Kristi Anseth, a Distinguished Professor and Tisone Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, has been awarded the prestigious  in recognition of her pioneering research in tissue engineering. Winners were selected from nearly 1,500 scientific nominations spanning more than 80 countries and territories worldwide.

Anseth, also the associate faculty director of CU Boulder’s BioFrontiers Institute, said she was deeply honored to receive the recognition.

“It is one that I will cherish for years to come,” said Anseth after being presented with the award Dec. 6 at the 2024 VinFuture Prize Award Ceremony in Hanoi, Vietnam. “I thank the VinFuture Foundation for sponsoring this award to highlight the innovation of women in science and engineering.”

Anseth designs biomaterials that interact with living tissues to promote repair and regeneration, aiding in healing injuries and diseases. Her lab works with hydrogels—a degradable biomaterial—to deliver molecules at the right time and sequence to accelerate the healing process. Her team is also growing miniaturized versions of heart cells and tissues, known as organoids, to better understand disease mechanisms and explore new types of heart disease treatments, such as to repair heart muscles after heart attacks.

Anseth said she has been fortunate to work in the dynamic and evolving field of biomaterials and to be working at CU Boulder.

“The translation of bioengineering across biology and medicine remains a frontier with many opportunities to explore,” she said. "I believe that many of the major breakthroughs in the next decade will continue at this interface and lead to improvements in healthcare for people everywhere.

“CU Boulder has provided an amazing environment for a nearly 30-year career. I started as a faculty member in 1996, and the community of faculty and students has been an amazing environment to support my own learning and creativity. What’s the phrase—'minds to match our mountains’? I feel fortunate to be surrounded by exceptional people.”

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Bowman Endowed Professor Jason Burdick of the BioFrontiers Institute and the Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering has been .

"NAM membership reflects the height of professional achievement and commitment to service," and Jason was chosen "for innovative biomaterials and biofabrication techniques and their application as in vitro models of biological and disease processes, as well as therapies for the repair and regeneration of injured musculoskeletal and cardiovascular tissues."

Jason's impactful work has also resulted in him being named among the Top 1% of Highly Cited Researchers by Clarivate Analytics/Web of Science and founding multiple companies to translate his lab's work into biomedical solutions.

The NAM Class of 2024 includes 100 new members elected by current members, bringing total membership to over 2400.

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Three faculty members from the CU Boulder College of Engineering and Applied Science are conducting projects awarded through the U.S. Department of Defense’s . 

The highly competitive research program has been enabling major contributions to military capabilities and producing commercial sector applications since 1985. 

“Our college emphasizes collaboration across various research disciplines,” said Michael Gooseff, associate dean for research in the College of Engineering and Applied Science. “By prioritizing programs like MURI, we harness the diverse expertise across STEM fields to push the envelope for scientific breakthroughs.” 

The three new MURI projects in the college include:  

• Mahmoud Hussein, professor in aerospace engineering sciences and in physics, will improve air flow across the wings and bodies of hypersonic aircraft through the use of phononic subsurface materials; 
• ​Francois Barthelat, professor in mechanical engineering, will develop and validate models for the failure of materials and structures under extreme loads; and
• ​Scott Diddams, professor in electrical, computer and energy engineering and in physics, will examine the fundamental limits in heterodyne detection of thermal radiation with laser light.

Hussein is the main principal investigator and represents CU Boulder as the lead institution for that MURI project. Barthelat and Diddams will be collaborating on projects led by faculty from other peer institutions.

Each project will receive an average award of $7.5 million over the next five years. 

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CU Boulder today announced seven winners of the 2023-2024 translational quantum research seed grants incentivizing quantum science and technology innovations launched from the lab to accelerate them along the development path to new programs and businesses.

In April 2023, the Colorado Economic Development Commission approved nearly $1.5 million to help connect discoveries from basic and applied research to Colorado’s startup ecosystem and provide effective pathways for Colorado students to enter the quantum workforce. These translational quantum research seed grants, which are being administered by CU Boulder, are one of the first results of that funding.

“Colorado’s wealth of academic and national laboratory researchers, along with a thriving ecosystem of established and startup quantum science and technology companies, provides one-of-a-kind opportunities for students, researchers and our workforce,” said Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation and Dean of the Institutes Massimo Ruzzene. “The goal of these seed grants is to help researchers accelerate their discoveries towards commercialization. The success of quantum translation, of which these grants are a part, also has important implications for our national economy and national security.”

The awarded projects—rooted in research advances with demonstrable commercial potential—include three led by university researchers, all from CU Boulder, and four led by commercial enterprises that are pioneering the translation of quantum discoveries into products and services driving economic and everyday impact for Colorado and society. Each award provides $50,000 to advance each project and will be deployed over a period of 18 months. Additional seed grants will be made available through a similar process in each of the next two years.

“Colorado leads the world in quantum innovation, quantum companies and quantum jobs,” said Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) Executive Director Eve Lieberman. “The seed grants announced today are an important step to connect quantum discoveries in the lab to the commercial sector, continuing our state’s leadership in this important new technology and supporting the creation of new businesses and new jobs.”

The seed grants—which were made available to any Colorado research institution or industry partner—are part of an increasing investment to expand on Colorado’s longstanding reputation as a hub of quantum science and technology discovery. The region’s legacy in the global quantum community is largely a result of decades of leadership and breakthroughs emanating from the triad of CU Boulder, NIST and JILA, including four Nobel Prizes in physics awarded to affiliated quantum researchers.

In the context of an accelerating global competition to realize the vast potential promised by quantum science and technology, the push for quantum advances has been the focus of considerable public- and private-sector investment across industries in recent years. In Colorado, quantum-related activity is extending beyond the traditional Boulder triad to include a growing web of interconnected ventures that are inventing and innovating to translate research advances into commercially viable products that advance frontiers of quantum to benefit society broadly.

The CUbit Quantum Initiative at CU Boulder—a leading player in both administering the grant program and facilitating the success of the university’s quantum research productivity—is an interdisciplinary hub for quantum research intended to advance the quantum ecosystem broadly. Crafted to focus the nexus of CU Boulder, the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s physics division (as a core component of JILA) and quantum-focused companies, CUbit aims to advance fundamental science and build a strong foundation for novel quantum technologies and their rapid dissemination, application and commercialization.

“Colorado already has the highest number of quantum-related companies in the nation,” said Scott Sternberg, executive director of CUbit. “These grants, and those in upcoming years, will help keep the translation pipeline healthy and thereby grow our economy.”

• Quantum Science & Technology

Translational Quantum Research Seed Grant Awards

*All awards are $50,000 and for a duration of 18 months

• Longji Cui: “Quantum electronics driven photocatalysis for efficient clean fuel generation and decarbonization”
  CU Boulder; Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering
• Charlie Danaher: “Adaptive cooling technology”
  Danaher Cryogenics, Ltd.
• Rozhin Eskandarpour: “Translating quantum contingency analysis from lab to the field”
  Resilient Entanglement Inc.
• Murray Holland: “Developing a strontium optical lattice atom interferometer”
  CU Boulder; Department of Physics
• Poolad Imany: “Scalable optical cavity nonfabrication for efficient entanglement generation with artificial atoms”
  Icarus Quantum, Inc.
• Philip Makotyn: “Enabling technology for quantum applications: narrow linewidth innovative lasers”
  Vexlum US
• Greg Rieker: “Carcinogenic air pollutant monitoring with dual-comb spectroscopy”
  CU Boulder; Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering

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Camila Uzcategui is the CEO and co-founder of . Her venture into 3D printing commenced from a desire to contribute to global healthcare significantly. Through her experiences in NGOs and nonprofits, she identified a glaring need for essential medical devices in health clinics, sowing the seeds for her exploration into additive manufacturing.

Uzcategui’s academic endeavor led her to a PhD in Material Science and Engineering, concentrating on 3D printing applications, which she accomplished in 2021. Her dissertation was centered on the characterization of materials for 3D printing aimed at tissue engineering and regeneration, understanding resins to predict the quality of 3D printing structures accurately. 

Uzcategui remarked, “If we are good at characterizing resins, then we can be even better at matching the mechanical properties of these particular types of tissues.”

But rather than work with more established 3D printing technology, Uzcategui’s company has gone towards volumetric 3D printing, or as they prefer to call it, Volumetric Additive Manufacturing. 

 Prototype HD-VAM system at the Vitro3D lab in Boulder. Photo via Vitro3D.

Vote now in the. 

Pioneering Volumetric Additive Manufacturing: Vitro3D’s Strategic Shift Towards Industry-Relevant Solutions

Volumetric additive manufacturing is a nascent yet promising facet of advanced manufacturing technology. While the traditional layer-by-layer 3D printing was the focus of Uzcategui’s Ph.D., the exploration into volumetric additive manufacturing came post-PhD during her post-doctoral work, spurred by its potential to surmount challenges like support structures and handling highly viscous resins. 

Uzcategui underscored the advantage of volumetric technology over conventional 3D printing methods, stating, “It was awesome to see what challenges that current layer-by-layer 3D printing could not overcome, while volumetric was like, ‘Oh, we’re not worried about that,’ like support structures, for example, or highly viscous resins.” This transition initially unfolded as more of a “passion project,” shifting from standard 3D printing to a technology that efficiently addresses these hurdles.

Regarding the strategic vision, Vitro3D was keen to avoid the typical deep tech startups’ dilemma of being “solutions looking for a problem.” Uzcategui expressed a proactive stance in identifying industries beyond healthcare that could benefit promptly from this technology, acknowledging that realizing the “big dream” of tissue engineering would be a long-term endeavor, likely spanning 5 to 10 years.

Vitro3D is now eyeing sectors like electronics and dentistry, where volumetric technology could significantly impact in the near term. This pragmatic approach aims at ensuring the company isn’t “raising money for 5 years without revenue” but engaging in meaningful, revenue-generating ventures that edge closer to their ultimate goal of revolutionizing tissue engineering and regeneration.

 Vitro3D as an industrial process that can be either a standalone or an integrated process. Image via Vitro3D.

The Intricacies of Volumetric Additive Manufacturing: A Deep Dive with Vitro3D’s CEO

Uzcategui described how volumetric 3D printing manipulates light from various angles to create a 3D object from a virtual model. Uzcategui highlighted, “The algorithm is the most important part because that is how we take a 3D virtual object and decompose it in these different angles, and then reproject it, to create a 3D object in the resin. That is all based on a complex algorithm, which generates the projected images.” It is crucial to account for material properties and the resin’s reaction to light, ensuring the resin receives the precise amount of light for polymerization. The software is the key that unlocks this capability.

Exploring the mechanism further, Uzcategui mentioned that Vitro3D invented a new high dimensionality volumetric additive manufacturing (HD VAM) method where a translating two-dimensional cone of light is utilized, thereby inputting four dimensions of information into the material as opposed to the conventional three. She noted, “We call it high dimensionality VAM because rather than just inputting three dimensions of information via rotation and a two-dimensional image, we’re putting four dimensions of information through translation in X and Y and a two-dimensional cone of light containing information.”

The light source, typically a laser, is crucial for maintaining high-quality light with a long focus, which is essential for projecting through the entire volume. Uzcategui stated, “We want our depth of focus to be as big as possible, starting with 3 cm.”

Addressing the size limitation inherent in volumetric 3D printing due to the depth dimension, Uzcategui detailed how the HD VAM method decouples dimensions, allowing for more extensive dimensions in X and Y while retaining a small dimension in depth. Vitro3D’s approach has an eye on broader industrial applications.

Scaling Volumetric Additive Manufacturing: Vitro3D’s Exploration into Larger Dimensions and Material Versatility

The company is making ongoing efforts to discern the maximum printing size possible with its technology. The current maximum stands at a diameter of eight centimeters, though Uzcategui hints at a tantalizing vision, “Could we have a cartridge the size of a desk rather than having a box? Could we have some sort of gantry system that can be installed in a manufacturing plant?”

This innovative approach aims to integrate the HD-VAM process seamlessly into existing manufacturing lines, potentially ushering in a new era of on-site, large-scale additive manufacturing. Central to this endeavor is their proprietary algorithm, described by Uzcategui as the “magic” behind their technology. This algorithm replicates the printing process before it commences, ensuring the resin polymerizes only where desired. Uzcategui explained, “The algorithm takes in information about the material, the optics, and the mechanics and simulates the printing process.” 

The conversation highlighted a significant advantage of volumetric 3D printing—its aptitude for handling highly viscous resins, a challenge for conventional layer-by-layer systems. In standard systems, resin flow for layer replenishment is a time-consuming bottleneck, particularly for highly viscous resins. However, Vitro3D’s technology bypasses this hurdle. Uzcategui elaborated, “Because no resin flows during the printing process, it’s just a static volume. We don’t care if the material is a solid. Regarding our viscosity limitations on the higher end, we haven’t found any so far because we’re not limited by material flow..”

Vitro3D’s pursuits reflect a compelling trajectory towards surmounting existing barriers in 3D printing technology, heralding a paradigm shift in how additive manufacturing integrates within traditional production environments.

Vitro3D Tackles Novel Material Challenges in 3D Printing

Certain resins crucial for electronic components and connectors present a viscosity challenge for traditional 3D printers. Uzcategui remarked on a particular case where a firm had to innovate around this challenge, “They had some success with their printer because they heat these viscous resins.” This example underscores the workaround necessitated by the limitations of existing layer-by-layer printing techniques when dealing with such materials.

Furthermore, Uzcategui highlighted the emergence of nano gels finding applications in the dental sector, which also presents a viscosity challenge. The viscosity increases with the nano gel loading, necessitating innovative processing methods to handle them efficiently.

Vitro3D’s HD-VAM technology emerges as a promising solution, aptly suited to process these innovative yet challenging materials without the need for additional heating or modified chambers, as required by some layer-by-layer printers.

The advantage manifests not only in the printing process itself, where volumetric printing materializes the object simultaneously, but extends to post-processing stages, often a bottleneck in the overall production timeline.

Uzcategui explained, “We have a huge advantage in speed because the part materializes at once, and you’re not going layer by layer, so a lot of the time, you’re cutting your speeds per part very significantly.” This speed enhancement is pivotal as it directly impacts the production lead time, a critical factor for industries aiming to reduce time-to-market.

Furthermore, she delved into the critical aspect of post-processing, highlighting that the absence of support structures in volumetric 3D printing significantly reduces the time spent on post-printing cleanup. She mentioned, “You’re printing without support structures or with very limited support structures in a different way that, layer by layer, 3D printing just can’t access.”

Uzcategui also touched on an essential point about ensuring quality and repeatability across parts, stating, “A huge focus of our company is to automate post-processing to get more reliable parts, not only in the printing but in the material properties themselves.” 

Vitro3D’s approach towards not just accelerating the printing process but also streamlining post-processing reflects a holistic understanding of industrial production needs. 

Cost Efficiency in Volumetric Additive Manufacturing: Vitro3D’s Software-Centric Approach

Vitro3D is gearing up to offer a cost-efficient approach to 3D printing, where the emphasis is not on expensive hardware but on intelligent software. Uzcategui explained that, unlike some 3D printing setups that could cost up to a million dollars, their system utilizes fairly standard hardware components similar to those used in traditional layer-by-layer 3D printers. The distinction lies in their proprietary algorithm, which drives the volumetric 3D printing process.

This software-centric approach, she suggests, not only keeps the hardware costs manageable but also allows for the development of custom hardware solutions tailored to the needs of their customers. Uzcategui adds, “We believe in an open resin system that allows customers to use their own materials in our HD-VAM system, where the material only needs to be certified by Vitro3D and added to the algorithm’s material library.” 

The main value proposition, as per Uzcategui, revolves around “providing software-based solutions” aimed at accelerating development in a manner that hardware alone can’t achieve. She added, “Our combination is more of a low-cost hardware,solution-based software approach, rather than trying to sell a piece of equipment for hundreds of thousands of dollars with service fees..”

The Challenges and Promise of Volumetric 3D Printing

The nascent stage of volumetric 3D printing has inherent limitations, especially in size and resolution, that prompt skepticism. Yet, Uzcategui is optimistic. She believes that despite these limitations, their HD-VAM volumetric 3D printing process holds a promise of solving significant challenges in certain industries, challenges that are beyond the reach of current 3D printers.

Uzcategui highlighted the growing restrictions on the use of ‘forever chemicals’ like PFAS and PFOA in Europe, restrictions she anticipates will soon be a global norm. She stated, “We can use highly viscous resins that can often have better material properties when it comes to toughness,” making volumetric 3D printing a likely candidate for creating alternatives to these chemicals.

One of the pivotal advantages of volumetric 3D printing, elucidated by Uzcategui, is the potential to disrupt traditional manufacturing steps. She illustrated this by referencing the creation of a simple electronic connector, explaining that currently, it requires multiple steps to encase metal with plastic. However, with volumetric 3D printing, one could “have a bunch of metal pieces inside of a cartridge, and then we can create a part around that metal,” eliminating several manufacturing steps, reducing waste, and potentially speeding up the iteration of new technology designs.

The discussion ventured into overprinting and overmolding, where volumetric 3D printing shines with its capability for creating high-value, high-mix, low-volume parts. Uzcategui sees this as a pathway to quickly iterate on new technologies without the hefty financial burden of tooling 

The intricacies of ensuring precise material behavior amidst a maelstrom of moving resin that’s constantly changing and shrinking demand a profound understanding and meticulous control of the light-material interaction. She highlights that the process is “dependent on understanding and crossing that gelation threshold,” indicating a razor-thin margin for error.

Noting the success of companies like Carbon, who have invested heavily in understanding how materials interact with light, Uzcategui underscores the elevated importance of this interaction in volumetric additive manufacturing. “In our case, we have a multidimensional process where the light-material interaction is even more important than layer-by-layer 3D printing,” she associated with standard manufacturing methods like injection molding.

With eyes set on commercialization, Vitro3D is on track to deploy its first off-site system next year and is in discussions with early adopters for pilot projects slated for late 2024. The startup’s journey toward commercialization is anchored in a collaborative ethos, aiming to work alongside industry players to craft solutions that address specific manufacturing hurdles.

As a fledgling startup, Vitro3D is also on a quest for industry talent and collaborative partnerships, a mission Uzcategui hopes to advance at the upcoming Formnext expo, one of Europe’s premier 3D printing events. There, she aims not only to showcase Vitro3D’s technology but also to forge connections in industries where their technology could resolve persistent manufacturing challenges.

Uzcategui sees the burgeoning interest and entry of other players in the volumetric 3D printing space as a testament to the technology’s growing legitimacy. She posited, “It’s awesome to see that there are other volumetric 3D printing companies out there and that we’re all solving challenges in very different ways. Not only does everybody have their own way of doing it, but we each have unique benefits.”

With a conviction that their tailored approach sets them apart in a competitive market, Vitro3D is inching closer to its goal of being a disruptive force in industrial technology, meeting customers exactly where their challenges lie.

Make sure to visit   during Formnext 2023; find them in Hall 11.1 at booth B55C.

What does the for the next ten years hold?

What will need to be tackled in the additive manufacturing sector in the coming decade?

To stay up to date with the latest 3D printing news, don’t forget to subscribe to the or follow us on, or like our page on.

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Are you looking for a job in the additive manufacturing industry? Visit for a selection of roles in the industry.

Featured image shows a prototype HD-VAM system at the Vitro3D lab in Boulder. Photo via Vitro3D.

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The MSE Program represents the exceptional materials community at CU Boulder, which includes many faculty recognized by major national bodies for outstanding research:

National Academies Members

• Kristi Anseth (NAE, NAS, NAM)
• Chris Bowman (NAE, NAM)
• Margaret Murnane (NAS)
• Henry Kapteyn (NAS)
• Noel Clark (NAS)
• Josef Michl (NAS)

National Academy of Inventors

• Kristi Anseth
• Chris Bowman
• Henry Kapetyn
• Margaret Murnane
• Richard Noble
• Jason Burdick
• Seth Marder

American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering

• Kristi Anseth
• Chris Bowman
• Stephanie Bryant
• Jason Burdick
• Ginger Ferguson
• Corey Neu

TEAMUP Consortium leader Prof. Mike McGehee, second from left, in a lab with three students at a computer.

Stephanie Bryant

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

As we round out the semester and the end of the year, I reflect on the outstanding faculty and students of the MSE Program at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) and their accomplishments over the past year. As director, I am honored to lead such a diverse and accomplished group of faculty and students.

Recognized Faculty

The MSE Program is proud to represent the exceptional materials community at CU Boulder that includes 6 faculty who are a member of one or more of the National Academies (Engineering, Science, and Medicine), 7 who are members of the National Academy of Inventors, and 6 who are members of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. Our faculty include a past president of the Materials Research Society and 8 MRS award-winners.

This year also saw three of our faculty ranked by Clarivate as highly cited researchers in 2023. The designation recognizes Profs. Jason Burdick, and for "significant and broad influence in their field(s) of research," ranking in the top 1% by citations in their field.

Our program has over 80 PhD students with our largest entering class this fall. The PhD program is the flagship of our educational mission. Our students are truly outstanding and each year our students win prestigious graduate research fellowships including the NSF GRFP.

Over the past year, our faculty continue to be at the forefront of new technology development. Several of our faculty received multi-million dollar awards to address the energy crisis and the failing infrastructure across the world.

Big Year for Research Awards

Professor Michael McGehee, Associate Director of MSE, received $9M from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) to establish the TEAMUP Consortium that aims to develop more stable and affordable tandem solar cells. The goal is to combine perovskite with existing silicone-based technology to increase power while lowering cost. This idea has received national attention and was recently showcased in Nature as a news feature. This consortium includes Professor Seth Marder and Professor Michael Tony.

Professor Mija Hubler received a $10M contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) . Her project is Reinforced Concrete Repair by an Evolving Internal Vascular Ecosystem or RC-REVIVE. The project draws inspiration from biological interconnected networks (e.g., human vascular systems and filamentous fungi) to create a novel way to heal cracks and increase the longevity of concrete.

I am truly impressed by the creativity and innovative approaches in the research by our faculty.

This year our faculty and students have been recognized through numerous awards. I highlight only a few of the many notable recognitions.

• Associate Professor Wil Srubar was selected as one of only nine in the 2023 cohort of Schmidt Science Polymaths. This high honor includes $500k/year for up to five years to explore risky new research ideas that will accelerate scientific breakthroughs.  Professor Srubar is recognized for his strong track record in engineered living materials.
• Professor Hendrik Heinz and MSE PhD Student Jordan Winetrout received the prestigious NASA Group Achievement Award for their design of lightweight, high-strength materials for spaceflight.
• Recently tenured Professor Adam Holewinski received a Fulbright to synthesize renewable fuels and chemicals at the Technical University of Denmark.
• Assistant Professor Sanghamitra Neogi received a $1M DARPA contract to address the problem of heat generation with tiny electronics.
• MSE PhD student Elliot Strand wins Best PhD Thesis Award from the journal Sensors for his work developing printed organic electronics for plant and environmental monitoring, which is the foundation for his new start-up company PAGE Technologies, Inc.

New Educational Programs

On the educational side, the MSE program launched an undergraduate MSE minor this Fall. We are excited to provide undergraduates at CU Boulder an opportunity to formally enrich their education with a focus on materials. As materials enable many other engineering and science disciplines, this minor will complement the various bachelor’s degrees and open new career opportunities for our students.

In addition, the MSE Program officially launches the NSF REU Site “Engineering Materials for a Healthy World,” which will begin next summer. The REU program will provide opportunities for students to participate at the forefront of materials research at CU Boulder. We are excited to welcome students from across the country.

There are many exciting things going on in the MSE program at CU Boulder. Our program is growing and our faculty and students are making a real and positive impact on society. I am thankful for the faculty, students and staff that make the MSE program at CU Boulder truly outstanding. I look forward to an even better year next year.

I wish you all a very happy holiday.

Sincerely,
Stephanie J. Bryant, PhD
Director of the Materials Science and Engineering Program

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Wil Srubar, associate professor in civil, environmental and architectural engineering and the Materials Science and Engineering Program, has been named to the 2023 cohort of the Schmidt Science Polymath Program.

Srubar was chosen from more than 58 applicants who outlined research ideas in STEM fields that represent a substantive shift from their current portfolio.

“I am beyond humbled and grateful for being selected to receive the Schmidt Science Polymaths Award. It truly is a career-defining honor,” Srubar said. “The award not only provides financial support for my work, but also enables me to approach it with an unencumbered, creative freedom to pursue high-risk, high-reward ideas. It’s such an incredible opportunity.”

In Srubar’s , his team develops innovative building materials, including a concrete-like material made from algae that can self-heal and is more sustainable than traditional concrete manufacturing.

With this new grant, Srubar is looking to further redefine the boundaries of living architecture — both on Earth and beyond.

“I am specifically interested in species of photosynthetic algae and other multifunctional, symbiotic organisms and their abilities to help us define and establish new paradigms for next-generation living — and carbon sequestering — materials for terrestrial and extraterrestrial built environments,” he wrote in his proposal.

Srubar and the other “polymaths” will receive $500,000 a year for up to five years to help support their research.

"We are pleased to bring together a group of determined researchers, each pursuing new research directions to tackle pressing global challenges," said Stuart Feldman, chief scientist of Schmidt Futures. "From improving brain imaging and addressing gender bias in medical research, to developing sustainable construction materials and advancing regenerative agriculture, these Polymaths' interdisciplinary work is poised to drive transformative advancements in diverse fields.”

About the Polymath Program

The Polymath Program is designed to push the boundaries of scientific and disciplinary limits by promoting the exploration of fresh methodologies and approaches in STEM to unlock breakthroughs and expedite progress in scientific discoveries. In receiving this award, the cohort receives support as they boldly transition from their established fields and enter into new disciplines or methodologies, bringing with them their expertise to conduct pioneering research. Through this model, the Polymaths’ work plays a vital role in advancing knowledge, fostering innovation, and exploring emerging technologies to test unconventional theories.

About Schmidt Futures

Founded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt, is a philanthropic initiative that finds and connects talented people across fields, generations and geographies to harness their collective skills for public benefit.

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Considering CU Boulder's Materials Science and Engineering Program?

We invite you to attend a virtual "Meet MSE at CU Boulder" event:
Friday, Oct. 27, 9-10 a.m. MST -

Meet our graduate students, learn about the graduate application process, life as an MSE student, research areas, life in beautiful Boulder, CO, and learn more about our exciting, multidisciplinary PhD program. All students from all levels of education and backgrounds are invited.

MSE students at CU Boulder:

• Network with a robust materials research community across the campus, national research labs and institutes (e.g. NREL, JIRA, NIST, RASEI etc.) state of Colorado, and US.
• Have the ability to work with any advisor on materials-related research across departments in Engineering and Sciences
• Take part in an engaged and active student community

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