montazeri and Yavar Pourmohamad, are using advanced computational tools to improve our understanding of wildfire ignition sources and post-burn recovery.
New engineering doctoral program celebrates first graduate
This spring marked a historic milestone for the College of Engineering at Boise State University. Brooke Heller became the university’s first-ever graduate to earn a Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering during the May 2025 commencement.
Launched in 2024, the interdisciplinary Ph.D. program was designed to break down traditional academic silos, encouraging students to explore new frontiers across civil, mechanical and other engineering disciplines. Heller’s journey at Boise State reflects this approach, tackling challenges beyond traditional educational barriers.
Engineering Innovation Studio powering student success
On any given day in Boise State University’s Engineering Innovation Studio (EIS), you’ll find students laser-cutting drone parts, coding medical device prototypes, or collaborating with industry and tech, all driven by innovation and the expectation to push boundaries.
The EIS is a student-driven makerspace where ideas take shape, hands-on learning fuels creativity, and the next generation of industry leaders prepare to leave a lasting impact on the world. Acting as a launchpad for student success and a hub of interdisciplinary creativity, here College of Engineering students push the limits of conventional engineering, tackling real-world problems with the help of cutting-edge tools and technology.
Discover COEN’s Student MakerspaceAkhtar named Boise State Top Ten Scholar
Nuha Akhtar, an EIS spervisor and mechanical engineering major, earned a 2025 Boise State Top Ten Scholar award. The passionate STEM leader, saxophonist, and advocate will pursue a Ph.D. at UC Berkeley as a part of the Optical Nanoengineering Lab.
Ayala named 4th COEN Goldwater Scholar
Natalie Ayala, a mechanical engineering junior, became the 4th COEN recipient of the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship. Natalie is an EIS supervisor, NASA intern and co-lead of the Microgravity team, with sights set on a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering to create tools for the Moon and Mars.
Boise State civil engineering teams scoop up wins at annual symposium
The Boise State Civil Engineering teams returned to campus with multiple accolades to celebrate after the American Institute of Steel Construction and American Society of Civil Engineers Intermountain Southwest Student Symposium. Forty-three students and three advisors traveled to Tucson for competitions in concrete bowling ball, concrete discus, concrete canoe, sustainable solutions, timber strong and steel bridge. Where students design, build, and test their civil skills.
MODERNIZING THE HOME OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
After 25 years, the Department of Civil Engineering has grown into the largest civil engineering program in the state of Idaho. Enrollment surpassed 200 students this past fall, with more than 25% being first-generation college students. The unprecedented growth and demand for high-quality engineers has never been greater in Idaho. The Harry Morrison Lab Phase I renovation targets improving the quality and spaces for our growing civil engineering program. The renovation’s $2 million cost will update the current teaching lab and research facilities for cutting-edge education and research in environmental, structural, and water resources engineering.
Engineering With A Human-Centered Purpose
In a field driven by the need to support a modern society, Gregor Posadas is proving that civil engineering is also a commitment to improving the quality of life for others.
After graduating from the Department of Civil Engineering with his bachelor’s degree in 2023, Posadas is already earning national recognition for his commitment to sustainable infrastructure, clean water access, and environmental justice.
Shaping the Future of Sustainable Energy
Boise State does not offer a nuclear engineering degree, but for Top Ten Scholar Sarah Cole, her materials science and engineering background allows her to contribute meaningfully to discussion on nuclear infrastructure and workforce development.
For Cole, the path to nuclear energy advocacy began in high school, when she first recognized the potential of advanced materials to enhance the efficiency and safety of nuclear reactors. Now, as a standout scholar in materials science and engineering, she joined an elite group of 18 students in Washington, D.C. for the Nuclear Engineering Student Delegation.