Graduate Students

What happens inside a wildfire? One PhD student is finding out

alse6588 — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 18:36:40 +0000

What happens inside a wildfire? One PhD student is finding out alse6588 Wed, 08/19/2026 - 12:36

Alexander Servantez

What happens during a wildfire? The short answer is: much more than we know.

As wildfires burn through trees, grasses and other vegetation, heat from the flames set off thousands of chemical reactions at once. Molecules break apart, recombine and transform into new compounds, releasing gases, soot and other carbon-rich particles into the air.

Charred vegetation after burning in a wildfire is a product of combustion.

While scientists can see the products of these reactions, what happens in between is much harder to understand. Many of the chemical reactions that drive combustion take place so quickly that they are nearly impossible to observe.

That’s where Jas Shahanand comes in.

Shahanand, a sixth-year PhD student in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, is finding ways to capture and identify some of these fleeting molecules, giving researchers a closer look at the hidden chemistry of combustion.

He believes the work, recently published in the American Physical Society’s PRX Energy journal, could be the foundation for more accurate wildfire emissions models, improved climate prediction and even cleaner fuel sources in the future.

“These chemical reactions are often very generalized because they occur in a black box. But there’s actually a lot of good information hidden in those intermediate processes," said Shahanand. “My goal is to analyze those processes from a gas-based perspective to help provide a deeper understanding of how combustion chemistry really works.”

Tiny chemical thieves

The key to Shahanand’s research lies in a type of tiny molecule called radicals.

Sixth-year PhD student Jas Shahanand working in the laboratory.

Radicals, created by heat and other high energy environments, act as the driving force behind combustion. They come with an unpaired electron, making them extremely unstable and reactive.

When they react with other stable molecules, they steal an electron to create a pair. This sets off a chain reaction of molecular-level theft—new radicals crashing into molecules and robbing electrons over and over again.

Eventually, these reactions facilitate molecular growth, where gas-phase chemistry proceeds to particle-phase. This can especially be seen during wildfires, when gases like methane or ethylene transform into char and soot.

Understanding these “radical” reactions can tell us a lot about different forms of combustion, from how engines work to interstellar and planetary behavior. But according to Shahanand, they are very short-lived.

“We’re talking nanoseconds,” Shahanand said. “It’s very difficult to run experiments and watch them propagate at that speed.”

To combat this, Shahanand and his team in the Particulate Chemistry and Diagnostics Lab, led by Professor Hope Michelsen, began studying a specific kind of radical: resonance-stabilized radicals.

Unlike normal radicals, the unpaired electron in these molecules is spread out across multiple atoms, allowing them to be more stable and live longer. This gives researchers a much better chance at detecting and studying them, revealing chemical behavior that has largely remained unknown.

“We’ve always known the chemical pathways, but determining which radicals are causing the reaction has always been based on educated guesses,” said Shahanand. “Now, we can confirm those chemical species in our experiments and create models that identify and characterize them for future tests.”

The “fingerprints” of the future

One particular experiment, conducted by Shahanand and his team at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Advanced Light Source in Berkeley, California, analyzed chemical reactions when lignin—a material found in plants and trees—is heated without oxygen during a process called pyrolysis.

Lignin pyrolysis is widely known for generating aromatic compounds called substituted anisoles, which have potential to be transformed into a renewable biofuel. But the process can also produce unwanted byproducts such as char and tar.

The process of pyrolysis, starting with lignin and ending with biofuels or char, tar and other particles.

Shahanand and his group discovered that by slightly modifying anisole molecules, they were able to drastically increase the amount of radicals produced under natural lignin pyrolysis conditions.

He says this finding could one day help scientists “control” these chemical reactions, allowing them to better produce useful compounds while limiting undesirable ones.

“If we want to better fight wildfires or produce clean, cost-effective fuel, we need to have a fundamental understanding of the chemistry,” Shahanand said. “We need to know which reactions are good for our goals and which reactions create bad byproducts. To do that, we need to know what’s actually happening inside of the reaction, which is where our research comes into play.”

They also are the first researchers to create a complete “fingerprint” for some radicals they detected that are especially relevant to combustion. Much like a fingerprint can identify a person, these results can help researchers identify a specific molecule or radical.

Previously, scientists only had a reference curve covering part of the spectrum. Shahanand and his team filled in the gaps, producing a complete set of data across the full range and giving researchers a clearer way to identify the radical in future experiments.

Going forward, Shahanand says he wants to continue studying all types of chemical reactions and the radicals behind them. His next work will examine chemicals and conditions more akin to what takes place when an actual forest is burning.

But he believes his research has the power to impact many other aspects of society, as well.

“Maybe we want to explain why certain warming effects exist in different ecosystems. Or maybe understand how chemistry facilitates combustion in space or other planets with different atmospheres,” Shahanand said. “Whatever it is, it all comes back to these fundamental ideas.”

As wildfires burn through trees, grasses and other vegetation, heat from the flames set off thousands of chemical reactions at once. But while scientists can see the products of these reactions, what happens in between is much harder to understand. Sixth-year PhD student Jas Shahanand is finding ways to study these chemical reactions, giving researchers a closer look at the hidden chemistry of combustion. He believes the work could be the foundation for more accurate wildfire emissions models, improved climate prediction and even cleaner fuel sources in the future.

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Five mechanical engineering research projects win PACES awards

alse6588 — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 16:13:12 +0000

Five mechanical engineering research projects win PACES awards alse6588 Tue, 08/11/2026 - 10:13

Alexander Servantez

These awards connect research, creative work, and teaching and learning activities for faculty, staff members and students across campus with partners from Colorado communities and beyond. More than $7 million in funding, benefiting 5.5 million people, has been granted since 1999.

“We are proud of the rigorous, community-engaged work our faculty and staff are doing,” said PACES Assistant Vice Chancellor David Meens. “These public-serving projects highlight �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s powerful service throughout Colorado and beyond.”

According to OCE, this year’s application process was extremely competitive. Across campus, PACES received 31 proposals totaling $571,728 in funding requests.

Of these requests, PACES was able to fund 22 total proposals totaling $400,000. Read below to learn more about the Rady Mechanical Engineering faculty and students whose projects earned PACES funding this year.

Professor Michael Hannigan (left) and Associate Research Professor Daniel Knight (right).

SCENIC26: Environmental Sustainability Through Rural School Wildfire Inquiry (Daniel Knight, Michael Hannigan and Joseph Polman)

Wildfires are becoming an increasingly common part of life across Colorado, but many rural schools have limited access to engineering education and environmental monitoring tools.

That’s why Associate Research Professor Daniel Knight and Professor Michael Hannigan will expand the Colorado Science and Engineering Inquiry Collaborative (SCENIC) by introducing a new wildfire-focused curriculum to high schools across the state.

Students will investigate how wildfires affect local air and soil quality using monitoring technology developed at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, while engineering students will serve as mentors throughout the school year. By combining hands-on research with community partnerships, the project aims to inspire the next generation of engineers while helping students explore environmental challenges affecting their own communities.

Professional Research Assistant Evan Coffey (left) and Teaching Professor Shalom Ruben (right).

Listening to Communities: Co-developing Toolkits to Measure Sound and Air Pollution (Evan Coffey, Ellen Considine and Shalom Ruben)

When residents of Denver's Globeville and Elyria-Swansea neighborhoods raised concerns about noise and air pollution, they asked researchers for help gathering the data needed to better understand the problem.

Professional Research Assistant Evan Coffey and Teaching Professor Shalom Ruben are striving to provide that help by working alongside community members to develop affordable sensor toolkits capable of measuring both sound and air pollution.

Residents will help determine where sensors are deployed, learn how to interpret the results and use the findings to support future community-led environmental assessments and policy discussions. The project also gives �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder students hands-on experience in community-engaged research and environmental monitoring.

Professor Emerita Shelly Miller.

Pilot Monitoring of Urban Pesticides for Human Health and Biodiversity Protection in Boulder, Colorado (Riley Mulhern, Karen Bailey and Shelly Miller)

Pesticides used in residential neighborhoods can affect both human health and local ecosystems, yet little data exists on how they move through urban environments.

A new PACES project led by Professor Emerita Shelly Miller will partner with the City of Boulder to monitor common residential pesticides using low-cost silicone samplers placed in yards and on dog collars.

The research will pair environmental measurements with biodiversity data and community input to better understand pesticide exposure and develop a blueprint for long-term monitoring that can help guide future public health and environmental policy.

Building Community Infrastructure for Air Quality Monitoring at San Lazaro Mobile Home Park (Enrique Lopez and Shelly Miller)

Residents of San Lazaro Mobile Home Park in Boulder are preparing for a multi-year coal ash excavation at the nearby Valmont Power Plant, raising concerns about potential air quality impacts.

Building on an existing community partnership, the PACES project will support the next phase of the project by training bilingual community health leaders, expanding air quality education and helping residents create their own response plan if pollution levels become concerning.

Rather than simply collecting environmental data, Miller and her team will focus on ensuring families understand what the information means and how to use it to protect their health long after the research concludes.

The Office of Outreach and Community Engagement (OCE) at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder has awarded five Public and Community-Engaged Scholarships (PACES) to faculty and students from the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering. These awards connect research, creative work, and teaching and learning activities for faculty, staff members and students across campus with partners from Colorado communities and beyond.

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ME graduate student earns prestigious NSF research fellowship

alse6588 — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 21:11:57 +0000

ME graduate student earns prestigious NSF research fellowship alse6588 Thu, 04/16/2026 - 15:11

Alexander Servantez

These major awards honor and support outstanding graduate students from across the country in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees.

Awardees receive a $37,000 annual stipend and cost of education allowance for the next three years as well as professional development opportunities.

Read more about Maly’s interests and research below.

Blake Maly

Graduated master’s student, beginning PhD in fall semester

Advisor: Noel Clark

Lab: Clark Liquid Crystal Group

Maly’s research involves using light to study molecular dynamics in complex, ordered fluids. He hopes to use the techniques he’s learned to make advancements in the fields of energy storage or renewable energy generation.

Maly grew up in Arvada, Colorado. He is an avid runner and swimmer who loves to spend time outdoors in the Rocky Mountains. Maly also enjoys sewing and designing his own clothes.

While at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, Maly studied engineering physics and mechanical engineering. He also played saxophone in the Golden Buffalo Marching Band for three years and earned a minor in music.

Maly earned his master’s degree in mechanical engineering in December. Currently, he is taking a semester off to work as a full-time STEM tutor. In the fall, Maly will begin his PhD program at the Colorado School of Mines.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has recognized Blake Maly, a graduate student in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, with a Graduate Research Fellowship Program award. These major awards honor and support outstanding graduate students from across the country in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees.

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PhD student wins prestigious physics contest with endless avalanche experiment

alse6588 — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 20:10:17 +0000

PhD student wins prestigious physics contest with endless avalanche experiment alse6588 Mon, 03/30/2026 - 14:10

PhD student Rylan Hodgson recently created a video that won the American Physical Society's (APS) 2026 Gallery of Soft Matter contest at the APS Global Physics Summit. The video demonstrates a unique view of the dynamics of granular flow with a rolling drum experiment that could one day be used to reveal key information about the mechanics and behavior of avalanches.

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Engineers develop real-time membrane imaging for sustainable water filtration

Alexander James Servantez — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 22:32:55 +0000

Engineers develop real-time membrane imaging for sustainable water filtration Alexander Jame… Tue, 12/16/2025 - 15:32

Professor Victor Bright and Professor Emeritus Alan Greenberg have helped develop a laser-based imaging method called stimulated Raman scattering to improve the performance of desalination plants by allowing real-time detection of membrane fouling. The advance could help make desalination more efficient and reliable as global demand for clean water rises.

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A window underground: New sensors measure emissions from soil in real time

Alexander James Servantez — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 21:20:57 +0000

A window underground: New sensors measure emissions from soil in real time Alexander Jame… Thu, 11/20/2025 - 14:20

Soil is comprised of an intricate network of bacteria and other microbes that humans depend on, but this complex environmental system is constantly shifting, making it difficult for scientists to measure. Associate Professor Gregory Whiting and his team of researchers are developing reliable, inexpensive and easy-to-deploy sensors that monitor soil in real time to help farmers optimize their use of fertilizers, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money in the process.

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Mechanical engineering students shine at the 2025 CSC Finals

Alexander James Servantez — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 19:46:57 +0000

Mechanical engineering students shine at the 2025 CSC Finals Alexander Jame… Thu, 11/06/2025 - 12:46

Mechanical engineering students Jack Mulvaney, Josh Shrewbridge, Hayden Dondlinger, Kai Groudan, Duncan Laird and Gregory Reilly shined at this year's Colorado Sustainable Challenge, receiving nearly $8,500 in awards during the two-week hackathon-style event designed for anyone passionate about solving problems and building a solution to impact sustainability.

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Researchers pioneer fluid-based laser scanning for brain imaging

Alexander James Servantez — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 18:36:15 +0000

Researchers pioneer fluid-based laser scanning for brain imaging Alexander Jame… Thu, 10/16/2025 - 12:36

Professor Victor Bright and mechanical engineering alum Eduardo Miscles (PhDMechEngr'25) have recently collaborated on a new study that demonstrates how a fluid-based optical device known as an electrowetting prism can be used to steer lasers at high speeds for advanced imaging applications.

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New open-source software allows for efficient 3D printing with multiple materials

Alexander James Servantez — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 21:16:15 +0000

New open-source software allows for efficient 3D printing with multiple materials Alexander Jame… Mon, 10/13/2025 - 15:16

Alexander Servantez

A new open-source tool is reshaping how engineers design multi-material objects.

Charles Wade, a fourth-year PhD student in the Department of Computer Science at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, has created a design system software package that uses functions and code to map not just shapes, but where different materials belong in a 3D object.

OpenVCAD, a new open-source tool created to help engineers efficiently design multi-material objects.

The project, called OpenVCAD, was developed in the Matter Assembly Computation Lab led by Assistant Professor Robert MacCurdy of the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering. The team is publishing a new paper in the top 3D printing journal Additive Manufacturing on October 13 that will highlight the design tool and its potential to transform 3D printing by enabling engineers to design multi-material objects smarter and more efficiently.

“There’s certainly a history of multi-material design study and practice that existed well before OpenVCAD,” said MacCurdy, who is also affiliated with computer science and the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering. “But we believe the overhead of writing specific code for specific projects every single time prevents engineers from doing as much design as they could.

“With OpenVCAD, we’re doing all of that work once—and doing it really well—so that people have built-in infrastructure to represent these spatially varying multimaterial designs.”

Pushing the limits of multi-material design

Designing objects with multiple materials has long pushed the limits of conventional computer-aided design (CAD) software.

According to Wade and MacCurdy, traditional design tools tend to represent objects as boundary surfaces only. This means they operate with an implicit assumption that everything inside of a boundary surface is all made up of the same material.

One of the major areas of interest in mechanics is something called gradient design, in which two materials are gradually blended together from one to another—like a shoe sole that shifts from firm at the bottom to soft at the top. But without a powerful design tool, translating rough steps into smooth transitions can be overwhelmingly difficult.

That’s why Wade developed OpenVCAD. The software package acts almost as a set of convenience tools that allow people not only to easily compose complex functions, but also to assign them as materials to objects in a 3D printer.

“This is the first multi-material, code-based design tool that is widely available,” Wade said. “It allows for good complexity when printing objects, it’s accessible and it’s intuitive to write and design. Unlike traditional CAD software, where you’re forced to sketch everything out for each change and you cannot represent graded materials, our tool allows users to change one small variable and watch the whole design update in an easy way.”

A broad impact for all to explore

The team’s new paper will explore OpenVCAD’s capability across a variety of 3D printers, including one available to MacCurdy’s lab group that allows for object printing with up to five materials at a time.

However, it’s the project’s potential impact for the entire engineering community that excites them.

A multi-material scan-to-print medical model for pre-surgical planning.

According to MacCurdy and his team, the OpenVCAD software can be used to help researchers design objects relevant to just about any industry and field. Surgeons in need of realistic planning models to practice on can take advantage of the tool’s gradient mixing properties. Soft robotics experts can use it to create flexible actuators that bend in one direction, but remain straight and stiff in another. Engineers who need to simulate complex multimaterial objects can design in OpenVCAD and easily export a simulation-ready file.

OpenVCAD can even apply specific mechanical properties to specific parts of lattice structures, which are often used for impact-absorbing capabilities to achieve more complicated designs. The possibilities are endless.

“We’re able to rely on OpenVCAD’s core capabilities to represent multi-material objects in a bunch of different domains,” said MacCurdy. “But there is a lot more coming in certain areas that we are excited about and we’re really hoping this approach to multi-material design takes off.”

OpenVCAD is a completely open-source tool, meaning it is widely available for engineers around the world to use. It even comes equipped with a Python implementation so that any user can easily import the team’s repository and get to work with just a single line of code.

“We want this to be widely available to people,” Wade said. “We have a growing base of external researchers from other institutions who are using this tool and we hope to enable that community to do their best work.”

Assistant Professor Robert MacCurdy and fourth-year PhD student Charles Wade have created an open-source design system software package that uses functions and code to map not just shapes, but where different materials belong in a 3D object. The project, called OpenVCAD, has the potential to transform 3D printing by enabling engineers to design multi-material objects smarter and more efficiently.

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A multi-material lattice structure with a gradient design used for its impact-absorbing capabilities.

Beyond Arrakis: Dune researchers confront real-life perils of shifting sand formations

Alexander James Servantez — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 19:25:46 +0000

Beyond Arrakis: Dune researchers confront real-life perils of shifting sand formations Alexander Jame… Mon, 08/18/2025 - 13:25

Associate Professor Nathalie Vriend is leading a research effort exploring how sand dunes evolve over time, shifting and surging across the landscape. Her team ultimately wants to answer a pressing question: Can humans efficiently shift or even halt the flow of the planet’s largest dunes?

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