University of Colorado Visitors Guide - Flipbook - Page 50
Research & innovation: Research highlights
Leading the race in space
The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
(LASP) has been part of CU Boulder since its inception in
1948. Thanks to LASP, CU Boulder is the only university
in the world to design, build and launch instruments
to all eight planets and Pluto. LASP educates the next
generation of space scientists—including by providing
opportunities for undergraduates to work as operators
for NASA missions—and actively influences the future of
space exploration.
CU and Boulder, a billion-dollar
biotech destination
The contributions of National Medal of Science awardee
Marvin Caruthers and Nobel laureate Tom Cech provide
a powerful catalyst for science, engineering and medical
disciplines to create high-tech solutions to biomedical
problems. Their pioneering work has helped turn the Front
Range—anchored by the BioFrontiers Institute and CU
Boulder—into a destination for DNA and RNA research,
and a hotbed for biotech innovation and startups.
Global leadership in environmental
research and solutions
With a legacy of academic leadership in environmental
disciplines and world-class interdisciplinary hubs on
and off campus, Boulder has long been at the forefront
of climate and environmental science. The Cooperative
Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences
(CIRES)—a joint institute of CU Boulder and the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—and
the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR)
are just two of the many entities that provide research,
training and hands-on opportunities for students,
faculty, industry and anyone who is passionate about
environmental science.
Secret Sauce: CU Boulder, national labs
and a thriving entrepreneurial community
The unique combination of a world-class research
university, 33 federal labs in Colorado and a thriving
ecosystem of industry-leading companies and
startups provides a wealth of research and innovation
opportunities for students, faculty and the community.
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University of Colorado Boulder • Visitors Guide • 2025
One example: JILA, a joint research institute of CU
Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST); the No. 4 graduate program in atomic,
molecular and optical physics; established global leaders
like Lockheed Martin and Boeing; and CU Boulder
startups like Infleqtion. These elements combine to offer
a wide variety of opportunities in research, education and
training for the next-generation quantum workforce.
Research institutes and centers
CU Boulder’s 12 research institutes and 75+ research
centers serve as interdisciplinary focal points for research,
education and collaboration. From renowned hubs like
the Renée Crown Wellness Institute and the Renewable
and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI) to centers like
the Center for African and African American Studies and
the Center for National Security Initiatives, institutes and
centers bring together students, faculty, and industry and
government partners to discover, innovate and develop
world-changing solutions.
