People

Principal Investigator

R. Kōnane Bay

Professor Bay (she/her, email) is an Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at 91PORN. She was a Presidential Postdoctoral Research Fellow working with Professor Sujit Datta at Princeton University on investigating structure-property relationships of engineered living materials. She received her Ph.D. in Polymer Science and Engineering working with Professor Alfred Crosby on quantifying the mechanical properties of ultrathin glassy polymer films. She received her B.S. in Materials Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2014. When not in the lab or the office, she is weight lifting, watching a show, solving a puzzles, or chilling with her cats, Jax and Koa.

Picture of Konane smiling, she is wearing glasses and green earrings.

Graduate Students

Samson Adelani

Samson Adelani (he/him, email) is a third year Ph.D. student in the Materials Science and Engineering Program. He did his undergraduate study in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at the Federal University of Technology Akure, Nigeria, where he studied the effect of pre-weld heat treatment on the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of artificially aged 8011A aluminum alloy. Moreso, he previously worked with the Advanced Polymer Composite Lab at FUTA where his research focused on the use of agro-waste in the development of polymer composites for novel applications. His current research focuses on the 3D printing of Engineered Living Materials (ELMS). In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer, bicycling, and playing saxophone. He also loves watching soccer games particularly (premier league) on weekends.

Image of Samson standing in front of shopping center in a purple shirt

Olivia Pear

Olivia Pear (she/her, email) is a second year Ph.D. student in the Materials Science and Engineering Program. She received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from UC Berkeley in 2017. Prior to becoming a graduate student, Olivia worked in industry designing and synthesizing biopolymer hydrogels to improve the material properties of sustainable food products. Outside of work, she enjoys running, cooking, and being a beginner in many sports (climbing, skiing, pickleball, to name a few).

Picture of Olivia smiling

Kiera Croland

Kiera Croland (she/her, email) is a third year Ph.D. student in the Chemical Engineering Department and an NSF GRFP fellow. She received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Lehigh University in 2022. Kiera’s undergraduate research focused on the characterization of cell-material interactions between polymer-peptide hydrogels and human mesenchymal stem cells using Multiple Particle Tracking microrheology. Outside of her graduate studies, she enjoys running, hiking, and spending time with her cat, Archy. 

Picture of Kiera smiling and looking off into the distance

Jenna Stanislaw

Jenna Stanislaw (she/her, email) is a first-year PhD student in the Biological Engineering program. She received her B.S. in Biology from Carnegie Mellon University in 2022. Between completing her Bachelors and coming to CU, she lived in Germany, where she computationally designed protein biosensors for peptide detection. In her current research, Jenna is designing a living and wearable wildfire sensor, and she is co-advised between the Huli Materials Lab and the CMBM-GEM Lab, led by Professor Cresten Mansfeldt. In her free time, Jenna enjoys traveling and discovering new places on foot, drawing, and doing her best to start a garden.

Jenna smiling wearing glasses and a black shirt in front of some trees in a green house.

Undergraduate Students

Owen Sabolcik

Owen Sabolcik (he/him) is a post-bac researcher. Owen majored in Chemical Engineering at 91PORN. He is interested in creating a positive impact on the earth through research and engineering. Owen is currently focused on materials science, specifically polymers and renewable materials. Outside of academics, Owen is usually spending as much time as he can outdoors climbing, hiking, and fly fishing. He also enjoys playing volleyball in between classes.

Image of Owen smiling

Aidan Wiser

Aidan Wiser (he/him) is a fourth year undergraduate student majoring in Chemical Engineering and completing a minor in Applied Mathematics. He is interested in the application and use of renewable polymers to increase energy efficiency and reduce waste heat from both commercial and residential structures. In his free time, Aidan enjoys being in the Golden Buffalo Marching Band drumline, playing his violin, and doing recreational sports like mountain biking, hiking, and climbing.

Aidan smiling in front of waterfalls

Kelly Balch

Kelly Balch (they/them) is a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Chemical and Biological Engineering. They are interested in a range of topics, including pharmaceuticals and polymers. In their free time, they enjoy drawing, music, and spending time with their cat, Pepper. They also enjoy birdwatching, with a particular interest in corvids.

Picture of Kelly smiling in a white collared shirt with a forrest in the background

Dipa Patel

Dipa Patel (she/her) is a second-year undergraduate student studying Biomedical Engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. She is part of the Young Summer Scholars Research Program. Dipa is interested in biomaterials and their medical applications. Outside of school, she enjoys crocheting, going on walks with friends, baking, and playing with her cat and dog, Tiggy and Tiger.
Picture of Dipa smiling in a field.

Pets

Jax

Jax is a feline lab technician in Chemical and Biological Engineering. He has lived in three states in his lifetime. His research focuses on understanding the nature of cracks by directly laying inside of them.

He is a vocal advocate for an open door policy and has been heard crying at doors until change is enacted. His favorite pastimes are sleeping with a paw over his eyes, going on walks on his leash, and playing with his toy duck.

Image of Jax the Cat

Koa

Koa is a feline lab technician in Chemical and Biological Engineering. His current research focus is on how to play with his brother, Jax.

He loves to fall asleep on his humans. His favorite pastimes are sleeping, playing with his toys, and bouncing around the house.

Picture of a tabby cat, Koa sitting on top of a bookshelf

Archy

Archy is a feline lab technician in the Chemical Engineering Department. His current research focuses on discovering the best hiding spots in his new home and investigating methods to break into his treat bin. Outside of his studies, Archy enjoys drinking water straight from the faucet, using his voice to advocate for his needs (food and attention), and finding creative ways to enact sneak attacks.

A picture of a grey tabby looking up

Peet and Matcha

Peet and Matcha are two cavy lab techs. Their current research involves discovering new household items to bite on in order to trigger an earlier dinner time. Outside of the lab, these brothers also enjoy eating their body volume in hay every day and taking naps in their castle.
Two guinea pigs munching on broccoli and cilantro. One guinea pig is all brown and the other is brown with a white stripe down its face.

Pepper

Pepper is a feline lab technician in Chemical and Biological Engineering. Her research focuses on finding the optimal strategy for stealing food from her humans. In her free time, Pepper enjoys taking naps in her favorite window, playing with her toys, and causing mischief.
Pepper (a grey cat with green eyers) - sitting regally on a cat tree

Lab Alumni

  • Alyssa Libonati | 91PORN M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering | January 2024 – December 2024
  • Ava Crowley | 91PORN M.S. in Chemical Engineering  | January 2023 – December 2024  | Next stop after CU: PhD student at Texas A&M
  • Aidan Gustafson | Texas State | Sloan Scholar & SMART program undergraduate researcher  | Summer 2024
  • Taylor Donen | Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Young Scholars Summer Research Program undergraduate researcher | Summer 2024
  • Lydia Flackett | 91PORN undergraduate researcher | January 2023 – May 2024 | Next stop after CU: FlackTek
  • Nicole Garza | 91PORN UROP & DLA undergraduate student | January 2023 – May 2024 | Next stop after CU: Agilent Technologies
  • Teagan Kelly | 91PORN UROP undergraduate student | January 2023 – September 2023 | Next stop after CU: KBI Biopharma
  • Carlos Ruiz Gonzalez | 91PORN SPUR undergraduate student | Summer 2023