University of Colorado Boulder
AC-7: Center for Sustainability Research

There are 17 Sustainability-Focused Centers, Institutes and Units at CU Boulder. 1) Sustainability, Energy and Environment Community (SEEC) Located on the university’s East Campus, SEEC brings together more than a dozen programs and industry partners under one roof. It houses some of the best minds in environmental and sustainability research at CU and in federal labs. The LEED-certified building features shared labs with cutting-edge analytical instruments and synthesis capabilities not available elsewhere on CU’s campus. 2) Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR) Conducts interdisciplinary research and education on the past, present, and future of Earth systems in service of a just and thriving world. INSTAAR focuses on research related to the Arctic, alpine regions, and global environmental change. Their work spans sustainability topics such as climate science, ecosystems, and water resources. 3) National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) A leading center for cryospheric research, focusing on snow, ice, and frozen ground. Their data and research contribute to understanding climate change impacts. 4) Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI) Collaborates with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to advance renewable/sustainable energy technologies and systems. 5) Mortenson Center in Global Engineering & Resilience Combines education, research, and partnerships to support thriving communities and environments by improving technologies, processes, policy and practice. Our vision is a world where everyone has equitable access to safe and reliable water, sanitation, energy, food, shelter, and infrastructure. They train engineers to recognize the issues at the core of development challenges, and collaborate with partners across the CU Boulder campus and the world to create sustainable, scalable, evidence-based and multidisciplinary solutions to global development problems. 6) Cooperative Institute for Research In Environmental Sciences (CIRES) Hundreds of scientists work to understand the dynamic Earth system, including people’s relationship with the planet conducting innovative research that advances our understanding of global, regional, and local environments. Areas of research: Atmosphere, Biology & Ecosystems, Chemistry, Climate & Weather, Cryosphere, Energy, Oceans, Science Policy, Solid Earth, Space, and Water Resources. CIRES is uniquely poised to integrate the social and policy sciences with the physical sciences for sustainability focused research. 7) Institute of Behavioral Science (IBS) Committed to advancing knowledge of society’s most pressing challenges, and to pursuing solutions to those challenges through innovative and interdisciplinary research, education, and engagement in the world. Researchers in the Environment and Society Program within IBS study the relationship between social and natural systems around the world. 8) Natural Hazards Center (NHC) Every day, the team works to empower a culture where all people are educated and inspired to take positive action to mitigate hazards losses and build stronger communities. They envision a just and equitable world where knowledge is applied to ensure that humans live in harmony with nature. 9) Center for the Governance of Natural Resources (CGNR) Deforestation, poor water management, and biodiversity loss often occur because most of the world’s natural resources are poorly governed. The Center’s researchers focus on human behavior and the political and institutional systems that shape the environment in Africa and the Americas. Their work has had a powerful influence on practical policy making for sustainable natural resource governance around the world. 10) Center for Collaborative Synthesis in Archaeology The archaeological record is the most extensive compendium of human experience available, and in recent decades documentation of this record has expanded exponentially. Archaeology thus has an opportunity to shape a fundamental science of human society that transcends the past and present and helps chart a course toward a more secure (sustainable) and just future. 11) Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) is advancing crucial Earth and climate research through identifying Earth’s radiation budget, Solar irradiance, Reflected radiation, Solar reference spectrum, Earth’s atmospheric layers, Noctilucent clouds, Polar vortex, Hunga Tonga eruptions 2022, and Using Earth to study other planets. 12) Burridge Center for Finance Thought leaders from academia and the finance industry gather to tackle questions at the intersection of finance, climate, and technology. In addition, the Burridge Center’s Green Finance Summit, held annually, delves into the complexities of navigating sustainability in the ever-evolving financial landscape. 13) Center for Advanced Decision Support for Water & Environmental Systems (CADSWES) Plays a vital role in sustainable water management, bridging research, education, and practical applications. Their interdisciplinary approach ensures that water resources are managed effectively in an uncertain and changing world. 14) Center of the American West (CAW) Serves as a hub for collaborative efforts that enhance understanding and foster sustainable practices in the region around energy, use of public lands, water, wildfire, cultural aspects, environmental issues, and public policy. 15) Center for Creative Climate Communication and Behavior Change (C3BC) Addressing the climate crisis through innovative communication and behavior change strategies. Mission: The C3BC confronts the climate crisis by creatively communicating and transforming human behavior. It recognizes climate change as the defining existential challenge of our time. Vision: The center aims to usher in a sustainable and equitable future where both humans and nature flourish. It does so by leading interdisciplinary and international research, practice, and policy innovations.16) Center for Environmental Journalism (CEJ) Critical role in enhancing public understanding of environmental issues through journalism and professional development. One of the center’s flagship programs is the Ted Scripps Fellowship in Environmental Journalism, which offers exceptional journalists the opportunity to engage in in-depth study and reporting on environmental topics. 17) Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR) Empowers current and future business leaders to address social, environmental, and ethical challenges. CESR is committed to creating a more sustainable, inclusive, and ethical world. The center has particularly strong networks in ESG/sustainability, the natural products industry, and the clean energy sector. CESR supports and shares faculty research related to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and sustainability.

There are 7 Sustainability-Inclusive Centers, Institutes and Units at CU Boulder. 1) CU Boulder’s Climate Action Plan Relies on the university’s strengths in research to advance just and equitable climate solutions that address mitigation, adaptation and resilience. 2) The ATLAS Institute An interdisciplinary institute for radical creativity and invention. They transform ingenious ideas into reality through research, experimentation and critical thinking. They make tangible and digital tools and methods that shape how people interact with the world for a more inclusive, inspired and sustainable society. 3) BioFrontiers Institute A unique interdisciplinary community of scientists driven by the mission of improving global health and welfare through collaborative, boundary-pushing bioscience. Our science brings together physicists/ computer scientists/ mathematicians/ chemists/ engineers/ biologists in one building to solve complex problems. 4) Aerospace Mechanics Research Center (AMReC) While specific sustainability initiatives at AMReC are not explicitly outlined, it’s essential to recognize that aerospace research inherently contributes to sustainability efforts through creating lightweight structures, efficient propulsion systems, materials innovation, and space exploration. 5) Business Research Division (BRD) While the BRD’s primary focus isn’t sustainability research, its economic analyses and forecasts contribute to informed decision-making, which indirectly impacts sustainable practices within Colorado’s business landscape. 6) Center for Critical Thought (CCT) With its deep legacy in the humanities, the center encourages and sustains a critical reexamination of our present situation in its political, economic, social, and legal dimensions. In the intersecting registers of sexism, racism, xenophobia, climate change, and more, the purpose of the center is to inspire CU students and scholars toward the elaboration of a critical practice of social transformation. 7) Center for Geochemical Analysis of the Global Environment (GAGE) Promotes fundamental research in the development and application of analytical methods. These methods reveal past and present changes in Earth’s climate, its land surface, and major biogeochemical cycles.