ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ JILA
JILA was founded in 1962 as a joint institute of Ìýand the .
JILA is one of the nation’s leading research institutes in the physical sciences. We credit this reputation to the high quality of our scientists and their productivity, which is supported by JILA’s structure and resources.
Our scientists explore some of today's most challenging and fundamental scientific questions about the limits of quantum measurements and technologies, the design of precision optical and X-ray lasers, the fundamental principles underlying the interaction of light and matter, the role of quantum physics in chemistry and biology, and the processes that have governed the evolution of the Universe for nearly 14 billion years.
Learn more about the research interests of JILA faculty on our Research Topics page.
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JILA's current faculty includes two Nobel laureates, Eric Cornell and John Hall, as well as two John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fellows, Margaret Murnane and Ana Maria Rey.
Creative collaborations among JILA Fellows, JILA research associates and students, CU professors, NIST staff members, and other world-leading scientists from around the globe play a key role in generating JILA’s renowned pioneering research.
JILA's CU members hold faculty appointments in the Departments of Physics; Astrophysical and Planetary Science; Chemistry and Biochemistry; and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology as well as Engineering. JILA’s Quantum Physics Division of NIST members hold joint faculty appointments at CU in the same departments.
In addition to research breakthroughs, JILA furthers science by training future generations of researchers and innovators. Our education and training initiatives positively impact both our students and our nation’s scientific workforce. Learn more on our JILA Impact page.
JILA is located at the base of the Rocky Mountains on the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ campus in the Duane Physics complex (maps).
Aerial view of the University of Colorado Boulder campus. If you spot two tall towers, mid-photo toward the right, the farther one is a part of the JILA set of buildings.
Image Credit: Glenn Asakawa/University of Colorado Boulder
What does JILA mean?
Image of JILA from the X-wing entrance.
JILA is the name of our world class research institute, and is no longer used as an acronym. When JILA began in 1962 as a joint institute of the University of Colorado Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (then known as the National Bureau of Standards), the acronym stood for "Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics". However, for many years JILA has been a world-renowned and award-winning physics institute delving into cutting-edge research in quantum information science & technology, atomic & molecular physics, laser physics, biophysics, chemical physics, nanoscience, and precision measurement.
Opportunities at JILA
JILA is interested in hiring and training the world's leading scientists. If you are interested in undergraduate or graduate-level opportunities, please visit the Prospective Students page. For Postdoctoral research opportunities, information can be found on the page. Distinguished scientists who wish to collaborate with JILA researchers will find opportunities and information at our Visiting JILA Fellows page.