education

Daily Camera: '4+1' program gives some CU Boulder students faster track to master's degree

Anonymous — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 07:00:00 +0000

Daily Camera: '4+1' program gives some CU Boulder students faster track to master's degree Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 01/08/2017 - 00:00

Sarah Kuta

Starting this semester, future teachers and school administrators can get a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in five years through a new program at the University of Colorado's Boulder campus.

The "4+1" program will allow students to earn a bachelor's degree in ethnic studies and a master's degree in curriculum or a master's degree in educational foundations and policy in five years, which will save them time and money.

"What we're really hoping to do with the program is help students who have a passion and a commitment for the issues they learn about in ethnic studies to find a way to take those ideas and apply them in an educational and community-based setting," said Elizabeth Meyer, associate dean for teacher education in CU's School of Education.

January 8, 2017 Full Article

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Top 16 in 2016

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Dec 2016 07:00:00 +0000

Top 16 in 2016 Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 12/15/2016 - 00:00

In 2016, we again celebrated a campus community that brings innovation and positive impacts to Colorado and the nation. We marked new discoveries, faculty achievements, Olympic medalists and a resurgent football program while welcoming high-profile visitors to campus and sending satellites throughout our solar system. Enjoy this recap of an outstanding year.

See the Top 16 list here

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Innovation and entrepreneurship at the core of nearly $6 million gift

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Dec 2016 07:00:00 +0000

Innovation and entrepreneurship at the core of nearly $6 million gift Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 12/09/2016 - 00:00

One of the top CEOs in the Republic of Indonesia has pledged nearly $6 million in a philanthropic investment to support the Leeds School of Business’s efforts in entrepreneurship at CU Boulder.

The donor, Tandean Rustandy, is a 1987 Leeds School graduate and founder and CEO of the Jakarta-based PT Arwana Citramulia Tbk. Heading of one of the world’s largest ceramic tile manufacturing companies, Rustandy credits his success to his CU Boulder degree and wants to create more educational opportunities for the next generation of global business leaders.

“Without CU Boulder and Leeds, I would not be who I am today,” Rustandy said. “I come from a very humble family with working-class parents in Indonesia. No one was educated after middle school. I was the first of my family to go to college, and now it’s important that I give back to CU. It’s not about me as an individual and my success, but it’s about the success of the institutions that help create us. This is the legacy I want to leave.”

Rustandy’s philanthropic commitment will be distributed over time. The gift will advance strategic initiatives and strengthen core offerings in the areas of entrepreneurship, innovation and design within the business school and collaboration across campus; establish an endowed professorship in global entrepreneurship and innovation; and establish an endowed chair in global entrepreneurship and strategy.

Rustandy’s investment adds to an array of CU Boulder initiatives supporting entrepreneurship and innovation.

“We are deeply humbled by Mr. Rustandy’s gratitude to CU Boulder,” said Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano. “Located in one of the nation’s most entrepreneurial cities, CU Boulder has a unique advantage as one of the top public entrepreneurial universities in the world. The leadership of the Leeds School and our alumni support, both philosophically and philanthropically, reaffirms our commitment to prepare CU graduates with an entrepreneurial mindset and skills.”

Central to these efforts is a focus on integrating the rich entrepreneurial ecosystem of the Colorado Front Range into the student experience at CU Boulder.

“Our aim is to elevate our efforts in entrepreneurship, innovation and design in new, refined and disruptive ways in and outside of the classroom, said Sharon Matusik, who recently was named interim dean of the Leeds School, to begin on Jan. 1. “To have Tandean step forward with this meaningful investment to continue our long tradition of entrepreneurship helps further not only our momentum with curriculum advancements, but also our world-class reputation.”

December 9, 2016 Original Article

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Inventions to look for at ATLAS Expo Dec. 7

Anonymous — Fri, 02 Dec 2016 07:00:00 +0000

Inventions to look for at ATLAS Expo Dec. 7 Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 12/02/2016 - 00:00

ATLAS Expo is a showcase of more than 100 student projects in virtual reality, physical computing, mobile apps, human-computer interaction, design, information and communication technology for development, and more.

Taking place on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 5–6:30 p.m., this lively event is free and open to the public. Here are just a few examples of the kinds of projects visitors will have a chance to explore. (Many more here.)

	Chill Out Carly Students: Marla Bernstein and Carolyn Castanon Project: A teddy bear that offers encouraging and comforting words when hugged or squeezed. The furry friend is based on an MP3 Trigger Arduino board.
	Tesseract - A Virtual Reality Exploration and Puzzle Game Students: Rachel Robinson, Austin Holler, Cade Haley, Rebecca Robb Project: Escape a maze of odd structures and winding bridges by exploring every surface —floors, walls and ceilings—of the 3D environment where the rules of physics have been suspended. Having built the game in Unity, the team was able to experience and refine their project in ATLAS' brand new Mixed Reality Lab, using some of the best technology currently available.
	Tentacles of Light Students: Ariel Riggan and Sarah Wachter Project: A lamp that resembles a squid, providing fun and decorative lighting for children to enjoy. Wiggan and Wachter designed their lamp in Rhino and 3D printed it in the ATLAS BTU Lab.
	Low-Cost, Internet-Connected Water Quality Monitoring Unit Student: Fuji Robledo Project: A comprehensive monitoring system that records water quality data and transmits it to the cloud. With a pricetag less than one-fifth the cost of commercial systems, it has the potential to significantly improve water quality in Pakistan, where it is slated to be deployed, as well as elsewhere in the developing world.
	The Explanimated Textbook Student: Megan Leahy Project: An interactive textbook that outlines key functions of human physiology with dynamic content, including animations of biological processes, video and interactive graphics.
	Lampalarm Students: Mike Gough and Chandler Zastrow, Project: Using an Arduino and a variety of sensors and relays, Gough and Zastrow designed and coded the Lampalarm so it is switched on by any mobile phone alarm, so long as the phone is placed in a specific spot on the lamp. Snooze the alarm, and the light temporarily goes out.

If you go

What: ATLAS Expo: A showcase of student and faculty work in creative technology and design

Who: Free and open to the public

When: 5 to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 7

Where: Roser ATLAS building, 1125 18th St. Throughout the 1st floor and in the Black Box (Basement level 2).

December 2, 2016 Original Article

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Colorado entrepreneur brings a world of experience to the classroom

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 07:00:00 +0000

Colorado entrepreneur brings a world of experience to the classroom Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 11/30/2016 - 00:00

Cynthia Banks didn’t have the opportunity to study abroad as a student. The summer after graduating in 1989, she helped a marketing professor take a group of undergraduates to Australia to study at the University of Queensland in Brisbane. The experience was so successful she was asked to take more students back to Australia.

That led the Colorado native to launch an international education organization a year later that would eventually send 30,000 students to 27 countries and offer 150 programs worldwide. Today, Banks is sharing her entrepreneurial insights with CU Boulder students as an instructor in the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship at the Leeds School of Business.

“I found out there was a huge market for international education,” Banks said. “Starting a business like this when I was 24—had no money and people didn’t believe I could do it—despite all the noise that goes on around you, the best advice I ever received was to trust myself and stay the course. That has provided so beneficial throughout my life.”

Banks founded AustraLearn in 1990, which took students to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. The company expanded to become GlobaLinks Learning Abroad and provided worldwide internships and semester and summer programs across all majors.

The logistics of getting an international business up and running in 1990 were challenging. With no internet or email at the time, Banks used fax machines and made international phone calls at $10 a minute to communicate with people in other parts of the world. Getting forms signed and mailed added days of delays.

Other considerations she had to focus on when sending students overseas included ensuring their health and safety, making it an affordable and meaningful experience, and having a reliable support system in place.

Banks discovered a rising demand for international internships that offer transcendent career experiences for students. Internships were facilitated in such far-flung locations as Shanghai, Argentina and New Zealand, and became wildly popular for both students and businesses.

“Students loved getting work experience abroad and receiving academic credit,” Banks said. “Companies would take students in and give them real work. For instance, in China, our students were viewed as extremely capable and were often given large projects within a few days of arrival. The overseas company would just say, ‘You’re now in charge of marketing for the entire project.’

“Students really had to step up, think on their feet and practice the skills they had learned in their classes,” she said. “Some students received full job offers at those companies after they graduated.”

Living and studying abroad can be a challenging experience as students learn to navigate different academic and social environments, often in a second language. Stepping outside their comfort zone serves as a catalyst for increased self-confidence and helps them to be respectful of other cultures and political systems.

“That first-hand experience of living and studying in another country affects their career choices and their worldview,” she said. “Our students need to be prepared for a diverse workforce and to engage in meaningful problem solving. Studying abroad is a real-life road test for those skills.”

This is Banks’ first semester teaching entrepreneurship classes at CU’s Leeds School of Business. The entrepreneurship program aspires to make CU Boulder the leading public university in entrepreneurship. This comes about from their desire to help all CU students learn about entrepreneurship regardless of their major. The business school and its faculty want to empower students to think in an entrepreneurial way, as an exploratory thought process of entrepreneurship that does not just live in the world of business, but can be infused into many aspects of their lives.

“It’s about being willing to go through the process of thinking and problem solving,” she said. “It’s being willing to pivot and try new things until you get something to work.”

She already sees the impact of this in her students and looks forward to contributing to the global and innovative entrepreneurship program at CU.

Banks, who has a master’s degree in management and an entrepreneurial certificate from CU Denver, shares her knowledge and expertise in a variety of advisory roles, including recent
board service with NAFSA: Association for International Educators and has stated a new entrepreneurial adventure for women’s leadership called the Global Leadership League.

“I want to help other people figure out their journeys and make sure they get the opportunities I was given,” she said.

In 2014, after 24 years at the helm, Banks sold the company, an exit strategy giving her freedom to now teach at CU and give back to the community.

She feels so strongly about the benefits of an international experience that in 2011, Banks, her husband and their two kids moved to a tiny town in north Queensland, Australia, where they lived for a year.

“It was a great experience for all of us,” Banks said. “It was the best thing I could have done for our son and daughter (now 18 and 15). They developed their own sense of resiliency that I think has helped them with high school. It is never too late to study abroad, live abroad or just travel. A global perspective is good for ourselves and our communities, and that just never goes out of style.”

November 30, 2016 Original Article

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Offering new degrees in elementary education, leadership and community engagement

Anonymous — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 07:00:00 +0000

Offering new degrees in elementary education, leadership and community engagement Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 11/09/2016 - 00:00

Beginning in the 2017 school year, entering freshmen at the �鶹��Ƶ will have two new degree options for pursuing transformative careers in education and leadership — a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a bachelor’s degree in leadership and community engagement, both conferred by the School of Education.

The new majors are designed to offer desirable pathways for students interested in serving high-needs communities and working with youth.

“We are strongly committed to the preparation of educational leaders—in the classroom and outside of schools—who will work to provide educational opportunities for all children and youth,” said Kathy Schultz, dean of the School of Education. “These majors are another step toward that goal.”

As Colorado and the nation continue to face growing teacher shortages —particularly among teachers prepared to work with diverse populations and English language learners — the elementary education students will earn their degrees in conjunction with the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education endorsement, a state-approved added endorsement to teacher licensure. The degree is designed to prepare teachers qualified to teach culturally diverse students.

The new degree program is in addition to the university’s existing teacher licensure program in which students interested in elementary education (grades K-6) or secondary education (grades 7-12) can combine a degree in another area with teacher licensure.

The new leadership and community engagement degree is also designed to be completed with a second complementary major or minor. It was created in response to societal needs for ethical, skilled leaders who can bridge differences and contribute to public work addressing complex challenges in Colorado and beyond.

At CU Boulder and nationally, millennial students have expressed interest in nonprofit and community sector work, and this degree will prepare them for rewarding careers in higher education, international development, urban planning, social work or government, for example.

CU Boulder is part of a small number of institutions nationwide to offer these emerging and attractive interdisciplinary degrees.

To learn more about the new degrees visit http://www.colorado.edu/education/.

November 9, 2016 Original Article

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No. 2 in geosciences in global rankings

Anonymous — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 19:36:08 +0000

No. 2 in geosciences in global rankings Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/25/2016 - 13:36

For the third year in a row, the CU Boulder has been ranked No. 2 in geosciences among the world’s universities, according to U.S. News & World Report, which today released its third annual global standings for 2017.

“We are pleased to be recognized as global leaders in the field of geosciences,” said Terri Fiez, Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation. “We have an innovative faculty that excels in research and teaching, and attracts some of the best and brightest students from around the nation and world.”

Geosciences, in which CU Boulder trails only the California Institute of Technology, is considered the study of Earth, from its structure to the history of its formation. Studies in the field of geosciences include geology, geophysics, geochemistry, climatology, oceanography and petroleum geology.

CU Boulder also ranks No. 26 among the best global universities in environment/ecology, a field that includes such subjects as environmental health, climate change, and environmental monitoring and management.

U.S. News & World Report’s annual global assessments, comprising 1,000 universities in 65 countries, are based on measurements of academic research performance and global and regional reputations, according to the publication.

Visit the methodology for details on the ranking system.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6AodrD0GUw]

October 25, 2016 Original Article

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CU Boulder to receive two governor’s awards for high-impact research

Anonymous — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 20:45:18 +0000

CU Boulder to receive two governor’s awards for high-impact research Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 08/31/2016 - 14:45

For its involvement in space weather research, which can have many and varied impacts on technological systems, LASP will receive one of this year's governor's awards for high-impact research. (Image: NASA)

Among the state’s four winners of this year’s Governor’s Award for High-Impact Research are the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) and the JILA physics institute, both at CU Boulder. The award, administered by the CO-LABS consortium, celebrates the groundbreaking work of scientists and engineers from Colorado’s federal research labs.

“We’re delighted that CU Boulder’s research institutes are being recognized for their high-impact research,” said Terri Fiez, CU Boulder’s Vice Chancellor for Research. “JILA and LASP are exceptional in their pursuit of innovations that can transform the lives of people across Colorado and the world.”

LASP won in the category of Earth Systems and Space Sciences for its research on space weather. LASP Director Dan Baker led LASP scientists and engineers in the research, which can lead to future mitigation of damage of space and ground-based technological systems caused by severe space weather events.

“I am honored on behalf of all the great people at LASP doing space research to accept this recognition from CO-LABS and Governor Hickenlooper,” Baker said. “It is gratifying to study themes that are both fascinating from a basic scientific point of view and also highly relevant for societal needs.”

JILA won in the category of Foundational Science and Technology. Scientists Cindy Regal and Konrad Lehnert led the JILA Quantum Machine Team, which was awarded for work on an electrical to optical converter, needed when superfast quantum computing becomes widespread. Fiber-optic networks will still carry information, but quantum computers will emit electrical signals, and these two signals don't communicate––yet.

"We are thrilled to have the governor's recognition of the Quantum Machine Team,” said JILA chair Dana Anderson. “Building on more than 50 years of Colorado-federal joint research and training, JILA is proud to witness quantum technology having a rapidly growing impact on the economy of Colorado and the nation."

In total, 12 nominations from Colorado’s federal laboratories were reviewed by a CO-LABS panel of 10 researchers from Colorado’s research universities and professional scientific community. CO-LABS is a nonprofit partnership among federal research labs, research universities, businesses and economic development organizations that informs the public about breakthroughs and impacts from the 24 federal labs in Colorado.

Other award recipients for work in public health, life sciences and sustainability include representatives from the Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention, Vector-Borne Disease Division and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Earth System Research Laboratory.

JILA is a joint physics institute between CU-Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology that fosters creative collaborations among its scientists.

LASP is a full-cycle space research institute, combining all aspects of space exploration through expertise in science, engineering, mission operations, data management and education. It employs 77 doctoral-level scientists ranging in fields from solar influences, to Earth's and other planetary atmospherics processes, space weather, space plasma and dusty plasma physics. In addition, more than 135 CU Boulder undergraduate and graduate students work at LASP.

The two groups will be recognized at an awards presentation to be held at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 6 at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The event will be hosted by CO-LABS and presented by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy. Those wishing to attend the event should register at www.co-labs.org.

August 31, 2016 Original Article

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CU Boulder's newest minor - in space - has lift off

Anonymous — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 20:55:37 +0000

CU Boulder's newest minor - in space - has lift off Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/30/2016 - 14:55

Capitalizing on its reputation as a top public university in space research, the �鶹��Ƶ is launching a brand new Space Minor program for undergraduate students.

The program, a component of CU Boulder’s Grand Challenge: Our Space. Our Future., will allow undergraduate students, regardless of major, to obtain a minor that complements their major degree with a set of five space-related courses. The entry point to the minor is the required Pathway To Space course, which will provide a broad overview of all aspects of space science, engineering, technology and how space is influenced by the arts and humanities.

Topics of the minor will include space science and exploration, human spaceflight and life sciences, aeronautics and near space, launch and spacecraft systems, climate and environment, space business, policy and politics, space arts, media and history. Students will take four more elective classes on space-related topics of their choosing.

“The Space Minor provides CU Boulder students, both technical and non-technical majors, with an opportunity to understand the language, concepts and issues associated with the science and technology of Earth and space,” said Steve Nerem, faculty director of the Space Minor and professor in Aerospace Engineering Sciences.

Nerem added that students who pursue the space minor will gain valuable knowledge and enhance the value of their major. With this background, he said, students will be better prepared to understand, respond to, and be leaders of a rapidly changing technological environment.

The minor consists of 15 credit hours - or five courses. The space minor is now open for enrollment. Find more information at the space minor website.

Learn more

A Space Minor launch event featuring astronaut Jim Voss for CU Boulder students will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1, at the Fiske Planetarium. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Free pizza and drinks will be provided.

August 30, 2016 Original Article

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Braun named new dean of engineering and applied science

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 21:15:34 +0000

Braun named new dean of engineering and applied science Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 07/21/2016 - 15:15

�鶹��Ƶ Provost Russell L. Moore today announced the appointment of Robert D. Braun as dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

Braun, who currently is the David and Andrew Lewis Professor of Space Technology at the Georgia Institute of Technology, will arrive on the CU Boulder campus and join the faculty in October 2016. His role as the dean will begin in January 2017.

Braun’s appointment concludes a national search carried out by a campus search committee that garnered a large pool of candidates, many of whom were exceptionally qualified, said Moore.

Prior to joining the Georgia Tech faculty in 2003, Braun worked at the NASA Langley Research Center for 16 years.

“From helping lead the team that put the first rover on Mars, to heading up large engineering organizations in the federal government, to growing Georgia Tech’s space science and space technology focus, Bobby has successfully led diverse teams through periods of dynamic growth in a manner that builds community, enhances quality and yields tangible results,” said Moore. “He is an outstanding scholar whose technical and organizational leadership skills will be an asset as we continue to strive for increasing our student success, creating a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, and elevating our reputation. We are very excited to have Bobby join the CU Boulder leadership team.”

Among his numerous accomplishments, Braun served in 2010 and 2011 as the NASA chief technologist, creating and leading the initial implementation of a spectrum of NASA technology programs designed to bolster the nation’s capabilities in future space expeditions.

In 2012, Braun founded a Georgia Tech interdisciplinary research center, bringing together space science and space technology faculty, staff and students across the colleges of science, engineering, computing and liberal arts.

"I could not be more excited to join CU Boulder, an institution that is transforming young lives and creating positive societal impact," said Braun. "Working hand-in-hand with its talented faculty, staff and students, I look forward to tackling the challenges ahead of us and fully realizing the potential of the College of Engineering and Applied Science as a global leader in engineering research, innovation and education.”

Braun is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, vice chair of the National Academies Space Studies Board, an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) fellow, editor-in-chief of the AIAA Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets and the author or co-author of over 300 technical publications.

He received a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Penn State, a master’s degree in astronautics from the George Washington University and a doctoral degree in aeronautics and astronautics from Stanford University.

Robert Davis has been the dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science since 2002 and a CU Boulder faculty member for 34 years. Under his leadership, annual research grants in the college more than doubled, graduate and undergraduate enrollments increased by about 70 percent and the percentages of women and underrepresented students in the freshman class more than doubled and tripled, respectively. In January, Davis will return to the chemical and biological engineering faculty.

“I cannot overstate my appreciation for the job that Dean Davis has done to improve the College of Engineering and Applied Science,” said Moore. “His leadership, vision and work ethic not only have improved the student experience, but also increased the national and international reputation of the college. I wish him the best in his return to the faculty and look forward to working with him in the future.”

July 21, 2016 Original Article

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