Imagine strolling down a sidewalk made from algae or building a wall with the help of microbes grown in a bioreactor. 

This extraordinary image may sound futuristic, but the technology is already here, thanks to Prometheus Materials, a sustainability-focused 麻豆免费版下载Boulder spinout giving concrete blocks a makeover with the help of environmentally-friendly bio-cement-making bacteria, algae and microbes. 

麻豆免费版下载Boulder civil, environmental and architectural engineering professor Wil Srubar founded the Longmont-based company in 2021 with CEO Loren Burnett and a cross-disciplinary team of 麻豆免费版下载Boulder collaborators, including civil, environmental and architectural engineering associate professors Mija Hubler and Sherri Cook and the late Jeff Cameron, formerly of biochemistry. 

The impetus for the research group formed several years earlier around a call for proposals from the  (DARPA), the  (DoD) focused on developing new technologies for the military. 

鈥淚t sounded impossible, a bit like a Frankenstein objective of bringing building materials to life.鈥� 

鈥淥ur charge from the DoD was to grow a material that had both biological and structural function,鈥� said Srubar. 鈥淚t sounded impossible, a bit like a Frankenstein objective of bringing building materials to life.鈥� 

But the challenge was right for Srubar, who leads , where researchers aim to create construction materials that are in harmony with the natural world.

鈥淲e had been thinking about these concepts for some time,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut this was the first government investment in this particular area that really catalyzed an entirely new field.鈥�

After two years of 鈥渟pinning their wheels,鈥� said Srubar, the team had a breakthrough in the lab when they made the first sample of engineered living materials that fulfilled DARPA鈥檚 requirements. Srubar said this success required looking back 鈥� way back 鈥� to life on Earth before humans. They were inspired by formations called stromatolites, stony structures built by microscopic photosynthesizing organisms known as cyanobacteria, which are among the oldest living lifeforms on the planet.

鈥淲e know nature has built really strong, tough materials,鈥� said Srubar.

By studying the composition of coral and seashells, for example, the team figured out how to make lab-grown versions of the natural phenomena.

鈥淵ou apply principles of biomimicry, you bring that process into the lab and beautiful things can happen,鈥� he said.

Now Prometheus Materials, named for the legendary Greek god who introduced fire and other technologies to humans, is making sustainable building materials with a process that combines microalgae with other natural components to form zero-carbon bio-cement and bio-concrete with the major goal of reducing carbon emissions in the construction industry.

This is so important because making concrete 鈥� the most ubiquitous human-made building material on earth 鈥� generates massive amounts of CO2 and contributes significantly to climate change. Global cement manufacturing produces 11 million tons of CO2 every day (roughly equivalent to emissions from all the cars in the world), or about 8% of the world鈥檚 total CO2 emissions, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. And, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, demand for cement in the U.S. alone is expected to double by 2050.

As the company realizes its transformative role in the construction industry, it has raised $8 million in private funding in the past year and was awarded a role in a $10 million grant from the  (DOE) that will fund collaboration between a trio of national labs. Within this partnership, Prometheus will join other institutions in the field to establish methods for measuring, reporting and verifying CO2 removal and sequestration in cement and concrete materials. 

Environmental Stewardship

Prometheus is just one example of 麻豆免费版下载Boulder鈥檚 strong network of researchers bringing innovations out of labs and into companies that have real-world impact 鈥� the university is a national leader and spinout powerhouse, launching 35 companies in fiscal year 2024 and over 100 since 2016, according to Bryn Rees, associate vice chancellor for innovation and partnerships. Since 2000, the university has launched 44 sustainability-focused spinouts, including a dozen new companies in just the past few years, said Rees, who leads Venture Partners at 麻豆免费版下载Boulder, the university鈥檚 commercialization arm for the campus.

According to Rees and Srubar, several factors combine to make 麻豆免费版下载Boulder so effective at generating these kinds of companies: research expertise, commercialization resources, market need and an eagerness to improve our world.

鈥淭here鈥檚 such a history of environmental stewardship here at the University of Colorado, and in Boulder specifically, and that鈥檚 very much a part of our institutional fabric,鈥� said Srubar. 鈥淲e do sustainability research really well and it鈥檚 one, if not the pillar, of our education and research mission at the university.鈥�

Rees agreed: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a function of our research prowess in that area. There are many highly talented researchers who care deeply about the climate crisis, and so that鈥檚 where they鈥檝e oriented their research.鈥�

Those innovations could be used in lots of different ways, but Rees shared, 鈥淭he innovators are saying, 鈥榃e want to apply these technologies to really important problems.鈥欌��

For Srubar and others, the drive to make the world a better place is strong.

鈥淚t all begins with a vision and a belief that, first, the world is not static; it can become whatever you dream,鈥� he said. 鈥淯nderstanding that you have the power and the potential to affect change is what really fueled me and our team.鈥�

Rees also sees market need as critical to driving sustainability-focused ventures.

鈥淭here is an abundance of funding opportunities and demand from the market to have these types of solutions,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got the push from what 麻豆免费版下载Boulder is really good at, and you鈥檝e got the pull from a true need for these types of solutions across different industries.鈥�

鈥淵ou鈥檝e got the push from what 麻豆免费版下载Boulder is really good at, and you鈥檝e got the pull from a true need for these types of solutions across different industries.鈥�

Driving Meaningful Change

Another company with 麻豆免费版下载Boulder beginnings is the well-established, Boulder-based , founded in 2017 by Greg Rieker, chief technology officer and 麻豆免费版下载Boulder associate professor of mechanical engineering, with colleagues Caroline Alden (笔丑顿骋别辞濒鈥�13),&苍产蝉辫;Sean Coburn (PhDChem鈥�14) and Robert Wright, former 麻豆免费版下载Boulder senior researcher.

LongPath harnesses quantum technology to detect fugitive methane emissions from oil and gas operations, innovation that benefits industry and investors 鈥� and the planet. The company鈥檚 breakthroughs in laser technology and quantum sensing, rooted in 麻豆免费版下载Boulder鈥檚, created a leak detection system to do what previous approaches could not: continuously detect invisible-to-the-eye natural gas escaping from pipes on-site at oil and gas facilities.

Finding and patching those leaks is a triple win 鈥� in industry cost savings (from $820 to $980 million per year), and improved air quality and public health. LongPath鈥檚 technology can identify natural gas leaks that sicken and displace thousands of people each year and cut greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane.

Today, LongPath鈥檚 Active Emissions Overwatch System is live at oil and gas operations in several states, covering hundreds of thousands of acres. Rieker and his team see the impacts of those systems growing each day, and he estimates that each system saves between 40 and 80 million cubic feet of methane annually.

鈥淓very time we deploy a new system, it really is impactful,鈥� he said, adding the team still celebrates every large leak located. 鈥淲e鈥檒l nail a big one for a customer, and that鈥檚 exciting.鈥�

Similar to Srubar, LongPath鈥檚 founders were motivated by protecting the environment.

鈥淢any academics measure impact in terms of papers published or citation rates. I always wanted the impact of my work to be more palpable,鈥� said Rieker. 鈥淚n 2024, LongPath stopped more than 6 billion cubic feet of methane emissions and counting. That鈥檚 impact, and that鈥檚 why we launched.鈥�

鈥淢any academics measure impact in terms of papers published or citation rates. I always wanted the impact of my work to be more palpable.鈥�

Recently, the company received landmark financial backing from the DOE for a loan of up to $189 million to accelerate the scale-up of the company鈥檚 monitoring systems.

Another game-changing company making significant strides in sustainability is Louisville-based , founded in 2011, based on technology developed by 麻豆免费版下载Boulder mechanical engineering professor Se-Hee Lee and professor emeritus of mechanical engineering Conrad Stoldt (颁丑别尘鈥�94).

Similar to Srubar and Prometheus Materials, Stoldt and Lee answered a call from DARPA. Their challenge was to double the energy density of a rechargeable battery.

鈥淭he metrics they wanted to reach were unheard of,鈥� said Stoldt, but he and Lee accepted the challenge anyway. 鈥淲e saw it as an opportunity鈥� and we sat down and determined that, at least on paper, the only rechargeable battery technology that could meet the specs for the program was a solid-state battery.鈥�

Lee and Stoldt partnered with Douglas Campbell, a small business and early-stage product developer, and chief technology officer Joshua Buettner-Garrett to start Solid Power. Along with then-mentor Dave Jansen, the team negotiated a commercialization agreement with Venture Partners (known then as the 麻豆免费版下载Technology Transfer Office), making the company an exclusive licensee to the university鈥檚 intellectual property.

What began as an idea Stoldt said was 鈥渂ootstrapped鈥� in 麻豆免费版下载Boulder labs, Solid Power is now an industry-leading developer of next-generation all-solid-state battery technology. As their name suggests, solid-state batteries (SSBs) differ from conventional batteries in that the electrolyte powering them is a solid material instead of a gel or liquid. That gives SSBs many advantages over lithium-ion batteries now widely used in electronics, toys, appliances and 鈥� critically 鈥� electric vehicles.

Solid Power鈥檚 design bests lithium-ion cells on safety, cost, durability and battery life 鈥� attributes long sought by consumers and automakers. Their technology swaps the flammable liquid in lithium-ion cells with a solid, sulfide-based electrolyte that is safer and more stable across a broad temperature range. Solid Power鈥檚 cells also easily outpace the conductivity and energy density of today鈥檚 best rechargeable batteries. The result is a smaller, lighter cell that is cheaper and has a longer-lasting charge.

Solid Power, which went public in 2021, employs many Forever Buffs and boasts major partnership deals with BMW and Ford, along with a new 75,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Thornton.

Their continued innovation was recognized with a recent $5.6 million DOE grant to continue developing its nickel- and cobalt-free cell, and, late last year, the company began award negotiations for up to $50 million in DOE funding. With this project, Solid Power intends to launch the world鈥檚 first continuous manufacturing process, allowing the company to produce its critical electrolyte material more quickly and at a lower cost.

From Lab to Marketplace

With the burgeoning success of Prometheus and others, Srubar hopes to inspire other researchers to make the leap to the marketplace. To that end, he was recently named Deming associate dean for innovation and entrepreneurship, a new role in the College of Engineering and Applied Science focused on building bridges between labs and the marketplace.

鈥淭his is something I鈥檓 so passionate about 鈥� shining a light for those inspired and driven by a vision to see change in the world and to follow that pathway of commercialization,鈥� Srubar said. 鈥淚 think 麻豆免费版下载Boulder鈥檚 reputation will continue to grow in this space, and I鈥檓 excited to be a part of it.鈥�

鈥淚 think 麻豆免费版下载Boulder鈥檚 reputation will continue to grow in this space, and I鈥檓 excited to be a part of it.鈥�

Emerging ventures at 麻豆免费版下载Boulder

• : Co-founded in 2023 by Elliot Strand (MMatSciEngr鈥�21; PhD鈥�23) and Payton Goodrich to commercialize a low-cost platform to transform agricultural and environmental monitoring, enhance fertilizer use efficiency, improve water resource management and advance climate resilience efforts.
• : Within months of beginning to collaboratively research mushroom root (mycelium) together as PhD students, Tyler Huggins (MEngr鈥�13; PhDCivEngr鈥�15) and Justin Whiteley (MMechEngr鈥�14; PhD鈥�16) knew they鈥檇 found a nature-based way to create meat alternatives.
• : Founded in 2020 by Michael McGehee (麻豆免费版下载Boulder Chemical and Biological Engineering) and then-PhD students Tyler Hernandez and Michael Strand. After developing the initial technology for energy-efficient windows at Stanford, they moved to 麻豆免费版下载Boulder to complete their work and found the company. Tynt allows users to fully control the light and solar heat entering a home, turning panes from clear to opaque with the touch of a button.
• : Founded in 2022 by Simon Julien (ApMath鈥�21; MS鈥�22) and Zachary Jacobs (ChemBiolEngr鈥�21) to bring to market their innovative solar energy control system that solves the issue of intermittent renewable power. The technology was co-invented by Julien, working as an undergraduate and master鈥檚 student in collaboration with Bri-Mathias Hodge (Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering), Amirhossein Sajadi (Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
• : A 麻豆免费版下载Boulder startup founded on discoveries from Chunmei Ban鈥檚 laboratory (麻豆免费版下载Boulder Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering), is developing best-in-class sodium battery technology with the potential to replace lithium-ion batteries.
• : a 麻豆免费版下载Boulder startup founded on technology discovered by Mark Hernandez (Environmental Engineering) uses waste from steel manufacturing to replace hazardous chemicals from wastewater treatment.

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Illustrations by Daniele Simonelli 

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Qizhong Liang (PhDPhys鈥�25) squeezes around a worktable tucked into the back corner of a 麻豆免费版下载physics lab. Spread out in front of him is an intricate arrangement of mirrors, lenses and tubes. But what draws Liang鈥檚 attention is what seems to be an empty plastic bag.

鈥淲ant to guess what it is?鈥� asks Liang, a doctoral student atbetween 麻豆免费版下载Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

The bag isn鈥檛, in fact, empty but contains something almost precious: breath. Researchers at  collected the sample from a child hospitalized with pneumonia. Liang鈥檚 tabletop apparatus will generate a powerful laser, known as a frequency comb, to scan the breath sample and identify the unique chemical fingerprints of the molecules floating inside.

Ultimately, Liang and his colleagues hope the laser can serve as a tool to diagnose children with asthma and pneumonia.

But he and his advisor, Jun Ye (PhDPhys鈥�97), aren鈥檛 medical professionals. They鈥檙e researchers working at the forefront of a field called quantum physics, or the study of matter and energy at its most fundamental level, which deals in the bizarre behavior of things like atoms and electrons.

鈥淭his is brand new stuff,鈥� said Liang. He notes that transforming such fundamental science into new technologies is thrilling, but also lonely. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have many [other experts] to talk to,鈥� he said.

Yet the discipline may soon be a lot less lonely. Across the country, and particularly in Colorado, the momentum around quantum physics is gathering speed. Scientists and engineers are channeling their understanding of the field into technologies that could improve people鈥檚 lives.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a natural progression of the revolution that鈥檚 been ongoing since the 1960s,鈥� said Ye, a JILA and NIST fellow and a professor adjoint of physics. 鈥淲e are just getting faster.鈥�

In Colorado alone, quantum technology companies employ roughly 3,000 people, a number that may jump to more than 10,000 across the Mountain West over the next decade, according to one estimate. Sitting at the center of this revolution is 麻豆免费版下载Boulder, where researchers have spent decades trying to lasso the quantum realm 鈥� earning four Nobel Prizes in physics in the process. The university has launched a suite of programs to turn quantum advancements into real-world technologies. 麻豆免费版下载is also nearly unmatched among public universities when it comes to training students to become the next generation of quantum workers.

鈥淭he reason the state of Colorado has been so successful in quantum has been 麻豆免费版下载Boulder,鈥� said Heather Lewandowski (PhDPhys鈥�02), a JILA fellow and professor in the Department of Physics. 鈥淚t goes back to our foundational research and to our training and preparation of students.鈥�

Colorado鈥檚 quantum future

This year marked a milestone for 麻豆免费版下载Boulder and the Mountain West in the global race for quantum innovation and leadership. In July, the coalition Elevate Quantum unlocked more than $127 million in federal and state funding for quantum advancements.

Elevate Quantum is a consortium of 120 organizations across Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming (麻豆免费版下载Boulder is the powerhouse partner), with the mission of growing the Mountain West鈥檚 prowess as a global leader in the quantum industry.

After applying to the U.S. Economic Development Administration鈥檚 (EDA) Tech Hubs program, the coalition gained its official Tech Hub designation in 2023. Only 31 out of nearly 200 consortia were awarded the designation and could proceed to the program鈥檚 second phase: competing for implementation grants. In July, the federal government named Elevate Quantum one of the 12 Tech Hubs that would be awarded funding.  

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a wild year,鈥� said Scott Sternberg, executive director of the CUbit Quantum Initiative, which 鈥渃onvenes, coordinates and catalyzes鈥� the quantum activities on campus. 鈥淭he challenge is now to continue the fundamental discovery while also engineering quantum products and solutions for economic gain.鈥�

The potential applications are vast. Ye, for example, leads a $25 million effort funded by the National Science Foundation called Quantum Systems through Entangled Science and Engineering (Q-SEnSE). The bread and butter of his lab are atomic clocks 鈥� devices that tell time not with gears and hands, but by tracking the natural behavior of electrons. They鈥檙e so precise they can measure the change in gravity if you lift them up by just a fraction of a millimeter. One day, he envisions that scientists could use similar quantum devices to, for example, track magma flow deep below Yellowstone National Park, the site of a supervolcano.

Recently, he and his colleagues made groundbreaking work on a type of atomic clock known as a nuclear clock. It uses lasers to trigger, then measure, extremely small shifts in energy occurring within the nuclei of thorium atoms.

Another team of engineers at 麻豆免费版下载is using frequency comb lasers, similar to those in Ye鈥檚 lab, to detect methane leaks above oil and gas operations. Still others are using quantum sensors to map out the activity of the human brain and even search for elusive dark matter 鈥� the seemingly invisible substance that binds the universe together.

Quantum work is now expanding on 麻豆免费版下载Boulder鈥檚 East Campus as well, in an initiative funded by the NSF and led by CU鈥檚 Scott Diddams, professor of electrical, computer and energy engineering. The $20 million grant will launch a new facility, the National Quantum Nanofab, where researchers and quantum specialists from Colorado and around the country can prototype and build new quantum technology.

The university is also helping to bring something else to Colorado: the next generation of quantum experts.

Quantum leaders of tomorrow

Denali Jah (EngrPhys鈥�25), a senior studying engineering physics and applied math, found his way to physics in high school. He was having a hard time at home, and his physics teacher noticed and made a point of showing Jah how exciting science could be.

鈥淚 really appreciated his approach to life in general 鈥� it was one of curiosity,鈥� Jah said.

In 2023, Jah joined the university鈥檚 first-ever cohort of Quantum Scholars, one of several 麻豆免费版下载programs encouraging students to take an interest in quantum physics. As part of that program, Jah and fellow undergrad Annalise Cabra (Math鈥�23) helped to organize the university鈥檚 first Quantum Hackathon, in which teams of students compete against each other to solve tricky problems in quantum computing.

Another 麻豆免费版下载experience, the Quantum Forge, is a year-long course offered through the university鈥檚 Department of Physics. It partners students with real quantum businesses in Colorado. Over the span of a year, the students lead a hands-on project for those businesses, such as designing components for an advanced cooling machine known as a 鈥渄ilution refrigerator.鈥�

Lewandowski, a member of the university鈥檚 Physics Education Research Group, noted that the quantum industry is in its infancy 鈥� companies are still trying to get a handle on what kind of employees they鈥檒l need. 麻豆免费版下载Boulder, she said, trains students to be flexible in the field.

鈥淪tudents can still have their core engineering or physics degree, but you supplement that with a few quantum technology courses, and that can make you very employable,鈥� said Lewandowski.

Jah, for his part, wants to use his new skills to study quantum loop gravity, a trippy theory that seeks to explain how gravity works. He said that quantum physics takes a lot of work, but it鈥檚 a path that anyone can follow 鈥� as long as they have enough wonder.

鈥淚 hope other people can engage in this exploratory process of: How does the world work? Let鈥檚 see,鈥� Jah said.

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Illustrations by Brian Stauffer

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Peek inside the human genome and, among the 20,000 or so genes that serve as building blocks of life, you鈥檒l find flecks of DNA left behind by viruses that infected our primate ancestors tens of millions of years ago.

Scientists have long considered these ancient hitchhikers, known as endogenous retroviruses, as inert or "junk" DNA that were rendered harmless millennia ago. But new 麻豆免费版下载research shows that, when reawakened, they can play a critical role in helping cancer survive and thrive. The study also suggests that silencing certain endogenous retroviruses can make cancer treatments work better.

鈥淥ur study shows that diseases today can be significantly influenced by these ancient viral infections that, until recently, very few researchers were paying attention to,鈥� said Edward Chuong, an assistant professor of molecular, cellular and developmental biology at 麻豆免费版下载Boulder鈥檚 BioFrontiers Institute.

After slipping into the cells of our primate ancestors, these invaders coaxed their unknowing hosts into copying and carrying their genetic material 鈥� passing their DNA on to future generations.

While endogenous retroviruses can no longer sicken their hosts or spread like live viruses, they can act as switches that turn on nearby genes, with both good and bad results.

On the plus side, they contributed to the development of the placenta, a critical milestone in human evolution. Chuong鈥檚 research also shows they can switch on genes that help us fight infection.

However, endogenous retroviruses also have a dark side.

Chuong鈥檚 latest study found that a lineage known as LTR10 is remarkably active in about a third of colon cancer tumors, where it appears to fire up genes that inflame cancer.

The good news: When those viral relics are silenced, the cancer-promoting genes go dark too, and tumor-shrinking treatments become more effective.

As a leading researcher in the burgeoning field, Chuong hopes that by better understanding these oft-neglected bits of the genome, scientists can come up with new ways to treat modern-day illnesses.

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Photo by Glenn Asakawa

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Approximately 92 million tons of textile waste is generated globally per year, . 麻豆免费版下载researchers envision a different future for fashion.

A team led by Eldy L谩zaro V谩squez (PhDCTD鈥�25), a doctoral student in the ATLAS Institute, is busy developing methods to make recyclable clothes from gelatin, the common foodstuff in products like Jell-O and marshmallows.

The team that spins textile fibers made from gelatin. These 鈥渂iofibers鈥� feel a bit like flax fiber and dissolve in hot water within a few minutes to an hour.

鈥淲hen you don鈥檛 want these textiles anymore, you can dissolve them and recycle the gelatin to make more fibers,鈥� said Michael Rivera, a co-author of the research and assistant professor in the ATLAS Institute and Department of Computer Science.

The machine, which is small enough to fit on a desk and , heats up the gelatin and uses a plastic syringe to squeeze out droplets of the mixture. Two sets of rollers in the machine then tug on the gelatin, stretching it out into long, skinny fibers 鈥� not unlike a spider spinning a web from silk.

鈥淲ith this kind of prototyping machine, anyone can make fibers,鈥� L谩zaro V谩squez said. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 need the big machines that are only in university chemistry departments.鈥�

She added that across the U.S., meat producers often discard gelatin that doesn鈥檛 meet quality control standards. L谩zaro V谩squez bought her own gelatin, which comes as a powder, from a local butcher shop.

L谩zaro V谩squez envisions that designers could tweak the chemistry of the fibers to make them a little more resilient 鈥� you wouldn鈥檛 want your jacket to disappear in the rain. They could also experiment with spinning similar fibers from other abundant natural materials like chitin, a component of crab shells, or agar-agar, which comes from algae.

鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to think about the whole lifecycle of our textiles,鈥� said L谩zaro V谩squez. 鈥淭hat begins with where the material is coming from. Can we get it from something that normally goes to waste?鈥�

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Photo courtesy Utility Research Lab

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(LASP) is the university鈥檚 first and highest-budget research institute 鈥� and the only organization of its kind to have sent scientific instruments to every planet in our solar system, plus the sun and a host of moons.

Founded in 1948 as a collaboration between the U.S. Air Force and the university鈥檚 physics department, LASP鈥檚 initial experiments included launching instruments mounted on captured German V-2 rockets in order to study the sun. Today, over 75 years later, the institute is made up of more than 100 research scientists who specialize in designing, building and operating spacecraft and spacecraft instruments.

As LASP looks ahead to the next 75 years, its dedication to innovation keeps it at the leading edge of space science. Here are just a few of the many missions LASP has helped propel forward.

Sun

2010鈥�30

EVE on  examines variations in the sun鈥檚 extreme ultraviolet light over time.

• Mission Highlight: Recorded enormous solar 'tornadoes,' ultra-hot plasma plumes swirling above the sun鈥檚 surface.

Mercury

2004鈥�15

LASP Spectrometer on  first detected magnesium in Mercury鈥檚 exosphere.

• Mission Highlight: Confirmed the presence of ice deposits in permanently shadowed craters at Mercury鈥檚 poles.

Venus

1978鈥�92

Ultraviolet Spectrometer on  identified sulfur dioxide in the clouds, indicating potential volcanic activity.

• Mission Highlight: Pinpointed the highest point on Venus 鈥� Maxwell Montes stands 10.8 km high.

Earth

Scheduled 2027

LASP radiometers on NASA will record how much energy leaves our planet鈥檚 atmosphere on a day-by-day basis, providing crucial information about how Earth鈥檚 climate is evolving over time. 

Moon

2013鈥�14

Lunar Dust Experiment on  gathered and analyzed lunar dust particles.

• Mission Highlight: Revealed tiny meteoroids deliver water to the Moon鈥檚 exosphere.

Mars

2013鈥�14

Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph on  discovered an aurora caused by proton precipitation in Mars鈥� atmosphere.

• Mission Highlight: Determined that solar wind has significantly stripped Mars鈥� atmosphere, altering its climate from warm and wet to cold and dry.

Jupiter

1989鈥�2003

Ultraviolet Spectrometer on  observed the impacts of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 fragments on Jupiter.

• Mission Highlight: Found evidence of a subsurface ocean on Jupiter鈥檚 moon Europa.

Saturn

1997鈥�2017

Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph on  measured emissions from gases emitted by volcanoes on Jupiter鈥檚 moon Io.

• Mission Highlight: Detected an icy plume of salt-rich organic chemicals erupting from Saturn鈥檚 moon Enceladus.

Uranus

1977鈥揅耻谤谤别苍迟

Photopolarimeter Subsystem on  discovered Uranus鈥� rings are younger than the solar system.

• Mission Highlight: Identified an irregular magnetic field, highly tilted from Uranus鈥� spin axis.

Neptune

1977鈥揅耻谤谤别苍迟

Photopolarimeter Subsystem on found Neptune鈥檚 rings are incomplete circles created by dust knocked off tiny moons.

• Mission Highlight: Performed the first mission to fly past Neptune and detect its irregular magnetic field. 

Pluto

2006鈥揅耻谤谤别苍迟

on  was the first student-designed instrument to launch on an interplanetary mission.

• Mission Highlight: Discovered the largest known glacier in the solar system.

And beyond鈥�

LASP has been involved in missions beyond our solar system, including operations for NASA鈥檚 exoplanet-hunting Kepler mission and the IXPE mission, which studies extreme space environments.

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Formed by researchers at 麻豆免费版下载Boulder in 2021, is becoming a leader in an ongoing effort to decarbonize the construction industry in the face of climate change. Inspired by nature, the company uses living microalgae to produce bio-cement. This new product offers an alternative to the traditional cement-making process, which currently accounts for 8% of annual global carbon dioxide emissions and consumes 9% of annual industrial water on a global basis.

When mixed with aggregate, the bio-cement forms a zero-carbon bio-concrete with mechanical, physical and thermal properties that rival those of traditional cement-based concrete. It also emits little to no CO2 and recycles 95% of the water used during its production. It can even sequester embodied carbon, which represents emissions released during the lifecycle of building materials, including extraction, manufacturing, transport, construction and disposal throughout its lifespan.

The effort dates to 2016 when a team of 麻豆免费版下载Boulder researchers began work on an engineered-living materials project for the Department of Defense. Associate professor Wil Srubar led that research from within the civil, environmental and architectural engineering department and the materials science and engineering program. He serves as co-founder and chief technology advisor for the company and pointed to Venture Partners at 麻豆免费版下载Boulder 鈥� the university鈥檚 commercialization arm 鈥� as a key resource in bringing it to life.

鈥淣ot only were the terms of licensing the IP from 麻豆免费版下载very founder-friendly, Venture Partners provided matching funds for us to continue R&D at CU,鈥� he said.

Srubar is enthusiastic about the interest so far. 

鈥淚鈥檝e dedicated my career to transforming buildings in carbon sinks by blurring the boundaries between the built environment and the natural world,鈥� said Srubar. 鈥淧rometheus is the first of hopefully many other impactful contributions my work will have on healing the planet.鈥�

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Photos by Glenn Asakawa

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Perfect-fitting jeans exist. 

, a fashion and robotics company co-founded by Kevin Martin (MechEngr鈥�16), makes personalized pants in custom colors, fabrics and styles 鈥� and uses 30,000 infrared data points from an iPhone body scan to create an individually tailored fit. 

After a person chooses their pants, which cost around $200, and scans their lower body using an app, Unspun gets to work. And as soon as this year, the jeans will be spun in 10 minutes with a 3D-weaving machine, eliminating nearly every aspect of the traditional manufacturing process for a pair of pants. 

The company earned recognition on Time magazine鈥檚 best inventions list twice 鈥� in and in .

Martin and fellow co-founders Beth Esponnette and Waldon Lam 鈥� Stanford friends and fashion industry innovators 鈥� have an ambitious goal with Unspun: to reduce the world鈥檚 carbon emissions by 1%.

鈥淚t costs $150 billion a year to make stuff, move it across the world and then light it on fire,鈥� said Martin, 27, who grew up in Colorado Springs and moved to San Francisco in 2017. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 just wasted product.鈥� 

The EPA estimates that of the 13 million tons of clothing and footwear produced in 2018 (the latest year with data), only 1.7 million were recycled. 

Unspun, based in San Francisco with a store in Hong Kong, hopes to eliminate the mass-production model for clothing and, instead, offer personalized products through its 3D-weaving technology and partnerships with major fashion labels.

鈥淲e were inspired by the Tesla model of doing things,鈥� said Martin, who was hired by Esponnette and Lam in 2016 after he responded to a job ad seeking an engineer to help start their new company. 鈥淲e said, 鈥楲et鈥檚 figure out how to automate apparel manufacturing.鈥欌�� 

Martin鈥檚 experience at 麻豆免费版下载Boulder became the foundation for the company鈥檚 early production model, with roots in the university鈥檚 Idea Forge 鈥� a prototyping, design and innovation lab.

As a senior, Martin took a capstone course held in the Idea Forge. After joining Esponette and Lam in 2016, he sponsored the same class, engaging 麻豆免费版下载students 鈥� including Unspun鈥檚 first employee, Brian Gormley (MechEngr鈥�17) 鈥� to build a 3D-weaving machine for the company. Gormley drove the machine in a U-Haul from Boulder to San Francisco in the summer of 2017. 

Martin鈥檚 longtime friend Stephen Thoma (CompSci鈥�16) joined Unspun as software director and created the scanning algorithm and software, first funded by a National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation and Research grant. 

HAX, a venture capital firm in Shenzhen, China, was also an early Unspun supporter and trained Martin and Gormley for four months in China in the fall of 2017 to help build a more advanced 3D-weaving machine. 

H&M became an early collaborator in 2018, offering a line of customizable jeans. By 2019, customers could purchase jeans directly from , and the company gained traction. 

This year, with more than $7.5 million in seed funding and 20 employees, Unspun aims to unveil its 3D-weaving technology in partnership with yet-to-be-announced major fashion labels. 

The founders keep their 1% goal at the forefront of the business. 

鈥淭o get to the impact and scale that we want, we need to become the new standard in apparel manufacturing,鈥� said Martin.  

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Photo by Patrick Campbell

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麻豆免费版下载Boulder鈥檚 College of Music celebrated its 100th birthday in style last year with a stunning 64,000-square-foot, $57 million expansion funded by numerous private donors and a university matching capital grant.

The Imig Music Building expansion was a long time coming. Students struggled to find enough practice rooms, and rehearsal and concert spaces were too tight.

The expansion includes brand-new rehearsal and recital facilities, an upgraded chamber hall, a rehearsal-performance space with retractable seating, a state-of-the-art recording studio and a dance studio.                        

Innovation was at the forefront of this project, with spaces specifically devoted to exciting new arms of the department: Entrepreneurship, wellness, music technology and interdisciplinary collaboration.                        

Showing off 麻豆免费版下载Boulder鈥檚 trademark sandstone brick, limestone trim and red clay roof tile, the new building offers beautiful gathering places for students, faculty and music lovers complete with sweeping views of the iconic Flatirons. 

Construction broke ground in early 2019 and wrapped just in time for students to cross the new sandstone entrance on 18th Street to start the Fall 2020 semester.

Photos by Skylar Miller

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CU's new president, a former congressman who later led the University of North Dakota, talks about his small-town youth, the future of work and his vision for CU.

Early bird or night owl? 
Early bird. During high school, I worked summers in a small-town bakery starting at 1 a.m. Since then, I have always found it valuable to get an early jump on things.

Coffee or tea?
Coffee. Born caffeinated, I did not start drinking coffee until later in life. I now find it indispensable to the start of every day.

Favorite ice cream?
H盲agen-Dazs鈥� rum raisin.

Book you can鈥檛 forget?
I am haunted by Kai Fu Lee鈥檚 AI Superpowers. I am left with grave concerns that the United States is not taking the actions necessary to preserve our innovative edge, and that losing that edge will have profoundly negative consequences for our prosperity and security. This leaves me even more motivated to work hard to ensure America has the talent and the discovery necessary to keep our technological lead.

How would you describe yourself in one word?
360掳 鈥� I have always striven to gain an ever-broader view.

Is there a 鈥淐olorado thing鈥� you鈥檙e still getting used to?
I may never get used to driving along cliffs with no guardrails.

We hear you grew up in a small town...
I began life in Murdock, Minn., population less than 300, and at age 4 moved to Pequot Lakes, population around 450. I began working at age 14 picking strawberries, washing dishes and pumping gas. I was in band, choir, plays, student government, Boy Scouts and played in the area jazz ensemble. I lettered in basketball, track and field, setting a school record in the mile run, and managed the football team. In 4-H, I won trips to the state fair with my beef, electric and photography exhibits. My wife and I met as 4-H Ambassadors. It is hard to match the breadth of experiences available in a small town.

You served in Congress. What do you and don鈥檛 you miss?
I miss being in the midst of the debate on the most serious issues facing our nation. I enjoy raising money and advocating for policies I believe are important, both of which I do in my role as president of CU. I don鈥檛 miss purely partisan groups poised to attack every time you reject the extremes.

What about you tends to surprise people?
Those who travel by car with me are surprised that I regularly sing during the journey, normally beginning with 鈥淚 am just a plain old country boy...鈥�

If you could go to college again, what would you do differently?
Focus a little less on extracurricular activities and a lot more on striving for A鈥檚. As a first-generation college graduate, I had no one to coach me. My undergraduate activities included work-study, dishwashing in the cafeteria and shelving books in the library, touring with the chorus, playing in the pep band, organizing an undefeated co-ed volleyball team, being captain of an intramural basketball team and serving on the student senate. My acceptance to Michigan鈥檚 MBA program provided a second chance. I took off Friday or Saturday evening, never both.

What do you think 麻豆免费版下载should do more of?
With most of today鈥檚 students likely to work during their lifetime in jobs not yet invented, it is ever more important that 麻豆免费版下载cultivates students鈥� critical thinking, team-working skills and cultural awareness by getting students to wrestle with difficult questions and fostering an environment of inquiry and debate. We should seek every opportunity to embrace adaptive learning technologies that supplement classroom dialogue led by knowledgeable professors with digital offerings that know what learners already understand, what they struggle with, how they respond to different teaching methods, what incentives drive them to excel. Today鈥檚 digital natives will increasingly rebel against being forced to learn at the same speed, in the same way, at the same place and at the same time.

What do you want to be remembered for?
As a president who called 麻豆免费版下载to stay true to its heritage of taking bold steps into the future, challenging it to not be trapped by rigid historical constraints, but instead to embrace technology to enhance the quality of a 麻豆免费版下载education, to make it more accessible and to keep it affordable.

Condensed and edited. Read the full interview here.

Illustration by Sean McCabe

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