Discovery Learning Apprenticeships

The Mortenson Center provides financial support to undergraduate engineering students in the Discovery Learning Apprenticeship (DLA) program. These students are paid for hourly research with faculty whose work aligns with our mission. See what the 2024-25ÌýMortenson Center DLA's are doing:

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Zoe Katres

Environmental Engineering

Zoe Katres is a third-year undergraduate student studying environmental engineering who has a particular interest in natural water management. Through the Discovery Learning Apprenticeship (DLA) Program, she is working under Dr. Ben Livneh, investigating the relationship between sea surface temperatures, snow water depth, and stream flow in high-elevation regions within the Western United States. By using geographic information systems and coding programs, her project aims to improve predictions on water availability.Ìý

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Michael SchaezleinÌý

Mechanical Engineering

Michael Schaezlein is working within the Hannigan Air Quality and Technology Research Lab at CU. He is researching the risk tradeoffs associated with prescribed (Rx) burning using both household surveys and sensor data. Specifically, he is looking at the impact of physical house characteristics on particulate matter levels in order to better inform the public on ways to reduce exposure to harmful amounts of Rx burn smoke.Ìý

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Rachel Cohen

Integrated Design Engineering

Rachel Cohen is an undergraduate sophomore in integrated design engineering.Ìý She resided in California during 2017Ìýwildfires and observed that community members were not affected equally, which has driven her interest in studying climate resiliency in frontline communities. With the Climate and Incarceration Research Collective, she is working under Professor Abbie Liel to model temperatures inside Texas incarceration facilities during extreme heat events Collaborating with the Texas Prison Community Advocates and previously incarcerated individuals, Rachel is using building energy modeling to fill in gaps in prison temperature data.Ìý

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Eli Yoder

Environmental Engineering

Eli Yoder is a senior undergraduate student in Environmental Engineering. He is working with the Cook Research Group to perform a comprehensive life cycle assessment of dialysis treatment as well as modeling the efficacy of different treatment methods during extreme weather events. This project seeks to improve the resilience of the dialysis population by using the data generated to inform deployment, development and selection of dialysis technologies.

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Karisma Leung

Biomedical Engineering

Karisma LeungÌýis currently a third-year undergraduate student studying biomedical engineering with a minor in electrical engineering. As a research assistant in the Burleson Global Design Group, she is conducting a systematic literature review with 50+ research papers and supporting graduate students with semi-structured interview data analysis. Their goal is to explore how engineers can use Affordance Theory in their design process to maximize well-being outcomes for end users and develop methods and recommendations to improve engineers’ work outcomes.