CU Boulder Chancellor Philip DiStefano has appointed Aaron Roof to lead the CU Conference on World Affairs. Roof is also the founding director of CU Boulder’s Center for Leadership and the director of the Presidents Leadership Class. Roof is stepping in for John Griffin, who is returning to the Department of Political Science after eight years as faculty director. 

“I want to thank John for his leadership, guidance and steady hand during his tenure as the CWA director,” said DiStefano. “I am confident that his stewardship of the organization will transition seamlessly to Aaron.” 

CWA 2023 will take on a climate focus to build on the United Nations Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit, which is set to take place on the CU Boulder campus Dec. 1–4. DiStefano has asked the CWA program committee to tighten the conference to approximately two days and to extend locally-focused sessions taking place during the December summit.

This year will mark the CWA’s 75th anniversary.

“The CWA’s first years were devoted to international relations and discussion of global issues,” said DiStefano. “Today, there is no more urgent global issue than climate change, and we need to transition from discussion to action, leveraging the world-class research and scholarship on climate change and earth science at CU Boulder and within our federal laboratory infrastructure in Boulder.”

The CWA was founded in 1948 as a tribute to the nascent United Nations that was just beginning to find its role on the world stage.

“It is thus fitting that 75 years later CU Boulder brings that connection to fruition once again,” DiStefano said. “I am excited to provide a new path forward for the CWA to build upon its many successes,” DiStefano said.