Keith Molenaar
Dear CU Engineering community,
As we close out another year and celebrate the class of 2024, I am filled with gratitude. Our students, faculty, staff and alumni create a remarkable, innovative community. I am more optimistic than ever for our future, and that’s why we are calling this edition of CU Engineering magazine “New Frontiers.”
The theme came to us in the fall, when we had the honor of hosting the National Academy of Engineering’s Grainger Foundation Frontiers of Engineering Symposium. This prestigious event brought together around 100 early-career engineers to discuss cutting-edge developments in various fields. It got us thinking about all of the ways CU Engineering is pioneering new ideas in research, education and more.
Starting on page 19, you’ll meet two students who are part of our first Lattice Scholars cohort. This program is leading the way in offering debt-free engineering education to Pell Grant-eligible, first-generation college students from Colorado. I’m personally so proud of Lattice and so thankful to the supporters, faculty, staff and students who make it possible.
Our commitment to accessible education also took a significant step forward with the launch of new community college pathways with the Colorado Community College System, the first cohort of our LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate program and the inaugural graduating class of the CU Boulder-Western Colorado University Partnership Program. You’ll read more about those initiatives in the College News section starting on page 10.
We remain dedicated to assuring that all students leave CU Engineering with the skills they need to join the engineering workforce of the future. To that end, we recently celebrated the second graduating class of our interdisciplinary Biomedical Engineering Program. In fall 2025, we will welcome the first graduate students to our Robotics Program, another interdisciplinary initiative that is among just a handful of programs of its kind in the U.S. On page 40, you’ll learn more about how we are grounding all of these educational opportunities in ethics and responsible engineering.
On the research side, CU Engineering is building on CU Boulder’s long legacy of accomplishments in applied science to open new frontiers in quantum engineering. From work happening in labs across the college to new entrepreneurial ventures, we’re exploring the boundaries of what’s possible in the new quantum era. Take a deeper dive into “Quantum 2.0” on page 24.
Thank you for your continued support and engagement with our college. Together, we are shaping the future of engineering, making a positive impact on the world, and exploring new frontiers.
Go Buffs!
Keith Molenaar
Dean
