David Wineland, a lecturer in CU-Boulder’s physics department and a researcher at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, won the 2012 Nobel Prize in physics for his work using laser cooling to trap individual ions, allowing researchers to manipulate and measure individual quantum systems. He shared the prize with France’s Serge Haroche.
Several CU-Boulder research faculty from the National Snow and Ice Data Center shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former Vice President Al Gore for their contributions to the international report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Professor John Hall won the 2005 Nobel Prize in physics for his contributions to the development of laser-based precision spectroscopy.
Distinguished Professor Carl Wieman and Professor Eric Cornell won the 2001 Nobel Prize in physics for creating a new form of matter called Bose-Einstein condensate.
Distinguished Professor Thomas Cech won the 1989 Nobel Prize in chemistry for his discovery that RNA in living cells can function as a biocatalyst.
National Medal of Science
Four professors have been awarded the National Medal of Science, the nation’s highest scientific honor:
Distinguished Professor Marvin Caruthers, chemistry and biochemistry, 2006
The late Professor Gilbert White, geography, 2000
Nobel Laureate and Distinguished Professor Thomas Cech, chemistry, 1995
The late Professor Keith Porter, molecular, cellular, and developmental biology, 1976
20 active or retired faculty are National Academy of Science members.
20 active or retired faculty are American Academy of Arts and Sciences members.
14 active or retired faculty are National Academy of Engineering members.
Six active or retired faculty are National Academy of Education members.
Fellows or Investigators
50 active or retired faculty are fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Four faculty are Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigators.
Nine professors have received Packard Fellowships.
10 professors have received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
10 professors have been awarded Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowships.
Two faculty have won the National Science Foundation Director’s Award for Distinguished Teaching Scholars.
102 faculty have been named Fulbright Scholars.
Seven faculty have received MacArthur Fellowships, known as the “genius grant.”
29 active or retired faculty members are University of Colorado Distinguished Professors.
Teaching Excellence Programs
The Faculty Teaching Excellence Program (FTEP) offers a wealth of opportunities and resources to assist CU-Boulder faculty in refining their teaching skills in order to create more engaging interactive learning environments for CU students.
The President’s Teaching Scholars Program recognizes faculty from all four CU campuses for excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, and creative work.
The Hazel Barnes Prize recognizes one outstanding CU-Boulder teacher who has made significant contributions in a field of study.
Up to 12 Boulder Faculty Assembly awards of excellence are given annually to faculty members in three categories: Teaching, Service, and Research, Scholarly, and Creative Work.