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Last month, U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse got a first-hand look at the future of ultrafast lasers, record-setting clocks and quantum computers when he toured facilities at JILA, a research partnership between ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ and NIST. The visit comes as investments in quantum research are expanding across the country.

In 2021, ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ researchers tackled challenges ranging from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to space exploration and climate change. As you prepare for the holidays, take a look back at the innovations and studies that will shape the year ahead.

Built by LASP at ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ, the CubeSats will provide first-of-their-kind measurements of gravity waves in Earth’s upper atmosphere and explosions in the Sun’s corona, filling data gaps that will allow scientists to better predict the effects of space weather on critical human infrastructure and technologies.

Solid Power, which previously received investments from Ford and BMW, raised $542.9 million by going public through a reverse merger with stocks now appearing on the Nasdaq exchange. The company’s solid-state battery tech promises to create lighter, safer and faster-charging batteries for electric vehicles.

The AB Nexus program announced its third round of grant awards to faculty at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus and ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ, collaborating on innovative research projects that aim to improve human wellbeing through basic science and translational research approaches.

Alumnus Kevin Martin’s (MechEngr’16) robotics and apparel company unspun has built a machine that 3D-weaves a seamless pair of jeans in just ten minutes, based on technology first prototyped in the Department of Mechanical Engineering’s Senior Design course.

¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ researchers Richard D. Noble (Chemistry) and Theodore Randolph (Engineering) have been named 2021 Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors, a recognition that honors academic inventors who have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society.

NSF has awarded a highly competitive grant to a team of scientists building OpenEarthScape, a set of models and simulations to help anticipate changes in river flow, beach erosion, landslides and more. All software will be shared as open-source with the scientific community and the public.

On December 8, students and professionals from LASP assumed control of NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) mission just after it lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida—the culmination of years of preparation, including thousands of hours of training and all-night rehearsals.

The Research & Innovation Office has announced the 2022 RIO Faculty Fellows cohort, comprised of 17 of the most promising faculty from across ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ.