By Flynn Espe

More than 120 Washington State University Tri-Cities students presented their academic projects Wednesday at the annual Showcase for Research and Creative Activities. This year鈥檚 event brought together more than 65 solo and group projects spanning multiple majors and disciplines.

Across three campus buildings, students set up scientific posters and, in some cases, hands-on demonstrations of their work as they chatted and mingled with other students, faculty, and community guests.

Read or click here to jump to the end to view the winners and honorable mentions.

Solving energy problems near and far

Presenting from the first floor in Collaboration Hall, Hasan Cruz, student intern for 午夜剧场鈥� , presented his research involving pumped storage hydropower as a partial solution to the problem of peak power grid demand.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge water battery that stores long-duration potential energy and then releases it when it is needed the most during peak hours of the grid,鈥� Cruz said. 鈥淪o the grid gets stressed and we need to meet demand, because people seem to forget that electricity is something that we need absolutely every second.鈥�

He conducted his research under the mentorship of 午夜剧场 alumnae Danielle Young (鈥�19 BS Civ Eng, 鈥�21 MS Civ Eng), a project manager at Battelle. As a civil engineering major, Cruz says he was thrilled to discover the strong connection between his field of study and the energy industry.

鈥淲hen I started my civil engineering major, I thought it was only construction,鈥� Cruz said. 鈥淚t turns out there鈥檚 so much more, and energy is one of those fields that I never thought would be possible.鈥�

A few spots over, fellow INEF intern and biology major Zoe Pfeifer summarized her research into fusion technology. She noted that Washington state is a major hub for companies at the forefront of fusion machine design and development, and breakthrough discoveries may be closer than we think.

鈥淲e already have a lot of policy in place to help entice companies to come here,鈥� Pfeifer said. 鈥淓ven globally, there are 160 fusion facilities being worked on right now worldwide.鈥�

In a separate showcase room, a group of students had a plastic model showing their proposed designs for a much different kind of energy problem: how to deal with heat waste from a small modular reactor on the surface of the moon. Those students 鈥� Kaamel Ahmed Sidiqi, Minh Vu, Sam Arthur, Jon-Luc Ritchie, Peyton Viera, and Stephanie Volatile 鈥� presented their mechanical engineering senior capstone project, in which they worked under the guidance of an industry sponsor at Framatome.

鈥淎s we’re getting closer to interplanetary travel, we鈥檙e looking into building habitats elsewhere in the solar system, specifically the moon or Mars, currently. They鈥檙e planning on using small modular reactors 鈥� around 100 kilowatts thermal, or so 鈥� to power these habitats,鈥� Viera said. 鈥淭he issue with that is you can only utilize so much energy from these reactors before it just becomes a byproduct.鈥�

With a specific target in mind 鈥� safely dispersing 74 kilowatts of wasted heat into the moon鈥檚 vacuum-like environment 鈥� the group did a deep dive into whatever research they could find that would help get them started.

鈥淥ur sponsor had us look into NASA research papers, private industry papers, and university papers,鈥� Volatile said. 鈥淚 personally used a lot of the library sources that WSU gave us to point us into the private industries and try to get as much as we could.鈥�

Eventually, the team settled on a folding-aluminum-panel radiator design that fit within the specifications for being deployed and assembled on the lunar surface.

鈥淪ame type of thing for a car 鈥� it has a radiator,鈥� Ritchie said. 鈥淭his is just a radiator for a nuclear reactor.鈥�

Protecting online systems and spaces

Meanwhile, multiple students and teams were showcasing their research into methods and ideas for improving or addressing threats to online and computer systems.

Computer science majors Jaydon Larios and Tyler Jase Schab walked visitors through their development of a web platform that evaluates the vulnerability of a user鈥檚 password by simulating multiple cracking methods.

鈥淭he system processes each password through different hashing algorithms,鈥� Larios said. 鈥淚t estimates the actual time it would take to crack these passwords.鈥�

It turns out, short and common passwords really do take mere seconds for would-be attackers to crack.

Nearby, Yozelyn Chavez and Luckie Devers talked about their approach to preventing leakage of personally identifiable information in large language models, or LLMs for short. They represented half of their capstone project team, which also included Gabriela Nicacio and Alan Valencia who were studying abroad in Sweden.

鈥淏asically, if you鈥檝e ever entered in your information, even just your first and last name, to an LLM, it can remember that,鈥� Devers said, adding that anyone who has sent their resume to an AI chat bot will have likely used their email and phone number as well. 鈥淲e want to remove that in the end, so nobody else can attack the LLM and get your information.鈥�

Their solution was to train an LLC on a five-step prompt sanitization procedure meant to spot each instance of identifiable information included in a prompt and replace it with a fake substitute, while still preserving the quality of the LLM鈥檚 response. The LLM would then go through a background process of gradually unlearning the personally identifiable information completely, to protect against any future attacks.

鈥淟LMs are getting super advanced, and AI is getting super advanced,鈥� Devers said. 鈥淲e need to eventually come up with these ideas that defend against it and help protect the consumers.鈥�

Advancing the humanities, social sciences, and environment

Over in the Learning Commons area of the Consolidated Information Center, even more students presented on their research posters, including several projects in the humanities and social sciences. One recurring theme involved psychological studies on evolving attitudes toward artificial intelligence. Other groups presented on historical examinations of ethnic migration, the Hanford Site cleanup and its legacy, environmental science experiments, and much more.

Students Clarissa Garcia Arroyo, Grady Grasseth, Carola Garcia Mendez, Zachary Shortt, Jairo Villasenor, and Lori Wollerman Nelson reported on the results of their study on what birds are eating in local vineyards 鈥� and whether these winged neighbors are friends or foes to wine growers?

鈥淚t鈥檚 a little of both,鈥� Villasenor, an environmental and ecosystem sciences major, concluded.

For his team鈥檚 five-week experiment, the group created fake grapes and worms from plasticine clay, which they distributed throughout the 午夜剧场 research vineyard. At the end of each week, from October to November, the group collected the scattered items and assessed each item for damage to determine if a bird had tried to eat it before repeating the process.

鈥淲e had clusters of grapes alone. We had clusters of grapes and worms together. And we also had worms just by themselves,鈥� Villasenor said. 鈥淏irds ultimately preferred grapes by themselves, and they also preferred worms by themselves. They did not prefer when they were together.鈥�

While the birds showed a stronger preference for grapes than worms in general, Villasenor said it might be because the quantity of plasticine grapes was also significantly higher.

Hydrogen Hogwash takes over East Building stairwell

Tucked away in a different corner of campus, an artist collective comprising 12 digital technology and culture (DTC) majors transformed a ground-level East Building stairwell area into a warm and vibing 24-hour pop-up exhibition dubbed 鈥淐trl + Alt + Create.鈥� Each of the 12 artists, who went by the name Hydrogen Hogwash, contributed to the space with an interactive multimedia experience.

Sophia Valdez enticed visitors to sit and relax with a turntable, headphones, and selection of vinyl records. Claire Giles projected an animated vignette she鈥檇 pieced together from marked-up video taken during a spring break road trip.

Jo Pickard mounted his artwork to three panels of a makeshift wall set up at the base of the stairwell. His pieces included a framed collage of famous pop-culture heroes and a full-length mirror partially adorned with two emblematic superhero symbols 鈥� giving viewers a chance to see and reflect on their own inner hero. He also incorporated a scannable Spotify playlist of heroic tunes to set the mood.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really easy to be heroic when you鈥檙e a superhero,鈥� Pickard said. 鈥淏ut being heroic is whatever you think. It鈥檚 like waving at somebody when they鈥檙e having a bad day, being nice to someone, helping where you don鈥檛 have to.鈥�

The exhibit served as the DTC majors鈥� capstone project, which also involved the creation of a Hydrogen Hogwash zine featuring humorous and imaginative depictions of animals being transformed by radiation exposure. Copies of the zine were available to view at the exhibit as well.

鈥淚 have always been an artist to some degree my entire life, and just getting the chance to work with a team and put this together has been really gratifying,鈥� Pickard said. 鈥淚 feel like I鈥檝e really come into my own since being here these last couple years.鈥�

Awards and honors

The showcase concluded with a brief presentation of awards, voted on by a handful of faculty and industry guest judges.

Associate professor of mathematics and event organizer Ryan Learn stressed the importance of honoring the impressive scope and caliber of students鈥� scientific and artistic achievements.

鈥淭his is an opportunity to recognize all of the really great work that students are doing beyond the curriculum,鈥� Learn said. “Some of these people are answering questions that have never been answered before, solving problems that have never been solved before.鈥�

Prior to the main showcase poster presentations, event organizers welcomed a group of juniors from Delta High School who participated in some interactive activities. Many of the same student groups from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences also presented their senior caps during a separate SEAS Design EXPO event on Friday.

The showcase received funding from Battelle Foundation and Washington Research Foundation.

Here are the award winners by category.

Best Capstone in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science

Digital Control Educational Projects (DCEP)

Landon Johnson, Isaac Rheinschmidt, Jose Cisneros, David Hysjulien

Honorable Mentions:

Sustainable Aviation Fuel Analyzer, Daniel Chavez Edwin Quinonez Hunter Ufford Armando Becerra

A Holistic Approach to Protecting Personally Identifiable Information from Leakage in LLMs, Gabriela Nicacio, Luckie Devers, Alan Valencia, Yozelyn Chavez

Best Capstone in Mechanical or Civil Engineering

Design Improvements to Nuclear Pellet Sheet

Serena Posada, Kolby Tucker, Dean Macduff, Marvin Mendoza, Elysia Howlett, Melissa Vaca Ixta

Honorable Mention:

Preliminary Evaluation of Artificial Ground Freezing: Excavation & Shoring Multi-Criteria Alternative Analysis for Bechtel’s Waste Treatment Plant Site, Aliyana Avalos, Angel Cerna, Cynthia Carmona, Daniela Gonzalez-Sepulveda, Corben Kane, Kayla Konahap, Roy Leal, Abi Macduff, Juan Mendoza, Razan Osman, Luiz Saldana, Joseph Salim, Brianne Zehnder, Marina Zolotnyuk

Best Graduate Student Research Project

Drought Evolution in the Nile Basin: Characterizing Development and Recovery Phases and their Meteorological Drivers

Meklit Berihun Melesse

Best Undergraduate Research Project

Swelling behvior of NBR O-rings in neat hydrocarbons relevant to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

Kaamel Ahmed Sidiqi

Best Course-Based Project in the Sciences

Ashen soils affect growth but not germination in Bluebunch Wheatgrass

Skylar Brustad, Caleb Deines, Carlos Renteria, Mark Tabangcura, Zachary Shortt, Lori Wollerman Nelson

Honorable Mentions:

Birds in Vineyards: Friends or Foes? Jairo Villasenor, Grady Grasseth, Carola Garcia Mendez, Clarissa Garcia Arroyo, Zachary Shortt, Lori Wollerman Nelson

Spider Size and Web Size in Orb Weaver Spiders, Justine Gutierrez, Camden Seavoy, Zachary Shortt, Lori Wollerman Nelson

Targeted Keylogging Through HID-Based Bas USB Attacks, Sebastian Gonzalez

Best Course-Based Project in Liberal Arts or Psychology

Behind the Silence: Oral Histories of Migration, Labor, Injustice, and Family Sacrifice

Belinda Contreras-Barajas, Litzy Renteria, Andre Mayoral

Best Institute for Northwest Energy Futures Project

Evaluating the Future of Nuclear Energy Through Small Modular Reactors in the Pacific Northwest

Parjot Pawar

Honorable Mention:

Benton County and the Tri-Cities Power Production and Industrial Expansions, Timothy Poole

Washington State University Tri-Cities will honor more than 330 graduating students this year, including graduates from the fall 2025 and spring 2026 terms.

Executive Vice President for WSU Statewide Campuses Sandra Haynes will deliver opening remarks, followed by WSU President Elizabeth Cantwell, special guest Rep. Dan Newhouse, and a keynote address from WSU alumna Rachel Ruggeri, former executive vice president and chief financial officer for Starbucks.

The two-hour 午夜剧场 commencement ceremony begins at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 10, at the Toyota Center, 7016 W. Grandridge Blvd., in Kennewick. No tickets are required. Parking is free. Doors open at noon. The Toyota Center enforces entry requirements, including a clear bag policy.

Background on the graduates

The 2025鈥�26 graduating class includes 15 doctoral candidates in biological and agricultural engineering, chemical engineering, food science, math and science education, nursing practice, and special education.

Twenty-six master鈥檚 candidates will receive degrees in computer science, educational leadership, electrical engineering, elementary or secondary education, engineering and technology management, horticulture, language, literacy and technology education, and mechanical engineering.

More than 280 bachelor鈥檚 candidates will receive degrees in biology, business administration, civil engineering, computer science, cybersecurity, digital technology and culture, earth and environmental science, education, electrical engineering, English, history, humanities, mechanical engineering, nursing, psychology, science, social sciences, and viticulture and enology.

Keynote speaker

Rachel Ruggeri is a seasoned finance executive with more than 30 years of leadership experience across public, nonprofit and global organizations. She spent more than two decades at Starbucks Coffee Company, where she held senior finance and enterprise leadership roles during a period of significant global expansion.

From 2021 to 2025, she served as executive vice president and chief financial officer鈥攖he first woman to hold the role鈥攁nd later as interim chief executive officer, helping guide the company through a major leadership transition.

Known for her people-centered leadership style, Ruggeri is passionate about mentoring, talent development and building strong organizations. Her professional journey reflects adaptability, purpose and a deep commitment to developing future leaders.

By Flynn Espe

What do electronic quilts, fake sculpted dishes, and dried citrus fruits representing fractional math problems have in common? They鈥檙e all among the classroom-created works featured in a new Washington State University Tri-Cities art exhibit, one that explores an innovative teaching approach blending creative expression with traditional science and math curriculum 鈥� often referred to as STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) education.

The exhibit, 鈥淎rt(Math + Science) = Creative Intersections,鈥� opened April 15 at the Art Center gallery in the Consolidated Information Center. It showcases works by 午夜剧场 education majors and local middle school students.

Yichien Cooper, assistant professor of teaching and learning for the 午夜剧场 College of Education, Sport, and Human Sciences and the exhibit鈥檚 lead curator, has incorporated STEAM practices into her teaching and research for more than a decade. She also .

With the exhibit, supported by the WSU Fall 2025 Arts & Humanities Process Grant, Cooper hopes to demonstrate how creativity and critical inquiry can help students connect more deeply with science-based subjects 鈥� and sometimes reconsider topics they may have written off.

鈥淲e all bump into students who are hesitant to embrace art because they don鈥檛 think they are good at art, or students who are hesitant about math because math just doesn鈥檛 speak to them,鈥� Cooper said.

Many of the pieces originated from Cooper鈥檚 鈥淚ntegrating Fine Arts into K-8 Curriculum鈥� course, where students complete a series of reflective art projects grounded in research and data. In one displayed assignment on food and consumption, students researched a dish, recreated it in sculptured form using homemade dough, and designed a nutrition label based on their findings, with a breakdown of ingredients and a short description.

The description for a piece titled 鈥淎sian Chicken Lettuce Wraps: Lettuce Turn Over a New Leaf,鈥� by students Allie Ledezma and Taylor West, touts the benefits of using locally grown ingredients, which reduces carbon emissions resulting from long-distance transport. Another piece, titled 鈥淜iller Dog: The Dawg That Bites Back鈥� by students Scotty Hunt and Ryan Jundt, recasts the traditional hot dog in vivid and unsettling form. Their description highlights several unsavory nutrition details, including a well-known study linking hot dog consumption to shortened lifespan.

鈥淓ach dish tells some sort of environmental awareness story that the student maybe never thought about before,鈥� Cooper said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 what art is about. Art is making you think.鈥�

Cooper is joined in the exhibit by colleagues Tyler Hansen, assistant professor of teaching and learning, and Ethan Smith, assistant professor of mathematics 鈥� both of whom incorporate elements of STEAM education into their teaching.

For his portion of the exhibit, Hansen included an electronic textile quilt created in his 鈥淪cience Teaching Methods鈥� course. For that project, each student contributed a square representing a significant moment or life experience. In addition to felt designs, students incorporated colored blinking lights, hand coded to a microcontroller device.

鈥淚n order to make any of this work, you have to know how circuits work and how to make a complete circuit,鈥� Hansen said. 鈥淲e used conductive thread, so it actually carries a current to all of these lights.鈥�

Smith, meanwhile, showcased a classroom project in which he prompted students to rethink basic math concepts using pattern block cutouts, giving them creative license to create new shapes and visual imagery from a 鈥渂udget鈥� of 12 triangle pieces.

鈥淚f a triangle is worth one and you have 12 dollars, or units, to spend, can you make a shape that鈥檚 worth $12 overall?鈥� Smith said. 鈥淵ou see lots of different ideas and explanations of their strategies. Some students like to start with just the big hexagon and get six out of the way. Others want to have lots of little shapes.鈥�

Like his faculty colleagues, Smith said he hopes to inspire future teachers to find similar ways of injecting creativity into their K-12 classrooms.

鈥淚 think there are a lot of great teachers out there who are doing this,鈥� Smith said.

Destiny Kuespert, a former student of both Cooper and Smith who graduated from 午夜剧场 with her elementary education degree last December, is one teacher who鈥檚 taking those lessons and ideas to heart. She contributed to the exhibit with a display of pieces made by sixth grade students at Richland鈥檚 Carmichael Middle School, where she taught during her practicum experience last fall. Those pieces were previously featured in two separate STEAM exhibitions at the and Richland Public Library.

For her classroom project, Kuespert鈥檚 students applied beads, dried fruits, and other crafting items to canvas as visual representations of fractional division. Kuespert said the students were free to decide the complexity of the math problem they wanted to solve, as long as they used one of two mathematical models to do it. Students who picked the number line method used sticks, strings, and beads, whereas students who chose the area or shape model used dried fruits to represent whole and fractional numbers. They also had to show their work in written form and reflect on their three-day project experience.

鈥淵ou can read from some of their reflections how they felt. Some of them were saying, 鈥楾his made me happy. I love doing art and math. Writing it out helped me understand it more,鈥欌�� Kuespert said. 鈥淭here were some that expressed, 鈥業 don’t like doing art,鈥� which is fine too. I was excited just to read all of their opinions.鈥�

While traditional math and science curriculum exists for a reason, Cooper and her colleagues see art as an equally valid teaching method that can help preserve a student鈥檚 sense of wonder and curiosity.

鈥淲hen I think back to early elementary school and math, I remember that being fun, joyful 鈥� creative activities. When I think towards middle and high school, math becomes more abstract. It becomes more pencil and paper,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚 appreciated a lot of aspects of that, which makes sense where I ended up. But there鈥檚 no reason why that joy can鈥檛 sustain itself all the way through school.鈥�

Kuespert echoed similar thoughts in describing the motivations behind her art-infused teaching projects.

鈥淚 wanted them to feel interested, because you see the worksheet so many times, it鈥檚 not interesting at all. You鈥檙e just thinking, 鈥楬ow fast can I get through it?鈥欌�� Kuespert said. 鈥淚 wanted them to see everything and feel intrigued. I think that鈥檚 the base of learning is you first have to be curious.鈥�

Visitors to the exhibit can contribute to the gallery space as well through a series of self-guided creative math activities, also designed by the four collaborators and set up at multiple stations. The exhibit will be on display through the rest of 2026.

By Flynn Espe

Washington State University Tri-Cities students and staff聽recently聽celebrated the grand opening of聽the Crimson Career Closet聽鈥斅燼 new campus resource聽aimed at helping students look their best for their next professional opportunity.聽Jimena Delgado,聽Associated Students of聽午夜剧场聽senator for the Carson College of Business,聽along with a small delegation of campus representatives,聽commemorated the occasion聽during an official ribbon-cutting event on April 15.

罢丑别听Crimson Career Closet, which is currently housed within the 午夜剧场 Career Center in the Consolidated Information Center,聽contains聽multiple racks of聽donated聽business attire聽鈥斅爄ncluding聽dress聽shirts, blouses,聽pants,聽shoes,聽and more.聽The clothing items聽are聽free to take for聽any current 午夜剧场 student who聽might聽need聽them聽for an upcoming job interview, presentation,聽networking event, or other professional occasion.

Delgado, who spearheaded the聽months-long聽effort to聽create聽the聽Crimson Career Closet,聽says the聽idea for the new resource聽stemmed from the聽fact that聽many 午夜剧场 students are first-generation students with limited聽means聽and wardrobe options.

鈥淪ome people have clothing that their moms or their sisters let them borrow, but when you鈥檙e the first person to go to college, that鈥檚 something you聽might not聽have access to,鈥� Delgado said.聽鈥淧art of student government is expanding that equal access to students.鈥�

Finding a聽suitable聽permanent聽location for聽the closet聽presented聽one聽early聽challenge, Delgado聽says, but when the聽Career Center聽hallway聽was presented as聽an option, it seemed like a clear match.

鈥淧eople聽come in聽here for resume and interview advice, and we thought it would be fitting to have this resource as another part of their聽professional development,鈥� Delgado said.

Having聽enough聽clothing items聽to launch聽the space聽was another challenge. Fortunately,聽a聽large聽drop-off donation聽from聽members of the聽H2Crew聽volunteer group,聽which is聽associated with Hanford Tank Operations & Closure (H2C),聽provided a huge boost.

鈥淲e actually had to order more racks for it, because it didn鈥檛聽all fit, which is amazing,鈥� Delgado said.

Any student who wishes to聽check out聽what鈥檚聽available in聽the Crimson Career Closet is free to stop by聽the Career Center聽anytime during normal business hours 鈥� no appointment necessary. If聽students聽see anything they like,聽it鈥檚聽theirs to聽take and聽keep.

鈥淭hey get to keep it,鈥� Delgado says. 鈥淥f course, they can donate it again if they don鈥檛 want it in the future.鈥�

Though the closet had only just opened, Delgado could already count herself among its first beneficiaries聽鈥斅爏porting a聽donated item聽for the ribbon-cutting聽ceremony.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 find anything to wear today, so聽this聽shirt that I鈥檓 wearing right now is from the closet,鈥� she said.

By Flynn Espe

Twelve students from the Washington State University system have received the 2025-26 Power & Energy Society (PES) , making WSU the top institutional producer of PES scholars for this award year.

The PES Scholarship Plus is presented on behalf of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and can award students up to $10,000 over a three-year period. The scholarship is given to high-achieving undergraduate students majoring in an IEEE-designated field of study who are pursuing careers in power and energy.

The 12 WSU students, who hail from three system campuses, comprised almost a third of the 38 total PES scholars chosen from colleges and universities in IEEE鈥檚 Western U.S.A. region, a cluster that includes 12 states. The students are:

• Katelyn Albertin, 午夜剧场
• Gianni Avilan Losee, WSU Vancouver
• Gerrit Bruland, WSU Pullman
• Hugo Contreras, 午夜剧场
• Jacob Culligan, 午夜剧场
• Daniel Gapper, WSU Pullman
• David Hysjulien, 午夜剧场
• Jesus Miranda, 午夜剧场
• Miguel Palomino, 午夜剧场
• Jessica Pantoja-Garcia, WSU Vancouver
• Tarang Teredesai, WSU Pullman
• Manuella Tossa, 午夜剧场

Bruland and Tossa are both two-time recipients.

To qualify for the scholarship, students must be considering a career in electric power and energy engineering, having earned a minimum number of academic credits within those areas of study. Applicants are evaluated by way of grades, achievements, work experiences, and volunteer activities. Selection is also based on the quality of the institution鈥檚 academic programs and curriculum related to power and energy engineering.

Palomino, a first-time recipient majoring in electrical engineering with minors in computer science and mathematics, found out about the PES scholarship through his academic advisor. He says he鈥檚 currently interested in working on energy systems that are healthier for the environment, noting that emerging technologies like ChatGPT and other large language models have proven to be heavily energy dependent.

As a student intern at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) since 2023, Palomino has contributed to research projects involving high-voltage systems analysis for an experimental time projection chamber, the creation of an automatic cooling system, and more.

鈥淢y second project at PNNL, I created a standalone digital display system for a pressure transducer,鈥� Palomino said. 鈥淔or this, I had to integrate a microcontroller, analog-to-digital converter, and a digital display screen. This system required me to create a voltage divider to scale down the input signal to prevent any damage to the components.鈥�

After earning his associate鈥檚 degree from Columbia Basin College, Palomino transferred to 午夜剧场 as a part of the Bridges Program and expects to graduate with his bachelor鈥檚 in electrical engineering in the spring of 2027.

鈥淚 feel honored to be recognized by IEEE,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is encouraging to know that others have faith in me and are willing to give me that support which I greatly need.鈥�

Pantoja-Garcia, who transferred from Clark College to WSU Vancouver in 2023, said she became interested in the field thanks to power-related projects and classes, as well as her participation in the PNW Hydro Think Tank Competition. At WSU Vancouver, it was her Intro to Power and Energy Systems course and two key electives 鈥� Renewable Energy Conversion Systems and Introduction to Solar Cells 鈥� that further cemented her enthusiasm.

鈥淏oth of these electives stood out to me from other electrical engineering classes I have taken because they involved learning with a project-based approach,鈥� Pantoja-Garcia said. 鈥淎s a student, I have found that when I am tasked with projects instead of problem sets, I feel more involved and a sense of ownership over my education.鈥�

Outside of the classroom, Pantoja-Garcia took part in two four-month electrical engineering internships with Burns & McDonnell 鈥� an architecture, engineering, and construction firm. She recently joined the company as a full-time assistant substation engineer after graduating in December with a bachelor鈥檚 in electrical engineering.

鈥淚 spent most of my time working on substation projects,鈥� Pantoja-Garcia said. 鈥淚n my application, I described how my internship allowed me to take on projects that directly affected our electric grid and that it taught me the importance of making safe and smart design choices.鈥�

The PES Scholarship Plus program grew sharply over the past year, increasing from 84 PES scholars in 2024 to 244 in 2025. The jump was driven in part by expanded eligibility, which now includes majors such as computer science, technical communications, education, and more. WSU students outpaced that growth, rising from two scholars last year to 12 this year.

According to Noel Schulz, inaugural director of the 午夜剧场 and Bob Ferguson endowed professor, who joined the IEEE board of directors in 2024, it鈥檚 a promising sign for the trajectory of WSU鈥檚 programs.

鈥淭his is a significant accomplishment for the entire WSU system,鈥� Schulz said. 鈥淚t’s encouraging to see that our students are excelling not only in the labs and classrooms on campus but also being recognized by professional societies like IEEE PES.聽 The WSU system continues to be a strong program in electrical power education and research. It鈥檚 a true testament to our incredible engineering faculty and curriculum that WSU is producing so many talented and committed students.鈥�

By Flynn Espe

A new method for identifying types of plastics, built on advanced spectral imaging and machine learning, could make recycling more efficient and reduce landfill waste, according to a new study involving Washington State University researchers.

The method, in the journal Resources, Conservation and Recycling, offers the promise of a sorting system that is more accurate in distinguishing and separating different types of plastics on conveyer belts, which is crucial for producing high-quality recycled materials.

Maria Paula Garcia-Tovar, a Ph.D. materials science and engineering student at WSU Pullman, served as lead author. Macy Christianson (鈥�22 BS Comp. Sci., 鈥�24 MS Comp. Sci.), a 午夜剧场 alumnae now working at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL); Luis de la Torre, associate professor of computer science at 午夜剧场; and John Miller, emeritus associate professor of computer science at 午夜剧场, were among the co-authors, alongside other colleagues from PNNL and the University of Puerto Rico鈥揗ayag眉ez.

Spectral imaging builds upon the principles of spectroscopy 鈥� a technique for observing how light interacts with matter across different wavelengths. Using specialized cameras with spectroscopic sensors, spectral imaging machines detect and record spectral data for each pixel of an image. Analysis of that data can, in turn, identify the chemical composition or other properties of the materials. Hyperspectral imaging, which requires more sophisticated camera equipment than traditional spectral imaging, offers a higher level of resolution, providing a full spectrum at each pixel.

鈥淚t鈥檚 like a regular color image, which has red, green, and blue, but a hyperspectral image has a whole wavelength band 鈥� sometimes 3,000 wavelengths,鈥� Miller said.

For this study, the research team sought to investigate the feasibility of plastic identification in a simulation using hyperspectral imaging technology and convolutional neural networks (CNNs), a deep-learning artificial intelligence model often lauded for its ability to process complex image data. By training their CNN model on image data sets derived from two types of vibrational spectroscopies, the researchers determined both to be highly accurate in identifying six chemically distinct plastic types 鈥� with one model achieving 100% accuracy.

Although some recycling facilities have begun implementing hyperspectral imaging for plastic classification, most still rely on older, less accurate technologies such as near鈥慽nfrared sensors and RGB cameras. These systems are used during the sorting stage, after plastic loads have been screened for metal or other non鈥憄lastic contaminants. Sensors mounted over fast鈥憁oving conveyor belts capture and identify the plastics as they move past, and precision鈥憈argeting air jets separate individual items by type.

Accurate sorting is important because different plastics have distinct chemical compositions and require specific processing conditions, including different melting temperatures. When plastics are improperly sorted, the quality of recycled materials can suffer, sometimes resulting in discarded batches that end up in landfills or incinerators.

Garcia-Tovar said the plastic samples used in the study were recovered from a recycling center in Puerto Rico, which made successful identification of the materials more challenging but also more reflective of real-world conditions.

鈥淭hese plastics are real plastics, so they had some environmental degradations,鈥� Garcia-Tovar said, adding that some samples were even discolored from additives, making them harder to identify with older technologies. 鈥淏ut the model was successful.鈥�

Garcia-Tovar, who is originally from Colombia and has a background in industrial engineering, was initially recruited to the project while pursuing her master鈥檚 degree at the University of Puerto Rico鈥揗ayag眉ez, working under the guidance of co-author Samuel P. Hern谩ndez-Rivera. She collected the samples and provided infrared spectral imaging data using equipment at her university. She then brought the samples to PNNL, where she worked as a research intern during the summer of 2024, using the lab鈥檚 high-end imaging equipment to obtain the rest of the hyperspectral images for the machine learning experiment.

According to Miller, who worked on the machine learning framework, there were certain essential functions that had to be implemented for the experiment to work. One of the first tasks, he said, was getting the image analysis software to isolate and identify each plastic item within each spectral image.

鈥淥ne of the weird things is that the conveyor belt is also plastic, so you have to distinguish the [recycled] plastic from the conveyor belt as well,鈥� Miller said.

Another challenge Miller pointed to was optimizing the computational process so that it matched the speed of a fast-moving conveyer belt. A potential future step, he said, would be to test the imaging framework on a physical conveyor system.

Garcia-Tovar, for whom this is her first published paper as lead author, said she decided to further her education at WSU based on her positive PNNL internship experience. She says another paper from her PNNL internship is forthcoming 鈥� this one dealing with microplastics.

鈥淚 am very happy to continue studying at this university,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his experience has been really amazing.鈥�

By Flynn Espe

Few environmental remediation projects have matched the scale and complexity of the Hanford Site cleanup effort. With a present-day workforce of over 13,000 people, it鈥檚 an undertaking that spans government and multiple private entities 鈥� each playing a distinct but interconnected role in moving the Hanford mission forward.

Whereas progress at the Hanford Site is often calculated in terms of tangible accomplishments 鈥� such as the number of buildings demolished, waste tanks processed, or gallons of groundwater decontaminated 鈥� Washington State University recently played a key role in helping the project reach a different sort of milestone. It happened last February with the successful conclusion of the One Hanford Leadership Academy, a 12-month management training series hosted by 午夜剧场 Cougar Tracks, the university鈥檚 continuing education and professional development program, with teaching and curriculum support from the .

The academy brought together 15 high-level managers and executives from the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford Field Office and five of its prime contractors, all of whom took part in more than 200 hours of workshops and seminars led by Carson College faculty. The seminars focused on topics such as trust building, communication and persuasion, teamwork and collaboration, conflict and negotiation, culture and change management, and brand positioning. Together, these sessions sought to establish methods for strengthening coordination across the organizations and improving mission-aligned behavior and decision making. Participants also completed three capstone projects designed around the themes of nuclear safety, procurement, and workforce development.

More than a year in the making, the idea for the academy emerged from a series of conversations between a small group of Carson College faculty and Hanford Site leaders, who identified WSU as a potential third-party training consultant.

鈥淚 think one of the frustrations at Hanford was you have six contractors under DOE, which sometimes made coordination difficult,鈥� said Tom Tripp, professor of management and Rom Markin Endowed Leadership chair, who led one of the seminars and was among the first to consult on the project. 鈥淲e started sketching out exactly what their needs were and what sort of programming we might be able to provide.鈥�

Through those conversations, a customized curriculum began to take shape, one focused on cultivating new leaders, mid-level management strategies, and better practices for working and communicating across the One Hanford team 鈥� particularly in areas of common or overlapping functionality. Cougar Tracks, meanwhile, oversaw the logistics and coordination needed to bring everyone together 鈥� bridging the gap between the industry clients and academic experts.

鈥淭he program was designed to blend academic theory with practical application through project work and executive coaching, all supporting the specific needs of this particular group,鈥� Cougar Tracks Director Michelle Hrycauk Nassif said. 鈥淲hat we are essentially doing is responsive curriculum, because we are meeting our partners exactly where they鈥檙e at, and we are evolving and pivoting and aligning ourselves with them continuously.鈥�

After kicking off the academy in November 2024, the academy faced an unexpected hurdle due to new federal expectations placed on DOE and many of the contractors, forcing a temporary pause in 2025. Instead of choosing to end the program early, however, the Hanford leaders committed to seeing it through.

鈥淭his program reinforced the importance of responsive program design 鈥� content and delivery that stays relevant and mission-aligned even when conditions shift,鈥� Hrycauk Nassif said. 鈥淭he academy operated through significant disruption, and our shared commitment allowed the program to continue and close strong. That experience will shape how we build future workforce programs across the region.鈥�

During the final wrap-up event in February, participants reported that the three projects they had worked on over the course of the academy were already being implemented across the Hanford Site. Those projects included unified nuclear safety procedures and procurement processes, as well as a 鈥淥ne Hanford鈥� for new Hanford employees and internal trainings.

鈥淲hat you heard at the closeout was that relationships were built; meaningful projects were built and running,鈥� Mark Schuster, 午夜剧场鈥� director of industry-connected programs, said. 鈥淭here were tangible changes being implemented under this One Hanford philosophy, and it鈥檚 already building a stronger foundation for collaboration.鈥�

The six participating groups were Bechtel National, Inc., Central Plateau Cleanup Company, Hanford Mission Integration Solutions, Hanford Tank Waste Operation & Closure, Navarro-ATL, and the DOE Hanford Field Office. Hrycauk Nassif said plans are already underway for the next One Hanford Leadership Academy cohort, projected to begin in 2027.

By Flynn Espe

Washington State University Tri-Cities student Roxie Bates remembers coming to New Coug Orientation last fall feeling somewhat anxious about starting her college career.

鈥淲hat if I don鈥檛 do this one thing and then it ruins everything?鈥� she recalls thinking. 鈥淚 was very nervous.鈥�

Though she鈥檇 been on campus at least once before, it was a much different environment than the one she鈥檇 recently graduated from at Chiawana High School in Pasco. More than that, as a first-year student in the 午夜剧场 Teaching Bridge Program, Bates still had practical questions about how she would be balancing her time between taking classes and working part-time as a paraeducator 鈥� one of the main features of her elementary education program.

Fortunately, Bates says, most of her day-one jitters were quickly calmed when she went into a scheduled group meeting with Lisandra Far铆as, her assigned mentor in a brand-new Student Success Peer Mentors program aimed at helping new 午夜剧场 students settle in during their first semester on campus. Far铆as introduced herself to the group as a senior elementary education major.

鈥淪he kind of explained everything, like, 鈥業鈥檝e been through it. This is what it鈥檚 going to look like, and if you have any questions, I鈥檓 here,鈥� Bates says. 鈥淚t was a lot more reassuring.鈥�

From there, Bates stayed in frequent contact with Far铆as throughout the semester, using a special text messaging platform.

鈥淚 would say we talked about one to two times a week. And it would often just be a quick check-in, like, 鈥楬ey, how鈥檚 everything going? Do you have any questions?鈥欌�� Bates says.

Bates and her fellow new Cougs weren鈥檛 the only ones going through the peer mentorship process for the first time. This being the pilot year for the program, it was a learning experience for everyone 鈥� students and staff included.

鈥淭he point is to help new students, both first-years and transfers, successfully transition to life at 午夜剧场 by offering guidance, support, and a friendly connection to the campus community,鈥� says Evelyn Martinez-Ostrom, 午夜剧场鈥� director of student engagement and leadership.

She says the program emerged from a series of director-level meetings the year prior in which campus leaders from the Office of Academic and Student Affairs looked closely at an industry study on student success in higher education. In evaluating the , which identified the 鈥淏ig Six鈥� college experiences linked to lifelong preparedness, the group latched on to two key indicators. One was a correlation between successful outcomes for students who were highly active in extracurricular activities and organizations. A second indicator was having a mentor to inspire and encourage the student.

鈥淚t was really broadly stated as somebody that has their back on campus, and an overwhelming number of examples cited a peer as that mentor,鈥� Martinez-Ostrom says. 鈥淪o the combination of those two things, having a peer mentor and having involvement in co-curricular activities, is what we centered this idea of a peer mentor program around.鈥�

Getting the program up and running required a major effort from multiple 午夜剧场 departments, including the Office of Admissions and Office of Academic Engagement. Funding for the first year of the program was provided by a generous outside sponsorship from Battelle, with additional contributions from the 午夜剧场 College of Arts and Sciences and TRIO Student Support Services.

By the time fall 2025 orientation arrived, Martinez-Ostrom鈥檚 office had assembled and trained a team of 14 午夜剧场 upperclassmen as peer mentors 鈥� selecting candidates through a competitive hiring process that also sought to bring in a mixed representation of undergraduate majors.

Peer mentor Devin Simpson, who graduated last December as a digital technology and culture major, says he decided to apply to the campus position having previously worked as a student outreach ambassador for the 午夜剧场 GEAR UP program.

鈥淚 was interested in it because I had experience interacting with students,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 thought, 鈥極h, that could translate well into the Student Success Peer Mentors position.鈥欌��

For his orientation meet-and-greet session, Simpson prepared a few simple games and ice-breaker activities to help people get to know one another.

鈥淚 had them talk about themselves and why they enrolled at WSU,鈥� Simpson says. 鈥淭hey were meeting for the first time, so obviously nerves were going to be a little bit high. But the more I talked to them and the more activities and games we did, the more comfortable they got.鈥�

Throughout the fall, Simpson and his fellow mentors regularly reached out to their assigned students via group and personalized texts, informing students about academic deadlines and resources while encouraging them to participate in upcoming social events. The new students, meanwhile, were also free to contact their mentors with questions and requests.

One peer mentor guided a new student through the process of starting a campus club for the education students, Martinez-Ostrom says. Sometimes the requests were more urgent.

鈥淎t one point we had a peer mentor who was off-campus, and one of their mentees had messaged them, 鈥楬ey, I have an exam today. I forgot my calculator. Can you help me with this?鈥欌�� Martinez-Ostrom says. 鈥淭he peer mentor contacted me, 鈥業 need to help my mentee. Are you on campus? Can you find a calculator for her?鈥� I said, 鈥榊es, send her to our office.鈥� And we had a TI-89 waiting for her.鈥�

To celebrate the completion of the first semester of the program, the Office of Student Engagement and Leadership hosted a special 鈥淐heers for Peers鈥� event in the Student Union Building last December. While there, each of the 14 mentors had a chance to stand up and share about their experience.

Peer mentor Alyssa Perez, a senior viticulture and enology major, said being in the program taught her valuable lessons about leadership.

鈥淩eal leadership often looks like stepping back. You have to listen first, ask questions, and create a space for someone else鈥檚 voice to be heard,鈥� Perez told the group. 鈥淚 also learned that small moments matter more than we think. A quick check-in, a high five in the hallway, or a 鈥榊ou鈥檝e got this!鈥� at just the right time 鈥� those interactions can be the thing that keeps someone going.鈥�

For questions about applying to the peer mentor program for fall 2026, email Martinez-Ostrom at evelynmtz@wsu.edu.

By Flynn Espe

Seven students from Washington State University Tri-Cities are bringing their collective passion for community service beyond the confines of the Richland campus. As members of the newly relaunched Mid-Columbia Rotaract Club, they鈥檙e on a mission to give back to the region through a range of charitable activities, including an upcoming bowling fundraiser event.

鈥淲e hope to better the community in any way possible,鈥� says 午夜剧场 sophomore Romeo Ross, currently serving as the Rotaract chapter president.

are official sub-organizations of Rotary International chapters, aimed at cultivating leadership and service-minded professionalism among young adults, ages 18鈥�30. The Mid-Columbia Rotaract Club is sponsored by Columbia Center Rotary, based in Kennewick.

Ross says he became involved in getting the Rotaract chapter up and running in late 2025 when Rotary member and 午夜剧场 donor Phil Ohl (鈥�87 BS Mat. Sci. & Eng., 鈥�92 MEM) pitched the idea to him. Although the Mid-Columbia Rotaract club had been active in years past, the group had effectively dissolved during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving no one left from the chapter鈥檚 former membership to carry the mission forward.

鈥�(Phil) gave me a little bit of insight as to what they had done in the past,鈥� Ross says. 鈥淭he pitch was, 鈥楾his is really big for our community, and we鈥檙e looking for someone to revitalize this and serve in this way.鈥欌��

Despite his already busy schedule, including serving as vice president for the Associate Students of 午夜剧场, Ross says he agreed immediately.

鈥淚 love humanitarian work. I love service projects,鈥� Ross says. 鈥淪o I said, 鈥極f course, I would love to.鈥欌��

His first task was to recruit other new members for the chapter who would be just as committed to community service and engaging with people. Fortunately, he didn鈥檛 have to look far. As of now, 午夜剧场 undergraduate students comprise more than three quarters of the group鈥檚 nine-person leadership team, which includes Diedre Cady, freshman; Xavier Cox, sophomore; Felix Galvan, junior; Harleen Kaur, freshman; Anas Mohamed, sophomore; and Nate Sibaja, sophomore.

Despite the heavy representation of 午夜剧场 students, Ross says the makeup of the group is diverse in other ways, with three members hailing from other countries.

鈥淓very individual on the team speaks at least another language,鈥� Ross says, citing Italian, Japanese, and Twi as three languages currently represented. 鈥淭he team is so multifaceted.鈥�

Rotaract members are focusing their efforts on fundraising support for the Prescott School District, which serves approximately 225 children in rural Walla Walla County and has been facing potential dissolution due to financial distress.

Ross says the decision to focus on helping the district was made during the club鈥檚 inaugural meeting on Jan. 15, after each new member brought in three ideas for potential service projects and causes. Cox, who grew up in the town of Prescott, was the one who brought the issue to the group鈥檚 attention.

鈥淲e came to a consensus that this was the most time-sensitive project,鈥� Ross says. 鈥淚t was a unanimous vote.鈥�

For Ohl, who earned his bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees from WSU and currently serves as managing director for the Tri-Cities Angel Alliance, getting young people involved in community service has been a driving passion. He praised the new Rotaract team for getting up and running so quickly.

鈥淩omeo and the new members of Mid-Columbia Rotaract embody the Rotary motto, 鈥楽ervice above self,鈥欌�� Ohl says. 鈥淎ll the members are passionate about our Tri-Cities and surrounding area communities, and I鈥檓 excited to get to work with them. The fact the group is Coug-centered is a great bonus.鈥�

The group鈥檚 first planned outreach activity is a bowling night fundraiser event from 9:30-11:30 p.m. on March 19 at Atomic Bowl in Richland. All proceeds go to the Prescott School District.

For more information on upcoming events, you can follow Mid-Columbia Rotaract Club on . Ross says his team is still on the lookout for new members who exhibit ambition, compassion, and optimism.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an amazing opportunity, especially if individuals are interested in community service and leadership,鈥� Ross says.

By Flynn Espe

Washington State University Tri-Cities Chancellor Sandra Haynes has been聽named聽a聽2026 Leader of Distinction聽by聽the WSU President鈥檚 Commission on the Status of Women.

罢丑别听聽are presented annually to聽a select group of聽WSU聽faculty,聽administrators, staff,聽students, alumni, and聽university聽partners聽who have聽promoted聽gender equality听补苍诲听championed positive social change.聽Award winners聽are聽selected聽through an open聽nomination process聽and considered聽based on their聽exemplary聽leadership, career聽achievements, public service,听补苍诲听positive聽contributions to the growth and success of others,聽including聽women.

Haynes, who聽won in聽the administrator category,聽joined 午夜剧场 in 2018 to serve as the campus鈥� seventh chancellor. She also currently serves as the interim chancellor聽for WSU Vancouver.

鈥淗er work reflects a clear focus on student success, community engagement, and expanding opportunities for women and underrepresented groups,鈥� one of the nominating聽WSU community members wrote to the聽award committee. 鈥淚n conversations with industry leaders, donors, and community partners, I consistently hear appreciation for Chancellor Haynes鈥� leadership and presence in the Tri-Cities community. She has strengthened 午夜剧场鈥� role in the region and aligned the university鈥檚 mission with community priorities, creating lasting impact.鈥�

The same聽nominator praised Haynes for聽steering campus growth聽in multiple areas such as聽颈苍肠谤别补蝉别诲听别苍谤辞濒濒尘别苍迟,聽expanded聽academic programs, capital projects, and聽the聽creation of 午夜剧场鈥櫬營nstitute for Northwest Energy Futures聽in 2021.

鈥淪he also oversaw the design and construction of Collaboration Hall, a 40,000-square-foot interdisciplinary building that earned national recognition for excellence,鈥� the nominator wrote.聽鈥淒esigned by an all-female architectural team, the project reflects her commitment to advancing women in STEM and leadership roles.鈥�

Haynes earned her PhD in experimental neuropsychology from Colorado State University, where she later re-specialized in counseling psychology, and聽holds聽a聽professorship聽through聽WSU鈥檚聽Department of Psychology.聽As a first-generation college student, Haynes has聽demonstrated聽a聽career-long聽commitment聽to聽increasing access to higher education聽through聽novel programs and聽community connections聽鈥� including聽bridge听补苍诲听teaching pathways聽programs聽made in partnership with regional schools and community colleges.聽Haynes previously received the TRIO First-Generation Champion Award聽in recognition of聽such efforts.

Her聽community聽leadership has extended beyond the聽午夜剧场 campus as well.聽Serving as a聽board聽member聽and immediate past chair聽of the Tri-City Development Council, Haynes聽has worked to foster聽economic growth within the Columbia Basin region.聽The Tri-Cities Area聽Journal of Business also聽selected Haynes as聽one of its 2025 Tri-City People of Influence awardees.

鈥淚n every conversation and decision, Chancellor Haynes centers people聽鈥斅爏tudents, colleagues,聽and the communities we serve. She consistently models respect, transparency,聽and accountability, creating an environment where others feel empowered to lead, innovate,聽and grow,鈥� another nominator wrote. 鈥淗er contributions reach far beyond job responsibilities聽鈥斅爐hey touch lives, open doors,聽and strengthen the future of both 午夜剧场 and WSU Vancouver.鈥�

Haynes will be honored alongside聽eight other聽2026聽Leader of Distinction winners聽at a formal awards ceremony聽on March 26 at the Elson S. Floyd Cultural Center in Pullman.