Research Feature

The proliferation of plastic products has created an environmental challenge: what should be done with unusable, discarded plastic waste that can harm the environment? Faculty from the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering are working on a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded project, Hydrogenolysis for Upcycling of Polyesters and Mixed Plastics, to address this serious environmental issue.

CU Boulder is a founding partner of a major National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center (STC): the Center for Integration of Modern Optoelectronic Materials on Demand (IMOD). The center represents a research partnership spanning 11 universities led by the University of Washington.

The University of Colorado Boulder has received a $2 million gift from The Anschutz Foundation to support the university’s diverse research in aerospace and national defense—from tracking and protecting satellites in orbit to improving the security of mobile devices.

The COSINC facility has given Jared Lewis, a junior in mechanical engineering, opportunities that he might not have ever experienced as an undergraduate.

While the pandemic added an extra layer of difficulty on top of the normal challenges of launching a center-scale research initiative, leadership at the University of Colorado Boulder say a $15 million NASA funded institute around space habitats that began here in 2019 has hit many of its early goals.

New research led by the University of Colorado Boulder has uncovered the engineering secrets behind what makes fish fins so strong yet flexible. The team’s insights could one day lead to new designs for robotic surgical tools or even airplane wings that change their shape with the push of a button.

Researchers in chemical and biological engineering have developed a platform which can quickly identify common mutations on the SARS-CoV-2 virus that allow it to escape antibodies and infect cells.

Assistant Professor Marina Vance uses her passion for drawing to educate and inspire by creating animated science videos that share her research in aerosol particle transformation in easily accessible ways. As a recent NSF CAREER Award recipient, Vance will continue her research at the University of Colorado Boulder while sharing her work beyond academic circles through a new partnership with CU Science Discovery.

Professor Ivan Smalyukh is one of the winners of the 2021 Langmuir Lectureship Award for his innovative work in the colloid and surface chemistry fields. Smalyukh will deliver a special presentation at the 2021 ACS Fall National Meeting, as will Professor Deborah Leckband of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, who also earned the honor.

Professor Xiaoyun Ding and his team of researchers aim to improve cancer-fighting tools and cut patient costs, exploring ways to streamline delivery of lifesaving treatments into immune cells.