It started with a bold question: What should CU Boulder be known for next? 

CU Boulder today unveiled its first five big ideas that will enter incubation to shape the future of the campus and its impact on the world, from research and innovation to society, the human experience and more.

These five ideas were born out of Big Ideas, launched in February by Chancellor Justin Schwartz.

“The big idea behind Big Ideas is a world-class university deciding to invest in the boldest ideas of its faculty, staff and students,” said Schwartz.

The initiative has generated 800-plus submissions from the campus community.

“When people ask what the value of higher ed is to the country, CU Boulder is giving a profound answer,” said Schwartz. "CU Boulder is a place that's ambitious, that's willing to take risks, but really is focused on how we better the world for the people on the planet."

The five big ideas will be co-championed by faculty and staff who will help guide the next phase of development. The first big ideas revolve around five critical questions:

• What if we could help communities lessen the devastation of fire and drought?
• What if CU Boulder becomes the space ecosystem for the world?
• What if there’s a way to make AI sustainable? 
• What if by mapping the brain, we can prevent illness rather than simply treat it? 
• What if we put the arts and humanities at the center of solving society’s biggest challenges?

A campuswide working group, co-chaired by professors Stefanie Johnson and Waleed Abdalati, reviewed submissions to identify opportunities that build on the university’s strengths and bring together expertise across disciplines.

“We came together from across campus to identify submissions that were really potentially transformative and aligned with CU Boulder,” said Johnson, who is the director of CU Boulder’s Center for Leadership. “From here, these big ideas will move into a more detailed exploratory phase. Faculty experts, researchers, students and others’ expertise will help move the conversation forward.”

The Big Ideas initiative complements CU Boulder’s existing strategic priorities, including work in student success, sustainability, quantum research and more.

Other submissions may inform work within individual colleges, departments and units, and the university will continue to welcome new ideas from across campus.

“This is the start,” said Schwartz. “This is not the end of the Big Ideas initiative for campus. This is really the second step in what’s going to be a multiple-year endeavor.”