Contact Information
For more information about COEN’s 2024 Impact Report please contact Michele Armstrong or Jamie Fink.
FROM THE DEAN
I am proud to share the College of Engineering’s annual Impact Report for 2025. This report is a reflection of the relentless innovation, creativity, and research excellence that define our community. Across all disciplines within our rising college, our faculty are advancing solutions that improve lives, strengthen our communities, and power the technologies shaping our future.
This report highlights outstanding researchers who are elevating Boise State University’s growing leadership in microelectronics, novel biomedical technologies, energy, and so much more. Their work is deeply collaborative, not only across campus, but nationwide. This interdisciplinary approach to our work is grounded in real-world impact that benefits Idaho, while resonating on a national and global scale.
Our momentum is driven by more than ideas alone. It is fueled by dedicated students, supportive staff, engaged alumni, and trusted partners who share our commitment to innovation and student success. Together, we are building an engineering college defined by bold thinking, meaningful research, and opportunity.
I invite you to explore these stories and celebrate the people behind them. The impact of our work is growing and the future we are engineering together is just getting started.
Go Broncos!
Amy Fleischer, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Engineering
The Numbers
$103M
3,830
$4.8M
$41M
Boise State Named A National Center Of Academic Excellence In Cyber Research
Boise State University has been designated by the National Security Agency as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research through the 2030 academic year, recognizing the university’s leadership in cybersecurity research, doctoral education, and national service.
Boise State joins a group of fewer than 100 institutions nationwide to earn the CAE-R designation, alongside universities such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, and Vanderbilt University. The designation reflects the strength of Boise State’s interdisciplinary research, Ph.D. programs, and in cyber defense and resilience.
Cyber Security ResearchBoise State Awarded NSF Grant To Lead Responsible AI Graduate Ttraining In Idaho
Boise State University faculty from the College of Engineering and the College of Education have received a $2 million National Science Foundation Research Traineeship grant to establish the Responsibility in Innovation and Scholarship Experience (RISE) program at the intersection of artificial intelligence and societal wellbeing. The initiative builds on Boise State’s leadership in AI research and education across Idaho and the region.
Faculty Win Largest NSF Award In University History To Create Semiconductor Workforce Center
Boise State University faculty have made institutional history with a $7.4 million National Science Foundation award, the largest NSF award ever received by the university, positioning Idaho to expand its semiconductor workforce and research capacity.
Boise State Selected For Award To Boost Microelectronics Rsearch
This funding enables the university to acquire a high-resolution scanning electron microscopy which will allow the research team to image materials and devices with nanoscale precision. This type of equipment will accelerate materials discovery and support Idaho’s semiconductor, biomedical, manufacturing and energy sectors.
“We will be able to image and process materials at unprecedented precision — and train the next generation of scientists and engineers who will lead Idaho’s high-tech industries,” Estrada said
Turning Atoms Into Opportunity: How A First-Gen Alum Turned Professor Has Become Boise State’s Materials Pioneer
Boise State University’s momentum in materials science and microelectronics is rooted in the work of world class faculty, and few are advancing that mission as powerfully as David Estrada.
A U.S. Navy veteran and proud Bronco alum, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Boise State University in 2007 alongside his wife. His education journey and studies were supported by the McNairs Scholars Program and numerous graduate research fellowships.
Burton And Estrada To Lead Areas Of Strategic Research Under New Agreement With Idaho National Labs
Boise State and Idaho National Laboratory (INL) recently signed a new Strategic Understanding for Premier Education and Research (SUPER) Agreement to foster collaboration among students, faculty and INL researchers. The Division of Research and Economic Development has chosen Ira Burton and Dave Estrada, two Boise State leaders, to drive the INL partnership under this agreement.
Empowering K-12 Educators In Semiconductor And Microelectronics
Faculty from Boise State University and the University of Rochester are collaborating on a $2.1 million award from the National Science Foundation and the Micron Foundation to empower K-12 STEM educators as leaders for the rapidly expanding microelectronics and semiconductor ecosystems in Idaho and New York.
This five-year project is supported through the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, a Track 3 Master Teaching Fellowships award funded by the NSF and the Micron Foundation, and focuses on strengthening teacher leadership, student engagement, and educational pathways aligned with regional workforce needs.
Award Fuels Collaboration To Explore Prescribed Burns And Managed Fires As Wildfire Mitigation Options
As wildfires intensify across the western United States, decades of restrictive, risk-averse fire management policies have contributed to fuel buildup that leaves ecosystems and communities vulnerable to catastrophic fire. A multidisciplinary research team spanning Idaho, New Mexico, and Oklahoma is advancing a new approach, examining how prescribed burns and managed wildfires can restore ecosystem health and reduce long-term risk.
Federal Award Fuels Boise State’s Role In Unlocking The Future Of Battery Technology
Through a $2.4 million Department of Energy Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research Implementation grant, Boise State University is leading a coast-to-coast collaboration to investigate how atomic-scale electrical interactions govern the performance and lifespan of next-generation rechargeable batteries. Partners include Brown University, Dartmouth College, and four national laboratories: Argonne, Idaho, Oak Ridge, and Pacific Northwest.
Kennington Named First Boise State Foundation Board Endowed Professor Of Computer Science
The Boise State University College of Engineering named Casey Kennington as the Boise State Foundation Board Endowed Professor of Computer Science, marking a milestone for computer science in Idaho. The endowed professorship, established through the generosity of Boise State University Foundation Board members and matched by the Foundation, reflects a shared commitment to Boise State’s future and its Unbridled fundraising campaign. Kennington’s appointment is the first of four endowed professorships the Foundation Board plans to award.
From Idea To Innovation
After 15 years of research, Boise State University professor Scott Phillips has developed a new polymer that could transform how plastics are recycled. Trained as a chemist in the Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering, Phillips set out to solve a long-standing problem: how to design plastics that retain high performance while enabling true closed-loop recycling.
What Are Faculty Endowments?
Boise State invests financial gifts from individuals, families, corporations and foundations. The proceeds are central to supporting exceptional faculty members and the impact to their fields. Endowments provide funding for the faculty member’s salary, research and other resources to advance their work. Endowed faculty positions help attract and retain talented faculty.
To learn more about endowments and how you can make an impact, contact our Development and Foundation team.
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Scott Jurgens
Senior Director of Development
Zhangxian “Dan” Deng Honored With Career Award
Associate Professor Zhangxian “Dan” Deng becomes the College of Engineering’s 26th recipient of the prestigious National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award.