CU on Coursera Open House 2026

Join us in Boulder for our Open House event!

  Friday, September 25th and Saturday, September 26th

  Kittredge Central Hall, University of Colorado Boulder

 Join us for both or one day of this event and get the opportunity to: 

• Network with your fellow students

• Tour campus

• Meet faculty, staff, and course facilitators 

Register for Open House

Where to stay:

CU Boulder has agreements with several local hotels for discounted rates. To secure these rates, call the hotel to book your room and be sure mention "The University of Colorado special rate." 

Book your Discount Hotel Stay

Things to do:

Boulder offers a mix of outdoor recreation, local culture, and dining, making it an ideal destination for both adventure and relaxation.

Outdoor Activities

• Hike the iconic Flatirons via Chautauqua Park, with trails ranging from easy walks to challenging climbs.
• Walk, bike, or picnic along the scenic Boulder Creek Path.
• Drive or hike up Flagstaff Mountain for panoramic views of Boulder and the Front Range.
• Visit Eben G. Fine Park to relax by Boulder Creek

Downtown & Shopping

• Stroll the vibrant Pearl Street Mall, featuring local boutiques, bookstores, street performers, galleries, and cafés.
• Browse the weekly Boulder Farmers Market for fresh produce, artisan foods, and local crafts.
• Explore the shops and restaurants along Walnut and Spruce Streets.
   

Museums & Attractions

• Visit the Museum of Boulder to learn about the city's history and culture.
• Explore the Fiske Planetarium for immersive astronomy shows.
• See interactive exhibits at the CU Museum of Natural History, including one of the most extensive dinosaur fossil collections in the country. 

Food & Drink

• Sample locally roasted coffee at one of Boulder's independent cafés.
• Enjoy craft beer at one of the city's breweries.
• Experience Boulder's farm-to-table dining scene, with restaurants emphasizing fresh Colorado ingredients.

Meet our Faculty

Wendy Martin,Associate Dean of Digital Education, Lockheed Martin Endowed Professor

Wendy Martin specializes in business and process improvement and is a certified Lean Six Sigma trainer/Master Black Belt. Wendy earned her Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and a Master's in Engineering Management from the University of Colorado, Boulder, emphasizing Six Sigma, Quality Systems, and Applied Statistics. Wendy has held several leadership and management positions in quality and engineering at Anheuser-Busch, where she mastered the application of statistics in an industrial setting during her 14 year tenure.

Wendy joined the Engineering Management program in 2014 and has taught a variety of subject related to operations and business improvement. Currently she teaches Applied Statistics, Quality Management, Lean / Agile Management, and Data Analytics and Visualization. Her areas of expertise include operational excellence, product and process quality, reliability methods and applied statistical methods. She consults with clients across the front range to identify and fix their critical process-related issues, as well as management system issues.

In her free time, she loves to explore generative AI, workflow automation, and statistics (for fun). When not exploring, she enjoys spending time with her family.

Sriram Sankaranarayanan, Department Chair, Computer Science

Sriram Sankaranarayanan joined the computer science faculty at CU Boulder in 2009. His research interests include automatic techniques for reasoning about the behavior of computer and cyber-physical systems. He works on fundamental problems involving modeling and analysis using hybrid dynamical systems and formal methods, with applications to artificial pancreas systems for treating type-1 diabetes; verification and validation of algorithms that control robotic systems; and modeling/analyzing the interactions between humans and autonomous systems. 

Sriram earned his PhD in 2005 from Stanford University, where he was advised by Zohar Manna and Henny Sipma. Subsequently, he worked as a research staff member at NEC Laboratories in Princeton, New Jersey. 

Sriram teaches the following courses:

Algorithms for Searching, Sorting, and Indexing

Trees and Graphs: Basics

CSCA 5414/DTSA 5503: Dynamic Programming, Greedy Algorithms

CSCA 5424: Approximation Algorithms and Linear Programming

CSCA 5454: Advanced Data Structures, RSA and Quantum Algorithms 

Eric Keller,Associate Chair for Professional and Online Masters Programs and Professor, Electrical Engineering 

Eric developed the Network Systems: Principles in Practice Specialization in the MS-ECE Coursera program. This consists of three courses: 

Network Systems Foundations

Network Principles in Practice: Linux Networking

Network Principles in Practice: Cloud Networking

Gavriil Shchedrin, Assistant Teaching Professor, Applied Mathematics

 

Gavriil Shcededrin is an Assistant Teaching Professor of Applied Mathematics in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. 
Prior to becoming a faculty member at CU Boulder, Gavriil worked as a Data Scientist for Spectrum Charter Communications. 

 

 

 

Ron Duren Jr., Teaching Associate Professor

Ronald Duren Jr. is a celebrated member of the Engineering Management Program (EMP) faculty at the University of Colorado. With a rich background spanning engineering management, aviation, and athletics, Ron has integrated over two decades of industry experience into his teaching. Serving the EMP since 2016, he has imparted knowledge in subjects ranging from Leadership Dynamics to the Neuroscience of Leadership.

Ron holds a distinguished place in academia, complemented by his unique perspective forged from real-world endeavors. Notably, he is an aerobatic pilot, aircraft builder and has showcased his mental fortitude by completing ultramarathons and Ironman triathlons. His early days as a semi-professional baseball player and rodeo bull rider instilled in him a mental toughness that he passionately shares with his students.

Possessing multiple degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Management, Ron’s academic rigor is paralleled only by his zest for adventure. He is a published author, podcast host and owner of four design patents. Outside the classroom, he can be found either soaring through the skies in the plane he built or preparing for his next athletic challenge. Ron consistently inspires his students to embrace life with the same enthusiasm and adaptability he has demonstrated throughout his illustrious career.