Current Students

Graduate Students

Timothy Phero

INL Graduate Fellow

Tim is a first-generation Vietnamese-American from Boise, ID. Before joining the PhD program, Tim received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from BSU. Tim is currently an Idaho National Laboratory graduate fellow, studying direct write additive manufacturing applications for nuclear energy.

Tim is a first-generation Vietnamese-American from Boise, ID. Before joining the PhD program, Tim received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from BSU. Tim is currently an Idaho National Laboratory graduate fellow, studying direct write additive manufacturing applications for nuclear energy.
Scott Riley

Graduate Research Assistant

Scott is originally from San Diego, California. He received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from UC San Diego. While completing his undergraduate studies, he worked as a chemistry technician at Cuyamaca College. Scott’s PhD research focuses on designing and characterizing high temperature thermocouples, capable of measuring temperature inside a nuclear reactor.

Scott is originally from San Diego, California. He received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from UC San Diego. While completing his undergraduate studies, he worked as a chemistry technician at Cuyamaca College. Scott’s PhD research focuses on designing and characterizing high temperature thermocouples, capable of measuring temperature inside a nuclear reactor.
Kaelee Novich

NNSA Graduate Fellow

Kaelee was born and raised in Nampa, Idaho. In 2020, Kaelee graduated with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from BSU with honorable distinction from the Honors College. Kaelee is currently a National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Graduate Fellow, working in the Office of Secondary Stage Production Modernization – Depleted Uranium. Besides her NNSA fellowship, Kaelee’s PhD research focuses on fabrication and implementation of digital image correlation for nuclear reactors.

Kaelee was born and raised in Nampa, Idaho. In 2020, Kaelee graduated with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from BSU with honorable distinction from the Honors College. Kaelee is currently a National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Graduate Fellow, working in the Office of Secondary Stage Production Modernization – Depleted Uranium. Besides her NNSA fellowship, Kaelee’s PhD research focuses on fabrication and implementation of digital image correlation for nuclear reactors.
Ryan Finkelstein

Graduate Research Assistant

Ryan grew up in St. Louis, MO and received his B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Florida in 2019. He worked for Wyman Gordon Forgings as a metallurgist for 2 years before joining the AML in the fall of 2021. His current research focuses on the carbothermic synthesis and sintering of Uranium Nitride nuclear fuel.

Ryan grew up in St. Louis, MO and received his B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Florida in 2019. He worked for Wyman Gordon Forgings as a metallurgist for 2 years before joining the AML in the fall of 2021. His current research focuses on the carbothermic synthesis and sintering of Uranium Nitride nuclear fuel.
Nico Yensen

Graduate Research Assistant

Nico grew up cross-culturally, in Caldwell, ID during the school years and La Paz, Bolivia during the summers. He received two B.S. in both Chemistry and Biological Engineering from University of Idaho. After gaining some workforce experience, Nico decided to pursue his graduate studies at Boise State, starting his PhD program in summer 2023.

Nico grew up cross-culturally, in Caldwell, ID during the school years and La Paz, Bolivia during the summers. He received two B.S. in both Chemistry and Biological Engineering from University of Idaho. After gaining some workforce experience, Nico decided to pursue his graduate studies at Boise State, starting his PhD program in summer 2023.