Campus Community

�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder shines on global sustainability stage

Megan Maneval — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 19:39:54 +0000

�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder shines on global sustainability stage Megan Maneval Tue, 07/15/2025 - 13:39

At the recent Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress, held for the first time in the United States, �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder made a powerful showing—solidifying its role as a global voice in sustainability research, education and skills training.

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Wildfires, water quality, weather patterns: Scripps fellows have ambitious plans for climate reporting

Megan Maneval — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 16:14:58 +0000

Wildfires, water quality, weather patterns: Scripps fellows have ambitious plans for climate reporting Megan Maneval Tue, 07/15/2025 - 10:14

College of Communication, Media, Design and Information

The newest class of fellows at the Center for Environmental Journalism brings experience from NPR, The New York Times, National Geographic and more.

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Gregor Henze honored as fellow for building simulation research

Megan Maneval — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 16:58:58 +0000

Gregor Henze honored as fellow for building simulation research Megan Maneval Mon, 07/14/2025 - 10:58

College of Engineering and Applied Science

Gregor Henze was selected for his groundbreaking work on smart energy control systems, advanced building simulation tool and technologies that connect buildings to the power grid. He is also recognized for his global leadership in research and education.

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Kale, yeah! �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder's sustainable dining

Megan Maneval — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 16:47:08 +0000

Kale, yeah! �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder's sustainable dining Megan Maneval Fri, 07/11/2025 - 10:47

Coloradan

At �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, innovative hydroponic farming and plant-based, locally sourced meals are transforming campus dining into sustainable, fresh and delicious food.

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New health and wellness structure aims to enhance care, services for students, faculty, staff

Megan Maneval — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 14:06:47 +0000

New health and wellness structure aims to enhance care, services for students, faculty, staff Megan Maneval Thu, 07/10/2025 - 08:06

Chancellor Justin Schwartz on Thursday announced a reorganization of Health and Wellness Services aimed at further investing in and enhancing the already robust care and support provided for students, faculty and staff.

Specifically, the shift entails:

Creating a new Student Health and Well-Being unit within the Division of Student Life.
- This will include Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS), Center for Collegiate Recovery (CRC), Health Promotion, Medical Services, and Pharmacy.
Shifting Disability Services and Testing Center to the Division of Student Life, where they will continue to support accommodations for students.
Establishing an Employee Health and Well-Being unit within the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Operations.
- This will include WorkWell, the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP), the Office of Victim Assistance (OVA), the CALM Center and ADA Compliance.
- Associate Vice Chancellor for Health and Wellness Services Jess Doty will remain in Operations to lead the Employee Health and Well-Being unit.

Senior leadership from Student Life, the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Operations, and the Department of Human Resources are coordinating during the transition to ensure continuity of services and care for the campus community.

Schwartz said the intent of the changes is to enable each of the two new divisions to focus specifically on the unique needs of their respective populations, streamline operations, expand service and enhance access to care.

“Supporting the success of our students, faculty and staff is one of our top priorities as a campus,” Schwartz said. “We have innovative people who have made extraordinary strides in the health and wellness space in recent years, and this new structure will provide the opportunity to tailor care for our student, faculty and staff populations even more while also expanding our offerings. I am grateful for the work of our leadership team for taking this step and for all of our Health and Wellness Services staff for the care they provide—and will continue to provide—for our campus community.”

Schwartz said responses to the Faculty and Staff Engagement Survey have indicated greater desire for employee health and wellness support. He said the new structure will enable �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder to continue building on the progress made in the employee well-being space in recent years.

Schwartz added that he expects the changes to be additive and does not anticipate the need for layoffs as part of the reorganization. Some roles may shift to align to the new structure and strategy.

Access to services will remain uninterrupted during the transition.

“As we center our organizational structures around the communities served, we are also mindful of the strengths and benefits of having a robust community of practice of health and wellness practitioners that is connected across campus,” Schwartz said. “We will be intentional about ensuring that we enhance the structures to support that community of practice.”

The new structure will be complementary to the Student Mental Health and Wellness Initiative announced in March, which is being led by the Crown Institute. The goals of that initiative are to strengthen collaborative, comprehensive and effective programs and policies that mitigate risk and promote student flourishing.

“Having a dedicated student health and well-being division will help more clearly define the targeted work of the Student Mental Health and Wellness Initiative and enable more streamlined implementation of the recommendations that blossom from that effort,” Schwartz said.

Chancellor Justin Schwartz has announced a reorganization of Health and Wellness Services. There will be no disruption in services during the transition.

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�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder selects Salas O'Brien to design campus decarbonization plan

Megan Maneval — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 13:03:54 +0000

�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder selects Salas O'Brien to design campus decarbonization plan Megan Maneval Thu, 07/10/2025 - 07:03

�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder has announced the selection of engineering firm Salas O’Brien to design its campus decarbonization plan, kicking off the signature project of the university’s commitment to achieve a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by no later than 2050.

Envisioned in �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s 2024 Climate Action Plan (CAP), the comprehensive decarbonization project involves transitioning the campus heating system from steam to low-temperature hot water powered by clean energy. The project will unfold in multiple phases over the next decade, with significant milestones and investments planned to ensure a dependable and resilient energy source for the campus. The CAP is a vital element of our sustainability strategy, which encompasses local to global impact and integrates sustainability into our research and teaching missions.

“The kickoff of our campus decarbonization plan is a major step toward aligning our actions with our values,” �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz said. “I am grateful for the efforts of so many on our campus who helped drive our Climate Action Plan forward to get us to this point. And I am excited to partner with a company like Salas O’Brien that shares our values around sustainability and brings great expertise to this enormous undertaking.”

Salas O’Brien is an engineering and technical consulting firm of more than 3,800 employees operating out of 90 offices across North America. The firm provides decarbonization expertise, leadership, and support to plan, design and implement campus- and community-scale alternative energy systems. Salas O’Brien’s 450-plus geothermal projects completed to date provide over 90,000 tons of system capacity.

“We’re delighted to have been chosen by �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder to realize their decarbonization goals,” said Rob McKenna, Salas O’Brien’s director of energy planning and the decarbonization project manager. “The Salas O’Brien team is impressed by the university’s enthusiastic engagement and clear commitment to a carbon-free future—essential components for a successful initiative.”

The decarbonization plan design effort is expected to be complete by spring 2026. While it will lay out the road map for converting the entire campus to low-temperature hot water, major initial focus will be placed on the first and second phases highlighted in the CAP, along with the conversion of Williams Village. Salas O’Brien will be responsible for refining the phased approach to implementing this work across the campus.

Those initial phases are vital to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s plan to reduce campus emissions by 50% by 2030.

“�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder research leads the way in creating sustainable solutions for our planet, and our curriculum is shaping the leaders who will help create a world in which everyone enjoys access to clean air, fresh water, abundant food and a vibrant natural environment,” �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder Vice Chancellor for Sustainability Andrew Mayock said. “We’re decarbonizing our campus because we know our impact is greatest when we all participate, and this project helps demonstrate our commitment to sustainability across all three pillars of academics, research and operations.”

Beyond the story

Our sustainability impact by the numbers:

First student-run campus environmental center in the U.S.
No. 11 university for environmental and social impact in the U.S.
First zero-waste major sports stadium in the U.S.

Follow �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder on LinkedIn

To help ensure the success of the project, campus leaders have established a high-level steering committee that includes faculty, students and other key stakeholders. This committee will play a crucial role in guiding the project, providing valuable insights, and ensuring the interests of the entire campus community are represented.

In addition to the steering committee, the Office of Infrastructure and Resilience is hiring a sustainability operations and decarbonization manager to oversee the project. This new role will be instrumental in coordinating efforts, managing resources and ensuring the project stays on track.

“One of the most significant challenges of this project is transitioning major campus buildings from steam to low-temperature hot water,” Vice Chancellor for Infrastructure and Resilience Chris Ewing said. “This process involves substantial construction work that is critical for us to achieve our goals. Salas O’Brien demonstrated proficiency in renewable energy solutions and a clear understanding of the university’s goals and challenges.

“It will be a heavy lift to identify how to avoid taking buildings offline and minimize impact to our campus mission of teaching and research. We have a great team that will collaborate to make it happen, and I couldn’t be more thrilled for the design work to begin.”

The university has launched a multiphase decarbonization project to transition its campus district heating system from steam to low-temperature hot water, selecting engineering firm Salas O'Brien to design the plan that will help �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder achieve its carbon neutrality goals.

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Wil Srubar named American Ceramic Society fellow

Megan Maneval — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:19:25 +0000

Wil Srubar named American Ceramic Society fellow Megan Maneval Wed, 07/09/2025 - 13:19

College of Engineering and Applied Science

Professor Wil Srubar is the principal director of the Living Materials Laboratory, where an interdisciplinary team develops nature-inspired concrete alternatives that can be produced without fossil fuels or significant carbon emissions.

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�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder breaks ground on chemistry and applied mathematics facility

Megan Maneval — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 20:09:53 +0000

�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder breaks ground on chemistry and applied mathematics facility Megan Maneval Tue, 07/08/2025 - 14:09

Artist's rendering of the northwest side of the new CHAP facility

On June 16, �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder began construction on its new chemistry and applied mathematics (CHAP) facility—a transformative project that marks a bold step forward in the university’s commitment to research excellence, sustainability and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Located on the southeast side of the Business School Field along Regent Drive, the CHAP building will span approximately 139,000 gross square feet. The facility will house the departments of Chemistry and Applied Mathematics, providing world-class facilities for two already highly regarded programs.

“This groundbreaking represents more than just the start of construction—it’s the beginning of a new era for STEM education and research at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder,” said Chancellor Justin Schwartz. “The CHAP facility will empower our faculty and students with the tools and spaces they need to lead in fields like quantum research, environmental chemistry and computational mathematics.”

With space dedicated for future quantum research, the CHAP facility underscores �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s strategic investment in advancing quantum science—solidifying its position as a national leader in this rapidly evolving field.

The �鶹��Ѱ��Board of Regents approved the $175.43 million project in 2024.

The building will feature modern laboratories, a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic core facility, a 237-seat auditorium and space for future quantum research. It is also designed to be one of the most energy-efficient research buildings in �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s history, with sustainability features including cross-laminated timber construction, provisions to accommodate CU’s future low-temperature hot water systems and alignment with the Buy Clean Colorado Act.

“This facility is a strategic investment in the future of our academic mission,” said Provost Russ Moore. “It will not only address critical space and safety needs but also foster the kind of interdisciplinary collaboration that drives innovation and discovery.”

Interim Dean of Arts and Sciences Daryl Maeda echoed those sentiments, stating, “The CHAP facility exemplifies our vision for the future of science education—where sustainability, innovation and collaboration converge. It will be a place where students and faculty push the boundaries of knowledge and where the next generation of scientific leaders will take shape.”

The CHAP project is also expected to alleviate pressure on existing campus facilities. Once the departments relocate, vacated spaces in Cristol Chemistry & Biochemistry and the Engineering Center will be repurposed to benefit other academic units, including the College of Media, Design and Information and the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

The CHAP facility is expected to be completed in summer 2027.

�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder has begun construction on the new chemistry and applied mathematics facility—which will feature cutting-edge labs, a quantum research hub and more.

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Faces of community-engaged scholarship: Caroline Frischmon

Megan Maneval — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 19:42:40 +0000

Faces of community-engaged scholarship: Caroline Frischmon Megan Maneval Tue, 07/08/2025 - 13:42

Doctoral candidate Caroline Frischmon came to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder to get out of the lab and sought to combine her engineering and science communication background through Boulder's Hannigan Air Quality and Technology Research Lab—known for its community-engaged research.

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Be part of the tradition: Volunteer for Fall Welcome

Megan Maneval — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 19:36:43 +0000

Be part of the tradition: Volunteer for Fall Welcome Megan Maneval Tue, 07/08/2025 - 13:36

Volunteering during Fall Welcome gives you the chance to be part of this meaningful tradition, creating a positive and inviting atmosphere for the newest members of our Buff community. Here are a few reasons to volunteer.

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