A personalized approach to education 

When Dr. Han-Wei Shih joined the School of STEM鈥檚 Division of Biological Sciences at 56吃瓜网 Bothell as an assistant professor in autumn 2024, he brought a student-focused approach to his Molecular Biology course. A pre-course survey revealed to him that his students, mostly seniors planning to graduate in a few months, were unaware of the diverse career paths available to them. Instead of merely delivering lectures, he engaged students in discussions about what they already knew and what they hoped to learn. This adaptive teaching method ensured that students were not just checking boxes for graduation but were actively preparing for their future careers.聽

鈥淗e wanted to go above and beyond and help us prepare not just for our academic lives, but also for our lives onward from that,鈥� Biology Senior Adelle Nolan said. 鈥淲hether it’s our career or continuing in academia, whatever it was.鈥�  

Eye-opening field experiences 

To expand his students’ understanding of career possibilities in biology, Shih arranged field trips to and the at the end of autumn quarter. The field trips gave students an inside look at the facilities through guided tours and interactive Q&A panels with professionals working in cross-disciplinary roles. Shih hoped that these tours would provide his students with awareness of the research community in the region and the career opportunities in the fields. Shih also wanted his students to hear from speakers with diverse STEM backgrounds, learning about their personal journeys through academia and industry and how they arrived at their current roles.  

鈥淚 strongly believe that academia and industry share a close and mutually beneficial relationship,鈥� Shih said. 鈥淭his connection is essential not only for advancing academic research but also for fostering industry growth.鈥� 

At Just 鈥� Biologics, students explored the intersection of biology and technology, where professionals worked in multidisciplinary teams to develop innovative solutions. Speaker panels highlighted unique backgrounds and specialties and how they come together collaboratively in biotech research. The Allen Institute further reinforced this concept, with researchers from a wide range of backgrounds collaborating on cutting-edge projects across disciplines. 

鈥淚t was very interesting to see the types of people that go into this facility and what their roles were, what they did, and how they all interconnected,鈥� said Hannah Heilman, a senior majoring in Biology.聽聽

For Heilman, who’s been involved in genetics research at 56吃瓜网 Bothell, the experience was eye-opening to the opportunities available in biology in Seattle and the value that vast research experience brings to the field. 

鈥淕oing on the field trip to the Allen Institute and Just 鈥� Biologics tied into my research because it made me appreciate the science more,鈥� Heilman said. 鈥淚t just inspired me to keep going, working at what I love, and to get as much research experience as possible.” 

A well-rounded approach to science and learning 

For many students, these experiences were more than just academic exercises 鈥� they were pivotal moments that shifted their outlook on their futures. Nolan, initially uncertain about job opportunities within their niche specialty of human sex diversity, found reassurance in seeing recent graduates working in interdisciplinary roles. 

鈥淚 came into this field trip being worried about my future and feeling like I wanted to cling on to my bachelor’s degree 鈥� find a way to stay in college forever,鈥� they shared. 鈥淏ut then when I came out of that first field trip, I felt confident. I felt inspired.鈥澛�

The field trips reiterated to students that a successful career in biology isn鈥檛 confined to a single specialty. The educational journey in the School of STEM is about more than just meeting graduation requirements 鈥� it鈥檚 about helping students discover their passions, build meaningful connections and step into their future with excitement and purpose. 

鈥淭he experience showed us how science thrives on collaboration and innovation,鈥� Shih said. 鈥淎s we returned to our studies, we carried with us a deeper appreciation for the endless possibilities in scientific discovery.鈥� 

The post Expanding horizons: how research and field opportunities inspire 56吃瓜网 Bothell biology students聽 appeared first on School of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics.

Building on gravitational wave research from the last decade, the European Space Agency (ESA) teamed up with NASA for the upcoming . NASA鈥檚 Astrophysics Division selected six U.S. scientists from all over the nation to serve on the joint ESA-NASA LISA Science Team; they will join a team of eleven European scientists along with two interdisciplinary scientists and a representative from the LISA Consortium.

Among the six U.S. scientists chosen is 56吃瓜网 Bothell鈥檚 Dr. Joey Shapiro Key, associate professor in physics.  

We鈥檙e going to be working hard to ensure the success of the mission. But that is something that I want to contribute my time to.

A multi-generational legacy in astronomy 

During her time in graduate school at Montana State University, Key intended to focus on cosmology but was still unsure of her path. She began working on cosmology research with Dr. Neil Cornish but changed to his research group鈥檚 focus on gravitational waves.    

鈥淚 was an astrophysics major in college and I worked on cosmology in undergrad,鈥� Key said. 鈥淏ut in grad school, I started working on gravitational wave astronomy because that’s what my adviser was working on.鈥�   

Key鈥檚 research has contributed to LIGO, LISA and NANOGrav, the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves.    

鈥淭hese big missions that we do, like LIGO and like LISA, they’re multi-generational,鈥� Key said. 鈥淚 mean, really human generations, scientific generations and academic generations.鈥�   

Key’s adviser, Cornish, had been working on these missions long before he taught her, and now she is teaching students who will become leaders in this field in 10 to 15 years. Cornish is also one of the six scientists selected to work on the LISA mission, so after many decades of working and researching, Key and Cornish will reunite for the project as peers and colleagues.    

鈥淚 trained with him and learned from him,鈥� Key said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fun and exciting to continue collaborating with him in this new role.”  

Nurturing curiosity and discovery in the classroom 

As an associate professor at 56吃瓜网 Bothell, Key incorporates current research and discoveries in her teaching. Because it’s happening in real-time, gravitational wave research makes its way into her physics and cosmology courses, classical mechanics and astronomy 101.    

鈥淚t’s natural and timely to include all of this in classes,鈥� Key said.    

56吃瓜网 Bothell provides programs and opportunities for students to get involved in cutting-edge gravitational wave research. Last year, Jayron Yucker, a senior pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Physics, received an email from Key offering her mentorship. Yucker became involved in Key鈥檚 gravitational wave research group and was encouraged to apply for the Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP). In this program, he worked with simulated LISA data 鈥� particularly looking at extreme mass ratio inspirals (EMRI), small black holes orbiting supermassive black holes.  

Astronomy is sort of a gateway science. People can get excited even if it doesn鈥檛 connect to the details of their everyday life.聽聽

One of the more well-known opportunities at 56吃瓜网 Bothell are the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs, which provide students with immersive research experiences over the summer. August Muller, a visiting researcher at 56吃瓜网 Bothell, was part of the 2021 Physics REU cohort working with Key on LISA EMRI search techniques. Muller came to 56吃瓜网 Bothell because it was one of the only research programs she applied to that would give her hands-on research experience. Even after completing the REU, Muller kept updated on the gravitational wave project and it later became the focus of her bachelor鈥檚 thesis. 

鈥淚 sort of realized in that moment that I was having more fun in the research that I was doing with Joey,鈥� Muller said. 鈥淭rying out different fields and really using that as an opportunity to figure out what one likes and doesn’t like as an academic and as a scientist, I think was very useful to me.鈥� 

Now, Muller鈥檚 beginning a 10-month Fulbright fellowship at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics where she will be continuing her gravitational wave research.   

鈥淭hat’s how the undergraduate research goes,” Key said. 鈥淭hey’re long-term projects that students come on and learn about the project and contribute and then sort of pass it along.鈥�   

Due to the generational longevity of this field, K-12 outreach efforts are crucial for engaging high school students in gravitational wave research. Initiatives like the aim to make complex scientific concepts accessible and exciting for younger audiences.   

Through outreach and research opportunities, educators like Key are cultivating the next generation of scholars in this relatively young field.    

鈥淎stronomy is sort of a gateway science,鈥� Key said. 鈥淧eople can get excited even if it doesn’t connect to the details of their everyday life.”  

LISA鈥檚 unique design: A space-based revolution 

Set to launch in 2035, LISA鈥檚 design consists of three spacecraft arranged in an equilateral triangle, with laser beams extending approximately 2.5 million miles on each side measuring the distance between them. When an astronomical event occurs, the gravitational waves will cause the spacecrafts to shift slightly. The lasers will measure that distance and send the signal to scientists down on Earth to analyze 鈥� which is the role Key is assisting with.    

Designing this mission to be in space is more complicated according to Key, but it holds a lot of advantages. Because it will operate in space, LISA will span larger than the Earth and be incredibly sensitive to gravitational waves 鈥� resulting in LISA collecting a lot of data for scientists. One of the key objectives of the mission is to learn more about supermassive black holes. Located at the center of almost every large galaxy, a supermassive black hole has a mass of hundreds of thousands to billions of times the Sun鈥檚 mass, according to NASA. But scientists know very little about them. 

鈥淟ISA is our only prospect for observing those kinds of systems,鈥� Key said.    

This ability to capture the subtle shifts caused by gravitational waves will revolutionize our understanding of the fundamental nature of gravity, black holes and galaxies.  

Key’s commitment to advancing gravitational wave research 

Due to its incredible sensitivity, LISA will collect a lot of overlapping signals which will need to be analyzed so they aren鈥檛 contaminating each other. Key鈥檚 role in the mission is to analyze simulated LISA data since the mission has not yet launched.  

鈥淚t makes it an interesting data analysis problem,鈥� Key said. 鈥淩ight now, I use simulated LISA data to demonstrate our analysis techniques 鈥� that鈥檚 what I do with students here at 56吃瓜网 Bothell.鈥�   

Key鈥檚 role in the mission is essential because her work enables LISA鈥檚 gravitational wave data to identify the properties of different astrophysical sources. Key鈥檚 term on the LISA science team will last three years; collaborating with the other scientists selected and learning more about the data that LISA will collect on its 4.5-year mission orbiting around the Sun. 

鈥淚t’s a great honor to be selected,鈥� Key said. 鈥淥ur field is full of smart, talented, motivated scientists working to answer these kinds of questions, this new kind of astronomy and this new way to observe the cosmos and black holes and other kinds of sources. We’re going to be working hard to ensure the success of the mission. But that is something that I want to contribute my time to.鈥� 

The post A cosmic journey: Joey Shapiro Key selected for the LISA Science Team聽 appeared first on School of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics.

Konpal Ali

Assistant Professor

Division of Engineering & Mathematics 鈥� Electrical Engineering

Dr. Konpal Ali earned a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. Before joining the 56吃瓜网, she was a postdoc at the University of Manitoba and then at New York University (NYU) Abu Dhabi.

Research focus:
Performance analysis, optimization and design of large wireless networks that accurately model real-world networks.

Courses:
EE 341A Discrete Time Linear Systems
EE 517A Wireless Communications I
EE 235A Continuous Time Linear Systems
EE 518A Wireless Communications II

Miguel Balzan

Assistant Teaching Professor

Division of Engineering & Mathematics 鈥� Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Miguel Balzan is a mechanical engineer with a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta, specializing in fluid dynamics. With over 15 years of teaching and industry experience, he has collaborated with energy companies on improving fluid handling processes.

Research focus:
Complex fluid behaviors, including effervescent atomization and drop impacts.

Courses:
B ME 331 Thermodynamics
B ME 435 HVAC
B ME 223 Engineering Dynamics
B ENGR 321 & B ME 334 Laboratories in Mechanical Engineering

Dharma Dailey

Assistant Teaching Professor

Division of Computing & Software Systems

Dr. Dailey earned her Ph.D. in Human Centered Design & Engineering from the University of Washington College of Engineering. She has taught part-time in the School of STEM since 2021. Having mentored over 20 data science teams, she emphasizes the integration of human-centered practices to improve processes and results.

Research focus:
Investigating collaborations between professional software engineers and scientists at the Scientific Software Engineer Center at 56吃瓜网, while also organizing workshops for data science educators to exchange strategies for teaching Data for Good. Additionally, she supports digital equity projects in Washington state.

Courses:
CSS 142 Intro to Computer Programming I
CSS 478 Usability and User-Centered Design

Elizabeth Field

Assistant Professor

Division of Engineering & Mathematics – Mathematics

Dr. Elizabeth Field received her Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She went on to work at the University of Utah where she was a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Scholar.

Research focus:
Geometric group theory, geometric topology, and low-dimensional topology.

Courses:
MATH 300 Foundations of Modern Math
MATH 441 Topology

Elizabeth Ostrowski

Assistant Professor

Division of Biological Sciences

Dr. Ostrowski received her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Michigan State University. Ostrowski will join 56吃瓜网 Bothell in December from the University of Auckland, where she was a senior research fellow at the Liggins Institute. Ostrowski鈥檚 research background is in microbiology, evolutionary genetics and genomics. Her research combines studies of natural populations with laboratory evolution experiments that identify genetic changes in real-time.

Research focus:
Microbiology, evolutionary genetics and genomics.

Courses:
B BIO 375 Molecular Biology
B BIO 495 Investigative Biology

Han-Wei Shih

Assistant Professor

Division of Biological Sciences

Dr. Han-Wei Shih earned his Ph.D. in cell biology from Pennsylvania State University in 2015, focusing on cellular ion signaling in mechanosensing and gravity-sensing within the field of space biology. His postdoctoral research at the University of Washington Seattle explored signal sensing and transduction in cell differentiation and antibiotic resistance, specifically in the protozoan parasite Giardia.

Research focus:
Molecular mechanisms regulating encystation and antibiotic resistance.

Courses:
B BIO 375 Molecular Biology
B BIO 495 Investigative Biology

Jeff Stride

Assistant Teaching Professor

Division of Computing & Software Systems

Jeff Stride earned his M.S. in computer science from University of California Santa Barbara. began his career at Microsoft, where he spent 22 years in various roles. He contributed to notable products like Microsoft Bob, which introduced Clippy, and spent eight years at MSN, where his teams launched the Home Page for 500 million users and revamped the Entertainment channel. After his time in industry, Jeff transitioned to education, teaching AP Computer Science through the TEALS program. In 2017, he joined North Creek High School, where he taught until the 2023-24 school year.

Courses:
CSS 143 Computer Programming II
CSS 360 Software Engineering

Madhava Vemuri

Assistant Professor

Division of Engineering & Mathematics – Electrical Engineering

Dr. Madhava Vemuri completed his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering at North Dakota State University in 2024. During his Ph.D., he worked on developing frameworks and methodologies for studying the newer generation of chip design using beyond Moore technologies. He also investigated various circuit design and optimization techniques for advanced process nodes.

Research focus:
Monolithic Integration, Beyond Moore Technologies, On-chip Power Delivery, Edge Computing, Artificial Intelligence for IC design, Biomedical and Agricultural projects.

Courses:
EE 528 Computer Organization
EE 425 Microprocessor System Design
EE 525 Embedded System Design

The post Welcoming new faculty to the School of STEM appeared first on School of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics.

The School of STEM hosted its inaugural award recognition ceremony and recognized students and faculty for their outstanding achievements, academic excellence, resiliency, engagement, leadership and service during the academic year.

Faculty awards

Sr. Chief Ronald G. Gamboa Endowed 56吃瓜网 Bothell STEM Faculty Fellowship Award

In recognition of outstanding contributions in undergraduate research mentorship, broadening participation from underserved communities and inspiring the next generation of 56吃瓜网 Bothell School of STEM graduates to make a positive impact in their broader community and the world.

Recipient: Dr. Joey Shapiro Key, associate professor, Physical Sciences Division

Michelle Gamboa created this endowment in honor of her father, Sr. Chief Ronald G. Gamboa. But a special thanks to Michelle, your endowment will leave an everlasting impression on our School and your father’s legacy will support undergraduate research, inspire students and change lives. Thank you, Michelle, for founding this in the School of STEM at 56吃瓜网 Bothell. Read more about the .

Read the 56吃瓜网 Bothell story “A gift to 鈥榯he faculty who make 56吃瓜网 Bothell so special鈥�.”

I believe that someone’s path in life can change in a moment, all it takes is a person or an experience that influences that person and gives them a spark of inspiration.

Michelle Gamboa, endowment founder, STEM advisory board co-chair, alumna

Physical Sciences Division (PSD) awards

Student Success Award

In recognition of outstanding contributions to the chemistry or physics program through achievements in mentoring, service, scholarship, and research.

• Chemistry: Lauren Woods
• Physics: Roland Rothwell

Academic Achievement Award

In recognition of outstanding performance in chemistry or physics coursework.

• Chemistry: Sam Bowers
• Physics: Abby Wang
• Earth System Sciences: Neil Hicks
• Earth System Sciences: Sylvia Gholson

Outstanding Peer Facilitator

In recognition of outstanding accomplishments as a peer facilitator and helping other students achieve their goals and potential.

• Chemistry: Ben Green
• Physics: Parbeen Sekhon

Outstanding Researcher

In recognition of outstanding accomplishments in chemistry or physics research.

• Chemistry: Shiho Higuchi
• Physics: Randall Te

Earth System Sciences Recognition of Community Engagement

Recipient: Aidan McQuilkin

Biological Sciences (BIO) awards

Engagement and Leadership Award

In recognition of contributions to the biology program through achievements in community building and student engagement.

• Recipient: 56吃瓜网 Bothell Biology Club
  • Tavleen Singh
  • Shrinithi Arun
  • Tavleen Singh
  • Ilhan Dirie
  • Michelle U. Vo
  • Esha K Gill
  • Ethan Y Park
  • Jiwan Kaur Tib
  • Dang Truong

Computing & Software Systems (CSS) awards

CSS Best Poster

In recognition of the best Computing & Software Systems (CSS) Division poster presentation during the Capstone Colloquium.

Recipient: Chrishansel Raphael Dimiputra

Engineering & Mathematics (E&M) awards

E&M Academic Excellence Award

In recognition of outstanding accomplishments in mathematics or engineering research.

• Mathematics: Andrew Cheney
• Mathematics: Martin F. Martinez
• Mathematics: Lana Young

E&M Leadership and Service Award

In recognition of contributions to the mathematics or engineering programs through achievements in mentoring, service, scholarship, and research.

• Electrical Engineering: Casey Duncan
• Mechanical Engineering: Cory Morin

E&M Resilience Award

In recognition of resilience in overcoming significant obstacles and challenges in the mathematics and engineering programs.

• Mathematics: Marie Culp
• Mathematics: Morgan Futty
• Mathematics: Taylor Gibbons
• Electrical Engineering: Majeedah Abdul-Azeem

Service to the School of STEM

In recognition of exceptional work at the School of STEM Capstone Symposium and dedication to serving the students of 56吃瓜网 Bothell.

Recipients:

• Haydn Tamura
• Anna Ritchie
• Erika Lee

Celebrating achievement

Each award recipient demonstrated exceptional dedication and innovation within their respective fields. Their accomplishments not only reflect academic excellence but also underscores their commitment to advancing research, fostering community engagement, and pushing the boundaries of STEM education.

The 56吃瓜网 extends its heartfelt congratulations to all award winners and expresses gratitude to the faculty, staff, and student community for their continuous support and contributions to making the STEM Symposium a resounding success.

Learn more information about the School of STEM Symposium.

鈥� Enter password: STEM2024

The post STEM Symposium Awards 鈥� 2024 appeared first on School of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics.

Six senior mechanical engineering students created their own goose neck hinge, which allows the passenger door of an aircraft to open to 180 degrees. Boeing tasked the students to create a hinge using a more contemporary manufacturing process and more modern materials than the ones they currently use. The team was advised and mentored by Boeing senior technical lead engineers Matthew Soja and Mitchell Mellor, Engineering Capstone Coordinator Dr. Imen Elloumi-Hannachi, ME faculty Dr. John Bridge and Captain Bill Anderson. who continuously collaborated to provide guidance and support to the students throughout the project.

The students, Kacper Syzmanski, Andrey Fomin, William Fogle, Loyan Dude, Simran Deol and Daniel Comsea, who all graduated in June, were selected based on their interests, career aspirations and qualifications for the project. The team split into sub-groups to work on various aspects of the project, from research, manufacturing, design, testing and coding. Led by Syzmanski and Fomin, the team created various designs before finding one that is capable of withstanding 9,000 lbs. of tension and 4,500 lbs. of compression.

鈥淲ill, Andrey and I designed our clevis, which is the device that would hold our hinge in testing to verify that it would pass all the loading criteria,鈥� said Syzmanski. 鈥淎t the same time Loyan, Daniel, and Simran were researching materials to select for our hinge to get an idea of what the material and manufacturing costs would be, and what we could manufacture in house and what would have to be done through vendors.鈥�

Before the project completion, the students were given the opportunity to tour of the Boeing Everett plant and to meet several other Boeing engineers and other students from the Seattle campus working on other capstone projects.

鈥淚t was a really great experience working with our Boeing mentors,鈥� said Fogle. 鈥淚 felt like I learned something new every meeting, whether it was about testing, structural design, or finite element analysis. They also respected our ability to solve problems and would subtly point us in the right direction without giving anything away. Their industry knowledge and experience were invaluable, being able to learn from them was a real privilege.鈥�

Fomin said the experience was an incredible opportunity.

鈥淲e were all very excited to see our hinge in person and to test our hinge design. Our hinge met all the criteria given.鈥�

Elloumi-Hannachi, said that the project gave students an opportunity to practice several aspects of engineering they learned in different courses, including design thinking and human centered design, and to develop their engineering skills even further. It also gave them the opportunity to learn more about Boeing culture and needs. The scope of the project was well-defined, and the constraints and requirements were explained to the students well in advance, while the students had to come up with their own design and demonstrate how it works. The students also had to present their work not only at the School of STEM Capstone Symposium, but also at the Boeing campus in front of Boeing engineers and senior leaders, as well as faculty and deans from all three 56吃瓜网 campuses.

Bridge said that after this years鈥� experience, Boeing was interested in doing more projects with 56吃瓜网 Bothell students in the future.

鈥淭hey seemed very happy with the results of our team. This is a perfect capstone/company relationship as the projects envisioned — including the one we just did — are a wonderful mechanical engineering experience for our students,鈥� said Bridge. 鈥淭hey can get their hands around these projects while also helping Boeing.  This experience also gives insight to our students into engineering at Boeing and networking opportunities for employment.鈥�

Elloumi-Hannachi says that she was happy that the Boeing engineers took the time to share current job openings at Boeing, and that they were happy to recommend her students for those job openings.

鈥淚 am very pleased to see that several of the students already have jobs at Boeing,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am excited to continue this partnership with Boeing, we already started discussing the scope of the projects for the next academic year.鈥�

The post Boeing partners with School of STEM to create capstone project appeared first on School of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics.

The evidence, newly published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, comes from several teams of researchers, including several from the 56吃瓜网.

The post Astrophysicists report solid evidence for a background hum of gravitational waves appeared first on School of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics.

His work, however, didn鈥檛 go unnoticed.

Ghadamsi was nominated by his professors for the 2023 President鈥檚 Medal, which he was presented in this year鈥檚 Commencement Ceremony on June 11.

Each year, the President鈥檚 Medal is awarded to a graduating senior with the most distinguished academic record. Students are nominated and selected from the top 2% of the graduating class in their program. In addition to their academic success, students are selected based on other honors and awards, research and publications, as well as future plans.

Ghadamsi graduated with a major in Biology and a minor in Neuroscience. He is currently taking a gap year while he applies to medical school with the goal of becoming a doctor specializing in neuroscience.

A discovery of limitless potential

Ghadamsi always knew he would go to college. Higher education was a priority for his family going three generations back.

鈥淢y grandpa was the first person to go to college in his city where he grew up in Libya,鈥� he said. 鈥淔rom then on, my dad and all his siblings went to college, and my dad got the opportunity to go to the United States and study. It was ingrained into the family that college education is very important.鈥�

From an early age, Ghadamsi had an interest in science and engineering. He enjoyed tearing stuff apart and discovering how things worked. Together with his dad, he worked on fixing cars. His interest in science deepened in high school with his biology and chemistry classes.

While college felt not only possible 鈥� even essential 鈥� to Ghadamsi as a young boy, he still believed what he could accomplish would be limited because of his heritage. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 think I could be a doctor until I was told I could,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 see anybody like me who was a doctor.鈥�

Ghadamsi鈥檚 father challenged this perception and helped him imagine all that could be possible for him. Now, as a college graduate, what he once thought was鈥痷nimaginable has become his life鈥檚 ambition. And he hopes that, as a doctor, he will also be an inspirational figure for other young people like him to see what they can achieve.

Specializing in neuroscience

Ghadamsi’s interest in neuroscience in particular started at the age of 16 when he had a seizure while having dinner with his family. Once at 56吃瓜网 Bothell, he laid the groundwork for this specialization through his minor and by completing two summer internships: the 56吃瓜网  and the .

鈥淏eing able to participate in a neurosurgery internship where I gained lab experience and made clinical observations really reassured me in my goal to become a doctor who studies neuroscience,鈥� he said.

Pre-med adviser Kristen Labrecque helped him apply for the program. Then, after completing the internship, Ghadamsi in turn worked to encourage other students to apply.

鈥淗e was getting help and passing it on,鈥� said Dr. Alaron Lewis, associate teaching professor and chair of biological sciences in the School of STEM. 鈥淭his is totally in-line with what I know of Hithem 鈥� not just accepting help but passing that help on to others.鈥�

The internship also opened Ghadamsi up to the idea of doing his own research, he said. As a senior at the 2023 56吃瓜网 Undergraduate Research Symposium, he presented 鈥�.鈥�

An accomplished student and leader

Even beyond his two internships, Ghadamsi was an accomplished student who made the Dean鈥檚 List each quarter. Lewis recalls having to remind Ghadamsi of that very fact when she asked her Cell Biology class to practice writing cover letters.

鈥淚 pointed out to him that making the Dean鈥檚 List and being eligible for the President鈥檚 Medal were impressive accomplishments that he should tell people about, and he just shrugged about it self-consciously,鈥� she said. 鈥淗ithem is an excellent student but not in a flashy way. He is extremely modest about his own activities and accomplishments. He did not set out to get the best score, he just set out to do his best 鈥� and it turns out that his best is pretty darn good.鈥�

Lewis added that even in remote classroom settings, Ghadamsi鈥檚鈥痚ngagement with his peers stood out and his desire to learn was evident in the insightful questions he asked. As classes returned in person, his 鈥渜uiet and unassuming鈥� presence as a leader grew, she said.

鈥淗ithem is a wonderful, caring human being. He is absolutely a leader in class. Not a loud out-in-front leader, but a 鈥榯alk to everyone in your group鈥� leader and a 鈥榤ake sure everyone has a voice鈥� leader and 鈥榮top by the professor鈥檚 office to advocate for others鈥欌€痩eader,鈥� Lewis said.

A desire to help others

Ghadamsi鈥檚 role as a leader and a resource for his peers extended outside the classroom to his work across several student clubs and activities, as well. One club stands out as a passion project for him: the Student Association for Refugees and Immigrants.

SAFIR was founded in 2019 to support refugees and immigrants in the campus community to succeed academically and professionally. The club works with the International Rescue Committee to develop connections with 56吃瓜网 Bothell and refugees. It became inactive after the coronavirus pandemic disrupted campus activities. In the hopes of reviving the club when in-person activities resumed, Dr. Salwa Al-Noori reached out to Ghadamsi.

鈥淗ithem鈥檚 role in SAFIR has been significant,鈥� said Al-Noori, associate teaching professor in the School of STEM. 鈥淲ith the other club officers, he has worked tirelessly to facilitate events and awareness that support students from immigrant and refugee communities and which promote understanding, inclusion and practical benefits for students from diverse communities.鈥�

As president of SAFIR, Ghadamsi helped organize events such as clothing drives, youth mentorship programs and career networking nights.

鈥淚 want to help people because it鈥檚 the right thing to do,鈥� Ghadamsi said. 鈥淏eing a first-generation American, I鈥檝e witnessed what it was like for other people. Reflecting on my parents鈥� experience coming to the U.S. and having to struggle, I feel that I鈥檝e been fortunate to have a different experience, and I want to pay that forward to others who haven鈥檛 had the same opportunities.鈥�

Ghadamsi鈥檚 passion for SAFIR鈥檚 mission is part of his overall ambition to help others.鈥疕e aims to someday practice medicine both in the U.S. and in his family鈥檚 home country of Libya. In Libya, he hopes to develop a program or a clinic to help provide health care services to the communities that need it most.

Graduating on a high note

When Ghadamsi heard he was receiving the President鈥檚 Medal, he was excited to see his dedication to his course work and his extracurricular activities recognized.

鈥淚 knew how much hard work I put in throughout college,鈥� he said. 鈥淎t times school was very challenging, so being recognized for that is very gratifying.鈥�

His professors were thrilled to hear he had been awarded the medal.

鈥淗ithem has consistently over the period of his undergraduate studies demonstrated the characteristics that make him truly deserving of this award; he is an excellent student not only as reflected in his impressive performance in his coursework and through his engagement in research but for the dedication and passion he brings to learning,鈥� Al-Noori said. 鈥淗e also has a strong commitment to community as can be seen by his extracurricular engagement, especially in his contributions through SAFIR and the local Greater Seattle community.

鈥淚 truly believe Hithem is deserving of the recognition conferred by this medal, and I am confident that he will continue forward with the same commitment and dedication in his future.鈥�

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This year鈥檚 symposium hosted presentations by undergraduates from across the three 56吃瓜网 campuses. The 56吃瓜网 Bothell students presented 20 different research projects and topics, ranging from 鈥淣ostalgic Analysis of Tweets During Crisis Events鈥� to 鈥淢otivation in Non-Profit Organization Workers.鈥�

The symposium featured research across a wide array of academic disciplines 鈥� from business to STEM 鈥� with the projects covering data and information from as far away as black holes in other galaxies to as close as the 56吃瓜网 Bothell鈥檚 campus wetland.

In opening remarks for the symposium, Ed Taylor, 56吃瓜网鈥檚 vice provost and dean of undergraduate affairs, also recognized the faculty support that makes this depth and breadth of student research possible. He then announced and congratulated seven recipients of the聽聽鈥� including Dr. Paola Rodr铆guez Hidalgo,鈥痑n assistant professor in 56吃瓜网 Bothell鈥檚聽School of STEM.

Supporting their students

Students presenting in the symposium each year can nominate mentors who have had a profound impact on their education and research. A small committee of faculty and staff then reviews the nominations to select the award recipients.

鈥淚t was one of the most beautiful awards,鈥� Rodr铆guez Hidalgo said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice being recognized by the University, but it鈥檚 also thanks to my students 鈥� and that鈥檚 just so beautiful.鈥�

She was nominated by two students from her quasar research group, Easton Robert Pierce and Alex Vong.

鈥淧aola has been an amazing mentor. She has consistently pushed me to go beyond and motivated me to continue even when I鈥檝e hit a wall,鈥� said Pierce in his nomination for Rodr铆guez Hidalgo.

鈥淏etween her meetings, giving talks and writing papers, I鈥檓 not sure where she finds the time for it all,鈥� he said. 鈥淪he truly deserves to be recognized for all the hard work she puts into not only teaching classes but also mentoring students and leading the quasar research group.鈥�

Understanding stars in the universe

Pierce is a senior majoring in physics at 56吃瓜网 Bothell. He first developed a love of astronomy when his parents bought him a starter telescope when he was nine years old. He is now a NASA Space Grant scholar.

鈥淲hat drew me to astronomy is the pure absurdity of the scale and energies of the objects in which we study,鈥� he said.

At this year鈥檚 symposium, Pierce presented鈥€溾€� Quasars are a phenomenon where gas and dust from extremely luminous galactic cores fall into a supermassive black hole. This can sometimes produce winds known as outflows. Whether these outflows affect the evolution of their host galaxies remains unknown and continues to be a point of interest in ongoing research.

鈥淏ecause of the large energies found in extremely high velocity outflows, we believe they may play a large role in the evolution of galaxies, specifically on their ability to form stars,鈥� Pierce said.

Looking at ancient fires and fuels

In her presentation, 鈥溾€� Haley Brooks (Conservation & Restoration Science 鈥�23)鈥痵ampled 34 modern plant species from 56吃瓜网 Herbarium collections to study charcoal morphometry 鈥斺€痶he measurement of sedimentary charcoal particle shape attributes 鈥斺€痑fter burning the samples at 500 degrees Celsius.

Brooks investigated if charcoal aspect ratio is a valid method for determining fuel type. If this method can be used when looking at modern-day plants, she noted, it may provide important insights into ancient fire regimes. Her mentors for this research were both in the 56吃瓜网鈥檚 Department of Biology on the Seattle campus: Dr. Caroline Str枚mberg, professor; and Dr. Christopher Schiller, postdoctoral scholar.

With the rapidly changing climate, Brooks said it鈥檚 become a priority to gain a better understanding of how the changes will affect plant life to strategize conservation practices for the near future. 鈥淲e鈥檙e in a climate crisis right now where we鈥檝e never been in this climate zone, but the world has previously.

鈥淪o if we鈥檙e able to look at the climate zones of ancient fires and look at what burned at that time,鈥� she said, 鈥渨e can put that into our conservation practices and have retroactive success in protecting those plant species that are used for fuel 鈥� before it happens.鈥�

Brooks noted in her presentation that continued research into the verification of charcoal morphometry as a means to verify fuel type could also help increase confidence in paleo reconstructions of ancient fuel types.

Examining learning during the pandemic

In his project, 鈥溾€� Eric Yoon Jae Shin analyzed student learning in a statistics course in both a pre-pandemic and pandemic setting. Dr. Caleb Trujillo, assistant professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences, oversaw this research as Shin鈥檚 mentor.

鈥淭he main thing we wanted to find out was whether or not the COVID-19 disruptions affected students learning,鈥� Shin said, a senior majoring Mathematical Thinking & Visualization.

Searching for answers, he looked to concept models 鈥� hand drawn models students use to write statistics concepts 鈥� to measure student learning. He analyzed 180 models from two different experiences and quarters: an in-person learning environment in a pre-pandemic quarter and an online learning environment during the pandemic.

鈥淭he key finding that we made was that students in the online quarter were adding concepts to their models at a lower rate than students in the previous quarter, which was before the coronavirus pandemic,鈥� Shin said. 鈥淲e came to the conclusion that the COVID-19 disruption had a major impact on a student鈥檚 learning in the statistics course.鈥�

What makes this kind of research so important, Shin noted, is that it can be used by professors to better understand and assist college students as they learn in different spaces.

Discovering the possibilities

The presentations in this year鈥檚 symposium represent the broad range of research, scholarship and creative practice projects that students can undertake during their undergraduate studies.

Here is a small sampling of additional oral, poster and visual arts presentations 56吃瓜网 Bothell students gave at this year鈥檚 symposium:

• 鈥淔airness and Biases in Mobility Models鈥�
  • presented by Daniel Wang, a senior in Computer Science & Software Engineering; mentored by Dr. Afra Mashhadi, assistant professor, School of STEM
• 鈥淢issing Maps: Identifying Remote Communities Using Satellite Imagery and Machine Learning鈥�
  • presented by Inkar Kapen, a senior in Computer Science & Software Engineering and a Mary Gates Scholar; mentored by Dr. Afra Mashhadi, assistant professor, School of STEM
• 鈥淭he Effect of Advanced Age and Alzheimer’s Disease Neuropathology on Levels of the Tight Junction Protein, Occludin, in the Brain Microvasculature鈥�
  • presented by Ali Mirzazadeh, a senior in Biology; mentored by Dr. May Reed, associate professor in the 56吃瓜网鈥檚 Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine

A complete list of the research projects presented by 56吃瓜网 Bothell students this year can be found on the .

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Tyler Choi was studying political science and economics to prepare for law school, but as graduation neared, he wasn鈥檛 sure if this was the right path. He started to ask himself big life questions: Is this something I want to do? Am I being pressured down this path?

After realizing he wasn鈥檛 committed to law school Tyler went to work as a financial advisor for a few years while figuring out his next step. While working in finance Tyler became aware of how technology was shaping our future society.

鈥淚 thought, maybe if I鈥檓 going to make a career switch and jump into tech that now might be the time to do so,鈥� said Tyler. 鈥淥f course, I was riddled with anxiety and doubt because doing anything like that is very scary.鈥�

Support network to make the switch

Having a brother and father working in the field of computer science gave Tyler the knowledge that it would be a tough switch, but the confidence that he could do it. In his exploration of programs, he found the nine-month Graduate Certificate in Software Design & Development with a pathway for admission into a master鈥檚 program.

Before Tyler could apply, he had to complete a few prerequisite courses in programming I, programming II and college-level calculus at a local community college. Being new to tech and starting at zero, Tyler fought through the anxiety of doing something new. He knew the industry was competitive and felt like he was one of many jumping into tech, but even though the barrier to entry was high he knew the tech industry had a lot to offer.

Tyler recognized that he was making the switch in the greater Seattle area and felt fortunate that this area is so tech responsive. A few of his friends working at Microsoft and Amazon gave him some advice: find an internship your very first summer.

Being new to tech with barely a few prerequisites courses complete, Tyler didn鈥檛 think that advice was going to work. While looking for internships, he completed the prerequisites courses and applied to the graduate certificate for autumn 2020.

Landing his first NASA internship

As someone fascinated by space, stars and the moon, Tyler applied to several different National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) internships and only heard back from one that he鈥檇 been selected: software engineer at the Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California.
鈥淗aving applied to the graduate certificate gave me a boost in my application. But what I noticed is that NASA really values not just academic experience, but community experience and how involved you are in your school community,鈥� said Tyler.

鈥淭he most important thing I recognized that is different with NASA, and perhaps the private sector, is that NASA really values nurturing people who aspire to become future leaders and those who are generally interested in space.鈥�

Virtual mentorship across five centers

Tyler鈥檚 first internship at Ames went so well that it set the stage for continuing to work with NASA over the coming years. NASA leaders motivated Tyler to apply to intern at other centers. The pivot from on-site to virtual internships during the pandemic made it possible for Tyler to stay in Washington and experience working at five different centers all over the country: (Ames Research, Kennedy Space, Langley Research, Marshall Space Flight, HQ) all over the country and collaborate with NASA partners worldwide.

鈥淚 genuinely enjoyed the work experience, and just being able to work on specific missions that will support the future of space endeavors,鈥� said Tyler.

NASA hosted virtual gatherings to encourage intern networking and invited speakers to give seminars. Tyler remembers an incredible seminar presented by the chief principal of the James Webb Space Telescope, listening to astronauts share their space and training experiences, and watching presentations on the failures and mistakes NASA has made.

鈥淭here was a balance of intellectually intriguing presentations, but also these somber, important lessons and reflections that all emphasized the point that NASA doesn鈥檛 give up,鈥� said Tyler. 鈥淚f you fail, you fail, and you figure out what went wrong and try to do it again.鈥�

Exploring the Moon, science and Mars

During the first Ames internship, Tyler helped build a 3D map of the Moon鈥攊magine Google Earth, but for the Moon. The map gives astronauts a 3D visualization of lunar terrain to help them better explore the Moon and navigate around mountains and creators.

Not only was it a fun experience working with lunar data sets, but Tyler could also see that everyone working at NASA wants to be there and is positively motivated. 鈥淭here’s something really empowering when people know that what they’re trying to do is advance human civilization,鈥� said Tyler.

Tyler wanted to continue being a part of the NASA community with great mentors on different projects, so he continued to apply to be an intern at NASA. The next internship Tyler did was as a software engineer for the Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida, where he was a part of their launch control systems.

Each rocket launch at the Kennedy Space Center requires a lot of data to be processed and examined before, during and after launch. 鈥淚 was part of the launch control systems team handling some of that data in the firing room to help mission organizers and scientists understand what was going on,鈥� said Tyler. 鈥淚 contributed to the Artemis rocket software refactoring and software code to the firing room systems that handles reading and monitoring data collected during the rocket launch.鈥�

Next, Tyler interned with the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where he aided in building a VR training simulation of landing a lunar lander as part of the Artemis missions. The training simulation is a mixed reality experience where people can use a controller to practice landing a ship on the moon.

From there Tyler continued his software engineering internship experience at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, where he worked on a data visualization room in VR. 鈥淭hat opportunity came about because of my VR experience at Marshall,鈥� said Tyler. At Langley, Tyler transitioned from working on space missions to machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI).

“There are a lot of scientists at NASA who understand the value of machine learning and AI, but they don’t understand how it works since it鈥檚 still a relatively new field.鈥� Tyler鈥檚 role was to design a VR system that could help them understand how machine learning reaches its decisions.

To conclude Tyler鈥檚 internship experience he worked as a technical researcher at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., where he was part of the Mars Reconnaissance team. This team focuses on how humans are going to get to Mars and collaborates with Mars experts all around the world from different space agencies. This internship was very different because it didn’t involve any software development, rather it was more about technical research and presentations.

鈥淭his was great to have the opportunity to work with distributed teams around the world from vastly different cultural backgrounds and perspectives,鈥� said Tyler. 鈥淏ut we were unified under the same goal鈥攈ow are we going to get to Mars and how do we work together to become a multi-planetary species?鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 truly proud to have made a small contribution to a diverse set of missions that may have a positive impact at NASA, and mentors that I can stay in touch with for future opportunities,鈥� said Tyler.

Graduate research assistant in master鈥檚 program

During Tyler鈥檚 internship experience he was awarded the graduate certificate in spring 2021 and applied to the Master of Science in Computer Science & Software Engineering for autumn 2021. This opened doors for research opportunities.

Tyler鈥檚 two years at NASA ended up giving him the experience needed to be awarded a graduate research assistant (RA) position with Dr. Kelvin Sung, professor in the School of STEM, Division of Computing & Software Systems.

鈥淭he research work that I鈥檓 doing is only possible because of my first internship at NASA鈥攙isualizing lunar terrain,鈥� said Tyler. As a research assistant, Tyler is playing a key role in visualizing earth terrain in virtual reality for a system to assist emergency service responders in search and rescue missions. The work Tyler is doing as a RA relates to his culminating master鈥檚 defense.

鈥淧rofessor Sung is great. He鈥檚 not only a great advisor, but it has been a positive work experience that I feel has allowed me to make substantial progress as a software developer,鈥� said Tyler.

What鈥檚 next? Don鈥檛 let the fear and anxiety stop you.

As Tyler approaches graduation in spring 2023, he has found himself on a path of working in virtual reality and doing visualization of geographic information systems (GIS). 鈥淚鈥檝e realized that mapping apps are so integral to society today,鈥� said Tyler. 鈥淲orking with these mapping systems gives me more appreciation and I鈥檝e come to learn that mapping tech is actually really interesting.鈥�

鈥淏eing where I am today now, I am so glad I decided to go down the graduate certificate to master鈥檚 degree path,鈥� said Tyler.

The master鈥檚 program was very challenging for Tyler, and at one point he didn鈥檛 think he could finish, but he persevered and is so grateful he embarked on this journey. He wants others to know that 鈥測ou might be full of fear and anxiety, but you just have to go for it. Be honest and diligent. Don鈥檛 try to take unnecessary short cuts and good things may come.鈥�

Tyler hopes to inspire any students who are remotely interested in the stars, the Moon, and space, and who want to experience an enthusiastic and fun working environment, to look up NASA and give it a shot.

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CBIT, envisioned by physical sciences professors Hyung Kim and Lori Robins with Leslie Cornick, Dean of the School of STEM, is a collaborative partnership including support from computing & software systems faculty Mark Kochanski and David Socha, along with Surya Pathak from the School of Business. Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray were instrumental in ensuring the funding of this initiative. Cantwell said, “The Puget Sound region is a national hub for biotech research and development…56吃瓜网 Bothell’s new Center of Biotech Training and Innovation will provide high-tech training for tomorrow’s biotech workers and help develop the next biotech breakthroughs.” (“”)

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