Joing Our Mailing List

Ayooluwa Adeyinka

Mentors: Chris Ray, Rachel Billings

Bio: Raised in Nigeria, Ayo moved to America to finish his higher-level education in engineering. Currently an alumnus of the Commnity College of Aurora, he is now pursuing a dual degree in mechanical and electrical engineering at the Colorado School of Mines.

He is an aspiring Electrical and Mechanical Engineer looking to work in a roles that challenge him to solve real-world problems that better the human race. Ultimately, his goal is to pioneer economically viable, sustainable small-to-medium scale energy generation and distribution technologies that create long-lasting, effective positive change in underserved communities.

He has worked on STEM projects since high school, including VEX/FIRST Robotics Competitions and the Stellar Xplorers Program. In college, he served as an American Society of Mechanical Engineers Student Board Member, an Honors student, a STEM tutor, and, for 2 years, as Head of Robotics for the Colorado Space Grant Program.

He is still exploring the STEM field. He has worked as a Data Governance intern at Lockheed and as a design and manufacturing engineer intern at his college. He will be interning as a research assistant at the University, focusing on bioacoustics analysis of the pika population in the Colorado Rockies.

Irma Alexander

Mentors: Emma Galofré García, Karen Bailey

Bio: Irma Alexander is a first-generation college student currently pursuing an Associate of Science degree in Biology at the Community College of Denver. She plans to continue her education at the University of Colorado Boulder, where she hopes to earn a bachelor’s degree in Biology with a focus in Ethnic Studies in order to pursue ethnobotany. She also has a strong interest in entomology and the vital roles insects play in sustaining ecosystems and environmental health.

Irma hopes to use her education to engage with communities through education, communication, and environmental awareness. Her interest in ethnobotany began through watching her parents and grandparents connect with the earth by tending to the land. Their stories and relationship with plants reminded her that everyone carries knowledge and experiences worth sharing, especially those rooted in culture, land, and the natural world.

Outside of academics, Irma enjoys gardening with Denver Urban Gardens, volunteering with The Park People planting trees throughout the community, collecting handmade pottery, and attending insect and reptile conventions.

Daniel Barrientos

Mentor: Rick Saltus

Bio: Daniel Barrientos is an alumni of Front Range Community College with an Associates Degree in General Studies. He plans on transferring to the University of Colorado Boulder in Fall 2026 to pursue the Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics. Daniel’s long term career goal is to become a post graduate research physicist and in his college journey to figure out what specific field in physics to research in. His interest in science and math was a gradual life journey that began with an interest in science fiction worlds such as Halo. This journey then translated into interests in chemistry, philosophy, math, and then physics. Daniel believes that the philosophy of how the world works fundamentally is physics. He is also a staunch believer in the scientific method and loves learning about pretty much anything in the world. Outside of Academia, Daniel enjoys spending time with his wife and dog, playing videogames, and playing DND. 

Eliza Baxter

Mentors: Advyth Ramachandran, Jonathan Henn

Bio: Eliza is a first-generation college student at Front Range Community College studying civil engineering, with a particular interest in bridge design. Originally from Washington state, throughout her travels she has gained an interest in how infrastructure connects people and places while also respecting the natural environment. She greatly admires sustainable design and hopes to incorporate strong environmental considerations into her work. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in structural engineering with a focus on bridge design. As she continues her studies, she is developing skills in problem-solving and design, with the goal of contributing to projects that improve transportation systems while prioritizing long-term sustainability. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time outdoors, exploring new places, and writing about her experiences.

Everett Bithell

Mentors: Eliza Clark, Nancy Emery

Bio: Everett Bithell is an aspiring environmental scientist with an associates of science from Arapahoe Community College. He is currently working on an associates of science in geology at Front Range Community College and has plans to transfer to Colorado State University studying ecosystem science and sustainability in the Spring of 2027. He is a current member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and the Larimer Campus Society of American Foresters Club. He is most interested in working at the intersection of earth science and environmental conservation. During his off time he likes to play bass, read, and jog.

Luis Samuel Flores Puentes

Mentors: Alex Hewett, Lindsay Blank

Bio: Luis Flores Puentes is currently a mathematics/computer science major at Pikes Peak State College and plans to continue to receive a bachelors in both. Though he is not fully certain of where he will be completing his bachelors, he has his eye on either Colorado School of Mines or CU Boulder. After undergraduate, his love of mathematics has inspired him to pursue a Ph.D. in the applied mathematics field.

Outside of school, Luis enjoys participating in competitions regarding computer science and mathematics. He also enjoys spending time learning fun and interesting cross sections between computer science and mathematics. Luis hopes to deepen his knowledge, experience, and research expertise from the RECCS program.

Alejandro Garcia

Mentors: Melissa Wagner, Brian Argrow 

Bio: Alejandro Garcia recently graduated summa cum laude from Front Range Community College's Westminster Campus with an Associate of Engineering Science in Electrical Engineering in May 2026. Originally from Guatemala, he moved to Colorado in 2024 after his family was granted Permanent Residence. As a first-generation college student, he has embraced this new chapter with deep gratitude and a strong commitment to academic excellence, leadership, and community service.

From a young age, Alejandro has been fascinated by science and how technology can transform everyday life. That curiosity has shaped his academic journey, from competing in international STEM competitions to maintaining a 4.0 GPA at FRCC. A proud member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, his passion for science has earned him international recognition, including third place at the regional NASA International Space Apps Challenge 2023 in Guatemala, first place in a regional Ballistic Rocket Competition, and a bronze medal at the XIV Ibero-American Biology Olympiad representing Guatemala.

At FRCC, Alejandro served as Secretary of the Engineering Club and Captain of the NASA Colorado Space Grant Consortium Robotics Challenge team, where he led the design and programming of a bio-inspired hexapod autonomous rover. In 2023, he founded the Academic Community of Exact Sciences in Guatemala, a student-led network now serving over 500 college students through 14 specialized study groups in mathematics and physics, a project that reflects his belief that education is most powerful when driven by community and collaboration.

Alejandro will transfer to the Colorado School of Mines to pursue a Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering, followed by a Master's in Embedded Systems and IoT Security. His long-term goal is to work at the intersection of cybersecurity and science, designing secure embedded systems and algorithms for the safe collection and analysis of environmental data. Through RECCS, he hopes to deepen his research experience and explore how engineering can address real-world challenges and contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while continuing to mentor first-generation students who, like him, see education as a door to greater
possibilities.

Edward Otis Halley Gotway

Mentors: Nels Bjarke, Benet Duncan

Bio: Edward Halley Gotway (Otis) is an aspiring computer scientist currently studying for an AS in Computer Science at Front Range community college in Longmont with the goal of transferring to CU Boulder. In the future he hopes to work somewhere he can use his skills to make the world a better place. Morally speaking, he is a strong believer in utilitarianism and more specifically the greatest happiness principle. He uses this belief to help guide his choices in everyday life. For fun Otis enjoys video games, tennis, and coding passion projects. 

Aida Rasoli

Mentors: Kara Hartig, Leah Bertrand 

Bio: Aida Rasoli is a first-generation college student currently studying Engineering at Arapahoe Community College. She is passionate about innovation, sustainability, and developing engineering solutions that can positively impact communities and improve everyday life. In Fall 2026, she plans to transfer to University of Colorado Denver to continue her education and pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Through her academic journey, Aida has developed strong interests in hands-on engineering projects and problem solving. Outside of academics, she enjoys listening to music, participating in performing arts, and playing games in her free time. As a first-generation student, she values perseverance, creativity, and continuous learning, and hopes to use her education to make meaningful contributions in the engineering field while inspiring others to pursue their goals.

Samuel Sandoval

Mentors: Emily Nagamoto, Dr. Katherine Siegel

Bio:Samuel Sandoval is a current student at Aims Community College majoring in Mathematics. He is inspired by the effects that biological, environmental, and social systems have on one another and is interested in using mathematical modeling and quantitative analysis to better understand the relationships between them.

The pursuit of higher education has been truly transformative for him. After becoming increasingly involved with his community through mentorship, leading supplemental instruction groups in STEM, and joining the Aims Review Magazine editorial board, he hopes to continue building a welcoming environment for those around him by leading through learning and uplifting underrepresented voices.

Since taking a human anatomy and physiology course last spring, science has unexpectedly become a growing passion for him. Most recently, he has been fascinated by learning how to model natural phenomena, such as using integration and sinusoidal functions to represent the cyclical rhythm of the heart. Learning to connect ideas across disciplines through mathematics has made him eager to continue exploring the deeper meaning behind the numbers.

Samuel’s participation in the 2026 RECCS cohort connects his passions for building community, mathematics, and environmental science. By gaining experience as a scientific researcher, Samuel represents the first in his family to have ever stepped foot in a professional lab—a milestone he's incredibly proud to have reached and one he hopes will carry on in both current and future generations.

Adriana Villanueva Costilla

Mentors: McKenzie Larson, Andrew Winters

Bio: Adriana Villanueva Costilla is a first generation student at Aims Community College, where she studied for her Associate Degree in Engineering Science. She will be continuing her education at the University of Northern Colorado where she will be studying for a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences. Through this education she hopes to advance the field of dentistry and better understand the intersection between engineering, biology, and data. She is specifically interested in the role data plays, in improvement of community and public health outcomes.

She then hopes to continue her education further, help others, focus on care and make people smile.

Outside of school she works as a dental assistant, at an office where she uses her bilingual skills to collaborate with the dentist to make the process easier for patients. Adriana enjoys running, spending time with family, friends and her dog Apollo. She enjoys learning new things and being an active member of her community.