CU Boulder Next national outreach tour lands in D.C. April 21

CU Boulder Next, a new national outreach tour that aims to bring people together around shared interests, inspire creativity and collaboration and deepen partnerships, is coming to Washington, D.C., on April 21.

The four-year, nine-stop tour invites prospective students and families, friends of the university, alumni and business and community leaders to learn more about what's on the horizon at Colorado's flagship campus in the realms of research, innovation, culture and education. The tour launched Feb. 24 in Los Angeles. Members of the media are invited to cover the event or arrange interviews with Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano or any of the faculty experts.

“This exciting program showcases the phenomenal breadth of academic achievement that makes CU Boulder a top university for innovation,” said DiStefano. “We look forward to interacting with alumni, donors, parents and prospective students in cities across the U.S.”

Topics to be explored in D.C. include:

• How Great Schools Help Students Beat the Odds, and Why We Must Change the Odds In a time when public schools across the country are under attack, CU Boulder’s National Education Policy Center has recognized 45 public high schools as Schools of Opportunity. Professor Kevin Welner, center director, will explain how these schools are creating remarkable opportunities for students to learn and how CU Boulder is changing the conversation on education.
• Immersive Storytelling: How Technology Changes the Discussion on Fracking College of Media, Communication and Information Associate Professor Elizabeth Skewes will reveal how we process information and highlight the results of a pilot study on the use of innovative visual technologies. She is working with colleagues to better understand how 360-degree video, virtual reality and augmented reality affect the public’s response to news stories. 
• The Government's Speech in the Age of Twitter At what point does our government's speech threaten equality or liberty such that it offends the Equal Protection or Due Process Clauses? Learn what the Constitution can do to prohibit our government from lying to us in the age of Twitter and other social media channels that bypass traditional media outlets, allowing governments to communicate directly with citizens. Professor Helen Norton holds the Ira C. Rothgerber, Jr. Chair in Constitutional Law and is a former deputy assistant attorney general for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Justice. Norton's research on government speech and the war on terror was recently published in Fordham Law Review.
• Earth From Space: The Power of Perspective With the launch of the first weather satellite in 1960, humankind gained an entirely new perspective on the world. Professor Waleed Abdalati, former NASA chief scientist and current director of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, or CIRES, a joint institute of CU Boulder and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, will discuss the implications of new game-changing satellite technology and what it means for future observations of our planet.
• Bringing a Forgotten World to Life Get ready to go on a new journey through American history. Professor Elizabeth Fenn will introduce you to a forgotten people through her Pulitzer Prize-winning book, "Encounters at the Heart of the World: A History of the Mandan People." Known for hosting Lewis and Clark, the Mandan proved resilient and adaptable in the face of challenges that included epidemics of smallpox and whooping cough, and invasions of Norway rats. 

Other CU Boulder Next activities include: short, Ted-style talks by faculty and students who are breaking the boundaries in research, arts and culture. In addition, there will be interactive kiosks where participants can chat informally with each other or campus representatives, and a range of inspiring performances. Participants will also have an opportunity to chat with the chancellor and other campus leaders.

The event runs from 1 to 5:30 p.m. at the Washington Marriott Marquis, 901 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.

Other CU Boulder Next tour stops include: Seattle, San Francisco, Denver, Houston, Chicago, New York City and Boulder.