Research
Rising senior in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering Alex Hansen spent his summer break in CU Boulder’s Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) studying the consequences of methane emissions. His work analyzing data gathered from unique methane detection sensors can one day help researchers address the methane crisis at some of the world's most prevalent methane emissions sites.
Imagine for a moment that you’re in an auto factory. A robot and a human are working next to each other on the production line. The robot is busy rapidly assembling car doors while the human runs quality control, inspecting the doors for damage and
Lorin Achey, a second-year computer science PhD student, has earned the prestigious 2025 National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship for her promising research in robotic perception systems. The Department of Defense fellowship was established to recognize and support science and engineering PhD students in disciplines of military importance.
From robots navigating disaster zones to AI that supports doctors, astronauts, and students, CU Boulder researchers are creating real-world systems that redefine how artificial intelligence serves humanity. Their work spans life-saving rescue missions, space exploration, environmental monitoring, and human-AI collaboration and more. Discover how CU Boulder is leading the next wave of AI innovation.
Assistant Professor Nicole Xu first became fascinated with moon jellyfish more than a decade ago because of their extraordinary swimming abilities. Today, Xu has developed a way to harness their efficiency and ease at moving through the water in ways that could make some types of aquatic research much easier.
Associate Professor Nathalie Vriend is leading a research effort exploring how sand dunes evolve over time, shifting and surging across the landscape. Her team ultimately wants to answer a pressing question: Can humans efficiently shift or even halt the flow of the planet’s largest dunes?
Meet Assistant Professors Laura Sunberg and Zhi Li — and see why we’re so excited to have these talented scholars on our team.
The study, led by civil engineering PhD student Daniel Donado-Quintero, shows that setting carbon benchmarks can encourage asphalt producers to lower emissions—for example by using more recycled materials or optimizing production processes—supporting Colorado’s Buy Clean Act and CDOT’s efforts to reduce embodied carbon.
Researchers at CU Boulder have developed a new bioimaging device that can operate with significantly lower power and in an entirely non-mechanical way. It could one day improve detecting eye and even heart conditions.
See is advancing new technologies to boost the performance of future sustainable batteries.