I’ve always loved springtime in Colorado, filled with both promise and change. One minute our beautiful state is shaking off its winter coat to reveal crocuses in my back yard, and the next, it’s blanketed under a thick layer of snow. 

Whether you’re soaking up a patch of sun in a nearby park or slashing through fresh powder in a final run of the season, spring brings countless opportunities to enjoy Colorado’s great outdoors. 

At CU, our people are doing amazing work to ensure that all of us can continue to enjoy the state’s wild – and not so wild – areas that we love so much. We’re conducting vital research and working to conserve precious resources, like our mountains, rivers, prairies and wildlife. We’re helping to develop innovations in outdoor gear. We’re working to ensure the good health and well-being of all Coloradans, so they can continue participating in their favorite outdoor activities. 

For more than a century, CU Boulder’s Mountain Research Station has been the site of critical alpine research and education. The interdisciplinary and internationally renowned facility located north of Nederland has made significant contributions to better understanding the environmental science of mountain systems. It’s part of the National Ecological Observatory Network and among its many research initiatives is the Mountain Climate Program, established in 1952, which evaluates the relationship between climate and the major ecosystems of Colorado’s Front Range. By giving us insights into the mountains we love so much, we can work to help them thrive for generations to come.

CU Denver’s Outside Lab, a collaboration with Outside Interactive, Inc., is the site of testing and product development to identify the next great innovation in gear. Part of the College of Engineering, Design and Computing, the Outside Lab uses teams of CU engineers to test the performance of both finished goods and raw materials. Graduate students work with faculty to perform standard and customized tests for industry, including puncture and strength testing, durability and wear, air permeability and much more. Our students get unparalleled hands-on experience and companies get help with their product research and development. 

Our CU Anschutz medical campus is on track to receive 2.6 million patient visits this year. In addition to world class medical care, the campus is the site of extraordinary research and innovation, some of which is harnessing the power of nature to help conquer disease. Researchers at the CU Cancer Center, for example, are working to develop a synthetic molecule based on a chemical found in the firecracker bush – a red-flowering plant that grows in the Southwest and Mexico – to target cancer stem cells and prevent their growth and metastasis. The research is funded by the Anschutz Acceleration Initiative, which seeks to rapidly advance healthcare therapies and innovations poised to have a direct impact on patients within the next three to five years.    

UCCS, our campus in Colorado Springs, has teamed up with the CU School of Medicine to offer a hybrid doctor of physical therapy program that allows students to remain in their communities as they earn their degree. UCCS students in the program take online classes and travel to campus for immersive lab sessions during the semester. Additionally, the program offers students clinical experiences in the Colorado Springs area. Ideal for those seeking to live and work as physical therapists in Southern Colorado, the program is also helping to address the health care needs of people in our rural communities so they can remain active and vibrant. 

I love living in Colorado with our four seasons and the many changes they bring. The next time you’re out enjoying a spring day, breath in our state’s wonder, beauty and its ability to adapt and thrive. It’s an honor to work at the University of Colorado where we're focused on advancing our great state and supporting the things Coloradans love. For more information about what we’re doing out of love for Colorado, visit lovecolorado.com