Graduating summa cum laude from the College of Engineering and Applied Science with a BS in Technology, Arts and Media, Nate Bennett has distinguished himself at 抖阴旅行射 Boulder as a mentor, teacher and leader. A member of the President鈥檚 Leadership Class, Bennett graduates with a grade point average of 3.98, and he is a recipient of the ATLAS Institute鈥檚 Outstanding Undergraduate Award. In addition to his campus activities, he鈥檚 also completed a rigorous training to become a member of Rocky Mountain Rescue Group.
Much of Bennett鈥檚 career at 抖阴旅行射 Boulder revolved around helping others. As a residence hall advisor for three years, he helped freshmen adjust to college life. He鈥檚 worked as a learning assistant in several ATLAS classes and assisted in the ATLAS BTU Lab, teaching students how to safely operate equipment and complete all kinds of class and personal projects.
After an extensive one-year training, he joined Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, which performs search and rescue for those lost or injured in the backcountry, responding to calls at all hours regardless of weather conditions.
鈥淪eeing the way everyone on the team is so selfless鈥攚here people are willing to drop whatever they are busy with in an instant鈥攈as made me more generous with my own time,鈥� Bennett said. 鈥淚鈥檝e realized that what鈥檚 important is connecting and sharing your life with others.鈥� Joining the group has shifted his focus from 鈥渃ompleting every line on his 鈥榯o-do鈥� list鈥� to 鈥渄eepening his relationships with other students, friends, rescuers, family members and colleagues.鈥澛�
Exceptional projects
After attending a training on psychological first aid and learning about the emotional toll rescuers experience from responding to crises, Bennett created an app for his mobile app production class to help emergency responders assess and monitor their stress levels. Called and now available for free on Apple and Google Play, Bennett designed the app based on numerous interviews with first responders. Released in September, the iOS version of the app has about almost 400聽downloads and a 5/5 rating.
鈥淣ate immersed himself in this emerging and fast-paced technology and his exploration showed a passion for learning,鈥� wrote Aileen Pierce, senior instructor and associate director of the Technology, Arts and Media program. 鈥淲ith no prior experience in app development, he became a proficient developer and released First.鈥�
Originally intended for those involved in search and rescue, Bennett has since refined the app to support hospital personnel, firefighters, police officers and others, making it especially applicable during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He鈥檚 also proud of his capstone project, , which he and Elsa Roeber completed hours before the Roser ATLAS building closed. Inside a 鈥渕editation cave鈥� that they created from paper and wire, users activate the space by placing their smartphones in a holder by the entrance. They then select a natural environment to emulate by moving one of several stones to the center of a circle, which triggers forest sounds, a mountain stream, a thunderstorm and others. Visitors may also watch a fractal visualization projected on the cave wall.
鈥淔low Room is technically advanced, thoughtful and a perfect example of the cross-disciplinary work we expect in our students,鈥� said Matt Bethancourt, director of the TAM program.
Beginnings
Bennett grew up in Colorado Springs, where he attended high school on the Air Force base. In elementary school, he dreamed of becoming an actor and performed in musicals, and also dabbled in writing a novel. In high school, he became interested in graphic design and photography.
He arrived on campus planning to study neuroscience, but quickly realized he wanted to pursue a more creative field, and an advisor for the Presidents Leadership Class suggested he explore TAM.
鈥淔rom there I was hooked,鈥� he said.
In his spare time Bennett can be found outside rock climbing, skiing, mountain biking, trail running and hiking. He and his fiancee had planned to hike the 2,600 mile-long Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada after graduation, but COVID-19 has put those plans on hold for now. Ultimately he aims to find a position in a design field that allows him to creatively exercise his technical skills on projects related to the outdoors, mindfulness, or connecting people in meaningful new ways.聽
鈥淚t's important for me to work on things that can improve people鈥檚 lives,鈥� Bennett says. 鈥淏ut most importantly, I know that working with a great team of passionate, creative and kind individuals is where I thrive most.
鈥淭he most important thing I learned from TAM was that I could be thrown into any situation鈥攏ew technology, new strategies of designing things or a new work environment鈥攁nd be able to adapt and use the foundational creative design techniques I learned in TAM.鈥�
His advice for the incoming class of 2024?
鈥淐ollege is such a pivotal time in life, and you don鈥檛 know what you want to do. It's so important to take advantage of as much as you can. Don't be afraid to throw yourself into new situations and see where you fit.鈥澛�