Outstanding Juniors
Each year the Idaho Society of Professional Engineers acknowledges the accomplishments of Boise State College of Engineering students by selecting the top two juniors from Civil Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Engineering PLUS, Materials Science & Engineering, and Mechanical & Biomedical Engineering.
In This Section:
2024 Outstanding Junior Engineers
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Tori Abbott
Civil Engineering
Certificate: Drone Operations
Activities: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Student Chapter, Environmental Engineering Club, Environmental Design Club, CE 280 & CE 281 TA, Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Environmental Engineering Lab, Storyteller on The Story Collider, and presenting at the Undergraduate Research Showcase
Hobbies: Gardening, violin, quilting, graphic design, photography, and STEM tutor
Post Grad Plans: Take PE Exam, Graduate School, and work in Structural Wastewater Design
Boise, IdahoCertificate: Drone Operations
Activities: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Student Chapter, Environmental Engineering Club, Environmental Design Club, CE 280 & CE 281 TA, Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Environmental Engineering Lab, Storyteller on The Story Collider, and presenting at the Undergraduate Research Showcase
Hobbies: Gardening, violin, quilting, graphic design, photography, and STEM tutor
Post Grad Plans: Take PE Exam, Graduate School, and work in Structural Wastewater Design
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Keleigh Dockens
Civil Engineering
Experience: Internships at ALLWEST Testing and Engineering, Idaho Transportation Department, and NV5, and research technician for BSU Chemistry and Civil Engineering Departments.
Activities: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) – Environmental Engineering Club, Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Women in Construction, Engineering, & Development (WICED)
Hobbies: Hiking, skiing, working out, and spending time with friends
Post Grad Plans: Take FE Exam and work in Geotechnical Engineering
Mukilteo, WashingtonExperience: Internships at ALLWEST Testing and Engineering, Idaho Transportation Department, and NV5, and research technician for BSU Chemistry and Civil Engineering Departments.
Activities: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) – Environmental Engineering Club, Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Women in Construction, Engineering, & Development (WICED)
Hobbies: Hiking, skiing, working out, and spending time with friends
Post Grad Plans: Take FE Exam and work in Geotechnical Engineering
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Joshua Castronuevo
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Experience: First internship with Micron this summer
Activities: Autonomous Robotic Systems VIP, COEN Sculpture Project, Honors College
Hobbies: Wakeboarding, snowboarding, skateboarding, reading, and video games
Post Grad Plans: I plan to go straight into industry after graduation. My current career focus is semiconductors and digital logic working at either Micron or Marvell.
Boise, IdahoExperience: First internship with Micron this summer
Activities: Autonomous Robotic Systems VIP, COEN Sculpture Project, Honors College
Hobbies: Wakeboarding, snowboarding, skateboarding, reading, and video games
Post Grad Plans: I plan to go straight into industry after graduation. My current career focus is semiconductors and digital logic working at either Micron or Marvell.
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Yakob "Jake" Yoseph
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Major: Computer Systems Engineering
Experience: Warehouse associate with Amazon
Activities: IEEE at Boise State
Hobbies: Personal programming, video games, soccer, reading and expanding my knowledge on computer architecture, and building personal circuits for fun
Post Grad Plans: I plan to start working after internship and graduation for a couple of years before going back to school to get my Masters.
Caldwell, IdahoMajor: Computer Systems Engineering
Experience: Warehouse associate with Amazon
Activities: IEEE at Boise State
Hobbies: Personal programming, video games, soccer, reading and expanding my knowledge on computer architecture, and building personal circuits for fun
Post Grad Plans: I plan to start working after internship and graduation for a couple of years before going back to school to get my Masters.
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Sarah Cole
Materials Science & Engineering
Experience: Undergraduate Research Assistant, Advanced Materials Laboratory; Nuclear Fuel Cycle Policy Intern, Washington Internships for Students of Engineering; American Nuclear Society and Higher Education Research Council Fellowship; Institute for Inclusive and Transformative Scholarship
Activities: Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society, Phi Sigma Rho Engineering Sorority, Nuclear Energy Club/American Nuclear Society Student Section, Â Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and Honors College
Hobbies: Hiking, sand volleyball, swing dancing
Post Grad Plans: Complete a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering with a research concentration in nuclear energy-relevant materials, work as a staff scientist or postdoctoral researcher at the Idaho National Laboratory. Become a licensed Professional Engineer in Metallurgy and Materials Science. Serve as an engineering consultant in Washington, D.C., advancing nuclear energy policy.
Meridian, IdahoExperience: Undergraduate Research Assistant, Advanced Materials Laboratory; Nuclear Fuel Cycle Policy Intern, Washington Internships for Students of Engineering; American Nuclear Society and Higher Education Research Council Fellowship; Institute for Inclusive and Transformative Scholarship
Activities: Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society, Phi Sigma Rho Engineering Sorority, Nuclear Energy Club/American Nuclear Society Student Section, Â Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and Honors College
Hobbies: Hiking, sand volleyball, swing dancing
Post Grad Plans: Complete a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering with a research concentration in nuclear energy-relevant materials, work as a staff scientist or postdoctoral researcher at the Idaho National Laboratory. Become a licensed Professional Engineer in Metallurgy and Materials Science. Serve as an engineering consultant in Washington, D.C., advancing nuclear energy policy.
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Alex Koisch
Materials Science & Engineering
Minor:Â Applied Mathematics
Experience: Software Development Intern at Denali Advanced Integration and Undergraduate Research Assistant in Electrochemical Energy Materials Lab at Boise State University
Activities: Intramural volleyball, flag football, soccer
Hobbies: I enjoy snowboarding, running, golf, volleyball, and just generally anything outdoors
Post Grad Plans: Working in industry or possibly grad school.
Tacoma, WashingtonMinor:Â Applied Mathematics
Experience: Software Development Intern at Denali Advanced Integration and Undergraduate Research Assistant in Electrochemical Energy Materials Lab at Boise State University
Activities: Intramural volleyball, flag football, soccer
Hobbies: I enjoy snowboarding, running, golf, volleyball, and just generally anything outdoors
Post Grad Plans: Working in industry or possibly grad school.
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Skyler Kichak
Engineering PLUS
Minor:Â Biomedical Engineering
Experience: HireGenics at Abbott Labs- MN-Tern, Biomaterial and Musculoskeletal Engineering Lab Undergraduate Research, Idaho Tape and Reel Inc Assembly Lead, Boise State Campus Cook
Activities: RUF (religious organization), Biomedical Engineering Club
Hobbies: Weightlifting, basketball, and cooking
Post Grad Plans: I plan on seeking a job in Biomedical Engineering with a strong interest in creating Intellectual Property.
Meridian, IdahoMinor:Â Biomedical Engineering
Experience: HireGenics at Abbott Labs- MN-Tern, Biomaterial and Musculoskeletal Engineering Lab Undergraduate Research, Idaho Tape and Reel Inc Assembly Lead, Boise State Campus Cook
Activities: RUF (religious organization), Biomedical Engineering Club
Hobbies: Weightlifting, basketball, and cooking
Post Grad Plans: I plan on seeking a job in Biomedical Engineering with a strong interest in creating Intellectual Property.
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Noah Young
Engineering PLUS
Minor:Â Applied Mathematics with certificate in Industrial Processes
Experience: Undergraduate Researcher in Dr. Don Warner’s Organic and Medicinal Chemistry Lab and worked at Downtown Boise YMCA as Front Desk Lead
Activities: BSU Lightsaber Academy, Makers Club, and Honors College
Hobbies: Teaching myself new skills whenever possible, enjoy designing and prototyping, or recreating items from the past and learning their history. I enjoy the outdoors and frequently go rockhounding during the warmer parts of the year
Post Grad Plans: Seek a position at one of the national labs, likely NREL or INL. I will pursue postgraduate studies if I want to specialize in a specific field in the future.
Boise, IdahoMinor:Â Applied Mathematics with certificate in Industrial Processes
Experience: Undergraduate Researcher in Dr. Don Warner’s Organic and Medicinal Chemistry Lab and worked at Downtown Boise YMCA as Front Desk Lead
Activities: BSU Lightsaber Academy, Makers Club, and Honors College
Hobbies: Teaching myself new skills whenever possible, enjoy designing and prototyping, or recreating items from the past and learning their history. I enjoy the outdoors and frequently go rockhounding during the warmer parts of the year
Post Grad Plans: Seek a position at one of the national labs, likely NREL or INL. I will pursue postgraduate studies if I want to specialize in a specific field in the future.
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Nuha Akhtar
Mechanical Engineering
Minor:Â Physics
Experience: MIT Lincoln Laboratory Research Program Mechanical Intern (SU 2024), EIS Student Shop Supervisor, C-MEMS Lab Undergrad Researcher, Caltech KNI SURF-the-WAVE Prize Fellow, NASA Micro-g Team Lead, Collaboratory of Epitaxy for Nanomaterials (CEN) Undergrad Researcher, NASA Science Activation Program (AstroTAC), BABi Lab Undergrad Researcher
Activities: MBE Student Advisory Board, Officer Tau Beta Pi, Society of Women Engineers (SWE), BSU Symphonic Winds
Hobbies: Playing the saxophone, going to concerts, collecting vinyls, reading, learning about all things space related, playing tennis, working on my NC Mazda Miata and riding my sportbike and dirt bike
Post Grad Plans: Currently, I am interested in the interdisciplinary aspect of combining physics research areas with the application of engineering. Post college, I plan to apply for graduate school where I will pursue my PhD in a program combining Mechanical Engineering and Applied Physics.
Boise, IdahoMinor:Â Physics
Experience: MIT Lincoln Laboratory Research Program Mechanical Intern (SU 2024), EIS Student Shop Supervisor, C-MEMS Lab Undergrad Researcher, Caltech KNI SURF-the-WAVE Prize Fellow, NASA Micro-g Team Lead, Collaboratory of Epitaxy for Nanomaterials (CEN) Undergrad Researcher, NASA Science Activation Program (AstroTAC), BABi Lab Undergrad Researcher
Activities: MBE Student Advisory Board, Officer Tau Beta Pi, Society of Women Engineers (SWE), BSU Symphonic Winds
Hobbies: Playing the saxophone, going to concerts, collecting vinyls, reading, learning about all things space related, playing tennis, working on my NC Mazda Miata and riding my sportbike and dirt bike
Post Grad Plans: Currently, I am interested in the interdisciplinary aspect of combining physics research areas with the application of engineering. Post college, I plan to apply for graduate school where I will pursue my PhD in a program combining Mechanical Engineering and Applied Physics.
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Andrew Bossert
Mechanical Engineering
Experience: Nuclear Navy veteran 2014-2018, Undergraduate Researcher BABI Lab 2023-2024
Activities: Undergraduate Research Assistant at BABI Lab
Hobbies: Gardening, 3D modeling (artistic), guitar
Post Grad Plans: Apply for a PhD program in biomedical engineering focusing on biomechanics (also possibly take some time to travel).
Stockton, CaliforniaExperience: Nuclear Navy veteran 2014-2018, Undergraduate Researcher BABI Lab 2023-2024
Activities: Undergraduate Research Assistant at BABI Lab
Hobbies: Gardening, 3D modeling (artistic), guitar
Post Grad Plans: Apply for a PhD program in biomedical engineering focusing on biomechanics (also possibly take some time to travel).