Awards include those from several professional organizations and UNM IT

Barsha Khanal, an international undergraduate student in the Gerald May Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, has received six scholarships and awards, totaling $9,500, for academic and research excellence this year.

As a student from Nepal, the scholarships reduce the financial burden of Khanal’s education and allow her to focus on coursework, research, leadership and professional development.

“More importantly, receiving support from di…

Ask a student at The University of New Mexico School of Engineering if they’ve worked with Elsa Castillo, director of the Engineering Student Success Center, and there’s a good chance they’ll share a story about how she has supported their education in one way or another.

Castillo, who has worked in higher education for over 25 years, was honored with three major awards during the 2025-26 school year for her efforts to support students in STEM.

SHPEtina of the Year

In April, Castillo was named recipient of the SHPEtina of the Year…

Marek Flaska has been named Chair of The University of New Mexico’s Department of Nuclear Engineering. He will begin the role on Aug. 10.

Flaska joins UNM from Penn State University’s Kenneth and Mary Alice Lindquist Department of Nuclear Engineering, where he has been a faculty member since 2015. He has 20 years of expertise in computational and experimental radiation transport focused on fundamental and applied radiation-detection applications. Prior to joining Penn State, Flaska was a postdoctoral researcher and later a…