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Dear CU Engineering community,

When I began my term as acting dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science in January 2020, my top priority was maintaining consistency with the goals, vision and culture that our community developed in partnership with former Dean Bobby Braun.

As we prepare to welcome a permanent dean, I am proud to say that we have been successful in many of those goals. In both 2020 and 2021, we celebrated record-breaking research funding across the college. In 2021, we were the No. 1 aerospace engineering program in the U.S. in research expenditures. We have made strides in diversity, equity and inclusion with the formation of a college-wide Inclusive Culture Council and a coordinated, accountable effort to implement concrete department- and program-level actions to align with the campus IDEA Plan.

However, I am more proud of how our community excelled in the face of enormous challenges during this time. From the COVID-19 pandemic and Boulder King Soopers shooting to protests over racial injustice and the recent devastating fires in Louisville and Superior, our community has rallied around those who have experienced hardships, uncertainty and sorrow.

Through those challenges, the college has worked tirelessly to build an even stronger, more resilient CU Engineering community. Harnessing the power of virtual events, we have increased engagement with our alumni community. We have strengthened our focus on student success and mental health, building on a community wellness values statement adopted in 2019.

I look forward to what we will accomplish together in the years to come. We’re launching a new Engineering Residential Community, which we will share more about in upcoming communications. Our innovative Quantum Engineering Initiative, evolving Interdisciplinary Research Themes, and growing materials science and biomedical engineering programs hold much promise for research and educational innovation.

Overall, we remain committed to responding to global societal and scientific challenges and to educating the diverse, world-class engineers who will meet future challenges. We hope you enjoy this edition of CU Engineering magazine, which focuses on how our students and faculty are addressing sustainability and the threats of climate change.

Go, Buffs!

Keith Molenaar
Acting Dean