The Research & Innovation Office announced that Gijs de Boer has been named director of national laboratory partnerships, a newly established, part-time role that will focus on expanding CU Boulder’s research collaborations with national laboratories.

De Boer, a senior research scientist in the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Physical Sciences Laboratory, began his two-year appointment on Nov. 1.

The national laboratories have served as leading institutions for scientific innovation since they were introduced during World War II. The Department of Energy’s 17 national laboratories, which are the primary focus for this role, utilize unique instruments and facilities to tackle the most pressing scientific challenges of our time. They address large scale, complex research and development challenges with a multidisciplinary approach that emphasizes translating basic science to innovation—making the labs ideal collaborators for CU Boulder’s research community.

“Gijs brings unique perspectives to this position, having worked in national laboratories for over a decade,” said Acting Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation Massimo Ruzzene. “His active collaborations with national laboratory partners and broad understanding of laboratory interests, priorities and capabilities provide a solid foundation for expanding the university’s engagement with laboratory partners.”

This new role will pave the way for expanded opportunities for collaboration, funding and discovery for faculty, scientists and students in a range of disciplines by:

• Developing and executing an outreach and engagement strategy to deepen existing relationships and expand new partnership opportunities with national laboratories;
• Cultivating and maintaining key relationships with national laboratory leadership and researchers, while building strong internal relationships within CU Boulder’s research community;
• Attending, engaging and helping organize events, meetings, conferences, workshops and other opportunities to increase connectivity; and
• Regularly sharing relevant trends and specific opportunities originating from the national laboratories with deans, associate deans for research, CU Boulder researchers and support staff across the research enterprise.

De Boer’s current research includes the development and deployment of innovative observing technologies, including UAS, for Earth system research.

Dr. de Boer served as the chair for the International Society for Atmospheric Research using Remotely-piloted Aircraft (ISARRA) in 2018. He is also a US representative and vice-chair to the Atmosphere Working Group of the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), a co-lead of the Atmosphere Collaboration Team of the US Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC), and co-lead of the US Department of Energy’s Atmospheric System Research High Latitude processes Working Group. He is a current member of the NCAR Earth Observing Laboratory Observing Facilities Assessment Panel (OFAP). 

In 2016, de Boer was awarded the Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering by President Barack Obama.

To learn more about working with DOE's national labs, or to explore expanding an existing collaboration, please email gijs.deboer@colorado.edu.