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Peyton Thomas (Environmental Studies), Liannie Velázquez-Santana (Geological Sciences) and Sophie Chien (Environmental Design) have been awarded the Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellowship for Faculty Diversity for 2024–2025. The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs invites new nominations for the 2025–2026 program year.

Peyton Thomas brings expertise in climate change, environmental justice and Indigenous communities. During her fellowship, Thomas will study fish ecology and sample various fish populations along the Yukon River in Alaska to address significant knowledge gaps in the physiological and behavioral understanding of each species. Additionally, as a distinguished endurance athlete and U.S. Olympic Team hopeful, Thomas is using her platform to advocate for environmental and social change across academia, industry and government. She will be mentored by Assistant Professor Cassandra Brooks in Environmental Studies.  

Liannie Velázquez-Santana works to understand how volcanoes form and develop, contributing to the Geological Sciences program. She will conduct fieldwork and laboratory analyses on island arc magmas in the Greater Antilles Arc in the Caribbean to develop an evolutionary model for crustal growth in this arc system. Velázquez-Santana is supported by Associate Chair Kevin Mahan of Geological Sciences.

Sophie Chien focuses on sustainable architecture and urban planning, joining the Environmental Design program. During her postdoc fellowship, Chien will collaborate with the predominantly Latinx and immigrant population of the San Lazaro community in Boulder County to co-create community histories that weave together ecological, cultural and material dimensions of their lived experiences. Chien’s contributions underscore the University of Colorado Boulder's commitment to excellence, diversity and innovation in community-engaged design, with mentorship from Associate Professor Shawhin Roudbari of Environmental Design.

About the Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellowship for Faculty Diversity

CU Boulder awards the Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellowship for Faculty Diversity to postdoctoral scholars whose scholarship and service contribute to diversity in higher education. These one-year fellowships provide fellows with protected time for scholarship or research in preparation for a tenure-track faculty position at CU Boulder. To date, nine former fellows have secured tenure-track positions at CU Boulder.

The Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellowship for Faculty Diversity is sponsored by the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and administered by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs. Applications for the next cycle open August 1 and are due November 1.

For more information, please visit the program website or email cpfellows@colorado.edu.