Boise State College of Engineering

09/09/2026

Ever had your phone overheat and shut down on a hot day? Now imagine that failure happening on a spacecraft, a jet engine, or a nuclear reactor.

That's the problem Karthik Srinivasan is tackling with a new National Science Foundation (NSF) EPSCoR Fellowship. His goal: build magnetic components tough enough to keep electronics running reliably at temperatures up to 600°C, more than double what most commercial electronics can survive.

The project is a collaboration with Alan Mantooth and David Huitink, both at the University of Arkansas. Their facilities in silicon carbide fabrication and ceramic packaging complement Boise State University's expertise in magnetic materials synthesis and high-temperature device characterization.

"NSF EPSCoR is enthusiastic about this project, which will use foundations in materials science and electrical engineering to study how materials, fabrication methods, packaging, and high-temperature exposure affect inductor performance and reliability," Jeanne Small, Managing Program Officer, National Science Foundation said.

Beyond the research itself, the fellowship will build new fabrication and testing capabilities at Boise State, train the next generation of engineers, and strengthen Idaho's growing semiconductor research ecosystem through the college's Microelectronics Education and Research Center.

Read the full story in the comments below.

09/09/2026

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝙑𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨. 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙚. 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝙋𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨.

This fall, Johane Bracamonte, Ph.D. joined Boise State as an Assistant Professor in Boise State Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, with a mission to utilize engineering that changes lives and impacts Idaho's growing biomedical engineering and health sectors.

Prior to joining Boise State University, Bracamonte has used more than 20 years of experience in computational modeling and machine learning to help doctors better understand and treat cardiovascular disease. Bracamonte is a two-time American Heart Association fellow and recipient of the ASME James Truchard Scholarship.

At Boise State, he leads the Translational Research and Multiscale Modeling (TRAM2) Lab, developing computational tools that advance the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Help us welcome Dr. Bracamonte to the Boise State University community!

Learn more about his background in the comments below.

09/05/2026

🏈 One week to kickoff — join us at First Game Fiesta! 🧡💙

Bronco Nation, mark your calendars: Saturday, September 12 | 1:30–3:30 PM at our NEW location — the Boise State Alumni & Friends Center!

This is the perfect way to reconnect before the Broncos take the field. Enjoy food truck bites (complimentary voucher with registration), great company, and Bronco spirit.

👉 Spots are filling up — register today to guarantee your spot. See you on the patio — Go Broncos! 🐴💙🧡

Football season is right around the corner, and the College of Engineering wants to celebrate with you! 🏈🧡💙

Join us for the First Game Fiesta Tailgate at the Bronco Bash as the Boise State Broncos take on the Memphis Tigers!

This year, we're celebrating in a brand-new location — the Alumni & Friends Center! Bring your family and friends, wear your blue and orange, and enjoy a free afternoon full of Bronco spirit, great company, and game-day fun. The first 100 guests will receive a complimentary food voucher, so arrive early!

📅 Saturday, September 12, 2026
⏰ 1:30 – 3:30 PM (Kickoff at 4:00 PM)
📍 Alumni & Friends Center, 1173 W University Drive, Boise, ID 83706

Whether you're reconnecting with fellow Broncos or gearing up to cheer on the team, this is the perfect way to kick off football season!

Need game tickets? Grab yours before they're gone: https://bit.ly/3XHPfqh

09/04/2026

You've probably seen the headlines: AI is using so much electricity that it's straining power grids across the country and could even raise energy bills nationwide.

But a new National Science Foundation (NSF) award of nearly $500,000 is supporting Omiya Hassan from Electrical and Computer Engineering at Boise State University to close the energy-draining gap between memory and processing, the very bottleneck driving up AI's power appetite.

The project, 3DPFLOPS, goes beyond current industry approaches at companies like NVIDIA, Intel, and Micron Technology by making photonics a core part of chip architecture, not just an interconnect. Hassan's team, with co-PIs Karthik Srinivasan and Purab Sutradhar, and industry partner Luceda Photonics, is designing AI hardware built for efficiency from the ground up.

If successful, this research could mean faster, more energy efficient AI for all. Learn more about the Boise State University team's award in the comments below.

09/04/2026

Our faculty secured nearly $8M NSF award to advance resilient microelectronics research — a major win for Idaho's semiconductor and defense innovation ecosystem.

The award establishes XTREME, Idaho's first NSF E-RISE project. Led by Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering's Professor David Estrada, the initiative unites Boise State, University of Idaho, three community colleges, BYU-Idaho, Micron Technology, and Idaho National Laboratory to investigate materials that can withstand extreme heat (1000°C+), radiation, and mechanical stress. Capabilities that are critical to next-generation energy, defense, and aerospace systems.

Congratulations to PI David Estrada, co-PIs Krishna Pakala and Brian Jaques, and the entire College of Engineering and university team on this milestone.

Learn more in the comments below.

09/03/2026

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝙑𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨. 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙚. 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝙋𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨.

This fall, Hongrak Pak, Ph.D. joined Boise State as an Assistant Professor in Boise State Civil Engineering, bringing expertise that addresses a persistent gap in disaster-resilience data.

Pak earned his Ph.D. from Texas A&M University, where his research applied transfer learning to predict structural response under extreme hazard loading. Prior to joining Boise State, he developed AI-driven analytic tools for emergency managers, tested across multiple real-world disasters, and applied large language models to analyze state hazard mitigation plans.

At Boise State, he leads the Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure Systems Lab (DRIS), focused on AI-driven infrastructure analytics and structural performance assessment — work with direct relevance for Idaho's engineering and emergency response sectors.

Help us welcome Dr. Pak to the Boise State community!

Learn more about his background in the comments below.

09/02/2026

The future of the semiconductor workforce is being built through meaningful connections between students and industry.

On September 15, Boise State University will bring students and leading semiconductor employers together for 𝗦𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 an evening focused on career exploration, professional networking and opportunities for internships and full-time employment.

Hosted by our Micron Student Success Center, the Microelectronics Education and Research Center, and Boise State Career Services, and sponsored by Micron Technology — this event connects Broncos from ALL MAJORS with companies helping shape the future of the semiconductor industry.

📅 Tuesday, September 15, 2026
🕓 4:30–7 p.m.
📍 Simplot Ballroom, Boise State Student Union Building

Participating employers include Micron Technology, Applied Materials, ASM, JST Manufacturing, KLA, Lam Research, Marvell Technology and onsemi.

Employers and industry partners can register via Handshake to connect with motivated students ready to contribute to the future of microelectronics. Learn more about our event in the comments below.

09/01/2026

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝙑𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨. 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙚. 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝙋𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨.

This fall, Jannatun Nawer, Ph.D. joined Boise State as an Assistant Professor in Boise State Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, bringing expertise in high-temperature material processing, material characterization, and rocket science.

Nawer earned her Ph.D. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University and previously worked as a Technical Program Manager at Solvus Global LLC, focused on advanced additive manufacturing.

Notably, she's led three space-flight experiments with NASA, in collaboration with the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency and the European Space Agency. At Boise State, she leads the High-Temperature Materials Lab (HTM), researching high-temperature material processing and alloy design for both in-space and industrial manufacturing applications.

Help us welcome Dr. Nawer to the Boise State community!

Learn more about her background in the comments below.

09/01/2026

Boise State research could reshape how next-generation batteries are made.

Boise State Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering Professor Hui (Claire) Xiong is leading a new three-year project, backed by the National Science Foundation, that reimagines battery electrode synthesis.

The payoff, if successful: batteries that charge faster, last longer, and hold more capacity. The project also connects students directly to Brookhaven, Oak Ridge, and Argonne National Laboratories, giving them rare hands-on experience in electrochemical processing few university labs can offer.

Learn more about the Xiong's newly-funded NSF research below.