URAD Expo
URAD Expo showcases student stories, portfolios and projects, and UNM’s research, arts & design courses and programs. We would love to add your story! If you would like to contribute to URAD Expo, please contact Tim Schroeder, URAD Director, at timschroeder@unm.edu.
A Sponge City: Expanding Infrastructure for Rainwater Harvesting in NM
By Gianna Benelli, Civil Engineering Major, Mentor Morika Vorenberg Henseley. Santa Fe, New Mexico faces increasing pressure on its limited water resources, yet large amounts of rainwater and...
Following the Path Built on Prayers: The Marathon to Improving Higher Education for Native Students
By Noheya Begay, Honorable Mention Research Story, UROC 2026 I was raised with the teaching, “your ancestors prayed for your success long ago, you just need to work hard to meet those prayers...
The Impact of Nuclear Energy in the Southwest: Lingering Health Impacts in the Land of Enchantment
By Jade Serna, Outstanding Research Story, UROC 2026. My introduction to research came when I was accepted into the 2023-2024 El Puente Research Fellowship cohort the summer before my sophomore year...
Building Tomorrow’s Home
By Andres Sanchez, Environmental Design Major, Mentor Maryam Hojati. The housing market in New Mexico is facing a growing crisis, marked by rising construction costs and increasing homelessness....
Spreading The Bird’s Word
By Grace Espinosa, Civil Engineering Major, Mentor Amos Arber. New Mexico is a desert, and for a considerable period, the Albuquerque and Bernalillo communities relied on ground water. When over...
The Rio Grande in Our Backyard: A Community Calendar on Floodplain Carbon Science
By Arlette Guerrero, Biochemistry Major, Mentor Marisa Repasch. The Rio Grande is the lifeblood of New Mexico, shaping our landscapes, communities, and ecosystems while providing water that...
What’s in my water?
By Nicolai Morford-Oberst, Biochemistry Major, Mentor Sebastian Medina. Climate change is a leading driver of increased contaminant exposure in communities across New Mexico and around the world....
Every Drop Counts
By Katrina Frazier, Civil Engineering Major, Mentor Allyson McGaughey. Over the next 50 years New Mexico is expected to have a 25% reduction in our available freshwater. In this arid region, we face...
Across The Elevation Gradient
By Maximus Esquibel, Chemical Engineering Major, Mentor Marcy Litvak. New Mexico communities are experiencing hotter days, climate uncertainty, damaged ecosystems, and an empty Rio Grande River....
Voices from the Field: Agricultural Water Users’ Preferences for Water Conservation Programs in the Middle Rio Grande Basin
By Anna Cao, Economics & Statistics Major, Mentor Jingjing Wang. Water scarcity in New Mexico is an issue felt by those who depend on it. In recent years, the Middle Rio Grande has seen severe...
