Campus News

Colorado Firefly Field Guide

Anna Tolette — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 20:03:02 +0000

Colorado Firefly Field Guide Anna Tolette Mon, 07/07/2025 - 14:03

Kelsey Yandura

“Magic is just science we don’t understand yet,” science fiction author Arthur Clarke famously penned in the 1960s. If that’s true, ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� computer science researchers have been busy studying the fairy tale of fireflies in Colorado.

The work looks romantic, but it’s no picnic: In twilight vistas across the state, doctoral student Owen Martin (PhDCompSci’25) and associate professor Orit Peleg tow cameras and computers to document firefly populations and decode their flash patterns. It’s all part of a longstanding effort to understand firefly communication.

When the scientists discuss their work, locals are often surprised.

“A lot of people here come from places like the Midwest, where they’ve seen fireflies,” Martin told ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Today in July 2024. “But they don’t know about them in their own backyards.”

That’s why he’s eager to raise what he calls “firefly literacy” in the state.

Fireflies have quietly flickered in Colorado for centuries, though the first formal documentation came in 2016, when naturalist Tristan Darwin Kubik identified a population near Fort Collins. Genetic testing suggested they may represent a previously undocumented species, potentially dubbed Photuris coloradensis.

In 2018, Martin and Peleg began tracking fireflies, which have been documented in at least 19 counties, including near Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Pueblo, Mofat, Divide, Durango and Carbondale.

Why are sightings so rare? Studies show fireflies prefer swampy environments — wetlands, meadows and areas near streams and ponds. Their patchy distribution and brief annual activity window leave many residents unaware of their presence.

As magical as these discoveries are, scientists warn they could be short-lived. Habitat loss, wetland drainage, livestock grazing, urban development and light pollution all pose serious threats.

“They are very special. We have a lot to learn from them, but also, they are under threat from environmental issues,” Peleg told ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Today.

Residents can help to protect these luminescent creatures by assisting with flash data collection, supporting habitat restoration, staying on marked trails and turning of outdoor lights from June to August, especially near wetlands.

“Biodiversity is magical,” Martin added. “And if we don’t alert the right people that these cool fireflies, that are really rare, are in this habitat, we’ll lose them forever. And then you lose the kind of wonder and magic they bring to you.”

To spot them, keep your eyes peeled from mid-to-late June through mid-July, usually after 9 p.m. in swampy or wetland areas.

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Illustration by Sunnu Rebecca Choi

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� researchers are uncovering the story of Colorado’s rare fireflies.

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News Briefs from ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��

Anna Tolette — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 19:59:39 +0000

News Briefs from ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Anna Tolette Mon, 07/07/2025 - 13:59

100 Launches for BioServe

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� BioServe Space Technologies is a research center that uses space-based research to help improve life on Earth. On April 21, it celebrated its 100th orbital launch. A SpaceX Dragon capsule carried BioServe equipment for three different projects, including colonies of billions of bacteria and algae. BioServe has collaborated with global science experiments in space since 1987, and its research has contributed to advancements in the understanding of medical conditions like bone loss and cancer.

New Master’s Program in AI

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� will be among the first universities nationwide to launch a new master’s program in artificial intelligence (AI) this fall. Students will gain theoretical and hands-on experience to prepare them for the rapidly developing AI landscape. Courses will include subjects such as machine learning, statistical learning, natural language processing and AI ethics. The program will be available online its first year and in person the following year.

1190 Gets FM Debut in Denver

After going of the air in 2022 to modernize its technologies, CU’s student-run Radio 1190 can now be heard on Denver’s radio airwaves at 92.9 FM. In February, Radio 1190 debuted on its new channel, ready to reach new audiences with a wide range of independent music. Listeners also can visit 1190.radio online to hear the station.

Heard Around Campus

“When I mention her name, people would say, ‘Oh, Professor Casey on TikTok,’ or ‘I watched her videos on YouTube...’”

– Shamika Klassen (PhDInfoSci’24) on the announcement of Casey Fiesler as the first William R. Payden Endowed Professor of the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information (formerly the College of Media, Communication and Information).

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Photo by Patrick Campbell

DIGITS

College of Music Pianos

Earlier this year, the College of Music introduced a new Steinway & Sons model D concert grand piano — made possible, in part, by a donor gift — which will enhance student and faculty performances.

170

Approximate number of pianos in the College of Music fleet

Average age, in years, of the college’s pianos

Number of Steinway pianos at CU

~203K

Approximate cost of the new Steinway D

50%

Of new Steinway covered by a single donation

Jack Armstrong, news director for Radio 1190

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� BioServe Space Technologies, the launch of an AI master’s program and Radio 1190.

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Saving Endangered Languages

Anna Tolette — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 19:58:24 +0000

Saving Endangered Languages Anna Tolette Mon, 07/07/2025 - 13:58

Sophia McKeown

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� linguistics professors Ambrocio Gutiérrez Lorenzo and Rai Farrelly are working to preserve Zapotec, a family of languages that originated in Southern Mexico and Central America.

For most of human history, the survival of specific languages has relied on one generation passing it on to the next — a process that, in many speech communities, unfolds naturally.

But, according to a study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, around half of the world’s 7,000 documented languages are currently considered “endangered.”

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� linguistics professors Ambrocio Gutiérrez Lorenzo and Rai Farrelly hope to slow the decline.

“Languages are tied very closely to peoples’ identities and their cultures,” said Farrelly in an interview with KUNC this spring. “We believe that there is tremendous value in working to maintain and revitalize [languages].”

Currently, Farrelly and Gutiérrez Lorenzo are working to preserve Zapotec, a family of languages that originated in Southern Mexico and Central America, spoken mostly in Oaxaca, Mexico. Gutiérrez Lorenzo collaborates closely with members of the Teotitlán del Valle community who are interested in learning more about the Zapotec language and contributing to preservation efforts.

Since 2011, he has held monthly meetings with community members to discuss linguistic aspects of the language and the practical applications of his research, including the creation of small dictionaries and the documentation of local narratives.

“[Zapotec] is the language I grew up speaking, so I don’t want it to be lost with my generation,” said Gutiérrez Lorenzo. “I don’t want to be the generation that let it go.”

Besides creating real-world solutions, Gutiérrez Lorenzo and Farrelly are determined to raise awareness around the issue, both on campus and around the world. The colleagues developed a global seminar for CU’s Education Abroad based in Teotitlán del Valle, which offers ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� students the opportunity to live in a rural Mexican community while learning and practicing Spanish and Zapotec.

“Maintaining languages in a community serves to strengthen intergenerational connections,” said Farrelly. “It brings together youth and elders through oral traditions that have been celebrated in many of these communities for centuries.”

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Photo courtesy Rai Farrelly

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� linguistics professors Ambrocio Gutiérrez Lorenzo and Rai Farrelly work closely with Mexican communities to preserve the endangered Zapotec language and strengthen cultural ties.

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Sundance Film Festival Finds a New Home in Boulder

Anna Tolette — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 19:55:04 +0000

Sundance Film Festival Finds a New Home in Boulder Anna Tolette Mon, 07/07/2025 - 13:55

Julia MacLean

The Sundance Institute’s first festival began in Utah in 1985. Now, 40 years later, the iconic film fest has set its sights on the Flatirons.

According to the nonprofit’s March announcement, the Sundance Institute’s board of trustees was drawn to Boulder’s small-town charm, engaged community, art focus and natural scenery.

“This move will ensure that the festival continues its work of risk-taking, supporting innovative storytellers, fostering independence and entertaining and enlightening audiences,” said Robert Redford (A&S ex’58; HonDocHum’87), Sundance Institute president and founder. “I am grateful to the Boulder community for its support, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the festival there.”

Redford started the institute in 1981 as a way to support independent filmmakers and storytellers.

Once in Boulder, the majority of the festival will be held on and around the Pearl Street Mall. ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� will offer support and additional venue space.

The event will offer students — particularly those enrolled in the university’s Cinema Studies & Moving Image Arts program — direct exposure to prominent filmmakers and actors.

During Sundance’s 2024 run, its economic impact was vast. Over 24,000 festival visitors attended from out of state, generating over 1,700 jobs for Utah residents and producing $132 million in economic activity for the state, according to the festival’s economic impact report.

Now, Colorado will reap the benefits.

In an interview with ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Today, Chancellor Justin Schwartz added to the hype: “We are excited for tens of thousands of festival guests to experience what we already know: Boulder is an incredible place to immerse yourself in the arts, culture, nature and history that make life worth living.”

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Photo courtesy Don Kohlbauer for Boulder Reporting Lab

In 2027 the Sundance Film Festival will relocate to Boulder.

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A CU Education Partnership Is Inspiring the Next Generation of Climate Advocates

Anna Tolette — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 20:18:16 +0000

A CU Education Partnership Is Inspiring the Next Generation of Climate Advocates Anna Tolette Mon, 03/10/2025 - 14:18

Hannah Fletcher

On a fall day, elementary education majors in Melissa Braaten’s class are busy — busy as beavers, one might say — building mock beaver dams out of water and natural materials in small bins. During this exercise, budding teachers role-play teaching young learners in their future classrooms, asking questions and analyzing beavers’ role in ecosystems.

The climate science lesson is modeled after one that Braaten’s community partners teach at Heatherwood Elementary in Boulder County as part of Classrooms for Climate Action (C4CA). In this particular lesson, student scientists (lovingly referred to as “beaver believers”) study real beaver habitats in the local waterway, where the dams create wetlands habitats for other species and maintain lush surroundings important for the increasingly drier state of Colorado.

Launched by retired fifth-grade teacher Tiffany Boyd (MEdu’92), C4CA brings together retired and practicing teachers, community members, local climate change experts and youth to work together toward climate solutions.

In C4CA, kindergarten through high school students learn about environmental justice issues and play an active role in climate solutions — from sharing flood-mitigation ideas with city council to working with open space officials to address fire risks.

Braaten, an associate professor of STEM education and associate dean for undergraduate and teacher education in ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� School of Education, is a research partner for C4CA and documents how science teaching is powerful when it’s relevant to students’ lives and civic action.

With Braaten as the connector, C4CA educators visit her elementary education classes to share real-world examples and create C4CA’s own “ecosystem” of current and future teachers working together to support young people’s scientific inquiry and leadership in climate solutions.

“A central ingredient for C4CA’s success is that it takes everyone working together to make a change,” Braaten said. “Teachers credit its partner mentorship with inspiring and sustaining their efforts to help children be civic actors working for environmental justice — not only as future adults, but in the immediate present as vital members of our community.”

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Photo by Kristen Boyer/Boulder Valley School District

Classrooms for Climate Action connects future teachers, students and community partners to engage young learners in climate science.

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News Briefs from ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��

Julia Maclean — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 19:10:15 +0000

News Briefs from ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Julia Maclean Mon, 03/10/2025 - 13:10

Heard Around Campus

Former CU Buffaloes head football coach Bill McCartney.

“Coach Mac was an incredible man who taught me about the importance of faith, family and being a good husband, father and grandfather.”

– ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Athletic Director Rick George after the death of Bill McCartney on Jan.10, 2025. Coach Mac was among the most successful head coaches in all sports in ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� 135-year athletic history.

Incarcerated at Risk in Climate Disasters

U.S. prisons are unprepared to safeguard the incarcerated from extreme heat, floods and other climate-related threats, according to a CU study with accounts from nearly three dozen formerly incarcerated people. Researchers found that vulnerabilities in infrastructure, insufficient emergency protocols and lack of oversight leave inmates at heightened risk during disasters. The team hopes their study will inspire more research around climate change adaptation, mitigation and prevention while also considering the voices of incarcerated people.

CU Buys Shuttered Louisville Movie Theater

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� purchased the 8.85-acre Louisville property that housed the Regal Cinebarre movie theater, which closed last May. The site, purchased for $10 million, is intended for a mixed-use, transit-oriented development that includes university housing. The property is seven miles from campus.

New Quantum Facility in Boulder

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� is spearheading and providing leadership and resources to a new 13,000-square-foot quantum facility in east Boulder. The effort is in partnership with Colorado State University, Colorado School of Mines and Elevate Quantum, a tech hub with a coalition of 120 organizations. The facility will include collaborative office space for early-stage quantum companies and state-of-the-art scientific equipment.

Digits: Europa Instrument

The Surface Dust Analyzer, designed and built by the ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics team, launched to Jupiter’s Europa moon aboard NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft to collect data that may determine whether the moon has conditions that could support life.

Years to get to Europa

35 pounds

Weight of CU apparatus

$53 million

Instrument’s cost

16 miles

How close Europa Clipper will be to the moon’s surface

~1.9B

Number of miles Europa Clipper will travel across the solar system

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Climate risks for incarcerated individuals, a new CU development in Louisville, a cutting-edge quantum facility and the legacy of Coach Bill McCartney.

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No Car, No Problem at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��

Julia Maclean — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 17:41:54 +0000

No Car, No Problem at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Julia Maclean Mon, 03/10/2025 - 11:41

When it comes to getting to class at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��, “not having a car” would be a tough sell for tardiness — the university prefers students not to have one at all.

“We have a whole toolbox of programs to prevent students from needing to bring a car to campus,” said Brandon Smith, ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� assistant director of sustainable transportation.

Most of these offerings are free. All students receive Regional Transportation District (RTD) bus passes and also have access to the university’s electric Buff Buses, BCycle electric bikes, CU NightRide, bike repairs on campus and summer bike storage. A CU ski bus even offers students trips to several ski resorts for $25 round trip.

And Buffs take advantage. In an average week, Buff Buses log about 30,000 boardings, 90% of which are students. In 2023, students rode RTD more than a million times. From January 2023 to November 2024, students took more than 1.3 million trips on BCycle bikes.

The payoffs for sustainable transportation are big.

“More than 60,000 commuters travel into Boulder per day, and 80% of these are single occupancy vehicles,” said Smith. “However, less than 12% of students drive solo to campus. Imagine what Boulder and campus parking, traffic and air quality would be like if we didn’t have programs that got most students out of single-occupancy cars.”

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Photo by Casey A. Cass

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� promotes sustainable transportation by offering students free access to buses, electric bikes and other services.

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How Alumni Keep Their ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Bonds Strong as Forever Buffs

Julia Maclean — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 17:34:29 +0000

How Alumni Keep Their ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Bonds Strong as Forever Buffs Julia Maclean Mon, 03/10/2025 - 11:34

April Driver

For many ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� alumni, the university is more than just the location of their college experiences. It’s a part of their lives today. They want other CU students and alumni to experience this deeper connection too, starting with embracing themselves as “Forever Buffs.”

“Your journey as a Forever Buff begins when you enroll on campus,” said Ryan Chreist (Kines’96,MPubAd’09), Alumni Association executive director. “The day you graduate, you join the larger Forever Buffs community of over 300,000 who live all over the world. It is a way to have a relationship with the university and your fellow alumni for life.”

For alumni like Rochelle Maki-Williams (Psych’96; ExecMBA’11), being a Forever Buff means more than staying actively involved with the university — it means nurturing future generations of Buffs. Since 2011, Maki-Williams has volunteered for the ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Alumni Association, the CU Athletic Department and Buffalo Belles, a group dedicated to supporting CU Athletics. As a Denver Forever Buffs chapter leader, she’s also helped raise scholarship money for local high school students.

Maki-Williams’ bond with CU is personal. It’s where she met her husband, T.H. Williams (A&S’95; ExecMBA, MFin’04), built lasting friendships and created cherished memories.

“Being a Forever Buff is something I live every day,” she said.

For Royer Lopez (Mktg’18), “being a Forever Buff is about creating endless possibilities — for yourself and others.”

His involvement is wide-ranging. He holds roles on the Leeds GOLD Board and the Forever Buffs Advisory Board, volunteers as a Leeds School of Business mentor and helps host reunions for the Multicultural Greek Council. Plus, he attends every CU football home game with his family.

Through his many CU connections, he aims to create a broader impact and ensure that future Buffs have expanded opportunities. Lopez, a first-generation college student, is passionate about helping other first-generation students and often recruits interns from Leeds.

For Maki-Williams and Lopez, being a Forever Buff is more than a point of pride — it’s a lifelong commitment to give back, stay connected and make an impact.

Become involved with the Alumni Association to connect with other Forever Buffs. Visit colorado.edu/alumni/volunteer.

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Photo courtesy Rochelle Maki-Williams

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� alumni stay connected to the university through lifelong involvement, giving back and supporting future generations of Buffs.

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Día de los Muertos Altar Crawl at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��

Julia Maclean — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 17:27:27 +0000

Día de los Muertos Altar Crawl at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Julia Maclean Mon, 03/10/2025 - 11:27

Last fall’s Día de los Muertos “Altar Crawl” invited the ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� community to engage with several altars honoring the lives of deceased loved ones. Altars were located across campus, including in the Guggenheim Building, the Koenig Alumni Center, the CU Museum of Natural History, the Center for Community and the Miramontes Baca Education Building. The crawl — hosted by the Forever Buffs Latinx group, the BUENO Center, the Latin American and Latinx Studies Center, UMAS y MECHA, Sigma Lambda Beta and the Center for Inclusion and Social Change, among others — highlighted the cultural significance of the day with moments of remembrance and celebration.

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Photo courtesy Daniela Martinez Carpizo; Nelson R. Castro; Karla Rosete Nunez

The Día de los Muertos altar crawl invited the community to honor and celebrate deceased loved ones through a series of altars across campus.

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CU Is Revolutionizing Musicians’ Wellness

Julia Maclean — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 17:15:53 +0000

CU Is Revolutionizing Musicians’ Wellness Julia Maclean Mon, 03/10/2025 - 11:15

Ally Dever

When a CU Buffaloes football player gets injured, coach Deion Sanders enlists a team of professionals to ensure a swift recovery. That’s what professor James Brody does with students at the College of Music’s Musicians’ Wellness Program (MWP).

A study estimates that 90% of professional musicians experience playing-related pain or injuries due to misuse or overuse, and 80% of college-aged musicians report stress, anxiety or depression tied to their craft.

In response, Brody founded the MWP in 2003 to help students prevent and recover from injuries, sustain peak performance and maintain robust mental health throughout their careers.

“It became glaringly obvious this was a necessity when students came to me with injuries 20 years ago,” said Brody. “I was committed to finding ways to make a difference.”

The MWP was among the first of its kind, predating the National Association of Schools of Music’s 2005 mandate requiring music programs to address wellness. Since its inception, Brody and the MWP have expanded services and recently shared their work at three international conferences.

The program teaches performance psychology and exercise techniques for breathing, hearing and vocal health. It also includes on-staff therapist Matthew Tomatz, who provides therapy sessions to support students’ emotional well-being, including managing performance anxiety.

After 47 years of teaching, Brody will retire as director of the MWP on July 31, leaving behind a legacy that will continue to positively influence the health of College of Music students, faculty and staff — and wellness aspirants across the globe.

“The fact that we’ve already helped so many to continue to do what they love is truly gratifying,” he said.

With a search for a new director underway, Brody hopes the program will receive expanded funding to introduce initiatives like a certificate in musicians’ health, onsite physical therapists and medical professionals and hearing protection devices for students. But one thing’s for sure: Brody’s revolutionary vision ensures the program’s lasting impact on future generations of musicians.

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Photo courtesy Stacy Nick/KUNC

The Musicians Wellness Program was among the first of its kind.

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Campus News

Colorado Firefly Field Guide

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News Briefs from ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������

100 Launches for BioServe

New Master’s Program in AI

1190 Gets FM Debut in Denver

Heard Around Campus

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Saving Endangered Languages

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Sundance Film Festival Finds a New Home in Boulder

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A CU Education Partnership Is Inspiring the Next Generation of Climate Advocates

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News Briefs from ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������

Heard Around Campus

Incarcerated at Risk in Climate Disasters

CU Buys Shuttered Louisville Movie Theater

New Quantum Facility in Boulder

Digits: Europa Instrument

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No Car, No Problem at ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������

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How Alumni Keep Their ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������ Bonds Strong as Forever Buffs

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Día de los Muertos Altar Crawl at ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������

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CU Is Revolutionizing Musicians’ Wellness

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News Briefs from ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��

News Briefs from ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��

No Car, No Problem at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��

How Alumni Keep Their ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Bonds Strong as Forever Buffs

Día de los Muertos Altar Crawl at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��