Home | 150th Anniversary | University of Colorado Boulder
Shine On Norlin
Shine on Norlin is a signature event celebrating CU Boulder’s 150th anniversary that kicks off on October 1, 2026 on Norlin Quad. The event will be the debut for a month long large-scale projection-mapping show displayed on the west face of Norlin Library. The projection will combine historic imagery, student artwork, research, music, video and other creative work to tell stories from CU Boulder’s first 150 years while also looking toward the university’s future. Following the premiere, projections will continue nightly at dusk throughout October, approximately 6:00–9:00 p.m.
Interested in learning more about the images shown in the light show? Dive deeper into the stories, research, history and traditions behind the moments projected onto Norlin Library.
Featured Articles
CU Boulder boasts five Nobel laureates, four in physics and one in chemistry. Perhaps the world's premier honor for intellectuals, and certainly the best known, it celebrates individuals who have "conferred the greatest benefit to humankind" through their work.
For 150 years, CU Boulder has embraced an interdisciplinary philosophy that has led to groundbreaking science discoveries that continually change our understanding of the world. The impact of this work on humanity extends from the tiniest microbes to our knowledge of time. The university’s research is a catalyst for innovation, transcending traditional methods and reaching new realms of possibility.
Spotlighting Our Notable Buffs
Tom Cech
Dr. Tom Cech was awarded the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry alongside Dr. Sidney Altman for discovering that RNA can trigger biological reactions, a function thought to exclusively belong to protein enzymes. By carefully controlling which molecules were present, his team concluded that it was not proteins but the RNA itself that catalyzed the splicing. RNA’s demonstrated flexibility has since led to the “RNA world” theory of evolution, suggesting that early life may have utilized RNA for both storing genetic information and triggering biological reactions before DNA and most proteins evolved.
150th Anniversary Events
150th Project Team
- Ann Schmiesing, Senior Vice Chancellor, Strategic Initiatives
- Ryan Chreist, Associate Vice Chancellor, Strategic Initiatives
- Katherine Eggert, Vice Chancellor, Academic Planning and Assessment
- Katy Herbert Kotlarczyk, Vice Chancellor, Advancement
- Jon Leslie, Vice Chancellor, Strategic Relations and Communication
- D’Andra Mull, Vice Chancellor, Student Life
- Sarah Adderholt, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Events, Protocol and Outreach
- Lori Call, Associate Vice Chancellor Local Government and Community Relations
- Theresa Hernandez, Professor and Director, Crawford Family WHOLE student athlete program
- David Humphrey, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Leadership Support and Programming
- Hon. Gary Jackson, Alumnus
- Taylor Jarvis, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Engagement and Executive Director, Marketing and Communications
- Polly McLean, Assoc. Professor, Media Studies
- Carolyn Moreau, Assistant Dean, Communications and External Relations
- Hope Saska, Acting Director, Chief Curator and Director of Academic Engagement
- Jennifer Schufer, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Marketing and Content Strategy
- Stein Sture, Vice Chancellor for Research Emeritus and Professor Emeritus, Engineering
- William Wei, Professor, History