CU Boulder Engineering

09/01/2026

What does the future of aerospace innovation look like?

Join us for the next installment of our Leading with Impact series on Sept. 16 in Denver, featuring University of Colorado Boulder engineering alumni who are helping shape the future of aerospace and space exploration.

Moderated by John Evans, chair of the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, this engaging discussion will explore emerging technologies, groundbreaking research collaborations, and the opportunities and challenges driving the next era of discovery.

Connect with alumni, faculty, industry leaders and the broader community while learning how CU Engineering is advancing innovation with impact, from Earth to space.

📅 Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026
📍 The Jacquard Hotel, Denver
🕡 Panel begins at 6:30 p.m. MT

RSVP 🔗 https://cuboulder.engineering/3SEz79i

08/31/2026

Aircraft turbulence isn't just uncomfortable for passengers. It can also increase drag and fuel consumption.

University of Colorado Boulder Aerospace Engineering Professor Mahmoud I. Hussein is developing new ways to reduce turbulence and improve aircraft efficiency using engineered microscopic vibrations created by synthetic subsurface materials.

His team recently achieved two major breakthroughs:
🔹 Super-resonance, enabling control across a broad range of frequencies.
🔹 Scatterless interference, allowing turbulence to be delayed across larger surfaces such as aircraft wings.

Together, these advances bring the technology closer to real-world flight applications and could enhance aerodynamic performance in passenger aircraft, hypersonic vehicles and other next-generation aerospace systems.

cuboulder.engineering/3Sya33L

A passenger jet soars across the sky at 640 mph, its wings pummeled with wind and boundary-layer turbulence, challenging the plane’s operation and efficiency.

08/26/2026

CU Boulder is at the forefront of quantum innovation.

A scientific quest to build more accurate clocks, faster computers and new sensors to detect the faintest signs of disease and disaster is getting a $37.5 million financial boost.

The National Science Foundation (NSF), through its Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes, is investing in the next phase of CU Boulder and its partners’ work to advance quantum science research and engineering.

Read more ↓
https://bit.ly/4qBWrkt

08/25/2026

How unpredictable is war? More than you might think.

New research from the University of Colorado Boulder is helping quantify the risks of conflict escalation. A study led by computer science professor Aaron Clauset found that escalation is remarkably common in armed conflicts, with even limited wars carrying a persistent risk of becoming significantly more severe over time.

The findings reveal how conflicts can rapidly intensify as alliances shift and negotiations break down, offering new insights that could help policymakers better understand and reduce the risks of escalation.

cuboulder.engineering/4xmGvVY

By analyzing decades of war death statistics, researchers found large civil wars tend to cool off over time, but wars between nations show a persistent risk of

08/25/2026

How can we make biology more predictable, and AI more useful for scientific discovery?

University of Colorado Boulder Professor Chris Myers is partnering with National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Schmidt Sciences, to advance synthetic biology engineering through better data standards, automation and machine learning.

The goal is to give researchers more reliable ways to design, measure and predict how biological systems will behave. As Myers puts it, “The more we can bring that same predictability to biology, the more powerful the field becomes.”

https://cuboulder.engineering/4wO85Kz

Professor Chris Myers is partnering with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, with support provided by the National Science Foundation and

08/24/2026

University of Colorado Boulder built technology is reaching new heights in space research. 🚀🔬🌎

Researchers at BioServe Space Technologies have developed NEMO, a new automated microscope and incubator that allows scientists to continuously image and study multiple biological samples in microgravity, with much of the work controlled remotely from Earth.

Built with contributions from CU Boulder staff and students, NEMO represents another exciting advancement in space-based research and Colorado aerospace innovation.

cuboulder.engineering/4fGXps1

Orbiting astronauts have access to a new research tool designed and built in Colorado. University of Colorado Boulder researchers have launched a new

08/24/2026

Join University of Colorado Boulder in Denver for the Sesquicentennial Faculty Scholars Event as we celebrate the university’s 150th anniversary and spotlight faculty whose research and creative work are making an impact in Colorado and beyond.

On Thursday, August 27, at History Colorado, hear engaging, story-driven presentations from faculty scholars whose work spans aerospace, public policy, culture, sustainability, climate, technology and more.

📅 August 27 | 5:30–8 p.m.
📍 History Colorado, Denver
🎟️ Free to attend

Connect with CU Boulder faculty, alumni, regional leaders and community partners.

In celebration of CU Boulder’s 150th anniversary,  the Sesquicentennial Faculty Scholars recognition program spotlights some of the university’s most inspiring voices—faculty members whose research and creative work transform lives and serve the public good. This prestigious program elevates ...

08/20/2026

08/06/2026

What does it take to get published in a top-tier scientific journal?

A new study led by University of Colorado Boulder computer science professor Aaron Clauset, with contributions from professor Daniel Larremore and Sam Zhang (PhD AppMath '24), analyzed more than 110,000 manuscript submissions to examine the factors that shape publication success in elite scientific journals.

Published in Science Advances, the research found that institutional prestige, geographic location and other characteristics can significantly influence publication outcomes, offering one of the most comprehensive looks yet at the editorial and peer review processes behind high-impact scientific publishing.

By making their dataset publicly available, the researchers hope to advance transparency, support future research and inform ongoing conversations about equity in the scientific publishing process.

https://cuboulder.engineering/452D9Lg

An analysis of 110,000 submissions to elite general science journals shows that researchers from prestigious universities are more than three times more likely

08/04/2026

How can engineering research improve people's lives?

Olivia Felton, a fourth-year mechanical engineering PhD student at the University of Colorado Boulder, is focusing her research on improving mobility and quality of life for individuals living with movement challenges. Driven by a passion for movement and human performance, Felton is developing innovative solutions that help people move more comfortably, confidently and independently.

Her passion for movement led her to engineering research, and she's helping shape the future of mobility through innovation.

🎥 https://cuboulder.engineering/4w2n82P

At CU Boulder, graduate student Olivia Felton is helping advance research aimed at improving mobility and quality of life for individuals living with movement challenges. Watch to learn how Felton’s passion for movement led her to engineering research – and how she's helping shape the future of