Community news

This week, the Mountain Research Station (MRS), the University of Colorado Boulder’s field research facility, is celebrating its 100th anniversary since it was constructed in 1920. The celebration was delayed by two years due to the COVID-19 virus, but is kicking off its celebration in-person, bringing in several scientists and artists to perform seminars and talks for the public.

Twenty-six miles west of Boulder, scientists and students at the Mountain Research Station have gathered since 1920 to conduct some of the world’s most unique studies on high-altitude ecology and, more recently, how climate change is altering it. As it celebrates its 100th anniversary this month, its director is already planning for the next 100.

INSTAAR’s first cohort of DEI Summer Scholars has been announced. Sáde Cromratie Clemons, Christina Geller, and Katarena Matos will each be awarded a stipend for the summer months to continue their research projects.

Jim White, acting dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and INSTAAR researcher, has accepted the position of dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. White will remain at CU Boulder through June 30.

On May 3, members of the U.S. House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and Colorado congressional delegation joined leaders and scientists from CU Boulder, including INSTAAR Director Merritt Turetsky, to showcase university research and federal partnerships.

200 students from Angevine Middle School criss-crossed INSTAAR space this morning, engaging in hands-on science activities. Students touched and smelled permafrost, looked at algae through microscopes, tested water pollution in local streams, investigated soil texture, learned about chickadees, and checked out weather and climate measurements in fast-paced, hands-on activities.

Algae in the ocean, water on Mars, and supercharged apple orchards are research topics for three INSTAAR scientists awarded RIO seed grants. The grants are designed to foster new areas of research with high impact and future funding potential.

The Polar Science Early Career Community Office, funded by the NSF and housed by CIRES and INSTAAR, will provide training opportunities, resources and funding to support and help build a community of polar early-career scientists in the United States.

Merritt Turetsky joins the For Peat's Sake podcast on Spotify to talk about permafrost peatlands. We talk about the unique qualities of permafrost peatlands and the sad reality that many of them are disappearing due to anthropogenic (aka human-caused) climate change. Merritt explains the state of the science and we also chat about mental health, the importance of self-care, and setting boundaries.

Researchers across campus are launching a project to assess whether the Marshall Fire resulted in the contamination of soils—an important question for residents looking to rebuild, as well as those in areas that may be affected by future fires. Eve-Lyn Hinckley is one of the co-principal investigators.