Simón Montoya Bedoya was born in Colombia. He is a Fulbright Scholar and a Ph.D. student in Mechanical Engineering beginning in the fall of 2024 under the direction of Dr. Michael Haberman. Prior to joining the UT Acoustics program, he received a B.Eng in Nanotechnology Engineering and a M.Eng from the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, and also holds a B.Eng in Control Engineering from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. He continues to research ultrasound as a non-destructive tool for battery evaluation. He is passionate about transforming the extractivist culture of Latin America through innovative and sustainable solutions, and enjoys reading and any kind of outdoor activity.

Blaine Gilbert is a second-year PhD student in the Graduate Program in Acoustics at UT Austin. He received bachelor’s degrees in Physics and Astronomy from the University of Texas in 2019. Following graduation, he worked at ETS-Lindgren as an Acoustic Engineer designing and performing a multitude of tests in anechoic chambers, reverb chambers, and impedance tubes. His experiences include accredited tests in Transmission Loss, Sound Absorption, Aural Non Detectability, Source Directivity, and Chamber Qualification. He enjoys powerlifting, live music, cooking, visiting national parks, and spending time with his family.

John Campi is a second-year PhD student at UT Austin. Before his graduate career, he received a BS in Physics from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. His undergraduate work focused on the study of the molecular motor protein, myosin II, and how specific forces affected its behavior. In his spare time, John enjoys playing instruments such as the bass and the guitar, going to concerts, weight lifting, and indoor gardening.