Mentors: Ulla Heede and Kris Karnauskas

Bio: Cristian is a proud first-generation American. He was raised in Commerce City, CO, although he made many memories as a child living in the impoverished and rural areas of Zacatecas and the state of Mexico.

Cristian’s academic challenges in the US started with learning English in primary school. He has progressed far since then, and has earned an AAS in Business Logistics and is currently working towards a BS in Computer Science. As a 2nd year CS student, Cristian is currently evaluating transfer-admission packages from his top choice schools, CU Boulder and ColoradoSchool of Mines, hoping for a smooth transition from Front Range Community College where he has studied since the Summer of 2019.

Outside of school, you can find Cristian outdoors with his family enjoying the sun, or canoeing in their local lake hoping to catch a big fish. He also enjoys DIY woodworking and carpentry, and caring for houseplants.

In the future, Cristian is hoping to work in software, and specifically learn more about AI and machine learning, and eventually start a firm of his own. He is passionate about bringing positive change to the engineering landscape through the use of DEI concepts, and a focus on sustainability.

View Cristian's elevator speech [YouTube]

View Cristian's RECCS 2023 presentation [Youtube]

View Cristians's poster [PDF]