The PhD program at CU Boulder’s ATLAS Institute emphasizes out-of-the-box invention and radical inquiry. Suited to students whose interests transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries, ATLAS is a thriving academic community of researchers and students who blend engineering, design, art and humanitarianism.
The University of Colorado Boulder has one of the top 12 public engineering graduate programs in the U.S., according to U.S. News and World Report’s Best Graduate Schools rankings for 2024-25.
Structure
The ATLAS PhD program is sctructured like any other research-based doctoral program in which you:
- Form an advisory committee
- Complete course
- Pass a qualifying examination
- Propose a dissertation
- Conduct research
- Write and defend your dissertation
PhD Student Bios
PhD Alumni
PhD FAQ
Dissertations
Submit your materials to receive feedback from an ATLAS faculty member before your apply to the PhD program.
Application Feedback Request
How to Apply
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ATLAS Research Lab Directors
ATLAS lab directors advise PhD students, create collaborative environments and guide research across a broad range of multi-disciplinary fields.
ACME Lab
Ellen Yi-Luen Do, Director
The ACME Creativity Machine Environment Lab explores and develops computational tools for design, creativity, cognition, tangible and embedded interaction, and computing for health and wellness.
Brain Music Lab
Grace Leslie, Director
The Brain Music Lab pursues research to promote health and well-being by combining new music technologies with biometric data from EEG brainwave data and other physiological measurement techniques.
Emergent Nanomaterials Lab
Carson Bruns, Director
By synthesizing and combining nanoscale building blocks, the Emergent Nanomaterials Lab designs technologies that enhance the quality of human lives in health, sensory augmentation and self-expression.
Living Matter Lab
Mirela Alistar, Director
Working at the intersection of biology, engineering and art, the Living Matter Lab interfaces with biological matter, the micro-world and the environment in unique ways.
TYPO Lab
Joel Swanson, Director
TYPO Lab is an experimental studio for creative work and research related to the technologies of language. It empowers faculty and students to explore and appreciate the media and methods of words.
Unstable Design Lab
Laura Devendorf, Director
An advocate for the arts within engineering fields, the Unstable Design Lab focuses on advancing textile design and fabrication, including the integration of circuitry and other technologies.
Utility Research Lab
Michael Rivera, Director
The Utility Research Lab invents and investigates digital fabrication technology, tools and techniques that empower us to create things that positively impact people, society and the environment.
Curriculum
Required classes (to be taken during the first two years of study)
- ATLAS Research Methods
- ATLAS Research Professional Development
- ATLAS Colloquium at least once each during the first two years of study.
Expertise development
Beyond required classes, the curriculum is crafted for each student based on background and experience. You consult your advisory committee to identify skills needed to perform your research and select courses to develop that expertise.
PhD Application Fee Waiver
The College of Engineering and Applied Science at CU Boulder is once again offering a program that allows qualifying PhD applicants to waive their application fees until Nov. 15, 2024.
The program is intended to support our college's strategic vision to become a premier destination for U.S. graduate students.
Minimum requirements:
- Applicant must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident
- Applicant must be applying for a PhD program in the College of Engineering and Applied Science
- Applicant must be applying to enroll in fall 2025
- Applicant must have at least a 3.4 GPA from their accredited undergraduate institution
- Applicant must meet all department requirements for their PhD programs
- Application must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. MST on Nov. 15, 2024
The offer will be applied automatically to qualifying students in the application portal; no code is needed. Questions may be directed to Meredith Canode, senior director of graduate programs, at meredith.canode@colorado.edu.
Further details can be found on the College of Engineering and Applied Science Fee Waiver page.
Additional Opportunities
Combined PhD in Cognitive Science: ATLAS PhD students can earn a combined degree with the Institute of Cognitive Science.
Opportunity for underrepresented students: The Colorado Advantage Graduate Preview Weekend gives underrepresented students a chance to visit campus, meet faculty, and preview doctoral programs in science, math, and engineering departments at CU-Boulder. Application Deadline: The deadline has passed for 2024 admissions.
Opportunity for U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals and permanent residents: The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program provides three years of support over a five-year fellowship period for the graduate education of individuals who have demonstrated their potential for significant research achievements in STEM or STEM education. Deadlines in October.
Application Review Process
We consider three main criteria when reviewing applications:
- Do you have a clearly defined area of interest?
We understand that over the course of PhD study, interests may shift. We won't hold you to your initial expressions of area of interest and we don't expect that you know the topic of your dissertation when you apply to the program. Still, having a clear idea of the topics to be explored in PhD study is a good indicator of future success.
- Do you have the background and skills to work in that area?
We look at whether you are prepared to begin working on the topics you identify as your area of interest. For example, if you have a background in nuclear engineering and you plan to work on computer music, we'd like to know more about what skills you'll bring to bear on your new direction.
- Do we have the capacity to supervise work in that area?
We look at whether we have faculty members who can supervise research in your area of interest. No matter how interesting the area of research and how capable you are to work in that area, we can only take students for whom we have the faculty to advise and supervise. We require a commitment from at least one faculty member to advise and fund any applicant we admit to the ATLAS PhD program.