Jun Ye, a professor of physics and a JILA and NIST Fellow, has been named the inaugural holder of the Monroe Endowed Professorship in Physics. This prestigious new professorship, the result of a $1 million endowment from CU alumnus Chris Monroe, underscores the university’s growing prominence in quantum information science and applied quantum physics.  

“I went to CU for graduate school simply because it looked like the best place for me to study atomic and quantum physics,” Monroe said. “Only later did I realize just how much better it was than high-drama places on the coasts. I cannot imagine a better preparation for the rest of my career having gone through CU and JILA.” 

Chris Monroe, Circa 1990

Monroe, a pioneering physicist and co-founder of IonQ, Inc., established the Monroe Endowed Professorship in Physics to support CU Boulder’s leadership in the rapidly evolving field of quantum research. He graduated from CU Boulder in 1992 with a Ph.D. in Physics under the mentorship of Nobel Laureates Carl Wieman and Eric Cornell, then worked closely with Nobel Laureate David Wineland at nearby NIST-Boulder as they pioneered the use of individual atoms as quantum computer bits (qubits). His illustrious career has taken him to Duke University, where he is the Director of the Duke Quantum Center, and holds the Gilhuly Family Presidential Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Physics at Duke. Monroe’s research has pioneered all aspects in designing and fabricating scalable quantum computers based on atomic qubits. His machines have been programmed for rudimentary quantum algorithms and simulations of complex quantum phenomena in nature. His company IonQ, the first public quantum computing company, aims to commercialize quantum computers according to a clear technology roadmap.  

His vision for the CU Physics endowment, outlined in the fund agreement, is clear: “The purpose in establishing this Fund is to enable the University and JILA to expand its research and education capacity in quantum information science and applied quantum physics through an endowed professorship position that will retain current faculty or allow the University and JILA to hire the best and brightest researchers in this field.”  

One of the leaders teaching the best and brightest researchers is Jun Ye, who is internationally recognized for his groundbreaking work in precision measurement, ultracold molecules, and ultra-high precision atomic clocks. His strontium lattice atomic clock, which uses laser-based technology, is currently the most accurate in the world. His very recent measurement of a nuclear transition using laser light could revolutionize clocks (and maybe even quantum computers) well into the future. Ye’s numerous accolades reflect his leadership in the field, including the 2022 Breakthrough Prize, the I.I. Rabi Prize, and the Niels Bohr Institute Medal of Honor. 

“I certainly feel very honored to be a recipient of the Monroe Endowed Professorship,” Ye said. “I have known Chris for many years. It turns out that when I arrived in JILA and CU Physics as a fresh graduate student, the very first PhD defense I witnessed was Chris's work with Carl Wieman. I have regarded Chris a gold standard for JILA and CU Physics graduates ever since.  He has made big impact to quantum information science, being an original practitioner, a visionary advocate, and a breakthrough technologist.”  

The selection committee, led by CU Boulder Physics Professor Paul Beale and including a combination of Physics department faculty and JILA Fellows, unanimously chose Ye for the position  

“Jun is internationally recognized as a leader in quantum science and technology with a specialty in precision measurement,” Beale said in a statement from the selection committee. “He is a world leader in frequency combs, ultracold molecules, and ultra-high precision atomic clocks,”  

The Monroe Endowed Professorship joins a distinguished lineage of other endowed positions in CU Boulder’s Department of Physics. In 2021, alumnus Joseph Mitchell and his wife Cindy established the Jesse Lafayette Mitchell Endowed Chair in Experimental Physics. Alysia Marino currently holds this chair, where her research focuses on neutrino detection and the fundamental properties of these elusive particles. Additionally, the Waldo E. Rennie Endowed Professorship in Theoretical Physics, created in 2021 with funds from the trust of Waldo E. Rennie, supports Michael Hermele’s research in quantum phases of matter and strongly correlated systems. 

As the holder of the new Monroe Endowed Professorship, Jun Ye is poised to continue his transformative work in quantum physics, ensuring that CU Boulder remains at the forefront of quantum science research. 

“I will continue to draw inspiration from Chris and help to advance the field of quantum science and precision measurement,” added Ye.  

Header photo credit: R. Jacobson/NIST

Off

Baylor, who was visiting Colorado for the summer, expressed her excitement about the event, saying, “Last year, I got to know folks in WaGMiP from conversations after my 'Life After JILA' talk last fall while I was in the area for my sabbatical. I had conversations with them both as a group and individually. I've maintained relationships with members of WaGMiP even after relocating to Minnesota for the rest of my sabbatical, helping some of them develop Personal and Professional Individual Development Plans.”

Hearing of Baylor’s visit to Colorado, WaGMiP leadership invited her back to campus.

Iona Binnie, a fifth year physics graduate student and leader of WaGMiP, shared her thoughts on the event, “Lunch with Marty was fantastic. It was great catching up and chatting about WaGMiP's department activities since her last visit. Connecting with Marty has been really valuable to many of us, and we plan to keep getting together whenever she visits Boulder.”

The informal lunch allowed WaGMiP members to share their summer stories and discuss topics related to their experiences in physics in a safe setting. The value of groups like WaGMiP at CU Boulder cannot be overstated, as they offer a crucial space for individuals to connect, share experiences, and find support.

Dr. Baylor highlighted this, saying, "We all need groups where we can metaphorically 'let our hair down' with people that are like us in some way, particularly for individuals whose identities are marginalized in a larger community. Affinity spaces are places where one can be heard and seen, serving, when needed, as a positive counter space to one's experience in the dominant community."

Event photos by Iona Binnie

Marty Baylor portrait courtesy Carleton College

Off

Off

Congratulations to Dr. Zach Ulibarri, who was named a 2024 51 Pegasi b Fellow by the Heising-Simons Foundation. The 51 Pegasi b Fellowship provides postdoctoral scientists with the opportunity to conduct theoretical, observational, and experimental research in planetary astronomy.

Dr. Ulibarri earned his PhD in physics from CU Boulder in Spring 2022. As part of his graduate work, he performed experiments at the , which contributed to the development of the ,  set to launch on NASA’s Europa Clipper in October 2024.

“Most people don't really think about dust, but it’s incredibly important in space,” Ulibarri said. “You can use it to sample the chemistry of planetary objects without landing. You can fly by and scoop up those dust grains without the expense and difficulty of landing on the object.”

Dr. Ulibarri’s experiments determined the speed limit for the breakup of complex organic molecules undergoing hypervelocity impacts, which instruments such as SUDA rely on as they attempt to detect such molecules from orbit.

“Let’s say you’re trying to fly by a planetary object, and it has some sign of life on it,” he said. “If the spacecraft smacks into this thing at five kilometers a second, does it break up that organic biomolecule and destroy the information you’re trying to get? That’s what I studied, and the answer is around seven kilometers a second.”

Zach is now a Postdoctoral Researcher in mechanical and aerospace engineering at Cornell University, where he is working on adapting an instrument called the electrospray ionization mass spectrometer (ESI-MS) for use in space. This instrument currently studies biomolecules on Earth, but during his new fellowship, Dr. Ulibarri hopes to adapt its functionality to work outside of Earth’s parameters, so that delicate extraterrestrial biomolecules can be studied in orbit or on lander spacecraft.

“Electrospray ionization mass spectrometers are fantastically useful instruments and they’re very good at studying organic biomolecules,” he said. “The trouble is they’re massive cubes as tall as I am. They weigh a ton, maybe two. They cost a couple hundred thousand dollars and they’re incredibly complex. The challenge is to put one of these on a spacecraft and have it survive launch and get all the way to a planetary object without breaking.”

Established in 2017, the Heising-Simons Foundation 51 Pegasi b Fellowship is named for the first exoplanet discovered orbiting a Sun-like star. In the growing field of planetary astronomy, scientists study objects both within and beyond our solar system, bridging planetary science and astronomy. From improving our understanding of planetary system formation and evolution, to advancing new technologies for detecting other worlds, 51 Pegasi b Fellows make a unique contribution to the field.

In addition to monetary support of up to $430,000, 51 Pegasi b Fellows will receive networking and mentorship opportunities to help advance their work in this crucial field of astrophysical science.

The Heising-Simons Foundation is a family foundation based in Los Altos and San Francisco, California. The Foundation works with its many partners to advance sustainable solutions in climate and clean energy, enable groundbreaking research in science, enhance the education of our youngest learners, and support human rights for all people. Learn more at .

Off

Tom Baur (Image Credit: Meadowlark Optics)

CU Boulder alumnus Tom Baur was recently named a , the International Society for Optics and Photonics. Tom is among a number of leading scientists named SPIE Fellows in 2024. He previously received SPIE’s G.G. Stokes Award in 2018. 

SPIE Fellows are named annually for their significant scientific and technical contributions to optics, photonics, and imaging. They are nominated by colleagues for their technical achievement and service to the general optics community.  

Tom completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan before earning a master’s degree in astro-geophysics from CU Boulder in 1969. He worked at the National Center for Atmospheric Research and later founded Meadowlark Optics, which specializes in optical components for polarization control. 

In 2020, Tom and his wife Jeanne Baur created the Baur-SPIE Endowed Chair in Optics and Photonics with contributions from SPIE and Chancellor DiStefano. The Endowed Chair is held by Physics Professor and JILA Fellow Cindy Regal. 

Tom remains closely connected with CU Boulder, and the Department of Physics in particular. He serves on the Physics Advancement Advisory Committee, and his company Meadowlark Optics participates in the annual Physics and Quantum Career Fair.  

Off

Off

Off

Off

The Embark Deep Tech Startup Creator from Venture Partners at CU Boulder has announced the first cohort of entrepreneurs selected to launch companies from CU Boulder research inventions.

CU Boulder Physics Professor and JILA Fellow Jun Ye developed a breathalyzer capable of detecting molecules in breath or air samples which will be brought to market by entrepreneur Eva Yao. CU Boulder Physics alumna Maithreyi Gopalakrishnan (EngrPhys’15, MS’15) was selected as the entrepreneur to lead PrecisionTerra which will bring to market a solution that improves signal strength of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers in urban environments.

Learn more about the first cohort of entrepreneurs and inventions from the Embark Deep Tech Startup Creator. The innovative program was also recently featured in the .

Off