Announcements & Deadlines

Hellems reopening: A new era of sustainability and learning

Megan M Rogers — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 20:42:07 +0000

Hellems reopening: A new era of sustainability and learning Megan M Rogers Tue, 02/24/2026 - 13:42

Editor's note: This article was originally published on Dec. 10, 2025, ahead of the reopening.

After more than two years, the historic Hellems Arts and Sciences building is welcoming faculty, staff and students back to campus life. Faculty and staff members have moved into their newly renovated offices, and students have begun filling the halls of one of �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s most iconic academic spaces.

And on April 10, you can join alumni, friends and the campus community to celebrate the reopening of Hellems. From 2 to 4:30 p.m., be a part of the ribbon cutting ceremony and tour the newly renovated Hellems. Register here to be a part of this historic moment for �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder.

The renovation was made possible through a combination of university resources and partial funding from the state of Colorado, underscoring the shared commitment to preserving historic campus spaces while advancing sustainability and student success.

A thoughtful renovation for modern needs

Originally constructed in 1921, Hellems was the first building on campus designed in Charles Klauder’s signature Tuscan vernacular style and has long been a cornerstone of the university’s academic experience. The renovation project was designed not only to preserve its historic character but also to meet the needs of today’s learners and educators. The updated spaces feature improved accessibility, modernized classrooms and collaborative areas that foster connection and creativity.

The building also holds cultural significance as the home of the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, which stages performances in the adjacent Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre each summer. The renovation ensures this beloved tradition continues in a space that reflects �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s commitment to sustainability and inclusivity.

Student-first design

From the earliest planning stages, the renovation followed a student-first process, incorporating feedback from students to ensure the building supports their academic success and well-being. Classrooms were reimagined to encourage active learning and collaboration, while study spaces and common areas were designed to promote comfort, flexibility and community. These changes aim to create an environment where students can thrive academically and socially within a historic setting that now meets modern expectations.

“The renovation of Hellems was guided by a student-first approach,” said Ann Stevens, provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs. “Every design decision, from flexible classrooms to collaborative spaces, was made with the goal of enhancing how students learn and connect. This reimagined building creates an environment that supports academic success, fosters community and reflects the values of a modern university.”

Sustainability at the core

One of the most significant aspects of the renovation is its commitment to sustainability. The project incorporated multiple strategies to reduce environmental impact, including:

Energy efficiency: Upgraded HVAC systems, LED lighting and enhanced insulation dramatically improve energy performance.
Water conservation: Low-flow fixtures and efficient plumbing systems help minimize water usage.
Material choices: More than 80% of original clay roof tiles were reused, and terrazzo and hardwood flooring were refurbished instead of replaced.
Smart design: Triple-pane windows, daylight-optimized layouts and improved ventilation create healthier, more efficient spaces.

These efforts will reduce the building’s energy use intensity (EUI) by nearly 68%, even with the addition of air conditioning.

“This project is truly setting the bar for what a building that is over 100 years old can achieve,” said Chris Ewing, vice chancellor for infrastructure and resilience. “We’re dramatically cutting energy use and emissions while creating modern, flexible spaces that support student success based on their input into the design process. These upgrades foster collaboration, comfort and well-being—key elements for learning—while reducing operating costs and improving efficiency.”

“This project reflects �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s commitment to climate action and sustainability leadership,” said Andrew Mayock, vice chancellor for sustainability. “Hellems is now a model for how we can honor our history, and create modern spaces for students and faculty, while building for a low-carbon future.”

The university is also targeting LEED Gold certification, a benchmark for sustainable building practices.

Looking ahead

With faculty returning in mid-December and students arriving for classes in January, the reopening of Hellems marks a milestone in �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s commitment to sustainability, inclusivity and academic excellence.

“Hellems is more than a building. It’s a symbol of �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s dedication to the liberal arts as the intellectual heart of the university,” says Daryl Maeda, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “A liberal arts education teaches us to think deeply, question critically and connect ideas across disciplines. In the reimagined Hellems, those connections become a lived experience.”

�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder's historic Hellems building is reopening after a major renovation focused on student success and sustainability, with faculty moving in mid-December and students returning for spring classes in January. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for April to celebrate the building and the university's 150th anniversary.

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�鶹��Ѱ��Involvement Awards now accepting nominations

Megan M Rogers — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 20:32:01 +0000

�鶹��Ѱ��Involvement Awards now accepting nominations Megan M Rogers Tue, 02/24/2026 - 13:32

Do you know someone who exemplifies leadership? Nominate them for the �鶹��Ѱ��Involvement Awards! Each year the Center for Student Involvement and the Colorado Creed join to recognize leadership and engagement across campus. Learn more and submit nominations by March 8.

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Inaugural Sustainability Research Initiative fellows unveiled

Megan M Rogers — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 16:16:09 +0000

Inaugural Sustainability Research Initiative fellows unveiled Megan M Rogers Mon, 02/23/2026 - 09:16

The Sustainability Research Initiative fellowship serves as a yearlong incubator, bringing together researchers from across academic units, disciplines and career stages to imagine, collaborate and conduct research in new ways. See who the pioneering fellows are.

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Nominate a faculty or staff member for the Marinus Smith Award

Megan M Rogers — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 15:56:28 +0000

Nominate a faculty or staff member for the Marinus Smith Award Megan M Rogers Fri, 02/20/2026 - 08:56

Do you have a faculty or staff member who has made a positive impact on your time at CU? Nominate them for a Marinus Smith Award. Submit your nomination by March 11.

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�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder advances dean search with finalists to visit campus

Megan M Rogers — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 20:51:02 +0000

�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder advances dean search with finalists to visit campus Megan M Rogers Thu, 02/19/2026 - 13:51

Today, Fernando Rosario-Ortiz, interim vice chancellor and executive vice provost for academic resource management, announced four finalists for the position of dean of the University Libraries.

The four finalists are as follows; click here for links to their bios and CVs.

Brian Keith, professor and the dean of library services, Eastern Illinois University
Bohyun Kim, associate university librarian for library information technology and interim associate university librarian for collections, University of Michigan
Kelly Miller, associate dean for learning and research services, Libraries, University of Miami
Leslie Reynolds, senior associate dean of libraries, �鶹��Ѱ��

“I am pleased with the strong progress of this search and excited to introduce four outstanding finalists to our libraries community,” Rosario‑Ortiz said. “I’m also deeply grateful to the search advisory committee members for their dedication and thoughtful work in identifying such an impressive group of finalists, and to Sarah Jackson, for her leadership as chair of the committee.”

The finalists are scheduled to visit campus in late February and early March. During their visits, finalists will meet with units across University Libraries to share their leadership perspectives and engage with faculty and staff. Feedback from these sessions will help inform the final selection.

Following the campus visits, the search will move toward final deliberations. Rosario-Ortiz expects to make an appointment for the next dean of University Libraries later in the spring semester.

Four finalists for the University Libraries dean position have been selected and will visit campus late February and early March.

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�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder's Nathan Mertens awarded National Endowment for the Arts grant

Megan M Rogers — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 20:44:45 +0000

�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder's Nathan Mertens awarded National Endowment for the Arts grant Megan M Rogers Thu, 02/19/2026 - 13:44

College of Music

The College of Music is proud to announce that Assistant Professor of Saxophone Nathan Mertens has been awarded an NEA Grants for Arts Projects award. This is the college's first GAP grant, representing an important step forward for �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder in national arts funding.

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Community gathers to honor trailblazing educators whose leadership transformed the university and Boulder

Megan M Rogers — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 18:48:53 +0000

Community gathers to honor trailblazing educators whose leadership transformed the university and Boulder Megan M Rogers Thu, 02/19/2026 - 11:48

�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder leadership, community partners and members of the Nilon family unveil the "Bench by the Road" dedicated to Charles and Mildred Nilon—trailblazing educators whose leadership transformed the university and the city of Boulder—at First Congregational Church in Boulder. Photos by Casey Cass/�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder.

On Monday, Feb. 16, �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder joined community partners and members of the Nilon family to dedicate Colorado’s first Toni Morrison Society Bench by the Road, honoring two trailblazing educators whose leadership transformed the university and the city of Boulder.

Located at the corner of Broadway and Pine, in front of the Museum of Boulder, the bench commemorates Charles and Mildred Nilon, civil rights advocates whose decades of work expanded access, representation and opportunity for Black residents, students and scholars. The ceremony drew university leaders, state and local public officials, Toni Morrison Society leaders, local advocates and generations of community members influenced by the Nilons’ legacy.

Charles Nilon arrived at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder in 1956 as the university’s first known Black professor. In the decade that followed, he built one of the nation’s earliest Black Studies programs—an academic home that mentored students, supported faculty and insisted that “the study of Black life, Black history, Black culture, and Black art was not a supplement to education—it was education,” shared Reiland Rabaka, founding director of �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s Center for African & African American Studies (CAAAS) and event keynote speaker.

Charlie Nilon, son of Charles and Mildred, addresses the crowd.

His wife, Mildred Nilon, joined �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder in 1962 as the first known Black librarian, expanding access to knowledge at a time when many libraries across the country remained segregated. Through her leadership, she helped redefine the purpose of an academic archive, showing that access to books and learning is also access to belonging.

Together, the Nilons became pillars of Boulder’s civil rights community, leading efforts to advance fair housing, equal employment and inclusive educational opportunities. Their home became a place of refuge and fellowship for countless students.

“My parents loved books, reading and learning, and they shared that love with �鶹��Ѱ��students,” said their son, Charlie Nilon, to a packed crowd at First Congregational Church, which was selected after the Museum of Boulder was too small to accommodate public interest in the event. “They loved Boulder and �鶹��Ѱ��and helped change both.”

The Toni Morrison Society’s Bench by the Road Project places installations at sites around the world that honor histories of the African diaspora. Colorado’s first bench is the 35th installation worldwide.

“This bench is not small—it is a geography of memory placed deliberately in public space,” said Rabaka. “The story of Boulder is incomplete without the story of this family. The story of the University of Colorado is unfinished without Black studies.”

Rabaka noted the Nilons did not simply support the growth of Black studies—they built it, directed it, and “loved this place enough to help it become more than it was.”

The dedication comes during �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s 150th anniversary celebrations and the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary.

Reiland Rabaka, director of �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder's Center for African & African American Studies, and U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, who both spoke at the event.

“We recognize that our strength has always come from those who were bold enough to imagine a better and more inclusive future,” said Chancellor Justin Schwartz during the ceremony. “Charles and Mildred Nilon remind us that progress is not a gift; it is a responsibility for us to accept and pass forward.”

Speakers also included U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse and other elected officials, leaders from the Toni Morrison Society and Museum of Boulder, and scholar-advocates from Boulder’s civil rights community. The program also featured music from the ACE Gospel Choir: All Created Equal and recognition of the Charles and Mildred Nilon Endowed Teacher Education Scholarship, established in 2016 to support students committed to expanding educational opportunity.

The bench, which includes a bronze naming plate and interpretive plaque, now stands prominently in downtown Boulder as an invitation—both to reflect on history and to imagine the work ahead.

“Where the winds of the Rocky Mountains move, one of the great stories of this city has been buried—whispered when it should have been declared,” Rabaka shared. “This bench invites us to sit with what has otherwise been forgotten.”

For students, residents, visitors and future generations, the bench offers a permanent place to honor two leaders who changed the trajectory of �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder—and a reminder that building an inclusive community remains a shared responsibility.

�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder joined community partners and members of the Nilon family to dedicate Colorado's first Toni Morrison Society "Bench by the Road," which was dedicated to trailblazing educators Charles and Mildred Nilon.

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3 �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder faculty named Sloan Research Fellows

Greg B Swenson — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 16:12:15 +0000

3 �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder faculty named Sloan Research Fellows Greg B Swenson Wed, 02/18/2026 - 09:12

Kelsie Eichel, Andres Montoya-Castillo and Erica Nelson have received Sloan Research Fellowships—awards that provide $75,000 in funding for early career researchers in fields including chemistry, physics, neuroscience and mathematics.

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Leveraging local bookstore expertise to build community-centered collections

Megan M Rogers — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 18:56:06 +0000

Leveraging local bookstore expertise to build community-centered collections Megan M Rogers Fri, 02/13/2026 - 11:56

The University Libraries have partnered with three independent bookstores to purchase books, filling collection gaps and building more inclusive, community-centered collections.

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3 faculty members elected to National Academy of Engineering

Daniel William Strain — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 23:15:22 +0000

3 faculty members elected to National Academy of Engineering Daniel William… Thu, 02/12/2026 - 16:15

This week, the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) announced that three faculty members at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder were elected to the ranks of this prestigious organization. Dana Anderson, Iain Boyd and Bob Erickson are among the 130 scientists and engineers from around the country who will be inducted as members of the NAE at a meeting this fall.

According to an announcement: “Election to the National Academy of Engineering is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer. Academy membership honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice, or education.”

Richard Obermann, senior technical advisor for the Colorado Space Policy Center at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, was also elected as a member of the NAE.

The new members of the Class of 2026 join Scott Diddams, Hanspeter Schaub, Dan Frangopol and Charles W. Hull, engineers with ties to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, who were elected to the NAE last year. More than 20 engineers with ties to the College of Engineering and Applied Science at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder have been elected to the NAE over the years.

Dana Anderson

Dana Anderson (Credit: Infleqtion)

JILA Fellow; Professor, Department of Physics; appointment to the Department of Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering

Anderson was recognized for "for contributions to optical quantum engineering of ultracold atoms."

He joined the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder faculty in 1984 and has long been at the forefront of translating laboratory science into real-world impact. As founder and chief science officer of Infleqtion (formerly ColdQuanta), he has helped lead the development of practical quantum systems including clocks, inertial sensors, radio frequency sensors, networks, and quantum computing platforms. Infleqtion systems are currently operating on the International Space Station through NASA’s Cold Atom Laboratory mission, with continuous operation for over five years.

Anderson's academic research spans quantum optics, atomic physics, atom-chip technologies and precision measurement, areas in which his group has developed integrated atom interferometers and practical devices based on ultracold atoms. He earned his doctorate in physics from the University of Arizona and is a fellow of the American Physical Society and the Optical Society of America.

Reflecting on his election to the NAE, Anderson emphasized the community that helped make it possible: “I owe much to the support that �鶹��Ѱ��Physics, JILA and Engineering have given me over the years to transition atom-based quantum technology into the ‘real’ world.”

Iain Boyd

H.T. Sears Memorial Professor, Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences; Director, Center for National Security Initiatives

Boyd is recognized "for contributions to the computational simulation of high-temperature gases and plasmas using kinetic methods for hypersonics and space propulsion."

He is an internationally recognized expert in the field of aerothermodynamics. Boyd's research focuses on physical and computational methods for analysis of nonequilibrium gas and plasma dynamics processes that occur around hypersonic vehicles and in space propulsion systems.

He has authored over 250 journal articles, more than 450 conference papers, and a book titled "Nonequilibrium Gas Dynamics and Molecular Simulation." He joined �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder in 2019 following positions at the University of Michigan, Cornell University and NASA Ames Research Center.

Boyd earned his doctorate in aeronautics and astronautics from the University of Southampton in England. He is a fellow of the American Institute for Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA), the American Physical Society and the Royal Aeronautical Society.

"Hypersonics is so engaging to me because it involves so many different disciplines including gas dynamics, chemistry, materials, structures and propulsion," Boyd said. "Interest in hypersonic systems has never been greater with major activities in national security, space exploration and the evolving space economy."

Bob Erickson

Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering

Erickson is recognized "for advances in modeling, control, education and massive open online courses in power electronics."

He is a pioneering figure in power electronics whose innovative research has transformed the field and set new standards for efficiency and performance in electric vehicles, as well as in inverters for solar power, wind power and battery energy storage systems. He joined the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder faculty in 1982 and served as chair of the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering from 2002-06, 2014-15 and 2018-2020.

Erickson is a life fellow of IEEE, a fellow of the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder and is the author of the textbook Fundamentals of Power Electronics. He received the IEEE William E Newell Power Electronics Award in 2021, the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder Inventor of the Year award in 2015, the Holland Teaching Excellence Award in 2010, and the IEEE Power Electronics Society Transactions Prize Paper Award in 1996.

His research interests include modeling and control of power conversion systems, modular and multilevel converter systems and power electronics for electric vehicles, renewable energy sources, and data centers. Erickson received his doctorate in electrical engineering from the California Institute of Technology.

“I am most grateful for this honor, and I very much appreciate the support and collaboration of my colleagues in ECEE, the college and �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder through the years," Erickson said.

Dana Anderson, Iain Boyd and Bob Erickson will join the ranks of the prestigious organization, one of the highest honors engineers can receive.

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Announcements & Deadlines

Hellems reopening: A new era of sustainability and learning

A thoughtful renovation for modern needs

Student-first design

Sustainability at the core

Looking ahead

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Student-first design

Sustainability at the core

Looking ahead

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