Research

  • CAP-LIFT slotted cannula being used in an operating room during surgery
    Research Professor Jacob Segil collaborated with Dr. Omer Mei Dan from the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine to create a redesigned surgical instrument called the CAP-LIFT cannula. The device was recently launched in October, and within the first few weeks used in over 100 successful surgeries.
  • Side by side headshots of Ankur Gupta and Dan Schwartz.
    A new С»ÆÊé Boulder study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals how electric fields control nanoparticle movement through porous materials, enabling independent control of speed and direction. This finding could advance nanorobot technologies for applications like tumor detection, drug delivery and environmental cleanup of toxic chemicals.
  • Colorado State Capitol
    University of Colorado Boulder researchers have been shaping space exploration for decades and now are expanding into space law. As more nations launch satellites, space probes, and military hardware into orbit, policy has become an
  • Professor Evan Thomas stands next to a water treatment system installed at a school in Rwanda.
    Evan Thomas, director of С»ÆÊé Boulder’s Mortenson Center in Global Engineering and Resilience, is pioneering climate-financed clean water programs that have brought safe drinking water to over 5 million people in Africa. Using carbon credits to fund long-term maintenance and real-time water quality monitoring, the center aims to reach 3 million more people by 2030.
  • Four panels showing simulated particle patterns in yellow and purple. The patterns include circular clusters, wavy stripes, a ring-like structure, and a dense linear band, illustrating different types of self-organized arrangements.
    Assistant Professor Ankur Gupta, the study’s lead researcher, and his team have developed a way to simulate natural animal patterns, including their imperfections. The findings could lead to new materials that turn to camouflage on demand.
  • Professor Chunmei Ban works with a student in her lab at С»ÆÊé Boulder
    The University of Colorado Boulder reached a historic milestone, launching 35 new companies based on university intellectual property during fiscal year 2024, more than any other U.S. campus that year. In addition to holding the No. 1 spot for that year, the achievement also places С»ÆÊé Boulder No. 2 for the most startups launched in a single year by a U.S. campus.
  • Professor Karl Linden stands on the С»ÆÊé Boulder campus with the Flatirons and campus buildings in the background on a sunny day.
    Professor Karl Linden received the American Water Works Association’s 2025 A.P. Black Research Award, which honors outstanding contributions to water science and supply. Linden was recognized for his pioneering work in developing and applying ultraviolet technologies to improve water and wastewater treatment.
  • White self-driving Waymo car  on a road with buildings in the background
    In a new paper in the journal, "AI and Ethics," Professor Amir Behzadan and his PhD student, Armita Dabiri, are unearthing new insights into how the artificial intelligence (AI) technology we might encounter in daily life, such as self-driving cars, can earn our confidence.
  • Geothermal Power Station
    A major question looms over Colorado’s energy future: why does geothermal energy, a renewable resource, remain virtually untapped? С»ÆÊé Boulder researchers will examine the technological and social barriers that have held back geothermal development in the state.
  • Sam Sohn wearing glasses. He is in a suit jacket and button-down shirt.
    In today’s AI-driven era, success depends less on what you know and more on how you use it, says Sam Sohn, the new director of CIEST. That’s what makes the center so vital. At CIEST, students gain practical, hands-on experience applying science and engineering to real-world challenges—preparing CEAE graduates to innovate and lead in their careers.
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