About Blue Nucleus
Blue Nucleus is an experiential learning platform created and led by GVSU's Applied Computing Institute (ACI). Blue Nucleus is a marketplace providing comprehensive custom software development services, where project teams are a blend of professional and student developers. With a mission to offer transformative experiential learning, the consultancy aims to integrate classroom knowledge with real-world multidisciplinary projects for all computing students.
Faculty & Staff
Hans Dulimarta, Ph.D. - Professor
Dr. Dulimarta is currently an associate professor at GVSU’s School of Computing and Information System. His research interests are in computer graphics and mobile applications. In recent years, Hans has served as a consultant on a number of industry-sponsored software development projects. He earned his PhD in Computer Science at Michigan State University, thanks to a scholarship provided by the Indonesian government. As a scholarship awardee, he was required to return and work for the Indonesian government after finishing his doctoral studies. After completing the employment requirement as a university professor in Indonesia, he decided to come back to return to USA and chose West Michigan as the home for his family.
Jonathan Engelsma, Faculty Mentor
Jonathan Engelsma is the founding director of GVSU’s Applied Computing Institute (ACI). ACI provides applied computing services and collaboration opportunities in cybersecurity, apps, data science, health informatics, high-performance computing, and beyond to industry partners In addition to his leadership of ACI, Jonathan serves as a professor of computer science in the GVSU School of Computing and Information Systems, where he teaches courses in distributed systems, mobile computing, and web development. Prior to joining the faculty at GVSU, Jonathan spent almost two decades working in the tech industry and has numerous publications and patents in mobile computing-related areas. Jonathan earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Michigan State University in 1993.
Max Mulder, Senior Developer
Max completed his BS in Computer Science at the University of Michigan and then spent a number of years working as a software developer at Amazon. Max has a knack for coding and is always game for a tough technical challenge. He particular enjoys mentoring less experienced developers and helping them grow.
Rajvardhan Patil, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor
Rajvardhan Patil is currently an Assistant Professor in the School of Computing. His research areas include Natural Language Processing, Generative AI, and Applied Machine Learning.
Rahat Rafiq, Faculty Mentor
Dr. Rafiq is currently an assistant professor in the School of Computing. His research interests mainly concentrate on social computing, data mining, cyber safety, ubiquitous computing, and distributed systems. Before joining GVSU, Rahat worked at ThoughtSpot, a startup based in Palo Alto, California, for 14 months. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was one of the co-founding members of CUCyberSafety Lab. His Ph.D. dissertation is titled “Scalable and Timely Detection of Cyberbullying in Online Social Networks.”
Brock Thane - Office Coordinator
Brock is the Office Coordinator for Blue Nucleus, ACI, the School of Computing Graduate Programs, and the Regional Math and Science Center. He completed his BS in Business Administration, from Central Michigan University, in 2019, majoring in both Marketing and Logistics. Brock has 10 years of administrative experience ranging from billion dollar companies, to universities, to businesses with less than 10 employees.
Current Students
Conner DeGraaf, Developer
Conner DeGraaf is a Computer Science Major. He plans on bring a human oriented design to all his projects in and outside of work/school. Conner is really excited to learn more and hopefully start more personal projects.
Nikolai Escondo, Developer
Niko served in the U.S. Army from 2018-2023 as a medical laboratory technician and made the decided to transition into a career in computer science. He is currently pursuing his Master’s Degree in Applied Computer Science, Bachelor’s in Computer Science, and Minor in Mathematics. He’s passionate about learning and problem solving - traits which he aims to channel into building creative, real-world applications.
Tommy Gill, Developer
Tommy is in his second year at Grand Valley State University, majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics. Tommy enjoys learning new things and working through tough problems with code. Tommy is excited to be getting real-world experience with software development. In his free time, Tommy is either playing video games or trying to create his own.
Rexford Koomson, Developer
Rexford is an MS Applied Computer Science student at Grand Valley State University with several years of experience as a Software Engineer working on web applications for e-commerce, ERP, automation, social platforms, and AI-integrated systems. He contributes creativity, strong technical expertise, and thoughtful problem-solving to each project. Rexford is passionate about creating impactful solutions and is always looking for new ways to grow, innovate, and contribute meaningfully to the field of computer science.
Hoan Lam, Developer
Hoan is a master’s student at Grand Valley State University, pursuing a degree in Applied Computer Science. Prior to returning to school, he worked for several years as a controls engineer. Hoan aims to leverage his industry experience to tackle real-world project challenges with practical, hands-on solutions. Outside of academics, Hoan is passionate about music and enjoys live performances of all kinds.
Elle Miller, Developer
Elle is a junior currently pursuing her Master's degree in Data Science and Analytics, Bachelor's in Computer Science, and a Minor in Mathematics at Grand Valley State University. She is excited to gain hands-on experience and develop her technical skills through impactful project work and collaboration with her peers. Outside of class, Elle serves on the board of GVSU's chapter of the Society of Women Engineers, where she helps create a more welcoming and supportive space for women in technology.
Mario Ordonez, Developer
Mario is currently pursuing his Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering at Grand Valley State University and it's his first year at GVSU after transferring from Grand Rapids Community College. He's excited about collaborating on real-world projects and gaining hands-on experience within the software industry. Mario is eager to continue growing and learning as a software engineer and looks forward to a career in computing. Long term, Mario hopes to deepen his understanding of software engineering, so he can use those skills to eventually pursue a career in the game industry.
Justin Ott, Developer
Justin is currently pursuing his Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science at GVSU with minors in Cybersecurity and Mathematics. Justin is excited to get hands-on experience and apply himself within a team environment to make real-world applications. Outside of programming, he enjoys reading any genre and learning about how the world works around him.
Todd Parcheta, Developer
Todd is currently pursuing his Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science at Grand Valley State University, with a strong enthusiasm for creating solutions and collaborating on impactful projects. He looks forward to applying his skills to real-world projects and gaining hands-on experience.
Alex Reiffer, Developer
Alex is in his last semester pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science at Grand Valley State University. Drawn into the field of Computer Science by a class taken in high school, Alex has a deep passion for programming and problem solving. He hopes to continue to learn and expand his capabilities using every experience as a learning opportunity.
Tobin Richards, Developer
Tobin is in his sophomore year pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at Grand Valley State University and was drawn to the field through a close relative. He is excited to gain hands-on experience and apply his coding knowledge to real-world applications. Tobin enjoys learning new technologies and improving his skills while building reliable software.
Lucy Roop, Developer
Lucy is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science at GVSU and has just completed her first year of classes. She is also on track to attain her Master’s in Applied Computer Science by the Fall of 2028. Relatively new to the field, Lucy is eager to gain new hands-on experiences and collaborate with her colleagues. She is passionate about bringing a unique perspective to her projects, and she enjoys finding creative solutions to logical challenges.
Ksenija Rubez, Developer
Ksenija is an undergraduate at Grand Valley pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity with a minor in Computer Science. She is passionate about secure system design and understanding why systems fail. Her academic and technical work focuses on strengthening her programming skills, while studying what makes systems resilient and more importantly, vulnerable. Outside of computing, Ksenija loves reading (especially world classics), drinking coffee, and exploring fashion.
Drake Setera, Developer
Drake is a Junior currently pursuing his Master’s Degree in Artificial Intelligence, Bachelor’s in Computer Science, and Minor in Mathematics at Grand Valley State University. He is eager to gain hands-on experience and apply his coding knowledge to make real-world applications. Outside of class, Drake also enjoys challenging himself with math problems and coding projects, such as creating a working computer in Minecraft and Google Sheets.
Matt Smith, Developer
Having graduated from GVSU's nursing program in 2020, Matt worked as a progressive care registered nurse for several years prior to returning, this time studying computer science. Matt is currently working towards the combined Master's Degree in Applied Computer Science with an expected graduation date in 2027. With aims of utilizing a background in health care and a growing knowledge of software development, Matt aspires to create innovative solutions to bridge health disparities and improve health care access.
Noah Strasler, Developer
Noah is a senior about to get his Bachelor's of Computer Science from Grand Valley State University. His particular interests in the tech world are Embedded Systems and Machine Learning.
Rhys Wiers, Developer
Rhys Wiers is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Computer Science at Grand Valley State University. He is passionate about problem-solving and eager to deepen his experience in computer science through research and practical application. Looking ahead, Rhys plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Mathematics or Computer Science to continue exploring complex computational and theoretical challenges.
Zachary Williams, Developer
Zach is currently pursuing his Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science at GVSU. He has just finished his first year of classes. He is excited to work with teammates on real-world projects and learn new skills. When he's not programming or learning mathematics, Zach works as an assistant Taekwondo instructor.
Former Students
| Image | Name | Designation | Short Description | Social Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Bismoy, Muttaki | M.S. Applied Computer Science (2025) | Cybersecurity & ML PhD Student | |
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Dhruba, Aroup | M.S Applied Computer Science (2024) | Software Engineer | |
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Kline, Natalie | M.S Applied Computer Science (2025) | ||
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Mendoza, Zar | BS in Computer Science (2024) | Mobile Application Developer | |
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Odongo, Patrick Waga | |||
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Qureshi, Usman | M.S Applied Computer Science (2023) | DevOps Engineer | |
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Schneider, Cameron | M.S Applied Computer Science ( 2025) | ||
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Tran, Minh | BS in Computer Science (2025) | Research Software Engineer | |
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Vrooman, Mateo | B.S. Computer Scinece (2025) | Software Engineer |