Computer Science PhD wins Rath Research Award at Spring 2025 Graduate Commencement

Alexandra Bejarano, PhD in computer science, is the winner of the Spring 2025 Dr. Bhakta Rath and Sushama Rath Research Award.

The honor, which recognizes the Colorado School of Mines doctoral graduate whose thesis demonstrates the greatest potential for societal impact, was presented during Spring 2025 Graduate Commencement on May 8. At the ceremony, Mines awarded 45 doctorates and 385 master’s degrees to May graduates. 

Bejarano’s dissertation, “Understanding Users’ Mental Models of Flexibly Configurable Multi-Robot Systems” explores how people will interact with fleets of robots that could be introduced into hospitals, public spaces and search-and-rescue operations in the future. Currently, most interactive robots are designed for one-on-one interactions with humans. 

“Alexa's groundbreaking research explores how people will make sense of and control robots in these new contexts: what factors lead people to think of robots as distinct individuals, versus as part of a collective whole, or hivemind? How do people's conceptualizations of robot groups change as robot minds and personalities hop between different bodies? What implications does this have for designing robotic teammates that can be readily trusted? And how can we design robot software architectures to enable human teammates to more directly monitor and command robots under these new configurations?” said her PhD advisor Tom Williams,  associate professor of computer science and director of the MIRRORLab at Mines. 

“By tackling these questions in a way that integrates insights from robotics, psychology, philosophy and design, Alexa's work lays the foundation for a new generation of robotics research that is better prepared to move from the laboratory into the real world.” 

Bejarano, whose first-authored work has been published at international conferences on human robot interaction, robot and human interactive communication, and robotics and automation, will begin a postdoctoral fellowship at Virginia Tech this summer. 

Finalists for the Rath Award were:

• Emily Volk, Advanced Energy Systems, “Anode Catalyst Layer Design for Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers”
• Julia Hylton, Materials Science, “Investigations into the Effects of Biochar on the Strength Development of Cementitious Systems”
• Michelle Kent, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, “Hydrogen Embrittlement of High Strength Steels for Fastener Applications”
• Michelle Nolen, Chemical Engineering, “Computational Modeling of Diverse Active Site Environments in Heterogeneous Catalysis”
• Aaron Swift, Mechanical Engineering, “Heat and Emissions Management in Underground Mines Through Vehicle Electrification”

Other Graduate Student Awards

Chemical & Biological Engineering

• Outstanding Thesis Award: Michelle Nolen

Computer Science

• Outstanding Master’s Student: Parker Hranicky, Julietta Rozin and Alex Chenot

Economics & Business

• Broussard Award in Engineering & Technology Management: Colby Frias
• Joe Eazor Award in Engineering & Technology Management: Wesley Swieter and Jocelyn Holman
• William Jesse Coulter Award in Mineral & Energy Economics: Patrick Mather

Humanitarian Engineering and Science

• Outstanding Graduate Student Award: Emily Cecchini and Lauren O’Sullivan

Mechanical Engineering

• Emeritus Faculty Exemplary Graduate Student Award: David Densmore
• Outstanding Dissertation Award: Aaron Swift

Petroleum Engineering

• Outstanding Master’s Student: Dawn Florance

University Awards

• President’s Senior Scholar Athlete Award: Loic Scomparin, Cross Country and Track & Field