Jan ’25 ASPIRE Student Update
Welcome to our ASPIRE Student Newsletter!
In this section we highlight students and their research, discuss events and student news, and provide a place for students to have a voice for the center.
Upcoming Events
SLC Cohort Trip
We are excited to announce an upcoming ASPIRE Student Leadership Council (SLC) cohort trip March 2-7 to Raleigh, North Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia. We hope that all of our amazing leaders will be able to attend! If you have not signed up yet, feel free to reach out to Melanie Conrad at melanie.conrad@usu.edu.
Introducing Our New SLC Leadership for 2025!
Fariba Soltani
Chair
Degree Type: PhD
Discipline: Engineering (Civil & Environmental)
ASPIRE Projects: Charging Stations of the Future & Systems of Systems
Graduation Date: Spring 2026
Fun Fact: One of my hobbies is planting. Last summer I started planting fruit seeds and I love watching them grow. I also keep track of their germination date (I call it their birthday) some of them have names. My favorite one is a Russian olive tree named Angusti.
Pedram Balooch Sirgani
Co-Chair
Degree Type: PhD
Discipline: Engineering (Civil)
ASPIRE Projects: Electrified Roadways
Graduation Date: Fall 2026
Fun Fact: A fun fact about me is that while I dive deep into research on topics like asphalt mixtures and predictive models, I also have a big passion for cinema and novels, striking a balance between my analytical and creative sides.
Suchita Anil
Treasurer
Degree Type: PhD
Discipline: Electrical & Computer Engineering
ASPIRE Projects: Charging Stations of the Future
Graduation Date: Spring 2027
Fun Fact: I climbed Pikes Peak in 2024, and during the final stretch above the treeline, the wind was howling, and it started snowing so hard I was convinced I’d turn into a human popsicle. But somehow, I made it to the top! Now I’m hooked on the challenge and plan to tackle more 14ers this year—hopefully with less dramatic weather!
Student Highlights
Spencer Paulissen
Degree Type: PhD
Discipline: Computer Science (engineering)
ASPIRE Projects: System of Systems
Graduation Date: May 2026
Fun Fact: I love card games and have played over 40 different ones!
Seth Stock
Degree Type: Bachelor’s, Master’s
Discipline: Social Science & STEM – Data Analytics, Communications, Research, Strategy
ASPIRE Projects: Utah Electrification
Graduation Date: Bachelor’s – May 2025, Master’s – May 2026
Fun Fact: I’m a professional session guitarist on the side! I have over a dozen credits, have worked on over 10 projects, and have been on two tours.
Azmeer Zahid
Degree Type: PhD
Discipline: Electrical & Computer Engineering
ASPIRE Projects: Electrified Roadways
Graduation Date: May 2027
Fun Fact: I enjoy photography and often capture landscapes during my travels.