Kudos

Don’t just explain the science, dance it

Rachel Sauer — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 16:14:04 +0000

Don’t just explain the science, dance it Rachel Sauer Thu, 03/12/2026 - 10:14

Rachel Sauer

Asia Kaiser, a bee researcher and ecology and evolutionary biology PhD candidate, is named social sciences category winner in the international Dance Your PhD contest sponsored by the journal Science

There’s a lot going on with bees right now. Because it was an unseasonably warm winter, queens may be emerging from hibernation and beginning to lay the eggs of their first broods. And since queens can choose the sex of their offspring, they are now or soon will be producing daughters.

It’s fascinating information about one of the planet’s most complex and charismatic insects, but how to convey it in dance?

PhD candidate Asia Kaiser (in a scene from her Dance Your PhD entry), studies how human land use affects different insect groups and, consequently, the ecosystem services they provide in coupled human-natural systems.

Start with a shimmy—reminiscent, perhaps, of the movement of bees’ wings or the vibration of their flight muscles. Then weave undulating patterns with fellow dancers, gliding and twirling in a choreography of bees in motion. And bring it home with a question about what happens when we remove native flowers from urban environments or destroy bee habitat to build roads or houses (answer: nothing good).

In short, dance your PhD. So, that’s what Asia Kaiser did.

Kaiser, a PhD candidate in the University of Colorado Boulder Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EBIO) and researcher in the Resasco Lab, this week was announced the social sciences category winner in the international Dance Your PhD contest sponsored by the journal Science and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Now in its 18th year, Dance Your PhD seeks, through a spirit of fun and of marrying art and science, to address a scenario that scientists commonly experience: “The party is just getting started when the dreaded question comes: ‘So, what’s your PhD research about?’ You launch into the explanation, trying to judge the level of interest as you go deeper. It takes about a minute before someone changes the subject,” contest organizers explain.

“At times like this, don’t you wish you lived in a world where you could just ask people to pull out their phones to watch an online video explaining your PhD research through interpretive dance?”

“I was a dancer all through college, so I have a background in belly dance and Latin dance,” Kaiser explains. “And I like to make music, so I thought this could be a really fun way to explain my research.”

Learning to dance

And what is that research? Bees. Specifically, how human land use affects different insect groups and, consequently, the ecosystem services they provide in coupled human-natural systems. Her research aims to improve the resilience of urban agroecosystems, increase equitable access to fresh produce and promote environmental justice in cities.

As for the dancing, Kaiser had wanted to take dance lessons while growing up in Philadelphia, but there wasn’t room in the budget for them. So, after graduating high school she took a gap year in Brazil to do service work and finally began learning dance. She started with belly dance, then branched into samba and other Latin styles.

When she began her ecology and evolutionary biology undergraduate studies at Princeton University, “I thought, ‘I’m going to invest in my secondary dream,’” Kaiser recalls, which meant stepping away from the books sometimes to immerse herself in the vibrant dance scene in Princeton and the broader New York City and Philadelphia area.

She also is a cellist, so when she came to ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� to pursue her PhD she began making music with other people in her department.

When she heard about Dance Your PhD, it dovetailed with so many of the things she loves: dance and music and science. However, the deadline to submit entry videos was Feb. 20, and she decided to enter the contest a mere two weeks before then.

She started with the music, composing a piece to score the story in her mind: “I wanted to tell a story of bees emerging in early spring in your backyard and what they’re up to. People know a lot about honeybees, but not other bee species, so I wanted to highlight how important they are to urban ecosystems.”

Kaiser put out a call for dancers and fortunately, the response from her fellow PhD students and candidates was abundant and eager. Then she and Ella Henry, a violinist and EBIO PhD student, recorded the music.

Science as art

Because of the quick turnaround, the troupe had time for just two rehearsals before their afternoon of filming in front of the EBIO greenhouses on 30th Street in Boulder. It was an EBIO community collaboration. PhD students Manuela Mejía, Lincoln Taylor, Gladiana Spitz, Kaylee Rosenberger and Ella Henry danced Kaiser’s choreography alongside her. PhD student Luis de Pablo helped with sound engineering and Scott Taylor, EBIO associate professor and director of the Mountain Research Station, was cinematographer. Kaiser’s husband, John Russell, provided voiceover narration for the final video.

And despite the extremely short timeframe, it all came together, Kaiser says. For example, she happened to have a pair of gold Isis wings, a traditional belly dance prop, that Lincoln Taylor wore “to depict the fact that male bees spend their lives flying around,” she says.

The dance, music and costumes united in a science-as-art visualization of her PhD, which she uploaded to YouTube and clicked submit on her Dance Your PhD entry. She was up against scientists from around the world, so learning that she won her category was especially significant.

“Obviously, I love bees,” she says, “and I love to dance and make music, so it was a really cool experience to create this piece with my friends and find a different way to talk about my research.”

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Asia Kaiser, a bee researcher and ecology and evolutionary biology PhD candidate, is named social sciences category winner in the international Dance Your PhD contest sponsored by the journal Science.

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Three ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� faculty named 2026 Sloan Research Fellows

Rachel Sauer — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 16:05:06 +0000

Three ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� faculty named 2026 Sloan Research Fellows Rachel Sauer Tue, 02/17/2026 - 09:05

Fellowships provide $75,000 in funding for early-career researchers in fields including chemistry, physics, neuroscience and mathematics

Three University of Colorado Boulder faculty members have been selected to receive prestigious Sloan Research Fellowships in 2026. Winners receive a two-year, $75,000 fellowship that can be used flexibly to advance their research.

The three College of Arts and Sciences faculty members are:

Erica Nelson, assistant professor in the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, for physics.
Andres Montoya-Castillo, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry, for chemistry.
Kelsie Eichel, assistant professor in the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, for neuroscience.

“The Sloan Research Fellows are among the most promising early-career researchers in the U.S. and Canada, already driving meaningful progress in their respective disciplines,” said Stacie Bloom, president and CEO of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, in announcing the winners Tuesday. “We look forward to seeing how these exceptional scholars continue to unlock new scientific advancements, redefine their fields and foster the wellbeing and knowledge of all.”

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� researchers (left to right) Erica Nelson, Andres Montoya-Castillo and Kelsie Eichel have been named 2026 Sloan Research Fellows.

For 2026, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation named 126 early-career researchers—including Nelson, Montoya-Castillo and Eichel—as Sloan Research Fellowship award winners. Fellows from this year’s cohort were drawn from 44 institutions across the United States and Canada.

Since the first Sloan Research Fellowships were awarded in 1955, 60 faculty from ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� have received one, including this year’s winners, according to the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

“I’m delighted and honored to receive the support of the Sloan Foundation,” Montoya-Castillo said. “I’m especially grateful to my group, mentors and senior colleagues, both at CU and beyond, who have been immensely supportive and kind.”

“It’s a big honor to be recognized by the Sloan Foundation,” Eichel agreed, adding that she is appreciative of the funding for her research. “My lab studies a fundamental question in cellular neuroscience—how neurons build and maintain their polarized architecture. This polarized architecture enables the nervous system to communicate, adapt and ultimately generate behavior. By uncovering the core principles that govern neuronal function, our work will lay the groundwork for developing new strategies to restore neuronal function in neurological diseases.”

Nelson said she is thrilled to be named a Sloan Research Fellow and added that the fellowship funding will be a valuable asset to her research.

“We’ve discovered mysterious red objects in the early universe with the James Webb Space Telescope that challenge what we thought we knew about the first galaxies and black holes. This fellowship provides crucial support to determine what these objects really are: Are they massive galaxies or a never-before-seen phase in the formation of supermassive black holes? Whatever the answer, it will fundamentally reshape our understanding of cosmic dawn in our universe,” she said.

Sloan Research Fellowships are considered one of the most prestigious awards available to young researchers—in part because so many past fellows have gone on to become distinguished figures in science. To date, 59 fellows have won a Nobel Prize, 72 fellows have received the National Medal of Science, 17 have won the Fields Medal in mathematics and 25 have received the John Bates Clark Medal in economics.

Open to scholars in seven fields—chemistry, computer science, Earth systems, economics, mathematics, neurosciences and physics—more than 1,000 researchers are nominated by their fellow scientists each year, according to the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The organization said winners are selected by independent panels of senior scholars based upon their research accomplishments, creativity and potential to become leaders in their fields.

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Fellowships provide $75,000 in funding for early-career researchers in fields including chemistry, physics, neuroscience and mathematics.

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John Cumalat named Big 12 Faculty of the Year Award winner

Rachel Sauer — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 16:00:37 +0000

John Cumalat named Big 12 Faculty of the Year Award winner Rachel Sauer Tue, 02/10/2026 - 09:00

He and fellow honorees represent ‘what makes college campuses thrive as places of learning and growth’

John Cumalat, a University of Colorado Boulder Professor of Distinction in the Department of Physics, has been named a 2026 Big 12 Faculty of the Year Award winner.

The award celebrates a top faculty member from each Big 12 school, recognizing their excellence in innovation and research. The 16 honorees “represent what makes college campuses thrive as places of learning and growth,” according to Big 12 officials.

Professor of Distinction John Cumalat has been named a 2026 Big 12 Faculty of the Year Award winner.

"We are constantly looking for ways to highlight how Big 12 faculty continue to educate and inspire the next generation of leaders," said Big 12 Chief Impact Officer Jenn Hunter. "From the arts and filmmaking to business and engineering, this year's cohort showcases the vast opportunities available to students pursuing an education on Big 12 campuses."

The Big 12 Faculty of the Year Award is also an opportunity to showcase the diversity of research breakthroughs and educational opportunities afforded to students attending Big 12 institutions and helps attract future students, according to Big 12 officials. Faculty of the Year Award winners were nominated by their institutions in conjunction with Big 12 faculty athletics representatives, provosts and other university leaders.

“I am fortunate and humbled to be recognized with the Big 12 Faculty of the Year Award from the University of Colorado, as I am well aware there are so many talented peers in my department, my college and across the campus,” Cumalat says. “My selection is a great honor for my Department of Physics and my colleagues in high-energy physics.”

Cumalat, who last year was recognized with the ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Hazel Barnes Prize, is best known for his research in particle physics and for developing state-of-the-art particle-detector technology and instrumentation.

After earning his PhD in physics from the University of California Santa Barbara in 1977 and completing postdoctoral work as the first Robert Rathbun Wilson Fellow at Fermilab in Batavia, Illinois, Cumalat joined the ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� physics faculty in 1981. He has been recognized with multiple honors at CU, including the Best Should Teach Award in 2003, the Robert L. Stearns Award in 2010 and the BFA Excellence in Service Award in 2013. He became a College of Arts and Sciences Professor of Distinction in 2014.

Cumalat is a member of multiple professional organizations, as well as the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, the current principal investigator of the CU High Energy Physics Department of Energy Grant and the principal investigator of the Professional Research Experience Program with the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Cumalat has authored or co-authored more than 1,500 publications and has been cited more than 200,000 times, according to INSPIRE, an online hub that collects scholarly work in the field of high-energy physics. He has also served on several dozen graduate-student committees and on approximately 150 undergraduate-student thesis committees.

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He and fellow honorees represent ‘what makes college campuses thrive as places of learning and growth.’

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One photo, many whales: scholar captures research above the Arctic Circle

Rachel Sauer — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 21:31:55 +0000

One photo, many whales: scholar captures research above the Arctic Circle Rachel Sauer Mon, 02/02/2026 - 14:31

Cody DeBos

For ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� ecology and evolutionary biology alumna Emma Vogel, an award-winning photo captured a vital moment of research and science

Soft light slanted across the gray Norwegian sky, bouncing off the frigid water where Emma Vogel sat in a research boat. She had just helped her team tag a whale and was scanning the waves for the next group. It was a rare reprieve in what otherwise tends to be a chaotic venture.

She lifted her camera, but not for data collection this time. The scene was simply too vivid not to capture.

“I was super surprised about catching the little whale in the background of it, framed in the platform,” Vogel recalls. “That was a very, very nice surprise. I’m not often using my camera to take pictures of people, but the lighting was so atmospheric, I thought it would be a good shot.”

Emma Vogel, a 2016 ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� graduate in ecology and evolutionary biology, is a postdoctoral researcher at The Arctic University of Norway.

The photo, showing a researcher poised to launch a tracking tag set against a backdrop of swarming seabirds, went on to win Nature’s 2025 Scientist at Work photo competition.

For Vogel, a 2016 University of Colorado Boulder graduate, the image is more than an award-winner. It’s a snapshot of her life spent tracking giants of the ocean through the shifting currents of science and sustainability.

A path north

Vogel’s journey to the coast of Northern Norway, firmly situated in the Arctic Circle, began in Washington, D.C., but when it was time to go to college, the mountains of Colorado called.

“I thought Colorado looked beautiful. And I kind of always knew I wanted to do science or ecology, so it seemed like a perfect place for that,” she says.

During her time at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��, Vogel studied ecology and evolutionary biology, exploring the impact of forest fires and regrowth. A semester abroad in Sweden opened her eyes to marine science.

“I got to take some more aquatic and ocean marine-based courses and I fell in love with the field.”

After graduation, Vogel spent two years working in animal welfare policy with the Humane Society of the United States. However, she felt drawn to do hands-on research.

That led her to Tromsø, Norway, where she earned her master’s and PhD and now works as a postdoctoral researcher at the Arctic University of Norway’s Arctic Sustainability Lab.

Fieldwork at the edge of the world

As one might imagine, life and research in the Arctic come with their own rhythms.

“Some of the unique, really wonderful things that maybe people wouldn't expect, is that it's such a diverse place, both the people and the ecosystems, the organisms that live here,” Vogel says. “We have a beautiful combination of mountains and ocean right in the same space.”

Fieldwork in this environment is both harsh and intimate. Vogel and her team spend weeks tracking and tagging humpback and killer whales in the fjords during the winter herring season. She says the process can be logistically easier than in other places because the whales stay close to the coast.

But the conditions are punishing.

“In the morning, we often need to shovel snow out of our boats before we can get started, and it’s cold enough where the seawater is freezing onto the boat. Temperatures are often well below zero while we’re out doing research.”

Luckily, Vogel has discovered something of a superpower.

“The thing that changed it for me was when I discovered battery-powered socks that you can put on a little cycle to heat up every 30 minutes,” she says with a grin. “They really make all the difference.”

Those socks come in handy during long days on the water when Vogel and her team are using air-powered tracking equipment to attach satellite transmitters to whales. The tags allow researchers to track their movements long after they disappear from the coast.

“Normally, once the whales get enough of the herring, we don’t know where they go. With the tags, we can see their movement patterns for a month to six months, depending on the species and tag,” she says.

From there, Vogel and her team can interpret the data to paint a clearer picture of what these oceanic giants do when they slip below the waves.

“We can figure out their behavior based on the data. If they’re slowing down and turning a lot in one area, we can say they’re possibly looking for food and foraging. If they’re traveling in a straight line really fast, then it’s kind of transiting behavior. For humpbacks, we’ve tracked them through a full migration. So, going down to the Caribbean and then back up to Norway and even up into the Barents Sea.

“These tags let us track them through the entire ocean and see things we otherwise wouldn’t be able to, which is, I think, really exciting.”

Emma Vogel's award-winning photo shows biologist Audun Rikardsen, her PhD advisor at The Arctic University of Norway, battling waves in a northern Norwegian fjord, aided by the glow from a nearby fishing trawler.

Data-informed decisions

Part of Vogel’s work in the Arctic Sustainability Lab involves turning movement data into better marine policy.

“We are working to create ways to use tracking data to help spatial planners consider these migratory animals when designing local marine protected areas,” she says.

It’s a tricky challenge. Protected zones often prioritize stationary habitats for sea grasses and corals (and the animals that rely on them), not animals that travel hundreds or thousands of miles every year. Vogel and her team hope to change that by giving planners reliable data to inform their policy decisions.

But her work isn’t solely focused on marine life. She’s also part of a project called the Coastal Barometer, which helps quantify the health and sustainability of Northern Norway’s seaside communities.

“We developed a website called the Coastal Barometer to offer different ways of looking at and considering sustainability. It lets people from different municipalities click on where they’re from and see where they’re performing well and where there needs to be improvement,” Vogel says.

The project includes metrics for biodiversity, water quality, carbon storage, tourism, economic resilience and even a unique measure called “sense of place” that considers how much people value their connection to the local land and sea.

The latter is more urgent than ever. While Vogel doesn’t want to attribute all changes in her community to climate change, she’s already seen worrying signs.

“This last summer and the summer before we had about a month of days that you were able to go hiking in shorts in the Arctic. That’s been rare since I came here in 2018. For now, they’re nice, but you don’t want it much warmer.”

Those summer days may be rare enough to feel like a novelty today. But for researchers like Vogel, they are a quiet warning that even in the planet’s most rugged corners, change is underway. Thanks to valuable data collected by humans who care, communities and conservationists can be equipped with tools to adapt to those changes.

Boulder foundation, global reach

Despite her current home being thousands of miles away, Vogel still sees her time at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� as a defining chapter.

“It really set me up so well, I think, to be an interdisciplinary researcher. Not only taking science courses, but also exploring literature, communication, human geography. I even took a course about Vikings, which was quite fun,” she recalls.

That foundation has served her well in a career that now sprawls across ecology, community engagement and policy innovation. For students hoping to follow in her footsteps, Vogel has one piece of advice: “Genuine curiosity.”

“You need to really want to understand and be inquisitive,” she says. “To understand for the sake of understanding—not just taking your courses. Asking questions and not taking things at surface value, just always wondering, ‘Why? Why? Why?’ can really get you far.”

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For ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� ecology and evolutionary biology alumna Emma Vogel, an award-winning photo captured a vital moment of research and science.

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Karolin Luger wins Vilcek Prize in Biomedical Science

Rachel Sauer — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:01:29 +0000

Karolin Luger wins Vilcek Prize in Biomedical Science Rachel Sauer Mon, 02/02/2026 - 11:01

The award recognizes ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� biochemist’s career dedication to the study of nucleosomes and groundbreaking discoveries

Karolin Luger, a distinguished professor of biochemistry and the Jennie Smoly Caruthers Endowed Chair of Biochemistry, has been awarded the 2026 Vilcek Prize in Biomedical Science.

The $100,000 award recognizes her career dedication to the study of nucleosomes—research that led to the groundbreaking capture of a high-resolution image of chromatin and resulted in the development of novel drug treatments for diseases including cancer.

The Vilcek Foundation Prizes in Biomedical Science honor immigrants who are leading advancements in biomedical research in the United States. Prize co-founder Jan Vilcek—whose research led to the development of the drug Remicade—established prizes to support distinct ingenuity in scientific inquiry.

Karolin Luger, a distinguished professor of biochemistry and the Jennie Smoly Caruthers Endowed Chair of Biochemistry, has been awarded the 2026 Vilcek Prize in Biomedical Science. (Photo: Vilcek Foundation)

Presented annually since 2006, the Vilcek Foundation prizes honor immigrant contributions to societal advancement in the United States and recognize excellence in the arts and sciences. Since the prizes program began 20 years ago, the Vilcek Foundation has awarded $9.6 million to individuals “whose perspectives, creativity and vision have enriched the United States.”

“The Vilcek Foundation community are unwavering champions of the immigrants and leaders who advance every facet of our culture,” said Vilcek Foundation President Rick Kinsel. “The United States is a nation defined by freedom of expression, imagination and opportunity. This 20th group of prizewinners demonstrates our unshakeable commitment to honor those who embody the spirit of resiliency that defines our country and society.”

Luger, who is an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, became interested in science at an early age, using a microscope to study the plants and soil in her garden at the microscopic level. She earned Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in biochemistry from the University of Innsbruck in Austria and a PhD in biochemistry and biophysics from the University of Basel in Switzerland before immigrating to the United States in 1990.

“I came (to the United States) to join this amazing scientific enterprise that is the envy of the entire world,” Luger said.

As an immigrant from Austria who has participated in international research collaborations throughout her career, Luger notes that cross-cultural perspectives are essential to continued scientific advancement.

“Diversity is key because everything becomes clearer and more three-dimensional when illuminated from all sides,” said Luger. “To borrow a concept from structural biology: You need to see ‘all orientations!’ This can only be achieved with a diverse workforce where people constantly question each other’s assumptions.”

‘The central dogma’

In her postdoctoral studies at ETH Zürich in Switzerland, Luger focused on the atomic structure of nucleosomes, the discovery of which would help scientists understand fundamental aspects of the human genome. After eight years of research, Luger and her colleague, Tim Richmond at ETH Zürich, published a groundbreaking paper that has influenced innumerable studies and changed how researchers understand the interactions of proteins within the nucleosome, how proteins are modified and how this controls gene activity.

Since its publication 28 years ago, the paper has been cited more than 12,000 times and is included in biology textbooks and classes as part of “the central dogma.”

Because of Luger’s discovery, many diseases have since been found to stem from mutations in the nucleosome, resulting in the development of successful drug treatments. Luger continues to study nucleosomes in her laboratory work.

“Like many others, my lab has built on this original discovery, and we continue to be surprised by the elegant and complicated ways in which DNA access is regulated by nucleosomes,” Luger said. “I am proud to have contributed a bit of beauty and knowledge to the world.”

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The award recognizes ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� biochemist’s career dedication to the study of nucleosomes and groundbreaking discoveries.

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Reading the past, engineering the future

Julie Chiron — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 22:34:31 +0000

Reading the past, engineering the future Julie Chiron Mon, 12/22/2025 - 15:34

Julie Chiron

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� geobiologist Lizzy Trower received a Simons Foundation Pivot Fellowship, allowing her to acquire new tools and redirect her deep-time expertise toward urgent environmental challenges

For most of her career, Lizzy Trower has been a time traveler.

The associate professor of geological sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder studies rocks that are hundreds of millions of years old to decode how microbial life first shaped our planet, such as oxygenating our atmosphere and paving the way for animal life.

But as a field researcher, Trower has found herself increasingly aware of the present and yearning to look toward the future. In the field, she witnessed pristine microbial mounds in Great Salt Lake frequently exposed and stressed by megadrought, and hurricane scars etched across fragile ecosystems in the Turks and Caicos. Those experiences reshaped her scientific priorities.

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� scientist Lizzy Trower

"The more time I spend in modern environments, the harder it is to ignore the challenges that are happening now related to climate," says Trower. "The questions I work on in Earth’s history are really interesting, but sometimes they don’t feel quite as relevant or urgent."

The features at Great Salt Lake have thrived underwater for more than 10,000 years. Long fascinating to geoscientists as a way to understand what they might see in rocks, these windows into the past are now under threat. Trower worries that some of these systems may simply disappear, no longer available for study or teaching.

"It's shocking to be in a moment where these things that have been around for thousands of years and have been useful and cool for generations of scientists might not be there much longer,” she says.

Increasingly, conversations in the field have shifted from how these systems grow to how they degrade when exposed for long periods above the lake’s surface. "The destruction and degradation weren’t something we talked about when I was a grad student," Trower says.

Unbounded exploration leads to breakthroughs

As a newly named 2025 Simons Foundation Pivot Fellow, Trower is undertaking a bold research shift and acquiring new skills to apply her deep knowledge of geobiology to help address today’s urgent environmental challenges.

The highly competitive Pivot Fellowship supports midcareer scientists who are seeking to "pivot" into a new discipline, offering a year of immersive mentorship, training and resources for scholars to acquire entirely new skills. The program celebrates the idea that breakthroughs often emerge when researchers cross disciplinary boundaries, a principle that resonates with the College of Arts and Sciences emphasis on interdisciplinary exploration.

"I love experimentation, but I’m at a point where my ideas exceed my toolset. I want to culture microbes, design experiments and teach students how to work with them," says Trower. "It's rare to get dedicated time to develop new skills. I want my work to feel urgent, impactful, relevant — and this helps me move toward that."

Microbes in a headwind

Trower’s pivot centers on euendoliths—microbes that bore microscopic cavities into calcium carbonate minerals. In doing so, they generate alkalinity, a chemical process that raises pH and could counteract ocean acidification, one of the most pressing threats to marine ecosystems.

"What’s fascinating about these microbes is that they dissolve minerals to create tiny tunnel systems," says Trower. "But here’s what’s wild: they do this in places where dissolving these minerals should be thermodynamically unfavorable."

"In those environments, these minerals should be forming—not dissolving," says Trower. "So, I imagine these microbes like hikers walking into the headwind, stubbornly using a lot of energy to carve out tunnels even though the environment is against them."

If scientists can understand and harness this ability, the implications are far-reaching: targeted mitigation of ocean acidification, enhanced carbon removal strategies, improved wastewater treatment and even innovations in engineered living building materials.

A year outside the comfort zone

The science is still in its infancy. Only one euendolith has ever been isolated in pure culture, a cyanobacterium discovered on a Puerto Rican beach. Trower’s fellowship year will focus on building the toolkit to change that. Alongside microbial ecologist John Spear in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines, she will learn to culture environmental microbes, apply genomic tools and characterize the diversity and behavior of these organisms.

Beyond the lab, Trower’s pivot reflects a philosophical shift from basic science grounded in the past to applied research aimed at solutions. "My goal is to prepare students for impactful careers beyond academia," she says. Research shows that today’s undergraduates value altruistic motivators, helping people and the environment, when choosing STEM careers. Trower’s new direction aligns with those ideals, offering students opportunities to address climate challenges through innovative science.

The Simons Foundation announced the 2025 Pivot Fellows on Nov. 13, highlighting researchers who pursue bold, interdisciplinary ideas and acquire new tools that can open entirely new avenues of discovery. For Trower, the fellowship is more than a career milestone, it’s a chance to honor the memory of a close ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� colleague whose expertise she hoped to draw on. The loss of her friend and esteemed researcher inspired her to gain new expertise to continue the work herself.

For a geobiologist who has spent her career translating the planet’s oldest stories, the pivot is less a departure than a continuation, carrying the lessons from billions of years ago into a future that urgently needs them.

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Grad’s work fuses the arts and sciences

Rachel Sauer — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 20:14:26 +0000

Grad’s work fuses the arts and sciences Rachel Sauer Fri, 12/12/2025 - 13:14

Bradley Worrell

Olivia Neilly, who is earning a double major in English and molecular, cellular and developmental biology with a perfect 4.0 GPA, is named the college’s outstanding graduate for fall 2025

When Olivia Neilly stepped onto the University of Colorado Boulder campus four years ago, she thought she had her future mapped out.

“I really wanted to go to medical school,” she recalls. “I thought I’d keep my head in the books for four years and then move on.”

However, in pursuit of courses that would prepare her for the medical field, Neilly joined Professor Zoe Donaldson’s neuroscience lab in the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCDB)—and that one experience changed everything for her.

Olivia Neilly is the Fall 2025 College of Arts and Sciences outstanding graduate. (Photo: Julie Chiron)

“I discovered that research is not just about data—it’s about asking questions, embracing creativity and finding joy in discovery,” Neilly says. “It literally changed the trajectory of what I want to do with my life, and now I can’t imagine wanting to do anything else.”

Donaldson and Jenny Knight, professor of molecular, cellular and developmental biology, became important mentors for Neilly, whom she credits with fostering creativity and curiosity in the lab. Additionally, PhD graduate Mostafa El-Kalliny helped shape her thinking about research as well as issues outside of science.

“From day one in the lab I worked with Mostafa, who shaped how to think about science—and other subjects,” she says. “Our conversations weren’t just about experiments—they were about philosophy, literature and life.”

Embracing neuroscience with a passion

For her honor’s thesis, Neilly wrote a 71-page research paper investigating how a small part of the brain called the nucleus accumbens helps animals form close social bonds, research that has potential implications for humans. Her paper specifically explored the neuroscience of social bonding on prairie voles, a small species of furry rodents.

“We study prairie voles because they form lifelong pair bonds, like humans,” Neilly explains. “My project focused on nucleus accumbens, a brain region tied to reward. I used chemogenetics (a technique that makes use of engineered proteins) to turn off specific interneurons during bond formation. When those cells were silenced, voles couldn’t form pair bonds. This suggests one cell type can influence complex social behavior, which has implications for psychiatric disorders.”

Neilly began her lab work with the voles before the start of her sophomore year and spent two summers working full time in the lab. This past summer, she completed the experiment underlying her thesis and spent the school year analyzing the data and writing. While the work was very time consuming, Neilly adds, “It never felt like a burden—I loved the process.”

In addition to that work, Neilly authored a manuscript for the scientific journal Nature Communications as well as a second manuscript currently being considered for publication.

Earning high praise from faculty

Neilly was nominated for the outstanding graduate award by Christy Fillman, chair of the MCDB Honors Committee, and Donaldson, who praised her undergraduate student for her curiosity, intellect and strong work ethic.

“I would often find Olivia in the lab at all hours, eager to contribute and learn new skills. By this time last year, she was already operating at the level of a graduate student despite being only a junior. She accomplished this while also maintaining a 4.0 GPA in two majors and maintaining her involvement in other activities, including the American Lung Cancer Society Screening Initiative,” Donaldson wrote in her letter recommending Neilly for the outstanding graduate honor. Donaldson added, “She is the most impressive undergraduate I have had the chance to mentor or interact with across institutions I have worked at.”

Neilly says receiving the outstanding graduate award is both exciting and humbling.

“My mentor (El-Kalliny) hinted that I might get nominated, but honestly, I was so focused on graduating and finishing classes that I didn’t think much about it. When I got the email and Donaldson announced the award in our lab group chat, I was really touched,” Neilly says. “I’m emotional by nature, so it meant a lot that people I respect recognized my efforts. I usually just put my head down and work, not for recognition, so this felt validating. I was proud—and excited to tell my mom first.”

Olivia Neilly (second from left), Fall 2025 College of Arts and Sciences outstanding graduate, chats with, left to right, Daryl Maeda, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Irene Blair, dean of natural sciences; and Jennifer Fitzgerald, interim associate dean for student success. (Photo: Julie Chiron)

Balancing science and the arts

Neilly’s academic path has proven to be as unique as her research. Initially focused on MCDB, she opted to add an English degree to feed her artistic side.

“At first, I thought there was no overlap,” she recalls. “I started with MCDB for medical school or research but then added English because I missed my artistic side. Over time, I realized they overlap in surprising ways. In science, clear communication is essential—especially now, in a media environment riddled with so much misinformation."

As a creative writer and fan of modern fiction, Neilly applauds how people are pushing the boundaries of language in the same way that scientists are pushing the boundaries of scientific knowledge—celebrating the unbounded exploration of both art and science.

“Writing skills from English help me convey research effectively. Creativity is key in both fields. The best scientists are often the most creative.”

Life beyond the lab

Despite her demanding academic schedule, Neilly says she made time for extracurricular activities. She wrote articles for the online magazine Her Campus, attended film festivals and organized a lung cancer awareness event at Boulder’s historic Chautauqua Park.

She says she feels fortunate to have partaken in many cultural events offered by ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� and by the local community, and she encourages her fellow students to do the same, adding, “Connecting with your community matters as much as academics.”

As for any advice for incoming CU students, Neilly says, “Wherever you are, you can make the most of it if you put in the time and energy. Be willing to try new things and embrace discomfort—it’s how you grow.”

Right where she was supposed to be

Neilly says she’s grateful for her time at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� and is now looking forward to what comes next as she prepares to embark on a scientific career. After graduating later this month, Neilly will join Stanford University as a research technician in Boris Heifets’ lab, where scientists study how psychoactive compounds can help treat severe psychiatric disorders.

“I’m passionate about improving mental health and social functioning, so this feels like the right next step before starting grad school,” she says.

Perhaps ironically in retrospect, Neilly says she wasn’t initially committed to attending ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��. She earned good grades in high school and had a number of options when it came time to select a university.

“I have a long family history with CU; my mom, sister and grandfather all have ties here. At first, I thought I wanted to break the pattern, but my mom reminded me that education is what you make of it,” says Neilly, who spent much of her childhood in Aurora. “CU ended up being the best decision. I found incredible mentors and research opportunities I wouldn’t have had elsewhere.

“I don’t regret a thing. I’ve used CU to the absolute ends of what it could offer.”

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Olivia Neilly, who is earning a double major in English and molecular, cellular and developmental biology with a perfect 4.0 GPA, is named the college’s outstanding graduate for fall 2025.

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Top photo: Olivia Neilly (second from left), Fall 2025 outstanding graduate, with, left to right, Daryl Maeda, interim dean of the college; Irene Blair, dean of natural sciences; and Jennifer Fitzgerald, interim associate dean for student success

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� mathematician honored by peers

Rachel Sauer — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 18:48:23 +0000

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� mathematician honored by peers Rachel Sauer Thu, 11/06/2025 - 11:48

Katherine Stange is named a fellow by the American Mathematical Society, becoming the second person in the math department to garner AMS recognition

Katherine Stange, a professor of mathematics at the University of Colorado Boulder, is one of 40 mathematicians from around the world to be named a 2026 fellow of the American Mathematical Society.

Katherine Stange, a ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� professor of mathematics, has been named a 2026 fellow of the American Mathematical Society.

AMS members designated as fellows have made “outstanding contributions to the creation, exposition, advancement, communication and utilization of mathematics,” according to the society.

“I am honored to congratulate the 2026 class of AMS fellows,” said AMS President Ravi Vakil. “Their research and service endeavors help ensure the health of the mathematical sciences on a daily basis. AMS fellows are selected from a substantial pool of accomplished candidates. Their collective achievements highlight the many ways individuals devote themselves to our beautiful and essential subject.”

“I'm grateful to my nominators and to all my colleagues, collaborators, students and mentors, who make mathematics such a beautiful and fun endeavor,” said Stange.

Stange’s area of research includes arithmetic geometry, elliptic curves, algebraic and integer sequences, cryptography, arithmetic dynamics, Apollonian circle packings and game theory.

Stange becomes the second ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Department of Mathematics professor to be named an AMS fellow; Agnes Beaudry was named a fellow in 2024.

Goals of the AMS fellows program include creating a class of mathematicians recognized by their peers for their professional contributions, lifting the profession through the provision of an honor, and supporting the advancement of mathematicians to leadership positions in both their institutions and the broader society.

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Katherine Stange is named a fellow by the American Mathematical Society, becoming the second person in the math department to garner AMS recognition.

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Space physicist Mihály Horányi honored as 2025 professor of distinction

Rachel Sauer — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 19:47:36 +0000

Space physicist Mihály Horányi honored as 2025 professor of distinction Rachel Sauer Fri, 10/24/2025 - 13:47

College of Arts and Sciences leadership and peers recognize the physics professor’s service, teaching and research with the award

Mihály Horányi, a University of Colorado Boulder professor of physics, has been named the 2025 College Professor of Distinction by the College of Arts and Sciences in recognition of his exceptional service, teaching and research.

Mihály Horányi, a ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� professor of physics, has been named the 2025 College Professor of Distinction by the College of Arts and Sciences.

The college presents this prestigious award annually to current faculty members who are scholars and artists of national and international renown and who are recognized by their college peers as teachers and colleagues of exceptional talent.

“I’m truly surprised and honored by this recognition from my peers,” Horányi says. “LASP and the Physics Department at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� are extraordinary communities of talented and passionate people who continually push the boundaries of scientific discovery and space exploration. I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to collaborate with so many inspiring colleagues over the past 30 years.”

Horányi is a physicist who conducts theoretical and experimental investigations of space and laboratory complex (dusty) plasmas. He also studies electrodynamic processes and their role in the origin and evolution of the solar system, comets, planetary rings, and plasma surface interactions; dust charging, in situ and remote observations of dust; and dusty plasma laboratory experiments and space hardware development.

He received an M.S. degree in nuclear physics and a PhD in space physics at the Lorand Eotvos University in Budapest, Hungary. While a graduate student, Horányi worked on the Vega mission to comet Halley. At that time, the Russian probes Vega 1 and Vega 2, as well as the European Space Agency Giotto and Japanese missions, were happening, and “the large international interest and the excitement of building instruments that would fly in deep space was mesmerizing to me,” he recalled in an interview with NASA. “For me, figuring out the most important science questions to ask, which measurements to make, and what is the right balance between capability, reliability, mass, power needs, schedule, and cost remains challenging and exciting ever since.”

Horányi joined the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) in 1992 and the ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Department of Physics in 1999. He served as a co-investigator for the dust instruments onboard the Ulysses, Galileo, and Cassini missions and as a principal investigator for the dust instruments built by LASP: the Student Dust Counter (SDC) onboard New Horizons, the Cosmic Dust Experiment (CDE) onboard the AIM satellite, and the Lunar Dust Experiment (LDEX) onboard the LADEE mission. He is the principal investigator for the Interstellar Dust Experiment (IDEX) onboard the recently launched IMAP mission.

He is the author or coauthor of more than 300 refereed publications and is a fellow of both the American Physical Society and the American Geophysical Union. The International Astronomical Union renamed Asteroid 1998 AX9 as 164701 Horányi in his honor.

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College of Arts and Sciences leadership and peers recognize the physics professor’s service, teaching and research with the award.

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Three college staff members participating in leadership institute

Rachel Sauer — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 16:21:32 +0000

Three college staff members participating in leadership institute Rachel Sauer Tue, 10/14/2025 - 10:21

Jessica Brunecky, Janelle Henderson and Stephanie Colunga Montoya will participate in the 39th annual Academic Management Institute facilitated by the Colorado and Wyoming Network of Women Leaders

Three University of Colorado Boulder College of Arts and Sciences staff members have been invited to participate in the 39th annual Academic Management Institute (AMI) facilitated by the Colorado and Wyoming Network of Women Leaders, an affiliate of the American Council on Education.

Jessica Brunecky, senior strategic advisor and director of divisional affairs for the Division of Social Sciences; Janelle Henderson, program manager of the College of Arts and Sciences Honors Program; and Stephanie Colunga Montoya, director of student access and engagement for the Division of Natural Sciences, will join with higher education professionals from across Colorado and Wyoming to develop as leaders and foster excellence in the region’s colleges and universities.

AMI 2025-26 is comprised of five in-person sessions—the first of which will be Thursday and Friday in Vail—that feature presentations and workshops by higher education leaders and subject experts from Colorado and Wyoming. AMI is designed to be a professional development opportunity that fosters a cohesive cohort dynamic and enables participants to hone their leadership toolkit while forging connections with peers across the region’s academic institutions.

“I look forward to exploring ways to strengthen my ability to make structural and institutional change,” says Brunecky. Colunga Montoya notes that she is looking forward “to meeting other amazing women doing important work in higher education and gaining wisdom and knowledge that is shared.”

Every AMI participant is asked to design a passion project that serves the needs of their institution, which they will introduce at the Oct. 16-17 seminar and present a March 5-6 seminar at the University of Denver.

Each of the seminars centers on timely and topical themes, including leading in ever-changing higher education, influencing campus culture, the future of higher education and developing leadership strengths.

“I’m excited to expand my leadership skills and build meaningful connections with other higher education leaders,” says Henderson.

Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe to our newsletter. Passionate about arts and sciences? Show your support

Jessica Brunecky, Janelle Henderson and Stephanie Colunga Montoya will participate in the 39th annual Academic Management Institute facilitated by the Colorado and Wyoming Network of Women Leaders.

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Top image: Jessica Brunecky, Janelle Henderson and Stephanie Colunga Montoya

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