CU Boulder is advancing the university’s commitment to sustainability, public impact and statewide engagement by partnering with the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) on a new, cross-disciplinary project designed to analyze and identify economic development and employment opportunities in Colorado communities transitioning from a coal-driven economy.

The yearlong initiative brings together graduate students, faculty and researchers from the Business Research Division (BRD) in the Leeds School of Business and the Master’s of the Environment (MENV) program to deliver research-driven analysis; stakeholder engagement; and actionable, community-driven recommendations for coal transition communities in Northwest Colorado. Work began in January 2026 and will conclude in October 2026.

“This partnership reflects CU Boulder’s responsibility as a public research university to offer our expertise in the service of Colorado communities,” said Andrew Mayock, vice chancellor for sustainability. “This capstone-based work allows our students to contribute directly to the diversification of local economies by listening to communities, meeting their needs, and incorporating community input into effective solutions to move forward in a strategic way.”

Capstone research and engagement

The state of Colorado is committed to supporting communities that have relied on coal mines and coal-fired power plants and now seek new sources of jobs and property tax income. This collective work requires up-to-date data and ongoing input to support coordinated planning and local strategies. OEDIT is partnering with CU Boulder to help address this need for data through applied research embedded in graduate-level capstone coursework.

“Colorado’s rural communities are innovative and resilient, and when we align state resources with local priorities, we deliver better results. The research led by CU Boulder’s Business Research Division and MENV graduate program and supported by Just Transition funding will help us hear directly from communities and turn those insights into real, measurable outcomes for rural Coloradans and their families,” said Eve Lieberman, executive director at OEDIT.

The project is being delivered through coordinated capstone and applied research efforts focused on regional economic and workforce analysis. A team of MENV capstone students, working in close collaboration with the Leeds Business Research Division, will lead a community-informed regional analysis. This work will include asset mapping, identification of workforce and industry gaps, and evaluation of opportunities for economic diversification. 

MENV students will also design and implement a stakeholder engagement process to ensure perspectives from coal workers, residents, elected officials and economic development professionals inform the final recommendations.

“This capstone was intentionally designed to respond directly to community input and needs,” said Natalie Ooi, teaching professor and MENV director. “By centering community voices and aspirations, and ensuring student research complements OEDIT’s priorities and existing regional efforts, we can deliver work that is both academically rigorous and genuinely useful to communities navigating coal transitions.”

The MENV capstone team working on the project includes graduate students Alex Rudawsky, Peter Landis, Norman Kalen and Alec Waz, who will spend the academic year conducting research, engaging with regional stakeholders and developing final deliverables in partnership with OEDIT and communities across Northwest Colorado.

This project will result in a comprehensive regional analysis with achievable next steps, clear action items and a replicable framework that can be applied to other coal transition regions across the state.

Experiential learning 

Embedding this work in the MENV capstone program creates a robust experiential learning opportunity for graduate students, allowing them to apply classroom learning to complex, real-world sustainability and economic development challenges. Students will work directly with state agencies, regional partners and community members while developing professional skills in research, data analysis and collaborative problem-solving.

“This project demonstrates how experiential education can deliver real value beyond campus,” Mayock said. “Our students are gaining hands-on experience while helping communities plan for a more sustainable and resilient future.”

The initiative will be coordinated through CU Boulder’s Outreach and Community Engagement office and external partnerships team, reinforcing the university’s role as a trusted partner to the state. Funding for the project will be shared between OEDIT and CU Boulder, with support from the chancellor’s office.