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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CO-LABS Media Contact:
Dan Powers
CO-LABS Executive Director
720-815-3244
2023 Governor's Awards Recognize the Best of
$2 Billion in Federal Research in the State of Colorado
CO-LABS honors Colorado’s top scientists and engineers for the 13th year, with winning research projects around drought resiliency, 5G interference and equitable carbon measurement
DENVER, Colo., October 11, 2023 – Colorado’s non-profit consortium of federal laboratories, research institutions and development organizations, CO-LABS, is recognizing some of the state’s top federal research projects and scientists at the 2023 Governor’s Awards at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science on Wednesday, October 11, from 5:00 - 9:00 pm.
This highly anticipated ceremony will celebrate four winners' groundbreaking work in Colorado, which has one of the nation’s highest concentrations of federally-funded research. “Their incredible work has global impact beyond our state,” said CO-LABS Executive Director Dan Powers. “The annual Governor’s Award provides a unique opportunity to recognize our state’s prestigious scientific community, and highlight their central role in worldwide innovation that significantly contributes to Colorado’s economy.” The 2023 awards recognize brilliant and impactful partnerships, technologies and research across a spectrum of scientific fields:
• The “We Are Water” project is this year’s winner of the Pathfinding Partnership Award, which brings together diverse indigenous, scientific and education partners to enhance community resilience in the face of climate impacts like drought and wildfire. The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado Boulder, funded by the National Science Foundation, collaborated on water exhibits, storytelling sessions and community activities conducted in Navajo, Ute, Spanish and English languages.
• Researchers from the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) will receive the Technology Transfer Award for swiftly addressing concerns about interference between 5G wireless technology and aircraft radar altimeters. With an impact of $80 billion on 5G wireless spectrum licenses, ITS collaborated with wireless companies, airlines and federal agencies to design suitable altimeter filters - allowing 5G services to operate near airports.
• Dr. K. Shankari will receive the Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award for her groundbreaking research that empowers underrepresented communities to understand their travel behavior in the support of decarbonization. Shankari created an open-source transportation data tool at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, CO, which is now used by more than 15 communities worldwide to collect and analyze their own transportation data and shift behaviors from car-centric to people-centric decarbonization.
• Dr. Alan Rudolph will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. Recently retired as Vice President of Research at Colorado State University, Rudolph is a former leader of U.S. Biodefense, Biosecurity and Biotechnology programs at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security. Dr. Rudolph is also a serial entrepreneur and founder of Cellphire, a biotechnology company in phase II human clinical trials for freeze-dried platelets that drastically extend the shelf life of existing liquid solutions.
Keynote speaker for the ceremony, Dr. Jorge Rocca, will discuss the incredible research on fusion energy being conducted at Colorado State University and the recently announced $150 million partnership investment by Marvel Fusion to construct one of the most powerful laser facilities in the world on the Fort Collins campus.
The Awards event is open to all, tickets and details can be found at https://bit.ly/3Qchtpv.
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CO-LABS is a non-profit consortium of federal laboratories, research institutions, businesses and economic development organizations that provide financial and in-kind support for programs that promote the retention and expansion of Colorado scientific resources. Through events, economic analyses, strategic communications and networking activities we work to:
• PROMOTE Colorado as a global leader in research and technology
• EDUCATE the public about the labs’ impact and importance of sustained funding for research • CONNECT the labs, universities and businesses to facilitate partnerships and technology transfer
To learn more, visit www.CO-LABS.org or contact Executive Director Dan Powers at awards@co-labs.org.
Governor’s Awards for High Impact Research:
Started in 2009, the annual Governor's Awards for High-Impact Research celebrates the brilliant ground-breaking discoveries and innovative research from Colorado’s ecosystem of federally-funded laboratories and institutions. That year, following the creation of CO-LABS in 2007, Governor Bill Ritter suggested hosting a celebratory and spotlighting event; the various labs were prompted to submit nominations and a Selection Committee was convened of professional researchers, technologists, academics and economic development experts to identify remarkable research having “high impact” on society.
Each year at this event, CO-LABS spotlights the men and women creating our future through brilliant technological and engineering discoveries in aerospace, energy, agriculture, public health, weather prediction, wildlife ecology, communication, earth science and dozens of other fields of research right here in our Colorado communities. Over the years, Colorado governors Bill Ritter, John Hickenlooper and Jared Polis have presented and/or spoken in support of the winners with these awards, recognizing their impact on our country's leadership in science.
See more videos and information from the 2022 Awards at www.2022GovAwards.com. The 2023 Awards website will be launched soon, with further announcements to come.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CO-LABS Media Contact:
Dan Powers
CO-LABS Executive Director
720-815-3244
CO-LABS Announces Winners of the 2023 Governor's Awards for High-Impact Research
13th Annual Event Honors Colorado’s Top Scientists and Engineers
for Projects Having a Significant Impact on Society
DENVER, CO – September 8, 2023: CO-LABS has announced the four winners of the 2023 Governor's Award for High-Impact Research. This highly anticipated recognition ceremony gathers scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs, business leaders and government officials to celebrate the world-class, groundbreaking and truly impactful work of scientists from Colorado’s federally-funded research labs and institutions.
The winners will be formally recognized and celebrated on Wednesday, October 11 from 5:00 pm - 9:00pm at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Boulevard in Denver, Colorado. Winners’ information and registration details are available at https://2023GovAwards.eventbrite.com
“Colorado has one of the highest per capita concentrations of federal science, research and engineering facilities in the nation, with renowned scientists whose research has global impact in a range of fields including agriculture, climate and weather, earth science, materials science,, renewable energy, aerospace and space physics, bioscience, wildlife, ecology, nano and quantum technologies,” said CO-LABS Executive Director Dan Powers. “This prestigious event provides a unique opportunity to connect with leading scientists, lab directors, business leaders and policymakers in an informal and celebratory setting, as we highlight the labs’ role in innovation and their significant contribution to the state economy.”
There are four Awards this year, which recognize brilliant and impactful partnerships, technologies and research across a spectrum of scientific fields:
• The Pathfinding Partnership Award recognizes research that engaged four or more distinct research entities in Colorado (with at least two being federally-funded labs) whose results leveraged the resources and strengths among partnering organizations – and demonstrate the power of collaboration.
“We Are Water Exhibit and Research Program Inspires Awareness and Change in Desert Southwest"
Lead Organization: Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES)at the University of Colorado Boulder, a joint institute with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The We Are Water project brought together diverse partners, including Indigenous education organizations, local libraries, and climate scientists to enhance community resilience in the face of climate change impacts like drought and wildfires. This multi-entity education-focused research team collaborated on water exhibits, storytelling sessions, lessons, and community activities conducted in English, Spanish, Navajo, and Ute languages, leading to increased community engagement, awareness, and respect for different perspectives on water. By centering the expertise and experiences of all collaborators, the project resulted in a more inclusive exhibit and a model for meaningful community-research partnerships.
For more info reach Katy Human, CIRES Communications Director,
kathleen.human@colorado.edu 303-522-8961
• The Technology Transfer Award recognizes research that resulted in a technological solution with widespread and/or significantly measurable societal utilization, with related impact on a global challenge or issue.
"Radiofrequency Measurements to Address Electromagnetic Compatibility between Radar Altimeters and 5G Base Stations"
Lead organization: Institute for Telecommunication Sciences at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), U.S. Department of Commerce
Researchers from the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) swiftly addressed concerns regarding potential interference between new C-Band 5G base stations and airborne radar altimeters. Collaborating with a diverse group of stakeholders including wireless companies, airlines, technology companies and other federal agencies they designed and executed comprehensive airborne measurements of 5G radiation patterns, concluding that altimeter receivers with suitable filters and suppression mechanisms would not experience interference. Their data played a pivotal role in resolving concerns that had delayed 5G commercial services deployment near airports, ultimately enabling full-power 5G deployments on July 1, 2023, following an $80 billion spectrum license auction.
• The Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award spotlights the discoveries and remarkable work of someone having more recently started on their path of scientific discovery. We look for significant demonstration of initiative, Inspiration, collaboration skills, and other skills and attributes, including the ability to inform and inspire others.
Winner: Dr. K. Shankari
Dr. K. Shankari is a trailblazing expert in open-source computer systems for sustainable transportation. Her groundbreaking research in computational mobility, spanning over 30 publications and reports, focuses on understanding and influencing travel behavior to support decarbonization and improve global transportation infrastructure. Dr. Shankari's vision led to the creation of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Open Platform for Agile Trip Heuristics (OpenPATH), a groundbreaking open-source tool that empowers communities to collect and analyze their own transportation data, removing financial barriers and democratizing access. Her dedication to equitable access to transportation data was honed through advocacy and committee service, inspiring her mission to provide a comprehensive view of travel behavior, including micromobility, in underrepresented communities. Dr. Shankari's work is bridging the data gap and shifting the focus from car-centric to people-centric transportation decarbonization, with over 15 communities worldwide benefiting from NREL OpenPATH.
For more info reach David Glickson, Media Relations Lead, David.Glickson@nrel.gov 303-275-4097
• The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes discoveries with impacts that have developed over more than 15 years, that have revealed profound new understandings of foundational science and/or theories within a given field and the resulting impact on society.
Winner: Dr. Alan Rudolph
Dr. Rudolph recently retired as VP of Research at Colorado State University, was our leader as CO-LABS Board Chair and Director for several years and is a former leader of the U.S. Biodefense, Biosecurity and Biotechnology programs at the DARPA, DoD and DHS . Dr. Rudolph is also a serial entrepreneur and founder of Cellphire, a biotechnology company in phase II human clinical trials for freeze-dried platelets. He has published over 100 papers and 15 patents; come learn even more about his legacy and next plans at the event!
“The Institute for Telecommunication Sciences in Boulder exemplifies the evidence-based policymaking that is NTIA’s hallmark,” said Alan Davidson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator. “By producing objective data that the public can trust, ITS aided federal agencies working to ensure airline safety while also promoting new 5G wireless deployments. Thank you to CO-LABS for recognizing the terrific efforts of NTIA’s Colorado colleagues.”
“I’m so pleased this team has been recognized for its highly collaborative and high-impact work in Colorado and beyond. We Are Water is founded on the principle of authentic partnership; how appropriate that it has earned a Pathfinding Partnership award” said Waleed Abdalati, Director of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science (CIRES) at CU Boulder.
Numerous technology, research, economic development and engineering organizations with an interest in having a robust innovation ecosystem in Colorado are sponsoring the Awards; including Presenting Sponsor the Alliance for Sustainable Energy.
Other major supporters include Colorado State University, the University of Colorado Boulder Research and Innovation Office, GE Johnson, The City of Boulder, Ball Aerospace, WinterWinds Robotics, Fennemore, Manufacturers EDGE, the Colorado School of Mines, and many more.
Additional speakers and special guest announcements to come.
About the Governor’s Awards for High-Impact Research:
Started in 2009, the annual Governor's Awards for High-Impact Research celebrates the brilliant ground-breaking discoveries and innovative research from Colorado’s ecosystem of federally-funded laboratories and institutions. That year, following the creation of CO-LABS in 2007, Governor Bill Ritter suggested hosting a celebratory and spotlighting event; the various labs were prompted to submit nominations and a Selection Committee was convened of professional researchers, technologists, academics, and economic development experts to identify remarkable research having “high impact” on society.
Each year at this event, CO-LABS spotlights the men and women creating our future through brilliant technological and engineering discoveries in aerospace, energy, agriculture, public health, weather prediction, wildlife ecology, communication, earth science, and dozens of other fields of research right here in our Colorado communities. Over the years Colorado Governors Bill Ritter, John Hickenlooper, and Jared Polis have presented and/or spoken in support of the winners with these awards, recognizing their impact on our country's leadership in science.
See more videos and information from the 2022 Awards at www.2022GovAwards.com.
About CO-LABS:
CO-LABS is a non-profit consortium of federal laboratories, research institutions, businesses and economic development organizations that provide financial and in-kind support for programs that promote the retention and expansion of Colorado scientific resources. Through events, economic analyses, strategic communications and networking activities we work to:
• PROMOTE Colorado as a global leader in research and technology
• EDUCATE the public about the labs’ impact and importance of sustained funding for research
• CONNECT the labs, universities and businesses to facilitate partnerships and technology transfer
To learn more, visit www.CO-LABS.org or contact Executive Director Dan Powers at awards@co-labs.org.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CO-LABS Media Contact:
Dan Powers
CO-LABS Executive Director
720-815-3244
CO-LABS Announces Keynote Speaker for the 2023 Governor's Awards for High-Impact Research:
Dr. Jorge Rocca, PhD will Describe the Major Fusion Energy Research Campus Coming to Colorado State University
DENVER, CO – September 20, 2023: Building on the announcement of the winners of the 2023 Governor's Award for High-Impact Research CO-LABS is pleased to announce the keynote presenter will be Dr. Jorge Rocca.
Dr. Jorge Rocca is a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Department of Physics at Colorado State University. His research interests are in the physics and development of high-power lasers and the study of ultra-intense laser-matter interactions including applications to fusion energy His group has also developed, ALEPH, one of the most powerful lasers in the world accessible to users through LaserNet US, and kilowatt average power ultrafast solid-state lasers. He and his collaborators have shown that intense laser irradiation of ordered nanostructures creates an ultra-high energy density plasma environment that leads to extreme degree of ionization and micro-scale fusion. The results of his research are published in more than 300 peer review journal papers. He received the Arthur L. Schawlow Prize in Laser Science from the American Physical Society (APS) and the Willis E. Lamb Award for Laser Science and Quantum Optics. He was elected Fellow of the APS , OPTICA, and IEEE. Early in his career he was an NSF Presidential Young Investigator.
Dr. Rocca will discuss the incredible research on fusion energy being conducted at the ALEPH, one of the most powerful lasers in the world. He will also inspire us with the vision for the recently announced partnership with Marvel Fusion to construct one of the most powerful laser facilities in the world at Colorado State University, creating an international epicenter for research into inertial fusion energy. This $150M investment will provide the CSU campus with "a dream facility for discovery." Read more here.
His presentation will be a part of the highly anticipated recognition event hosted by CO-LABS, the 2023 Governor’s Awards for High Impact Research. This ceremony gathers scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs, business leaders and government officials to celebrate the world-class, groundbreaking and truly impactful work of scientists from Colorado’s federally-funded research labs and institutions.
The winners will be formally recognized and celebrated on Wednesday, October 11 from 5:00 pm - 9:00pm at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Boulevard in Denver, Colorado. Winners’ information and registration details are available at https://2023GovAwards.eventbrite.com
“Colorado has one of the highest per capita concentrations of federal science, research and engineering facilities in the nation, with renowned scientists whose research has global impact in a range of fields including agriculture, climate and weather, earth science, materials science,, renewable energy, aerospace and space physics, bioscience, wildlife, ecology, nano and quantum technologies,” said CO-LABS Executive Director Dan Powers. “This prestigious event provides a unique opportunity to connect with leading scientists, lab directors, business leaders and policymakers in an informal and celebratory setting, as we highlight the labs’ role in innovation and their significant contribution to the state economy.”
There are four Awards this year, which recognize brilliant and impactful partnerships, technologies and research across a spectrum of scientific fields:
• The Pathfinding Partnership Award recognizes research that engaged four or more distinct research entities in Colorado (with at least two being federally-funded labs) whose results leveraged the resources and strengths among partnering organizations – and demonstrate the power of collaboration.
• The Technology Transfer Award recognizes research that resulted in a technological solution with widespread and/or significantly measurable societal utilization, with related impact on a global challenge or issue.
• The Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award spotlights the discoveries and remarkable work of someone having more recently started on their path of scientific discovery. We look for significant demonstration of initiative, Inspiration, collaboration skills, and other skills and attributes, including the ability to inform and inspire others.
• The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes discoveries with impacts that have developed over more than 15 years, that have revealed profound new understandings of foundational science and/or theories within a given field and the resulting impact on society.
About the Governor’s Awards for High-Impact Research:
Started in 2009, the annual Governor's Awards for High-Impact Research celebrates the brilliant ground-breaking discoveries and innovative research from Colorado’s ecosystem of federally-funded laboratories and institutions. That year, following the creation of CO-LABS in 2007, Governor Bill Ritter suggested hosting a celebratory and spotlighting event; the various labs were prompted to submit nominations and a Selection Committee was convened of professional researchers, technologists, academics, and economic development experts to identify remarkable research having “high impact” on society.
Each year at this event, CO-LABS spotlights the men and women creating our future through brilliant technological and engineering discoveries in aerospace, energy, agriculture, public health, weather prediction, wildlife ecology, communication, earth science, and dozens of other fields of research right here in our Colorado communities. Over the years Colorado Governors Bill Ritter, John Hickenlooper, and Jared Polis have presented and/or spoken in support of the winners with these awards, recognizing their impact on our country's leadership in science. See more videos and information from the 2022 Awards at www.2022GovAwards.com.
About CO-LABS:
CO-LABS is a non-profit consortium of federal laboratories, research institutions, businesses and economic development organizations that provide financial and in-kind support for programs that promote the retention and expansion of Colorado scientific resources. Through events, economic analyses, strategic communications, and networking activities we work to:
• PROMOTE Colorado as a global leader in research and technology
• EDUCATE the public about the labs’ impact and the importance of sustained funding for research • CONNECT the labs, universities and businesses to facilitate partnerships and technology transfer
To learn more, visit www.CO-LABS.org or contact Executive Director Dan Powers at awards@co-labs.org.