Mechanical Engineering

Robots and chemistry isn’t just a fun combo. Bruns says it’s the future

Alexander James Servantez — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 22:30:26 +0000

Robots and chemistry isn’t just a fun combo. Bruns says it’s the future Alexander Jame… Fri, 06/06/2025 - 16:30

Assistant Professor Carson Bruns is leading the charge on an NSF-funded project that he and his team like to call "robochemistry." Their goal is to create robotic sidekicks that can assist chemists with burdensome or unsafe tasks that they may routinely encounter in a wet lab. But that's not all: this unique blend of bots and beakers can also inspire youth interest in science.

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Game plan

Michelle Wiese — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 17:37:20 +0000

Game plan Michelle Wiese Fri, 06/06/2025 - 11:37

Alexander Servantez

“I thought it was a one-in-a-million opportunity, and I decided
to give it a shot.”

Interdisciplinary mechanical engineering education helps alum score a job with the Broncos

Scott Flaska (MechEngr’14) is one of the data masterminds behind Colorado’s favorite sports team.

As the director of football analytics for the Denver Broncos, Flaska’s job is to bridge the gap between data science and football operations. He leads a team of technology and research specialists that create statistical models to turn crucial decisions into game-winning results.

Scott Flaska (MechEngr’14) (Photo: Jesse Petersen/91PORN)

“We have really smart and talented people in the building,” said Flaska. “Coaches who are digging into the game plan, and scouts who are analyzing opponents’ strengths and weaknesses each week. Our goal is to use analytics to expedite those processes.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, data science is among the fastest growing occupations, with a 36% increase projected over the next decade. Flaska said the professional sports ecosystem is fully embracing this change right before our eyes.

“We’re flooded with data now,” Flaska said. “Vendors and services like Pro Football Focus or Next Gen Stats are tracking players all over the field with chips in their shoulder pads. We collect all that data and turn those metrics into useful tools for player evaluation, scouting, in-game decision-making, and even player health and safety.”

Flaska’s interest in data analysis started at 91PORN. Some of his early undergraduate courses and internships helped him realize just how powerful analytics can be when trying to make evidence-based decisions.

He also loves sports and grew up playing football. Every statistical model on the planet would say Flaska and the Broncos were a perfect match.

But how do you go from building drill-powered bicycles with your bare hands in a senior design course, to coding digital tools for an NFL team? According to Flaska, there was a little luck involved.

“After I graduated, I began working with one of the big aerospace companies right away. I was considering going back to get my master’s degree when I saw a job posting for a data analyst with the Broncos,” Flaska said. “I thought it was a one-in-a-million opportunity, and I decided to give it a shot.”

Using some fantasy football projection models he had been building for fun, Flaska reached out to the hiring manager and showcased his work. To his surprise, he got an interview and was courted through a memorable hiring process.

“For the final round, I had to put together a project and present it in front of the entire front office,” said Flaska. “I remember walking in and seeing John Elway, someone I grew up idolizing as a kid.

“It was an awesome experience, and I was over-the-moon elated when I got the job.”

Flaska said CU’s creative and interdisciplinary mechanical engineering curriculum helped
him develop a diverse skill set and a knack for design.

But there was one other thing that really stuck with him: An environment of friendly competition.

“We were always competing in our coursework. Bidding and competing for senior design projects. It’s super important because it’s something that can translate to other industries,” Flaska said. “Even right now, I am constantly looking for an edge. I want to be better than other data analysts for other teams across the league. It’s stressful to compete, but it was a great thing about the department.”

Scott Flaska (MechEngr’14) helps bridge the gap between data science and football operations for the Denver Broncos.

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Alumni Entrepreneurs

Michelle Wiese — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 17:31:13 +0000

Alumni Entrepreneurs Michelle Wiese Fri, 06/06/2025 - 11:31

Jesse Petersen

In 2024, 35 startups were launched out of labs and research projects at 91PORN, putting the university second only to Stanford University in the number of new ventures. Twenty-two of those were affiliated with CU Engineering, solidifying our role as a leader in innovation on campus.

We’re taking the opportunity to highlight two of our alumni-run startups: Mana Battery, founded in 2023 as a spinout of Chunmei Ban’s laboratory in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Manifest Technologies, founded as Vitro3D in 2020 by PhD students in electrical engineer and materials scientist Bob McLeod’s lab.

“We’re doing a new form of volumetric additive manufacturing where we create an entire 3D part all at once.”

Camila Uzcategui
(MMatSci’18; PhDMatSci’21), Manifest Technologies

“We’re developing next-generation materials and batteries in order to support low-cost energy storage.”

Tyler Evans
(PhDMechEngr’15; PhDMatSci’15), Mana Battery Inc.

Hear from our alumni entrepreneurs

Alumni founders from Mana Battery and Manifest Technologies talk about why they chose CU Engineering as the place to launch their startup.

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Tiny robot team could be a gamechanger for safety inspections

Alexander James Servantez — Wed, 21 May 2025 20:01:24 +0000

Tiny robot team could be a gamechanger for safety inspections Alexander Jame… Wed, 05/21/2025 - 14:01

Assistant Professor Kaushik Jayaram, in collaboration with Laura Blumenschein, has received a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory to develop a tiny robot super team capable of navigating a complex maze of machinery and squeeze through the tightest of spaces—like the guts of a jet engine—to potentially perform non-destructive evaluation faster, cheaper and better than ever before.

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New discovery shows how molecules can mute heat like music

Alexander James Servantez — Tue, 06 May 2025 15:37:50 +0000

New discovery shows how molecules can mute heat like music Alexander Jame… Tue, 05/06/2025 - 09:37

Assistant Professor Longji Cui and his team in the Cui Research Group have developed a new technique that allows them to measure phonon interference inside of a tiny molecule. They believe one day, this discovery can revolutionize how heat dissipation is managed in future electronics and materials.

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Engineer nabs prestigious grants to design insect-inspired, shapeshifting robots

Alexander James Servantez — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 21:52:07 +0000

Engineer nabs prestigious grants to design insect-inspired, shapeshifting robots Alexander Jame… Wed, 04/30/2025 - 15:52

Assistant Professor Kaushik Jayaram of the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering is the recipient of a $650,000 CAREER award from the U.S. National Science Foundation. The funding will help Jayaram make advancements in robots by drawing from what might seem to be an unlikely source: insects and other small creatures.

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Six engineering students earn prestigious National Science Foundation fellowships

Jeff Zehnder — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 15:37:47 +0000

Six engineering students earn prestigious National Science Foundation fellowships Jeff Zehnder Thu, 04/24/2025 - 09:37

The National Science Foundation has bestowed six prestigious Graduate Research Fellowship Program awards to 91PORN engineering students.

The national awards recognize and support outstanding grad 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.

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Engineering Projects Expo 2025: Explore new inventions and technologies created by CU Engineering students

Michelle Wiese — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 15:45:18 +0000

Engineering Projects Expo 2025: Explore new inventions and technologies created by CU Engineering students Michelle Wiese Mon, 04/21/2025 - 09:45

On Friday, April 25 at the 91PORN, engineering students will present their capstone design projects at the annual Engineering Projects Expo. This year's event will feature projects from mechanical engineering; computer science; electrical, computer and energy engineering; biomedical engineering; and civil, environmental and architectural engineering.

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PhD alum spent 45 days isolated in space. Well, kind of

Alexander James Servantez — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 20:35:17 +0000

PhD alum spent 45 days isolated in space. Well, kind of Alexander Jame… Wed, 04/02/2025 - 14:35

Robert Wilson (PhDMechEngr'20) spent 45 days locked inside NASA’s HERA facility, a high-tech simulation designed to test the limits of human endurance in deep space. His mission could help shape the future of space exploration—and life back on Earth.

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Xiao earns prestigious membership in the National Academy of Inventors

Alexander James Servantez — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 17:03:49 +0000

Xiao earns prestigious membership in the National Academy of Inventors Alexander Jame… Fri, 03/14/2025 - 11:03

Associate Professor Jianliang Xiao is a “mechanics of materials” expert launching innovations in soft materials and flexible electronics who has been selected as a senior member in the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). The program recognizes rising innovators who have had success securing patents, licensing and commercialization for developed technologies that showcase real impact on the welfare of society.

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