I am an Assistant Teaching Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Colorado School of Mines. With nearly two decades of combined industry and academic leadership, I bring a perspective shaped by both large-scale R&D program management and frontline teaching.
Before joining Mines full-time, I spent over a decade at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (2008-2020, now National Laboratory of the Rockies) progressing from Student Research Assistant to Senior Research Engineer to Program Manager, where I led technical development of the Fleet DNA commercial vehicle database, directed the multimillion-dollar GCxN clean energy accelerator in partnership with Shell, and served as PI on multiple DOE-funded vehicle technology projects. I then served as Senior Engineer at Quantitative Scientific Solutions (2020-2022) leading research on automated driving systems.
My work sits at the intersection of engineering education, experiential program design, and industry partnership. I specialize in building new academic programs from the ground up: connecting curriculum to workforce needs, securing external funding, and creating the institutional infrastructure that makes hands-on, team-based engineering education sustainable at scale.
I am a three-time Mines graduate (B.S. 2009, M.S. Mechanical 2011, M.S. Engineering and Technology Management 2016), now teaching the next generation of Mines engineers in the same department where I started.
Place nationally, DOE Battery Workforce Challenge Year 1 (2023-24)
30+
Capstone teams mentored as Client, Advisor, or Technical Advisor
Programs Built
I believe the highest-leverage work in engineering is shaping how the next generation of engineers is educated. These are programs I've built or led that connect academic rigor to real-world impact.
Worked closely with key collaborator Prof. P. Brodsky to build Colorado School of Mines' automotive engineering track from inception in Fall 2022 to 252 declared students today. Developed MEGN 417/527 Vehicle Dynamics, established industry partnerships, and created the experiential curriculum framework connecting classroom instruction to competition-based and employer-sponsored projects. Per Mines ME enrollment data (Fall 2025), the program ranks 2nd within ME by elective-track enrollment with only two core faculty.
Prof. P. Brodsky and I are co-leading the EcoCAR program at Mines (Spring 2026-Present), an approximately $520K DOE Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition award over four years beginning Fall 2026. We also co-lead Mines' DOE Battery Workforce Challenge team ($255K total program value over three years, including DOE base grant, Chevron sponsorship, student stipends, and competition prizes): first-place national finish in Year 1 (2023-24); fourth place in Year 2 (2024-25).
Launched NREL's cleantech startup accelerator from the ground up in collaboration with my Shell counterpart and the NREL technical team, then directed the program from 2018 to 2020. Shaped the founding vision, strategy, and annual targets across a multimillion-dollar portfolio. Post-tenure, the portfolio continues to compound, with 2025 outcomes including $1.048B raised by cohort companies, 954 new startup hires, and a $140:1 leverage ratio on Shell project funding.
Member of the Mines Capstone Leadership Team as ME co-representative, contributing to program-level planning, delivery standards, and coordination with the Industry Partnership Board Steering Committee for annual cohorts of 700+ engineering students. Served as Client for approximately 22 projects, Project Advisor for 5 projects, and Technical Advisor for 6 projects across 30+ teams over 8 semesters (F22-S26).
Published 15+ Engineering Unleashed activity cards covering topics from authentic assessment to engineering character to AI-enhanced engineering mindset. Selected as part of a hand-picked group of national leaders for the KEEN Crescendo Program (Spring 2026). Active contributor to the KERN Community Catalysts program and EMxAI Working Group.
Impact, Visualized
Three programs, three trajectories. The numbers tell the story of what happens when industry experience meets engineering education.
Mines Automotive Engineering Program: Declared Students
Built from inception in 2022 with Prof. P. Brodsky. Now 2nd-largest elective track in ME.
GCxN Portfolio Companies: Capital Raised ($M, cumulative)
Shell GameChanger Accelerator Powered by NREL. Co-founded and directed 2018-2020; portfolio continues to compound.
Source: GCxN Year in Review 2025 Annual Report. 30 portfolio companies; $140:1 leverage ratio on Shell project funding.
Career Competitive Funding ($M, cumulative as PI / Proposal Lead)
Spans NREL Fleet DNA, GCxN, QS-2 portfolio, BWC, and EcoCAR Innovation Challenge. NREL era closes in 2020; Mines era opens in 2022.
In Press Duran, A.
“Hydrogen Dreams, False Claims: The Ethical Collapse of Nikola Corporation.”
Forthcoming book chapter case study, Elgar Publishing.
Selected Publications
Showing 14 of 30+
2025 —
Mistry, A.N., Brodsky, P., Brickey, A.J., Duran, A., Mozur, E., Rajasegar, R., et al.
“Not-So-Quick and Not-So-Dirty Solutions to Decarbonize Off-Road Vehicles.”
ACS Energy Letters, 10(11), 5322-5327.
DOI
2024 —
Brucker, A., Duran, A., Sullivan, N.P., and Mistry, A.
“Electrifying Off-Road Vehicles: Is 1000 [Wh/kg] Enough?”
ACS Energy Letters, 9(8), 4053-4058.
DOI
2021 —
Miller, E. and Duran, A.
“A Deterministic Multivariate Clustering Method for Drive Cycle Generation from In-Use Vehicle Data.”
SAE Technical Paper 2021-01-0395.
DOI
2018 —
Duran, A., Li, K., Kresse, J., and Kelly, K.
“Development of 80 and 100 Mile Work Day Cycles Representative of Commercial Pickup and Delivery Operation.”
SAE Technical Paper 2018-01-1192.
DOI
2018 —
Duran, A., Phillips, C., Perr-Sauer, J., Kelly, K., and Konan, A.
“Leveraging Big Data Analysis Techniques for US Vocational Vehicle Drive Cycle Characterization, Segmentation, and Development.”
SAE Technical Paper 2018-01-1199.
DOI
2018 —
Lammert, M., Bugbee, B., Hou, Y., Mack, A., Muratori, M., Holden, J., Duran, A., and Swaney, E.
“Exploring Telematics Big Data for Truck Platooning Opportunities.”
SAE Technical Paper 2018-01-1083.
DOI
2017 —
Muratori, M., Holden, J., Lammert, M., Duran, A., et al.
“Potentials for Platooning in U.S. Highway Freight Transport.”
SAE International Journal of Commercial Vehicles, 10(1).
DOI
2016 —
Wood, E., Duran, A., and Kelly, K.
“EPA GHG Certification of Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles: Development of Road Grade Profiles Representative of US Controlled Access Highways.”
SAE International Journal of Commercial Vehicles, 9(2), 94-104.
DOI
2016 —
Marcinkoski, J., Vijayagopal, R., Kast, J., and Duran, A.
“Driving an Industry: Medium and Heavy Duty Fuel Cell Electric Truck Component Sizing.”
World Electric Vehicle Journal, 8(1), 78-89.
DOI
2014 —
Lammert, M., Burton, J., Sindler, P., and Duran, A.
“Hydraulic Hybrid and Conventional Parcel Delivery Vehicles' Measured Laboratory Fuel Economy on Targeted Drive Cycles.”
SAE International Journal of Alternative Powertrains, 4(1), 11-19.
DOI
2014 —
Duran, A., Ragatz, A., Prohaska, R., Kelly, K., and Walkowicz, K.
“Characterization of In-Use Medium Duty Electric Vehicle Driving and Charging Behavior.”
IEEE International Electric Vehicle Conference (IEVC).
DOI
2014 —
Lammert, M., Duran, A., Diez, J., Burton, K., et al.
“Effect of Platooning on Fuel Consumption of Class 8 Vehicles Over a Range of Speeds, Following Distances, and Mass.”
SAE International Journal of Commercial Vehicles, 7(2), 626-639.
DOI
2013 —
Duran, A. and Walkowicz, K.
“A Statistical Characterization of School Bus Drive Cycles Collected via Onboard Logging Systems.”
SAE International Journal of Commercial Vehicles, 6(2).
DOI
2012 —
Duran, A. and Earleywine, M.
“GPS Data Filtration Method for Drive Cycle Analysis Applications.”
SAE Technical Paper 2012-01-0743.
DOI
Teaching
HPC, meet fuel economy.
MEGN 417/527
Vehicle Dynamics *
Advanced vehicle systems analysis covering suspension, tire, and powertrain dynamics through calculation, simulation, and experimentation.
MEGN 455
Aerospace Systems Engineering *
Systems engineering methodology applied to aerospace vehicle design. Uses an SBIR Phase I-inspired white paper format mirroring federal proposal practice.
MEGN 456
Space Operations & Mission Design *
Semester-long NASA RFP-inspired mission design project covering orbital mechanics, sensor trade studies, and full systems engineering documentation.
MEGN 566
Combustion *
Online graduate elective covering combustion fundamentals, flame dynamics, and emissions. Iteratively redesigned across two offerings for asynchronous learners.
MEGN 301
Mechanical Integration & Design *
Mechanical-electrical integration for design. Teams translate subsystem concepts into working prototypes, pairing thermodynamics, fluids, and mechanics of materials with sensors and actuators in hands-on builds.
MEGN 300
Instrumentation & Automation
Data acquisition, analog and digital filtering, feedback controls, and instrumentation. Signal processing and sensor integration grounded in mechanical systems.
MEGN 200
Intro to ME: Programming & Hardware Interface
Introductory programming in C with hands-on hardware troubleshooting for mechanical engineers. Covers low-level embedded systems work, sensor integration, and the diagnostic skills that bridge code and physical systems.
EBGN 599
Financial Engineering *
Accelerated 8-week online graduate course (taught as independent study) developing quantitative finance skills in Python, including walk-forward validation, regime detection, and tail hedging.
EDS 491/492
Senior Capstone Design
Year-long industry-sponsored senior design sequence walking teams through the full design-build arc: needs analysis, concept selection, preliminary and critical design reviews, fabrication, verification testing, and final delivery. Emphasis on professional practice, engineering character, and authentic assessment.
* Course developed or co-developed by instructor
Open Course Materials
Sample materials from courses I've developed, freely available for adoption and adaptation. Full course packages are hosted on GitHub with automated build pipelines.
MEGN 300
Instrumentation & Automation
Data acquisition, analog and digital filtering, feedback controls, and instrumentation. Signal processing and sensor integration grounded in mechanical systems.
Mechanical-electrical integration for design. Teams translate subsystem concepts into working prototypes, pairing thermodynamics, fluids, and mechanics of materials with sensors and actuators in hands-on builds.
Year-long industry-sponsored senior design sequence walking teams through the full design-build arc: needs analysis, concept selection, preliminary and critical design reviews, fabrication, verification testing, and final delivery.
"University leadership has been exceptionally supportive of the Battery Workforce Challenge team, recognizing its alignment with our mission to deliver hands-on, industry-relevant engineering education."
I actively seek motivated undergraduate and graduate students interested in experiential engineering education,
vehicle dynamics, automotive systems, and program development. Here's how to get involved:
Independent Study
MEGN 598/599 projects in vehicle dynamics, suspension testing, battery systems, and financial engineering.
I've supervised 18+ students since 2022.
I serve on MS thesis and PhD committees in vehicle dynamics, engineering education, clean energy systems, and technology entrepreneurship.
Drawing on my experience co-founding Method & Muse Spirits and directing the GCxN startup accelerator, I also mentor students on commercialization, venture strategy, and intellectual property.
Reach out to discuss your research or entrepreneurial interests.
Reach out with your resume and a few sentences on what you'd like to work on. Most independent study and competition openings fill at the start of each semester.
I believe engineering character is shaped as much outside the classroom as within it.
When I'm not teaching or building programs, you'll find me:
🧘
Yoga & Rock Climbing
Practicing yoga and climbing in the Front Range. Both reward patience, presence, and iterative problem-solving -- skills that translate directly to engineering.
🎨
Charcoal Art
Charcoal drawing and sketching. A practice in observation, patience, and iteration.
🏔
Colorado Outdoors
Hiking, skiing, and exploring the Front Range. Golden is one of the best places in the country to be an engineer.
🥃
Craft Distilling
Co-founder of Method & Muse Spirits (project page), an award-winning craft distillery in Golden with a tasting room in downtown Arvada, with fellow Mines faculty and alumni.
Method & Muse tasting room, downtown Arvada
Collaboration & Partnership
I actively seek partnerships and leadership opportunities across three domains where engineering practice meets education and entrepreneurship.
Engineering Education Research & Program Design
Building, scaling, and assessing experiential, mastery-based engineering programs. Open to research collaborations, advisory roles, and cross-institutional initiatives.
Industry-Sponsored Curriculum & Workforce Development
Connecting academic programs to real workforce needs through capstone, competition teams, and credit-bearing industry partnerships. Open to corporate sponsors and federal program partners.
Advanced Vehicle & Clean Energy R&D
Vehicle electrification, advanced battery systems, drive cycle analysis, and cleantech commercialization. Open to consulting, advisory boards, and sponsored research.
If you're working at any of these intersections, I'd like to hear from you.
