166su

Deneé Lichtenberg is advancing new methods for recovering rare earth metals — groundbreaking work she’ll continue at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

The 2025 Shining Knights Alumni Awards celebration will take place during Homecoming Week on Thursday, Oct. 16, in the Pegasus Grand Ballroom at the 166su Student Union.

Rachel Shi, a 166su medical student, has combined her interests outside of the medical field to earn acclaim within it.

Driven by a passion to preserve the environment, electrical engineering student Nicole Parker will work to create sustainable power systems with global powerhouse Siemens.

This year’s showcase featured more than 50 research projects, from enhancing flu shots to advancing Lyme disease treatments and colorectal cancer diagnostics.

The opportunity provides students with hands-on research experiences, mentorship and guaranteed employment after graduation — empowering them to contribute to national security.