In her Writing in the Age of AI course, 欧美口爆视频 Boulder鈥檚 Teresa Nugent helps students think critically about new technology

One of the most contentious subjects in academia now is the use of AI in writing. Many educators fear that students use it as a substitute . And while students fear that they鈥檙e going to be accused of using it instead of doing their own critical thinking, some still use it anyway.

Some students, like their instructors, fear what AI is capable of, and they are highly uncomfortable with the risks associated with its use.

Teresa Nugent, a University of 欧美口爆视频 Boulder teaching associate professor of English, has seen all these perspectives. When she first read the 2023 essay 鈥�鈥� by Columbia University undergraduate Owen Kichizo Terry, she knew that it was time for educators and students to better understand AI use in writing, even though it was scary.

Two years later, she is in her second semester of teaching ENGL 3016, Writing in the Age of AI. In this course, Nugent invites students to experiment with AI as part of their writing process and critically reflect on how these tools influence their ideas. Her students have conversations with chatbots about topics that they know well and evaluate whether the bots actually know what they鈥檙e talking about.

Nugent says she hopes that taking a class in which they are encouraged to talk about AI use allows students to explore possibilities, play with these tools, test their capabilities and determine how best to use them. By teaching students how to use AI as a tool to help develop their critical thinking skills instead of just avoiding that hard work, Nugent aims to prompt students to think about the wider implications of AI, and where it can ethically fit into an academic curriculum.

鈥淲e as educators have an obligation to help our students develop the skills that they鈥檙e going to need in the world that is developing around all of us,鈥� Nugent says. 鈥淚f we try to pretend AI isn鈥檛 here, we are doing students a disservice. We need to find ways to inspire students to want to learn; we need to spark their curiosity and motivate them to find meaningful connections between course content and the world.鈥�

Mixed feelings about AI

Not all students are enthusiastic about AI. Nugent explains that, since the class fulfills an upper-level writing requirement, she has students of all different majors and experience levels. Many students, she notes, come in with a great deal of apprehension about using AI, something the class discusses openly on day one.

Nugent asks her students to think of a story they鈥檝e been told鈥攐ften by a parent or grandparent鈥攁bout what life was like before some commonplace technology鈥攍ike cell phones or the internet鈥攚as invented.

Someday, she reminds her students, they'll tell stories about what the world was like before generative AI. New technology is always emerging, and the best way to adapt to the changing world is to keep learning about it, she says.

Nugent also acknowledges the real risks that come with AI use. She offers students a plethora of readings expressing a range of perspectives on the subject鈥攊ncluding  concerns about the unintended consequences of technological innovations and Mastafa Suleyman鈥檚 warning about the need to contain AI in his book The Coming Wave. Students read writings about how current educators have grappled with the release of AI chatbots and science fiction media depictions of AI, including the film Her and the dystopian serial Black Mirror.

Students also read texts about the harmful effects of AI on the environment, the issues of class and social justice that are entangled with AI use and psychological studies concerning AI.

Overall, Nugent says she wants students to leave the class with an informed understanding of AI. For their final project, students are required to research an aspect of AI in which they are particularly interested.

She says this leads to a wide array of research topics, often based on students鈥� majors; for example, an environmental studies major might research how to use renewable energy sources to power data centers. After writing academic papers, students reframe their research into a 鈥渂log鈥� format that a general audience would find easily understandable.

鈥淜nowledge is power,鈥� Nugent says. 鈥淏eing well informed about something always gives one more of a sense of agency than not being informed.鈥� Ultimately, Nugent says she hopes that students will leave the class feeling confident and prepared to offer their knowledge about AI to society and keep themselves and others informed about this moment in technological history.

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Jane Forman, who is earning her BA in English, summa cum laude, is named the college鈥檚 outstanding graduate for fall 2024

Jane Forman has painstakingly recounted evidence that Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison, Pulitzer Prize winner Nikole Hannah-Jones and other prominent Black women authors have faced challenges to the authenticity and quality of their work, and that these critiques emanate from racist and sexist conceptions of who is rightly considered an author and an authority.

Forman, who is earning her BA in English, summa cum laude, deeply impressed her faculty committee, and she has been named the outstanding graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences for fall 2024.

Her thesis is titled 鈥淒econstructing Archival Debris in the Margins: How Black Women Writers Navigate Intersectional Oppression During the Authorial Identity Formation Process.鈥�

In this work, Forman considers cases of Black women authors who were unfairly denigrated and rebuked because their intersectional identity made them targets. Forman cites troubling episodes of Claudine Gay, former president of Harvard; Nikole Hannah-Jones, author of the Pulitzer-winning 1619 Project; Toni Morrison, winner of a Pulitzer and Nobel Prize; and others.

When she spoke recently with Daryl Maeda, interim dean of the college, Forman described her thesis as a 鈥渃ontemplation of how our history continuously influences contemporary figurations of American life.鈥�

In her thesis, she concludes: 鈥淭he history of slavery is all of ours to confront, disregarding our contemporary racial and gender positionality in America. The virulent debris that emerged from slavery鈥檚 formal demolition continues to infect society today 鈥�  We are all implicated in how this history attempts to exert influence over our collective present and future.鈥�

Jennifer Ho, director of the Center for Humanities and the Arts, Eaton Professor of Humanities and the Arts and professor of ethnic studies, served as Forman鈥檚 thesis advisor. In her written narrative to the faculty thesis defense form, Ho said Forman鈥檚 thesis was made especially strong by her tracing of the 鈥渁rchival debris鈥� across three periods of Black female authorship:

鈥淯sing critical race theory as her main theoretical touchstone, Jane considers the intersectional oppression that plagues Black women writers鈥攖he way that they must continuously navigate charges of plagiarism, incompetence and illegitimacy. Combining close reading/explication with theoretical applications of critical race theory, Jane takes readers through the troubling trend of discounting Black women writers due to sexism and racism, linked to U.S. history of anti-Black racism and white supremacy.鈥�

In a letter of support for Forman, Emily Harrington, an associate professor of English who served on Forman鈥檚 committee, said Forman鈥檚 work 鈥渋s easily the best senior thesis I have read during my career.鈥�

Through all her thesis chapters, Forman 鈥渄raws a direct connection between the various ways in which Black women authors have been questioned both in their authenticity and in the quality of their work, from the 鈥榝irst鈥� African American poet to the present day,鈥� Harrington said, adding:

鈥淗aving also taken graduate seminars as an undergraduate, Jane is the most advanced undergraduate I have encountered at 欧美口爆视频. 鈥� She has been a leader in our department, and I cannot think of a more 鈥榦utstanding undergraduate.鈥欌��

In the acknowledgment section of her thesis, Forman shares some personal reflection and advice:

鈥淔or anyone uncertain of what they should do or where they should go, I urge you to follow the path that leads you toward the most expansive feeling. Three years ago, I dropped out of Georgetown University, unsure of what my life would be like. I didn鈥檛 know where I wanted to be, but I knew I couldn鈥檛 stay there. Despite the tumultuous journey that led me here, I feel eternally grateful for where I ended up.鈥�

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At the program鈥檚 December meeting, Todd Saliman reaffirmed 欧美口爆视频鈥檚 commitment to the quantum education and research happening on campus

The way University of 欧美口爆视频 President Todd Saliman sees it, 鈥�(quantum) is a sector where 欧美口爆视频 is uniquely well-situated... I want us to be the one. I want us to be front of the line. I want us to be leading the world.鈥�

As for the Quantum Scholars he was addressing Wednesday evening, their mission is to think 鈥渃ritically and creatively, and be dynamic human beings,鈥� Saliman said.

Professor Noah Finkelstein co-directs Quantum Scholars with Michael Ritzwoller. (Photo: Casey A. Cass/欧美口爆视频 Boulder)

Saliman was a guest speaker at the December meeting of Quantum Scholars, a program conceived in the University of 欧美口爆视频 Boulder Department of Physics and the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) that offers undergraduate students opportunities to learn about the quantum field, including connections with local industry leaders and introduction to new quantum technology.

The Quantum Scholars program includes undergraduates studying physics, engineering and computer science and aims to advance quantum education and workforce development through professional development, co-curricular activities and industrial engagement.

鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to extend what the Quantum Scholars are learning in class to make their education even more marketable and relevant,鈥� said Michael Ritzwoller, a physics professor of distinction and Quantum Scholars founder with CEAS Dean Keith Molenaar. 鈥淢ore than 80% of our graduates eventually work in industry, so Quantum Scholars helps fill that gap.鈥�

Scott Davis (PhDPhys鈥�99), CEO of Vescent Technologies Inc. and a member of the Department of Physics advisory committee, told students at the Wednesday meeting that they are 鈥渁t a special place鈥� and cited the introduced in the U.S. Senate last week, which would authorize $2.7 billion over the next five years for quantum research and development at federal agencies and shift focus 鈥渇rom basic research to practical applications.鈥�

鈥淪o much of that started because of this institution,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e really just at the beginning, and we need 欧美口爆视频 to keep doing what you鈥檙e doing鈥攖echnical development, workforce development, inventing the future.鈥�

Supporting scholars

For Denali Jah, a senior majoring in engineering physics who has been a Quantum Scholar since the program began in spring 2023, the benefits of participating in it are many. The $2,500 that Quantum Scholars receive during the academic year鈥攕upported by the Department of Physics and CEAS, as well as contributions from alumni, industry and external partners鈥攇ave his budget some wiggle room so he could participate more fully in research and community initiatives.

欧美口爆视频 President Todd Saliman (left) spoke to Quantum Scholars at the program's monthly meeting. (Photo: Casey A. Cass/欧美口爆视频 Boulder)

鈥淚 was looking for some way to contribute to the physics department and really put my stamp on 欧美口爆视频 before I left,鈥� Jah says. 鈥淧rofessor Ritzwoller and I were talking and he said, 鈥業 really want a quantum hackathon to happen here at 欧美口爆视频,鈥� so Annalise Cabra and I organized the quantum hackathon.

鈥淚t was a really great success on the whole, and a great opportunity for Quantum Scholars to be able to get some industry initiatives that were much better integrated into our program. One way that I see Quantum Scholars is we鈥檙e a curation of student opportunities. Everybody is really working to be able to create more and more initiatives and opportunities throughout campus.鈥�

Luke Coffman, a senior studying physics and mathematics, is leveraging his time as a Quantum Scholar to study 鈥渦seful ideas for quantum computation,鈥� he noted during the Wednesday meeting. Specifically, he鈥檚 interested in molecular simulation for qubit systems and suggested that perhaps quantum sensing will happen before quantum computation.

鈥淭heoretical quantum computing will always be hot,鈥� added Noah Finkelstein, a professor of physics and Quantum Scholars co-director.

In response to a question from Alexander Aronov, a junior studying mechanical engineering, about whether quantum science is in a period of over-hype, Davis noted that the technology field broadly has long existed in a cycle of hype and bust: 鈥淚s that happening in quantum?鈥� he asked. 鈥淚 take a fairly broad view of what it means to be in quantum systems and a quantum player.

鈥淓xploiting quantum to our benefit is not hype; it鈥檚 real鈥� It鈥檚 been slowly building for a long time, especially the amount of money (dedicated to quantum research and development) on the public side because of national security aspects. We exploit the laws of physics to the advantage of humanity, and that鈥檚 not going anywhere.鈥�

Saliman said that as an institution, 欧美口爆视频 is committed to quantum鈥攖o building and leveraging public and private partnerships that help fund the research and development of which Quantum Scholars are or will be a part. 鈥淥ur job is to support smart people, and translating the discoveries made here into practical applications is going to help pay for it.鈥�

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欧美口爆视频 Boulder Professor Mike Klymkowsky uses AI tools to help students develop critical-thinking skills

For many, the idea of artificial intelligence (AI) taking on an expanded role in academia stirs uneasy feelings. Visions of computer-generated tutors and students 鈥渨riting鈥� essays using a chatbot paint a cold, impersonal destiny for education. However, Mike Klymkowsky, a professor of molecular, cellular and developmental biology at the University of 欧美口爆视频 Boulder, pictures a different future.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a tool that students will need to master, but its role will be largely determined by how the institution sets standards,鈥� Klymkowsky says.

Mike Klymkowsky, a 欧美口爆视频 Boulder professor of molecular, cellular and developmental biology, is using AI tools in the classroom to help students grow critical thinking skills.

Klymkowsky, a veteran educator and innovator, is experimenting with AI not to provide answers to students, but to prompt intelligent questions and facilitate more effective learning. Through self-made AI assessment tools and interactive, personified tutor bots, he encourages students to shift their mindset from memorizing facts to becoming active champions of critical thinking.

Ultimately, Klymkowsky says, the aim of education is to foster skills that extend far beyond the classroom.

鈥淭he goal isn鈥檛 just to remember the right answer,鈥� he says; 鈥渋t鈥檚 to understand why that answer makes sense and why the other answers don鈥檛.鈥�

Developing more meaningful feedback and assessment

Klymkowsky argues that traditional grading methods, particularly multiple-choice exams, fail to measure true comprehension; they look only for memorization.

Fortunately, he says, AI tools offer a different solution.

鈥淲hen ChatGPT came out, it became clear to me and everyone else in the universe that these were tools that allowed you to do things you鈥檇 always wanted to do,鈥� he explains.

By automating the analysis of students鈥� responses to open-ended prompts, AI can quickly highlight which concepts cause them to struggle and where instructors can spend more time. Such tasks involving quick analysis of vast datasets to identify patterns are where AI excels, Klymkowsky says.

鈥淣ow you can evaluate instructors on whether their learning goals are meaningful and whether the students are achieving them,鈥� Klymkowsky says.

His can reduce days of manually combing through exam responses down to minutes, offering insights that allow him to target lectures more precisely and understand if learning outcomes are being reached.

Klymkowsky says this approach is key to helping students understand not just what they got wrong but why鈥攁nd how to improve.

From cramming to critical thinking

Klymkowsky鈥檚 approach to AI addresses a long-standing challenge in academia: the prevalence of rote memorization.

鈥淲henever a class starts using multiple-choice questions to answer, forget critical thinking. You鈥檙e not asking them how they got the answer; you鈥檙e asking them whether they recognize it,鈥� says Mike Klymkowsky. 

鈥淲henever a class starts using multiple-choice questions to answer, forget critical thinking,鈥� he explains. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not asking them how they got the answer; you鈥檙e asking them whether they recognize it.鈥�

Klymkowsky, an avid proponent of exploratory, inquiry-based learning, created an AI 鈥渢utor bot鈥� called 鈥淩ita鈥� to enhance his students鈥� learning. The bot uses a technology known as retrieval-generated augmentation and is trained on information provided by Klymkowsky, including lecture materials and textbooks. Limiting the bot鈥檚 knowledge to a select dataset prevents it from 鈥渉allucinating鈥濃�攎aking up potentially incorrect or misleading answers to questions it doesn鈥檛 know.

鈥淥ur bots, when you ask them a question they don鈥檛 know, they say 鈥業 don鈥檛 know.鈥� If you ask ChatGPT or Claude a question, it鈥檒l answer whether it knows it or not,鈥� he says.

Klymkowsky views Rita as a patient guide capable of leading students through complex materials at their own pace.

鈥淭hese bots don鈥檛 just spit out answers,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey respond based on what students already know and ask follow-up questions to deepen their understanding.鈥�

He also explains that the bots can be tailored to specific disciplines with a custom knowledge base. Keeping the bots within their trained parameters ensures students can rely on them to deliver accurate information without straying into unfamiliar territory.

鈥淵ou want to have the bot be focused on what the learning outcomes of the department are,鈥� Klymkowsky says. 鈥淪o, if students are engaging with a bot in a biology course, that bot is designed to know what it knows and what it doesn鈥檛 know.鈥�

Tutor bots like Rita use the Socratic teaching model to promote critical thinking. They work with students to challenge their assumptions and develop solid explanations for their reasoning.

鈥淚magine being able to practice asking questions with a bot that makes you feel appreciated because it never loses its patience, right? It鈥檚 never snarky,鈥� Klymkowsky says.

Rita won鈥檛 simply ask a student for the answer. In the form of a conversation, the bot asks for a reflection on why the student believes their answer is correct鈥攐r why it isn鈥檛鈥攖o help them grasp the underlying principles of a given topic.

鈥淭he goal is not to memorize facts, but to understand the why and how behind them,鈥� Klymkowsky says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about cultivating the kind of thinking that lets students ask the right questions鈥攁nd teaches them how to start finding answers independently.鈥�

Engaging students beyond the classroom

In addition to Socratic tutor bots, Klymkowsky is using Notebook LM to as a novel tool to spark curiosity. As with Rita, he creates these podcasts using a limited dataset, such as a course textbook.

The AI tool then turns the input into a two-way conversation between virtual speakers. Despite the surreal experience of listening to an entirely non-human conversation, the format allows students to explore high-level information in a more accessible style through a medium many younger adults favor.

鈥淭he goal with these podcasts is to give students a jumping-off point鈥攕omething that piques their interest and motivates them to dig deeper,鈥� Klymkowsky explains.

鈥淭he goal is not to memorize facts, but to understand the why and how behind them. It鈥檚 about cultivating the kind of thinking that lets students ask the right questions鈥攁nd teaches them how to start finding answers independently.鈥�

Each podcast episode introduces a biology concept, immersing students through storytelling and examples.

While the application is promising, Klymkowsky knows producing such content is a tricky balancing act of depth and attention span: 鈥淲hat is the attention span of the student? How long are you going to keep them on task before you ask them to do something themselves?鈥�

Despite this challenge, Klymkowsky believes AI podcasts can complement classroom learning by acting as conversation starters.

鈥淚t鈥檚 more about using the podcast to motivate students to go read the book or the chapter鈥攐r to ask questions that they wouldn鈥檛 otherwise consider,鈥� he says.

From there, students can bring their questions into class discussions or interact with a tutor bot to reinforce their learning.

By embracing AI tools like Socratic tutor bots and podcasts, Klymkowsky believes it鈥檚 possible to create an educational space where students can deepen their understanding through diverse content formats while cultivating a habit of lifelong learning that goes beyond a multiple-choice bubble.

Fueling curiosity, one question at a time

As technology continues to shape academia, Klymkowsky emphasizes that AI, when thoughtfully applied, needn鈥檛 be the villain. Instead, it can be a powerful catalyst for cultivating critical thinking.

鈥淚f you don鈥檛 understand a thing, can you ask an intelligent question?鈥� Klymkowsky says.

With AI as a partner, he says he believes students can learn to ask those questions, and that AI can be used to develop curiosity and intellectual resilience鈥攕kills that will serve students far longer than a perfectly memorized breakdown of the Krebs cycle. 

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Political science undergrad Cooper Baldwin wins prestigious U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship to learn 鈥榦ne of the most critical languages for future United States policy鈥�

Cooper Baldwin, a junior from San Antonio, Texas, majoring in political science and journalism, has been named a recipient of the 2024 (CLS) from the U.S. Department of State.

The scholarship allows American college and university students to learn languages that are key to America's engagement with the world.

Baldwin is the only 欧美口爆视频 Boulder student to receive the CLS in the last two years. Just 500 undergraduate and graduate students in the United States are chosen each year from an application pool of more than 5,000 students, according to the Department of State.

Cooper Baldwin, a junior majoring in political science and journalism, received a 2024 Critical Language Scholarship from the U.S. Department of State and studied Russian over the summer.

As a CLS recipient, Baldwin chose to study Russian (over Arabic and Chinese) and spent the summer learning the basics of the language online from what he calls 鈥渁n awesome instructional team鈥� based in Chi葯in膬u, Moldova. Russian was the language he鈥檚 most interested in learning, he says, and he wanted to get the basics down before he applied to go to a Russian-speaking country next summer and study the language in more detail.

鈥淚n my opinion, Russian is one of the most critical languages for future United States policy facilitators, executors and diplomats to learn,鈥� Baldwin says. 鈥淣ot only is it primarily spoken in many Eastern European countries, it鈥檚 the cornerstone of many languages and dialects worldwide. So, with such a broad reach, the choice seemed obvious to me.鈥�

He says his initial curiosity about Russian stems, in part, from the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine: 鈥淭he invasion 鈥� stoked a connection to that part of the world. To be honest, the invasion seemed entirely surreal to me, and the onset of a full, unprovoked invasion of a sovereign country rattled the conceptions I had about the relative peaceful nature of nations worldwide. I鈥檝e never lived in a world without Russian aggression and a tense atmosphere from the Kremlin toward the United States.鈥�

'A patriot above all'

Baldwin鈥攚ho is interested in international relations, geopolitical relations, history and national security鈥攃alls himself 鈥渁 patriot above all鈥� who wants to give back to the United States.

鈥淚 believe the CLS program is the perfect way to do that. To learn a language critical to the U.S.'s national security and economic interests nationwide will allow me to pursue this commitment and philosophy fervently, which I intend to do.鈥�

He calls his career goals 鈥渂ig and numerous鈥� and says that working on political campaigns boosted his interest in politics and government.

鈥淭o those who know me, it's no secret that I鈥檓 thoroughly committed to entering the field of politics, campaigns or government when I graduate from 欧美口爆视频. I intend on using my studies and experiences to seek a role in the federal government.鈥�

He hopes to work in the Department of State, Homeland Security, intelligence services, civil military service or policy administration.

 

I want to live a life of service to the country that has given me so much. I know it is my birthright to be an American, but I see it as an incredible and awe-inspiring privilege to say I am.鈥�

 

鈥淚 want to live a life of service to the country that has given me so much. I know it is my birthright to be an American, but I see it as an incredible and awe-inspiring privilege to say I am.鈥� 

Baldwin says that for as long as he can remember, he鈥檚 had a 鈥渄eep interest鈥� in language and linguistics.

鈥淭hey鈥檝e been an intellectual love of mine,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 taught myself to read at age 4 because I was so deeply invested in language and its capability for beautiful, complex expression. I find it incredibly interesting that people worldwide have such different ways of expressing themselves. Language links us all.鈥�

He credits his middle school Spanish teacher in San Antonio for bolstering his interest in languages, and adds that she encouraged him to excel in class.

鈥淢y teacher never told me to slow down, to stay on pace with the class, to stop answering all the questions she asked,鈥� he says. 鈥淪he always gave me more material to push my studies further and took time 鈥� to give me additional practice with the language. The CLS program was the perfect opportunity to pursue language at the rapid pace I鈥檓 capable of, and it challenged me every day. I absolutely loved that.鈥� 

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In new publication, 欧美口爆视频 Boulder scientists detail how the SkillsCenter allows students to gain credentials in basic to advanced research skills

It鈥檚 an unfortunate truth of higher education that students are not exempt from a classic Catch-22: You need research experience to gain research experience.

鈥淯ndergraduates participating in research is a key variable for enhancing their persistence in STEM professions,鈥� explains Zachary Hazlett, a PhD candidate in the University of 欧美口爆视频 Boulder Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology.  鈥淏ut to gain access to opportunities in research is not the most straightforward. For a lot of students, these things aren鈥檛 baked into their undergraduate degree plan.鈥�

So, students seeking research-focused internships, jobs or higher education opportunities after graduation are often inconsistently prepared with the necessary skills and experience. Hence, the .

Zachary Hazlett, a PhD candidate in the University of 欧美口爆视频 Boulder Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, is a lead TA on the SkillsCenter proctor team and first author on a paper newly publish in Cell detailing the organizing philosophy, structure and goals of SkillsCenter.

As detailed in  in the journal Cell, the SkillsCenter is a modular research skills training course that allows students to 鈥済ain training and micro-credentials in the laboratory skills of their choosing.鈥�

In other words, Hazlett says, 鈥渨hat if there was a bridge, something between the classroom and these research spaces that can allow students to gain that necessary experience? That can help equip them to enter those spaces both confidently and competently?鈥�

Module-based curriculum

The SkillsCenter, which is open to students of every major, emerged, in part, from a recognition that undergraduate students have often gained research experiences 鈥渂y cold-calling faculty members and saying, 鈥業鈥檇 like to work in research, are there any opportunities in your lab?鈥欌�� Hazlett says.

Understandably, faculty often ask what their previous experience is, and if a student doesn鈥檛 have any, they have to hope they鈥檒l get lucky and find a faculty member willing to teach them.

So, faculty and graduate students in the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, led by Professor Michael Stowell, began researching and discussing alternative means by which undergraduate students could gain the training and experience they need to gain these critical professional development opportunities.

Based on the principle of 鈥渓earning by doing,鈥� they designed a in which modules are scaled by skill level, with appropriate prerequisites, and students can learn at their own self-directed pace. In fall 2021, the first 10 students enrolled in the for-credit SkillsCenter course, working through skills such as lab safety, pipette operation and calibration, centrifugation, buffers and stocks preparation, autoclave sterilization and more.

Today, the course offers training in the laboratory basics as well as advanced training techniques such as polymerase chain reaction, protein expression and purification and various forms of microscopy.

鈥淭he course has been designed very carefully,鈥� Hazlett says. 鈥淲e鈥檝e done our best to build a laboratory space that mimics a traditional research space. Students working in the SkillsCenter gain the experience of what it would be like to be a member of a laboratory research group鈥攊n charge of maintaining their space, scheduling equipment, restocking materials, etc. The training modules themselves mimic something a trainee would encounter, with resources to help them and guide them in their conceptual understanding and procedural competence.鈥�

Lab proctors鈥攚ho are the course instructor, graduate students in the department and a number of undergraduate students who previously took the course鈥攑rovide on- and off-site guidance for students and assess their work.

 

What if there was a bridge, something between the classroom and these research spaces that can allow students to gain that necessary experience? That can help equip them to enter those spaces both confidently and competently?"

 

Learning the scientific process

Through six semesters, SkillsCenter has grown and evolved from the original 10 students to nearly 100 per semester. The lab space is now open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday thanks to increased staffing, and students can work on their modules when their schedule allows.

鈥淚t is very important that we have trained lab proctors, and that we instruct our students very carefully on how to engage in this course,鈥� Hazlett says. 鈥淪tudents are instructed that they are responsible for seeking out the resources and guidance they need, and we make sure they know how to access the supports they need.鈥�

Each module requires a certain number of tasks that students complete and submit to proctors for review. Proctors monitor students鈥� work through each module, give feedback and assess their progress through the scientific process鈥攆rom hypothesis through notes and observations to interpretation of results.

After completing a module and passing all its required tasks, students receive a certificate for each skill, 鈥渟o they can collect these certificates and put those skills on their resumes,鈥� Hazlett says, adding that he and his colleagues are working with ORCiD and digital badge organizations to create digital credentials that students can display to future employers. 鈥淲e also want to embed students鈥� raw data into those badges, so if an employer wants proof of their skills, they have direct evidence of students鈥� technical proficiencies.鈥�

Hazlett and his colleagues also are building a network of industry and academic research lab partners to 鈥渃reate an ecosystem for training STEM students. Many students often excitedly explain to me how they have convinced faculty researchers to let them join their labs because of the experiences they have gained in the SkillsCenter.鈥�

Researchers Beiyi Xu, Jennifer Knight, Michael Klymkowsky and Michael Stowell also contributed to the Cell publication.

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Student who was just a few credits shy of graduating in 1997 will walk in May commencement ceremony thanks to Finish What You Started program

Marcos Castillo is a big believer in second chances.

Part of that comes from his years of experience working for Catholic Charities of Denver, where he has provided assistance to the Mile High City鈥檚 homeless populations and 欧美口爆视频鈥檚 immigrant communities.

Perhaps just as importantly, Castillo knows the value of second chances in his own life and career, which has not followed a straight path.

So close to finishing

Marcos Castillo credits a return to his Catholic faith with getting his life back on track, including a renewed focus on completing college. He will walk with other graduating seniors on May 9 during ceremonies at Folsom Field on the 欧美口爆视频 Boulder campus.

In 1997, Castillo was on a trajectory to success. He was a senior at the University of 欧美口爆视频 Boulder, finishing his degree in political science and international business. Fate seemed to further smile on him when he was selected for an internship with the 欧美口爆视频 International Trade Office, which was then in the early stages of establishing trade relationships with chambers of commerce in Mexico. That internship led to an offer of full-time employment working as a contract trade consultant in Mexico and the United States.

鈥淲hen the job opened, I took it, thinking I was almost done with school, and I could use the money. Plus, I just didn鈥檛 want to pass up the opportunity,鈥� he says.

Castillo worked in that job for about 10 years, and by all accounts he was successful at it, before ultimately deciding to return home to Denver. Finishing college was never far from his mind, he says, so he enrolled again. Unfortunately, at that same time he was struggling with depression and battling alcohol addiction.

It was a particularly dark period in his life, he admits.

鈥淚 bounced around from job to job for several years,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have a sense of direction, quite honestly.鈥�

Things started to change for Castillo not long after he took a job with Catholic Charities.

鈥淚t called out to me because, yes, I鈥檓 Catholic, and I wanted to return to my faith. And with these personal struggles, I hadn鈥檛 been able to find a way to overcome them on my own, until I decided to take my faith seriously. Once I committed to that, it allowed me to focus on my work, and, later on, school.鈥�

An opportunity with 鈥楩inish What You Started鈥�

While working to help others in his job with Catholic Charities, Castillo in 2022 received some positive news about his own longstanding goal to finish college. That was the year that the contacted Castillo to let him know he was eligible for assistance in completing his degree through the program (see related story below).

With the passage of time, Marcos Castillo says he has come to look at his work for Catholic Charities as a calling.

鈥淚鈥檓 committed to working for Catholic Charities and doing whatever I can to help those in need,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hether it was helping the homeless population, like I did in the beginning, or now working with migrants, it鈥檚 something I know how to do and it鈥檚 something I鈥檓 good at.鈥�

In his current role at Catholic Charities, Castillo spearheads the Temporary Protective Status and Employment Authorization workshops for qualified migrants, potentially allowing them to obtain temporary protective status and a work permit.

Castillo鈥檚 job with Catholic Charities is deeply personal. He was born in Mexico City and emigrated to Denver with his parents when he was just 8 and did not speak English. He says he sees his work as important and meaningful.

鈥淚 enjoy going to work every day. It鈥檚 hard work. Some days it can be emotionally taxing. There is always a lot going on, but I can鈥檛 see myself doing anything else,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his is where I need to be and this is what I need to be doing. So, that鈥檚 what my calling means for me.鈥�

Castillo says he was excited about the prospect of returning to college, but also a bit nervous after being away for so long.

In retrospect, he didn鈥檛 need to worry.

鈥淎nn Herrmann with Finish What You Started was amazing to work with, from the beginning until the end,鈥� Castillo says. 鈥淪he explained what forms I had to fill out, she helped explain the assistance I was eligible for, and she helped me narrow down which classes I needed to finish up my degree. Plus, she would just check in with me during the semester to ask how things were going. So, I felt really supported all the way through.鈥�

That ended up being fortuitous, Castillo says, because he struggled in his first attempt to take an online biology course鈥攁n option that didn鈥檛 even exist during his first time in college. After he expressed his misgivings to Herrmann, she suggested he take the course as an evening class on the 欧美口爆视频 Boulder campus鈥攁nd everything clicked.

鈥淪he gave me the encouragement to try again and get it done,鈥� Castillo says. 鈥淗ad it not been for that, I don鈥檛 know that I would have tried again, because I was really frustrated with myself at the time.鈥�

With that first college class under his belt, Castillo then took an anthropology class called The Human Animal and an Introduction to Western Philosophy class, both of which he says he enjoyed and successfully passed. He was the oldest student in those classes, but both the instructors and the students made him feel welcome, he says.

Officially, Castillo finished his classes in December, but he鈥檒l walk with other seniors during the May 9 commencement at Folsom Field on the 欧美口爆视频 Boulder campus. One regret is that the timing of the event will prevent his mom and younger brother, Tony, from attending, because they already had plans to be in Mexico at the time.

鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of sad. My mom, more than anyone, really pushed me to finish college,鈥� he says. Still, Castillo says he has already promised to take selfies and livestream part of the event for absent family members.

The long road to finishing college

Even before re-enrolling at 欧美口爆视频 Boulder, one of the biggest turning points in his life, Castillo鈥檚 quest to earn a college degree took a number of twists and turns over the years.

A graduate of Denver East High School, he first enrolled at the University of the Americas Puebla, near Puebla, Mexico, where he studied psychology. All of the coursework was in Spanish, which Castillo says was actually a bit of a challenge because he didn鈥檛 learn formal Spanish growing up, so there was a learning curve.

After spending about a year and a half at the university in Puebla, where Castillo admits he struggled academically, he decided to return home to Denver. He enrolled at Community College of Denver, then transferred to University of 欧美口爆视频 Denver, where several of his high school friends were studying.

Marcos Castillo (left) with his dad, Juan, his mom, Victoria, and his younger brother, Tony. Castillo says his parents strongly supported his efforts to finish college.

鈥淎nd then some of us just decided, 鈥楲et鈥檚 go to 欧美口爆视频 Boulder.鈥� We transferred over and moved up to Boulder. It was as simple as that,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y friends finished college, and I got through my senior year. I was so fortunate to have a good group of friends who helped me by serving as an example of how to do this. Had I not had those examples, I don鈥檛 know what I would have done.鈥�

Reflecting on his quest to complete his degree, Castillo says, 鈥淚鈥檝e done everything in a zig zag; I鈥檝e never done it straight. I鈥檝e taken the most random routes to attend and finish college.

鈥淚t鈥檚 funny, when I talk with my brother, he鈥檚 like, 鈥榊ou鈥檝e been doing this for 25 years. You start, then stop, then start again.鈥� It鈥檚 true. When I stop and think about it, school has been a part of my entire adult life.鈥�

Looking to the future

As for what his own future holds, Castillo, who recently turned 50, isn鈥檛 sure what comes next. However, after successfully earning his bachelor鈥檚 degree, he says he would love to pursue an advanced degree.

鈥淭here鈥檚 so many things that interest me. I鈥檝e just started to consider what鈥檚 possible,鈥� he says. 鈥淩eligious studies is something I would be interested in. Obviously, something in the liberal arts鈥攕omething where I could still be helping people. There鈥檚 just so much out there you can study.鈥�

For this moment, though, as he prepares for commencement ceremonies next week, Castillo is happy to reflect on the hard work it took to finish his degree and to celebrate his success.

鈥淚鈥檓 proud of being a senior graduate,鈥� he says. 鈥淎nd I鈥檓 proud of being a part of the community here. I came to Denver when I was really young. I鈥檝e lived here and in Mexico, but I consider Denver my home. And Boulder鈥檚 a big part of me, too. And so, I鈥檓 proud of staying in 欧美口爆视频 and being a part of the community here. I definitely couldn鈥檛 see myself doing this anywhere else.鈥�

As for advice he would have for others contemplating finishing their degree, Castillo says, 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of ups and downs, but it鈥檚 not impossible. And once you get it done, that feeling of accomplishment is unbelievable; it鈥檚 something that can鈥檛 be taken away.

鈥淎nd this is from a normal guy who took a long time and finally found his place. I think that if I can do it, a lot of other people can do it, too. So, I think it would be cool if my story could help someone else.鈥�

Since its inception in spring 2022, the University of 欧美口爆视频 Boulder program has helped 52 students who were a few credits, or even semesters, shy of finishing their undergraduate degree to graduate鈥攚ith still more students graduating this May.

鈥淚t鈥檚 rewarding and fulfilling work, for sure,鈥� says Ann Herrmann, program manager and advisor for the grant-funded Finish What You Started (FWYS), which is administered by the .

To be eligible for FWYS, an applicant must be a 欧美口爆视频 resident, must have missed at least two semesters and must be working on their first degree. Applicants also must answer questions about income, must attest that they were negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and they must be able to complete their degree by spring 2025, when the grant period ends.

The $3.1 million grant funding was part of a larger pool of money provided to all state colleges by the , which is supported by the American Rescue Plan, a $30 billion federal aid package intended to address the devastation of COVID-19.

FWYS offers students mix of advising and financial assistance. Eligible students have access to semester-over-semester scholarships starting at $1,500, as well as other sources of financial support, depending on individual student need.

鈥淥ur goal is to limit out-of-pocket expenses and college loans, if at all possible,鈥� Herrmann says. 鈥淥ur goal is to maximize the use of this grant money to help them finish their degrees without any additional financial burdens.鈥�

Student support services include one-on-one academic advising and coaching, enrollment support and career advising to help students transition to the workforce after graduation, according to Michelle Pagnani, senior academic coach and lead program specialist for the FWYS program.

鈥淪ervice offered include a combination of academic skill building and life coaching. Really, life coaching is sort of pulling from a model of positive psychology and motivational interviewing, as well as asking open-ended questions, so students can process their academic experience in light of other things going on in their lives and careers,鈥� Pagnani says. 鈥淟ots of conversations are focused on time management and stress management.鈥�

Students enrolled in FWYS program run the gamut in ages, from 20-somethings to those in their 40s, 50s and older. One student who graduated last year was 76 years old.

The Division of Continuing Education hosts a graduation celebration for Finish What You Started graduates on commencement day, and Pagnani and Herrmann say that event highlights how meaningful the program is.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the most emotionally impactful event I鈥檝e probably ever attended in my career,鈥� Pagnani says.

鈥淔or some of these students, we鈥檙e their main source of support, so it鈥檚 super gratifying to celebrate with them,鈥� Herrmann says. 鈥淢any students have said they don鈥檛 think they would have finished if not for Michelle鈥檚 help.鈥�

Individuals interested in learning more about Finish What You Started can visit the  or contact a program advisor at fwys@colorado.edu or 303-492-9671.

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General Physics for Majors course designed by 欧美口爆视频 Boulder Professors Eric Cornell and Paul Beale shows students that the furthest reaches of science are built on fundamental concepts

The Nobel laureate was not feeling happy about his minus signs.

He stood back from the blackboard鈥攜es, an actual blackboard on which he wrote with actual chalk鈥攁nd considered the calculus he鈥檇 jokingly hyped just moments before with, 鈥淭his is some of that real calculus sensation. This is why you sat through that whole calculus class: for this moment.鈥�

His team teacher, a noted scientist who this year is marking 40 years teaching physics at the University of 欧美口爆视频 Boulder, called from the back of the classroom, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 right, Eric.鈥�

Professors Paul Beale (left) and Eric Cornell prepare for a Tuesday morning PHYS 1125 class. (Photos: Rachel Sauer)

Advanced math is not always easy with an audience watching鈥攊n this case, about 85 first-year physics, astrophysics and engineering physics students in , General Physics 2 for Majors.

It鈥檚 a class for students who know they want to pursue a field of physics and are newly starting out in it. And it鈥檚 taught by a Nobel laureate.

鈥淚 harken back to freshman physics every day of my life,鈥� explains Eric Cornell, a 欧美口爆视频 Boulder professor adjoint of physics and winner in physics for his work with Bose-Einstein condensates. 鈥淚鈥檓 in a Facebook group with people I met my freshman year in physics.鈥�

In other words, there鈥檚 absolutely no reason a Nobel laureate shouldn鈥檛 teach first-year physics.

Basic, foundational concepts

Cornell and Paul Beale, a 欧美口爆视频 Boulder professor of physics, created the course six years ago, in part to help students interested in pursuing physics to find community and support among like-minded peers. While other introductory physics courses are open to all majors, this one is specifically for physics, astrophysics and engineering physics majors. Steven Pollock, a professor of physics, and Yuan Shi, an assistant professor of physics, in the fall taught the first half of the course, PHYS 1115, which was created by Professors Chuck Rogers and Shijie Zhong.

鈥淲e start from ground zero,鈥� Beale says. 鈥淢ost (of the students) have had some physics in high school, most have seen these ideas before鈥攖hey know that same charges repel. But even students who have had really good high school physics classes, maybe even AP classes, we say, 鈥楾hat鈥檚 great! Take our class.鈥�

鈥淏eing with other physics majors helps them relax and get immersed in the field. Everybody in there really wants to be in there.鈥�

Professor Eric Cornell (center, striped shirt) answers student questions in the physics help room.

A cynic might ask, however, why a Nobel laureate would be teaching a first-year class. Shouldn鈥檛 they be, you know, spending their time in the furthest, most esoteric reaches of physics? Doing the kind of science only a handful of people on the planet can understand?

鈥淚 want to push back on that idea that the basic, foundational concepts of physics don鈥檛 have considerable charm of their own,鈥� Cornell says. 鈥淭his is really fun stuff, and one of the things I like about this course is it gets into really interesting things right away.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 also a hard class,鈥� Beale adds. 鈥淭he concepts are difficult, so the challenge for us is to do everything we can to make them approachable. (The students) have got to get them right even though they鈥檙e hard, because everything else in physics builds on what they learn here.鈥�

Cornell and Beale designed the class not only with beginning physics students in mind, but learning assistants and graduate students as well.

鈥淚n a lot of schools, grad students鈥攚ho might be just one year past undergrad鈥攁re thrown in the classroom and told, 鈥楬ere, go teach,鈥欌�� Cornell says. In this course, however, graduate students assist with weekly tutorials but meet with Beale and Colin West, an associate teaching professor of physics, before each one, because the skills of teaching need to be taught. The same is true for class learning assistants, who are undergraduate students who took the course the previous year.

Cornell and Beale also spend time in the physics help room each week, which is a space where students can drop by for help with anything physics related.

鈥淚 would say that we are a very good teaching department, and not just our graduate program,鈥� Beale says. 鈥淭his is your introduction to physics, and you鈥檙e either going to like it or not, so we put a lot of effort into the first years.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e always asking, 鈥楬ow do we do better teaching?鈥欌�� Cornell adds. 鈥淧eople like Paul and me have the advantage of people in this department who have studied teaching and have tried approaches like using clickers, using a conversational approach, using hands-on demonstrations. There are ongoing discussions about how we can be teaching better.鈥�

Physics with a purple crayon

Sometimes, better teaching means an apology: 鈥淚t鈥檚 my sorry duty to apologize for all the sins of physicists who went before me, and electrical engineers. And Ben Franklin,鈥� Cornell said, writing 鈥渟orry!!鈥� on the blackboard and underlining it twice. 鈥淚鈥檓 here to apologize for this thing called 鈥榩otential.鈥� The whole rest of your life you鈥檙e going to be thinking about electric potential. It鈥檚 unavoidable. Your intuition will overwhelm your minus-sign errors.

Professor Paul Beale (standing, blue sweater) walks around the classroom during PHYS 1125 to help students and answer questions.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a 鈥榮orry, but...鈥� though, which is another way to say, 鈥楽uck it up.鈥欌��

While Cornell pivoted to voltage, 鈥渁 happier, friendlier term (than electric potential),鈥� Beale walked slowly among the rows of seats, stopping to sit by students who had questions and prompt them toward their response on class-wide clicker questions.

Pranay Raj Poosa, a freshman majoring in astrophysics who hopes to study black holes and neutron stars, cites Cornell鈥檚 and Beale鈥檚 enthusiasm for physics and their personal, conversational approach to teaching as two of the reasons he likes the class: 鈥淭he fun they generate makes my understanding crystal clear,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he first day of class, (Cornell) made a joke about himself, which I personally felt was clap-worthy.鈥�

Poosa added that he was in 鈥渦tter disbelief鈥� when his advisor mentioned a Nobel laureate would be teaching the class.

For Min Wang, a sophomore majoring in physics and interested in theoretical neuroscience and writing science fiction, Cornell and Beale have shown her that 鈥済reat minds are not the ones who are walking in front of others all the time. They always slow down and let the young generation be on their shoulders.

鈥淓ven though what Professor Cornell taught us is just a tiny piece of knowledge in his mind, he shows amazing patience to every student and shows us how profound even a little, tiny bit in physics can be. And since I have time conflicts with all the office hours, Professor Beale gives me a special office hour time according to my school schedule. It is after class and work time on Friday! They make me feel welcome in the world of physics.鈥�

Wang noted that while learning physics is not without its pains, she doesn鈥檛 feel alone in tackling them because she is part of a 鈥渓ovely and supportive physics community created by the professors.鈥�

Which is good, because it was time to do 鈥渁 very modest amount of algebra, the kind you could do with a purple crayon if you鈥檝e got one,鈥� Cornell said, explaining how they could figure capacitance between two metal plates and then telling the students, 鈥淚鈥檓 going to show you something which I think is very neat. It鈥檚 kind of an advanced idea, giving you a taste of physics to come.鈥�

The key thing to remember? 鈥淭he whole idea of physics is zooming all the way into what does matter and ignoring what doesn鈥檛.鈥�

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Twenty-three students receive one of college's highest honors, recognized for academic achievement and depth of service

The College of Arts and Sciences has awarded the Jacob Van Ek Scholarship鈥攐ne of the college鈥檚 highest honors鈥攖o 23 exceptional undergraduates.

The award is named for Jacob Van Ek (1896-1999), who arrived at 欧美口爆视频 as a young assistant professor shortly after earning his doctorate in 1925 at what is now known as Iowa State University. Within three years, he was a full professor and, by 1929, he was dean of the College of Liberal Arts, serving until 1959. 

The following students are this year鈥檚 Jakob Van Ek Scholar Award recipients:

• Emily Aguirre, English/Spanish
• Simon Bantugan, Geology
• Seleny Banuelas, BFA Ceramics/BA Spanish
• Aaron Barrios, Physics/Astronomy/Math
• Mariana Bastias, English/Psychology and Neuroscience
• Auburn Berry, Integrative Physiology
• Blanca Cerda, Neuroscience
• Rachel Coppock, Anthropology
• Sarah Coronna, Anthropology
• Adriana Espinoza, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
• Samantha Haygood, Philosophy and Sociology
• Lucas Hendricks, Chinese
• Taylor Johnson, Philosophy
• Emma Judge, Biochemistry
• Samantha Lane, Sociology
• Isabella (Bella) Malherbe, Art History
• Grant Mannino, Psychology and Neuroscience
• Miles Moore, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Rumi Natanzi, Ethnic Studies
• Callie Noar, Integrative Physiology
• Alexandra Plocki, Physics
• Hayley Thomas, International Affairs
• Grace Tuzizila, Integrative Physiology

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鈥楽tand Up for Climate Comedy鈥� unites 欧美口爆视频 Boulder student performers and professional comedians in a show that encourages the audience to laugh together and then work together

The Green Bachelor was not impressed with Oceana Sea and her 2 million followers鈥攄espite her name, she hates the water and doesn鈥檛 know how to swim. Nor was he impressed with Petrolina Exxon and her daddy鈥檚 helicopter. They clearly weren鈥檛 there for the right reasons.

Not to spoil the true-eco-love ending, but the Green Bachelor, a marine biologist, was smitten with the contestant who rode her bike to the Green Bachelor mansion and knows the flow of her local watershed.

Pause scene.

"Stand Up for Climate Comedy" is at 7 p.m. April 15 at Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. Admission is free.

鈥淚 think we should say, 鈥榃hat is your local watershed and what are you doing to support it, hmm?鈥欌�� says Elizabeth Smith, a junior majoring in environmental studies.

This followed discussion of defining Oceana as someone who obviously doesn鈥檛 know her bodies of water, and advice from Beth Osnes to remember that the sketch is 鈥渁 physicality thing, so get it up on its feet as soon as you can.鈥�

It was a Tuesday morning in the Climate Change Communication class, and students were laughing at climate change.

Not the reality of it, of course鈥攊t鈥檚 the defining issue of their generation and there鈥檚 nothing funny about it鈥攂ut in preparation for Stand Up for Climate Comedy April 15 at the Boulder Theater. The show, which is in its ninth year, will feature comedians and science communicators , and , as well as students from the Climate Change Communication class, who write and perform either solo stand-up or group sketches that they create together with support from Osnes and Ben Stasny, a PhD candidate in theater and teaching assistant for the class.

鈥淐omedy has always taken on serious, heavy, depressing social issues,鈥� explains Osnes, a University of 欧美口爆视频 Boulder professor of theatre and dance who teaches the class. 鈥淚nstead of people just yelling at each other about these issues, approaching them through comedy makes engagement with the issues not only positive, but helps us process them in a way that doesn鈥檛 feel overwhelming or hopeless.

鈥淐omedy relies on double meaning. I think it鈥檚 easy for us to get stuck in binary thinking, things are one way or the other, and once you get locked into one thought, you鈥檙e stuck. Comedy can help us get unstuck, and the gorgeous thing about it is when it works, our response is involuntary, that burst of laughter, and all of a sudden everybody鈥檚 having that same response and we鈥檙e having it together. It鈥檚 golden. When we鈥檙e talking about climate change, we need things that are going to help us burst through our set ways of thinking and that we do together.鈥�

Laughing together

Stand Up for Climate Comedy is the brainchild of Osnes and Max Boykoff, a 欧美口爆视频 Boulder professor of environmental studies, who also are two of the project leaders for , a collective effort that aims to creatively frame and tell the stories surrounding climate change through video, theatre, dance and writing.

Osnes and Boykoff figured that people might have a better time carrying or reframing the burdens of guilt and despair that shadow climate change if they were laughing together rather than shouting at each other. It鈥檚 not so much 鈥渓augh to keep from crying,鈥� she says, but more 鈥渓augh and get moving.鈥�

The first year of Stand Up for Climate Comedy 鈥渨as basically Max and me downstairs (in the Theatre Building) with a $250 budget,鈥� Osnes says.

Not long after, however, they were approached by representatives from the 鈥渨ho came to us and said, 鈥榃e鈥檙e so sick of people screaming at each other; if we gave you $25,000, what would you do with it?鈥欌�� Osnes recalls.

Beth Osnes (center) works with Lief Jordan (left), Jayden Simisky and Taylor Gutt as they prepare their stand-up comedy performances. (Photos: Rachel Sauer)

They would make the show bigger, they would organize events across the country, they would bring in luminaries of comedy who also know their science and they would integrate students as a key part of the show. That last part鈥攕tudent involvement鈥攊s especially key, Osnes says, because students have deep knowledge of the issues of climate change and are demanding action.

Hence the environmental hostility.

鈥楾he seas are rising, and so are tensions!鈥�

鈥淢y best bit is, 鈥業鈥檓 sick of all this environmentally friendly shit. I鈥檓 environmentally hostile now,鈥欌�� says Taylor Gutt, a senior in environmental studies.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a good bit,鈥� says Lief Jordon, also a senior in environmental studies. 鈥淓nvironmental hostility is funny.鈥�

They鈥檙e sitting with Jayden Simisky, a senior in environmental studies, and Cate Billings, a senior majoring in creative technology and design, at the top of a staircase in the Loft Theatre, workshopping the stand-up routines they鈥檙e writing.

None of them has performed stand-up before, 鈥渂ut why not, right?鈥� Jordan says with a laugh. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e going to go down, go down big.鈥�

Billings is taking her stand-up in a multimedia direction, complete with a PowerPoint presentation 鈥渟o it鈥檚 a little educational,鈥� she explains. 鈥淚 have a slide of coral bleaching and I say, 鈥楿p here on the surface we bleach our assholes, but coral is way ahead of the trend.鈥欌��

That earns an appreciative laugh from her classmates. Meanwhile, Simisky is thinking out loud about how to make carbon dioxide funny.

鈥淭he biggest thing for me with CO2 is they鈥檙e always saying, like, 鈥�7,000 tons of CO2,鈥欌�� he says. 鈥淪o, there鈥檚 this whole-ass neighborhood of carbon dioxide in the sky. Maybe something like, 鈥楾here鈥檚 so much CO2 in the air that they鈥檙e starting to weigh it in terms of cruise ships. I鈥檝e started to live in fear of a boat falling out of the sky.鈥欌��

Skyler Behrens (foreground) times her group's comedy sketch on a practice run-through.

That鈥檚 good, his classmates agree.

Elsewhere in the theater, Skyler Behrens, a sophomore studying engineering and education, and Claire Grossman, a junior in creative technology and design, are considering what contestants on a climate change-informed 鈥淟ove Island鈥� would say.

鈥淲hat if he just says, 鈥榃ow, that鈥檚 hot鈥�?鈥� Behrens suggests.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 perfect,鈥� Grossman says, and soon Behrens is running through the sketch introduction again: 鈥淲elcome back, everyone, to the most exciting season of 鈥楲ove Island鈥� yet! The seas are rising, and so are tensions!鈥�

Nearby, Marcus Witter and Jake Mendelssohn, both seniors in environmental studies, and Austin Villarreal, a junior studying environmental design, are working with Osnes on their sketch involving three guys on a chairlift deciding who has to jump off.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 really like murder,鈥� Osnes observes. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 funnier if an act of God knocks you off.鈥�

Many of the students have not done this kind of performance before, and certainly not on a stage the size of Boulder Theater鈥檚. They admit to nerves and to thinking about jokes so much that they stop being funny, but they鈥檙e excited, too.

鈥淚t helps that we鈥檙e doing it together,鈥� notes Danielle Harris, a senior in environmental studies who plays Oceana Sea on 鈥淭he Green Bachelor,鈥� and her comedy partners nod in agreement.

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