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Nefeli Hadjiyiannis graduates Summa Cum Laude from ��ͯ��Ů’s College of Engineering and Applied Science with a major in Creative Technology and Design (CTD) and a minor in Art Practices. Nefeli has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the ATLAS community and has become part of the fabric of the CTD program. She has been a Learning Assistant for Text (ATLS 2300), a core class in the CTD major curriculum focused on graphic design and typography. Additionally, she is part of the student staff in the BTU Lab, the ATLAS maker space, supporting students in fabricating and designing their project work. Nefeli has also worked as an undergraduate research assistant with the Utility Research Lab, which combines computational fabrication, materials science, and sustainable design practices. There, Nefeli explored bio-based material formulations to make sustainable textile fibers and helped develop various formulations of gelatin-based dissolvable textile fibers with unique properties and colors.��She has also worked on research projects exploring wellbeing and digital device use. She has also been active in ��ͯ��Ů’s Society of Women Engineers/SWE and participated in several leadership positions to provide support and resources to other engineering students. Nefeli is interested in interactive textiles and innovative sustainable fabric creation. She is also interested in installation work and using computation for fabrication. After graduation, Nefeli hopes to attend graduate school to further her studies in engineering and creative design.

In addition to her ATLAS award, Nefeli received the Research Award from the College of Engineering and Applied Science.����

“I am incredibly grateful to the ATLAS community. Genuine enjoyment of learning has been a key factor in my success with multiple previous projects but also in keeping me inspired and motivated. I've made many close friends that have been such a support system in academic and professional settings. The opportunities that ��ͯ��Ů provides for research have also been incredibly important to me. The research I've completed in the Utility Research Lab has shown me what I want to continue learning.”

Sophie Berry graduates from ��ͯ��Ů’s College of Engineering and Applied Science with a major in Creative Technology and Design (CTD). As an undergraduate, Sophie has worked as a Research Assistant in the Utility Research Lab at ATLAS. As her initial project, she demonstrated remarkable tenacity and out-of-the box thinking to design a custom extrusion set-up to prototype different bio-based materials as candidates for 3D printing. She then continued her work creating a novel material based on gelatin and agar-agar (from seaweed.) While the team are still running tests, preliminary results suggest this material’s strength is on-par with typical thermoplastics—the outcome of this could be a huge breakthrough in sustainable 3D printing materials. Sophie has approached her endeavors with fierce determination and curiosity, rapidly learning and methodically experimenting to understand how materials behave. Sophie has also served as a Learning Assistant in Object (ATLS 3100), a core class in the CTD major on fabrication and modeling. She has demonstrated a unique comprehension of technical systems, their relationship to each other, and how to see creative solutions to problems. For her senior capstone project, Sophie is building ornithopters, a group of tiny flying robots. The project is highly technical and ambitious, requiring an immense amount of investigation and fabrication expertise.��

Seneca Howell graduates Summa Cum Laude from ��ͯ��Ů with an engineering major in Creative Technology & Design (CTD) and a minor in Technical Theater. She has served as head Learning Assistant/LA for Image (ATLS 2100), a core course in the CTD major. As an LA, Seneca demonstrated terrific leadership and was dedicated to helping students learning technical skills and applying them to coursework and projects. As an undergraduate research assistant in the ACME Lab at ATLAS, Seneca worked on designing the interactive curriculum for high school students using Cartoonimator, a low-cost, paper-based and tangible kit for computational thinking and keyframe animation. The research project utilizes computer vision algorithms running on a smartphone to detect and process hand-drawn or printed illustrations on paper templates and produces a digital animation. The paper that details the keyframe animation evaluation has been submitted to the ACM International Conference on Tangible, Embedded and Embodied Interaction for review. Additionally, during her time at ��ͯ��Ů, Seneca has been involved with the Engineering Honors program and the Society for Women Engineers.��

Kaya Hamon graduates from ��ͯ��Ů with an engineering major in Creative Technology & Design (CTD) and a minor in Art Practices. Kaya serves as the head Learning Assistant for Design Foundations (ATLS 1100), a large lecture class taught in the CTD program, where she demonstrates a rich combination of strong technical and mathematical abilities with a passion for design and ceramics. Kaya has been a student employee at ATLAS for 3 years working with communications. She is currently Social Media Manager, where she demonstrates herself to be remarkably intrepid. Kaya has the natural ability and confidence to step into a lab, understand dense research or technical material, and convey it in creative and compelling ways. As a member of the TYPO Lab at ATLAS, Kaya works as an undergraduate research assistant contributing��to research and creative projects in typography and technologies of language. She is��also an active student member of the BTU makerspace, where she seamlessly meshes herself into all aspects of fabrication in the lab. She is known as a capable mentor on design and UI/UX projects. A natural leader, Kaya is always interested in finding common ground, building connections and finding engaging solutions with partners and fellow students.

Andrew Widner graduates from ��ͯ��Ů with an engineering major in Creative Technology & Design (CTD). He has served as a Learning Assistant in Form (ATLS 3100), part of the core curriculum in the CTD major, teaching topics including CAD, 3D modeling and digital sculpting. He is described as an exemplary, responsible and responsive LA. In conjunction with his CTD studies, Andrew developed a true passion in 3D printing and took the initiative to launch ��ͯ��Ů3D, a student club he now leads. He has developed a vibrant student community around 3D printing, rallying a diverse group of students around this passion with meetings, workshops, projects and campus outreach. Andrew has independently advocated for the club and represented the group eloquently, even securing corporate sponsorship of 3D resources and equipment. Additionally, Andrew has worked as a student production artist at ��ͯ��Ů’s Fiske Planetarium where he has demonstrated an outstanding enthusiasm for the immersive media development and 3D animation. He also serves as one of the student leaders of the BTU Lab, the ATLAS makerspace, demonstrating himself to be a true zealot for design and fabrication and leveraging novel perspectives or approaches to creative problem solving. Additionally, Andrew serves as a student ambassador for the CTD program, leading tours and participating in presentations about ATLAS for prospective students. He is articulate and passionate about the program and shares his academic path and student experience at ��ͯ��Ů as a CTD major.

What was the biggest lesson you took away through all the community work you have been involved in during your time as a ��ͯ��Ů student?

One of the biggest lessons I've learned through my community engagement at ��ͯ��Ů is the value of applying my education to contribute positively to the world around me. I worked with Blueprint Boulder (a ��ͯ��Ů student-run organization) to develop websites and apps for nonprofits. That work taught me that education extends far beyond the pursuit of a paycheck. It's a powerful tool for societal betterment and self-growth.

As you reflect on what you’ve persevered through to make it to graduating, how would you say your time as a student has prepared you for the future?

Many times throughout my time as a student, I felt overwhelmed and considered giving up. However, without completing my education, I would never have received the opportunities I have post-graduation. I learned that although sometimes things feel hopeless, setbacks are temporary, and positive outcomes are just over the horizon with persistence.

What is it about ATLAS that you think would be most exciting to prospective students?

I loved my experience at ATLAS because it offers a unique blend of aspects in engineering that most majors wouldn’t get the opportunity to learn. However, the most significant skill I developed at ATLAS was the ability to approach and persevere through challenging problems. We frequently encountered tasks that initially seemed daunting and beyond our immediate capabilities.�� However, the program encouraged us to be self-reliant and resourceful, teaching us to seek out and apply solutions independently. This ability to persevere and innovate in the face of obstacles is perhaps the most valuable skill ATLAS taught me, significantly influencing every aspect of my life.

What did you focus your research on in the Unstable Design Lab?

My focus in research is really on the structural study of fiber, specifically in fabricating textiles through a variety of methods, (like spinning, knitting, and weaving) along with how older methods of textile production might be used in modern e-textiles.

What was the most important thing you learned as a research assistant?

The most important thing I learned as a research assistant might be how to approach research in an organized way, how to actually produce written work from my findings, and how to work with others in a lab setting.

What did you focus your research on in the Utility Research Lab?

I was completing materials design research on fabricating fibers and alternative 3D printing filament from diverse biomaterials for the creation of bio-based, sustainable smart textiles and fabrication methods. As well as researching mechanical properties of various bio-based polysaccharides and proteins in the use of dry-jet wet spinning fiber creation.

What was the most important thing you learned as a research assistant?

In my previous research positions, I was tasked with purifying specific proteins and performing laboratory tasks while following detailed instructions, whereas at the Utility Research Lab I was able to freely explore topics that I found not only intriguing but also motivating. The most important thing I learned in this exploration was how to design my own experiments, fail, and continue to redesign new tests. It takes an immense amount of mental rigor to fail over and over again until a positive result is achieved, especially when those failures are a result of tests you designed.