Current PhD Students

Advanced Energy Systems
alexander_derenchuk@mines.edu
Advisor: Professor Alexandra Newman (Mechanical Engineering)

Education

• Ph.D. student in Advanced Energy Systems, Colorado School of
  Mines (present)
• M.Eng. in Operations Research and Analytics, Thayer School of Engineering
  at Dartmouth College (2024)
•  B.E. in Engineering Sciences, Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth
  College (2020)
•  A.B. in Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College (2019)

Research

• Energy Systems Optimization
• Power Market Design and Operation

Interests

• Outdoor Activities (Skiing, Running, Climbing, Biking)
• Cooking
• Reading

Resume

Advanced Energy Systems
mariana_braundarosa@mines.edu
Advisor: Professor Alexandra Newman (Mechanical Engineering)

Education

• Ph.D. student in Advanced Energy Systems, Colorado School of Mines (present)
• MBA in Project Management, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul- Brazil (2023)
• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Federal Institute of Rio Grande do Sul- Brazil (2021)

Research

• Thermal Modeling and Optimization of Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power Systems

Interests

• Hiking
• Working Out
• Traveling
• Cats
• Podcasts and Reading

Mechanical Engineering
chase_robinson@mines.edu
Advisor: Dr. Kyle Foster (NLR)
Co-Advisor: Professor Alexandra Newman (Mechanical Engineering)
Co-Advisor: Professor Wale Odukomaiya

Education

• Ph.D. student in Mechanical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines (current)
• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines (2010)

Research

• Building Systems and Building Materials

Interests

• Tubing
• Adventuring
• Traveling

Resume

Mechanical Engineering
remilekun_akinwonmi@mines.edu
Advisor: Professor Alexandra Newman (Mechanical Engineering)

Education

• Ph.D. student in Mechanical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines (current)
• M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder (2024)
• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (2018)

Research

• Design and development of long-duration energy storage systems
• Mathematical modeling and stochastic optimization of energy systems

Interests

• Road cycling
• Lofi Hiphop

Resume

Operations Research with Engineering
aaikman@mines.edu
Advisor: Professor Alexandra Newman (Mechanical Engineering)

Education

• Ph.D. student in Operations Research with Engineering, Colorado School of Mines (present)
• M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines (2025)
• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines (2023)

Research

• Behind-the-meter hybrid power plant design optimization
• Concentrating solar-thermal power system modeling
• Stand-alone residential battery energy storage system sizing

Interests

• Tennis
• Board Games
• Reading

Resume

Operations Research with Engineering
fzayaburi@mines.edu
Advisor: Professor Alexandra Newman (Mechanical Engineering)

Education

• Ph.D. student in Operations Research with Engineering, Colorado School of Mines (present)
• M.S. in Mineral & Energy Economics, Colorado School of Mines, 2024
• BSc. in Petroleum Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, 2020

Research

• Optimizing electric vehicle charging station sizing and placement
• Diesel particulate matter emissions measurement from underground mines

Interests

• Soccer
• Travel
• Basketball

Resume

Operations Research with Engineering
mbingham@mines.edu
Advisor: Professor Maxwell Brown (Economics and Business)

Education

• Ph.D. student in Operations Research with Engineering, Colorado School of
  Mines (present)
• Professional Masters – Mineral Exploration, (2019)
• B.S. Geology and Geological Engineering, (2015)

Research

• Industrial decarbonization modelling and policy analysis
• Critical mineral supply chains

Interests

• Trail running / ultramarathons
• Travel
• Writing
• Art & photography

Resume

Operations Research with Engineering
mick_iacofano@mines.edu
Advisor: Professor Alexandra Newman (Mechanical Engineering)

Education

• Ph.D. student in Operations Research with Engineering, Colorado School of Mines (present)
• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University Kentucky (2017)

Research

• Sports Analytics & Transportation

Interests

• Running
• Gardening & House Plants
• Video Games
• Art

Resume

Operations Research with Engineering
jdicarlo@mymail.mines.edu
Advisor: Professor Bill Eustes (Petroleum Engineering)

Education

• Ph.D. student in Operations Research with Engineering, Colorado School of Mines (present)
• M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (June 2003)
• B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering and Astronautical Engineering, Math Minor, US Air Force Academy (May 2001)

Research

• Concentrated solar power systems optimization

Interests

• Triathlon
• Latin
• Animal rescue
• Hiking

Resume

Operations Research with Engineering
janelle_domantay@mines.edu
Advisor: Professor Paulo Cesar Tabares Velasco
Co-Advisor: Tyrone Vincent

Education

• Ph.D. student in Operations Research with Engineering, Colorado School of Mines (present)
• M.S. in Computer Science, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (December 2024)
• B.S. in Computer Science, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (December 2001)

Research

• Minimizing Unmet Demand in Small-Volume Heat Pump Water Heaters
• Maximizing Hot Water Availability

Interests

• Cooking
• Martial Arts

Resume

Operations Research with Engineering
jkenrick@mines.edu
Advisor: Professor Alexandra Newman (Mechanical Engineering)

Education

• Ph.D. student in Operations Research with Engineering, Colorado School of Mines (present)
• M.S. in Space Resources, Colorado School of Mines
• B.S. in Petroleum Engineering, Colorado School of Mines

Research

• Mathematical optimization of robotic and space systems
• Swarm behavior and intelligence

Interests

• Building my camper van
• Outdoor Activities (Snowboarding, Running, Biking)

Resume

Operations Research with Engineering
justinkilb@mines.edu
Advisor: Professor Alexandra Newman (Mechanical Engineering)

Education

• Ph.D. student in Operations Research with Engineering, Colorado School of Mines (present)
• M.S. in Data Science, University of California, Berkeley
• B.S. in Petroleum Engineering
• Diploma Petroleum Engineering Technology
• Diploma New Media Production & Design

Research

• Mathematical optimization of energy systems

Interests

• Music production
• Mountain biking
• Volleyball
• Math!

Resume

Operations Research with Engineering
bingshenlu@mines.edu
Advisor: Professor Alexandra Newman (Mechanical Engineering)

Education

• Ph.D. student in Operations Research with Engineering, Colorado School of Mines (present)
• M.S. in Operations Research with Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 2025
• M.S. in Applied Quantitative Finance, University of Denver, 2021
• M.S. in Integrated Science, University of Colorado Denver, 2019
• B.S. in Physics, University of Colorado Denver, 2015

Research

• Optimization of Mine Design & Operation

Interests

• Nonlinear & Stochastic Dynamics
• Software Design
• Exercise
• Observing cats in boxes

Resume

Operations Research with Engineering
jenifermcclary@mines.edu
Advisor: Professor Alexandra Newman (Mechanical Engineering)

Education

• Ph.D. student in Operations Research with Engineering, Colorado School of Mines (present)
• M.S. in Applied Statistics, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, 2019
• B.S. in Mathematical Studies, United States Military Academy, West
  Point, NY, 2009

Research

• Steel Production Schedule Optimization

Interests

• Skiing
• Road and mountain biking
• Wine education and tasting
• Glamping

Operations Research with Engineering
luke_messer@mines.edu
Advisor: Professor Alexandra Newman (Mechanical Engineering)

Education

• Ph.D. student in Operations Research with Engineering, Colorado School of Mines (present)
• B.S. in Industrial Engineering, Florida State University 2025

Research

• Contested Logistics

Interests

• Climbing
• Coffee
• Cycling
• Photography
• DIY

Operations Research with Engineering
edikanudofia@mines.edu
Advisor: Professor Alexandra Newman (Mechanical Engineering)

Education

• Ph.D. student in Operations Research with Engineering, Colorado School of Mines (present)
• B.S. (Hons) in Computer Science, University of the Western Cape (2010)
• B.S. in Computer Science, University of the Western Cape (2009)

Research

• Industrial Scale Prediction Modeling
• Production Scheduling

Interests

• Music
• Cooking
• Reading Autobiographies
• Watching Documentaries

Resume

Operations Research with Engineering
yongchen_wu@mines.edu
Advisor: Professor Alexandra Newman (Mechanical Engineering)
Co-advisor: Assistant Professor Hojun Choi (Economics & Business)

Education

• Ph.D. student in Operations Research with Engineering, Colorado School of Mines (present)
• M.S. in Advanced Energy System Engineering, Colorado School of Mines(2024)
• B.A. in Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara(2023)

Research

• Mathematical optimization of energy systems
• Electric vehicle charger siting optimization

Interests

• Video games
• Road trips
• Snowboarding
• Hiking