College of Arts and Sciences

In a whirlwind of change, our core values remain constant

Rachel Sauer — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 18:51:57 +0000

In a whirlwind of change, our core values remain constant Rachel Sauer Thu, 04/17/2025 - 12:51

Daryl Maeda

Higher education is beset by challenges, and ��ֱ�� Boulder is not alone in needing to surmount them. While we face today’s difficulties and prepare to meet tomorrow’s, we remain tethered to certain truths, including that a broad university education is more critical than ever to the workforce and to society.

Remaining true to our values is critical as we confront new challenges, and it’s worth noting that overcoming adversity is embedded in the university’s history.

In the 1920s, for instance, the Ku Klux Klan controlled the ��ֱ�� Legislature and demanded that then-President George Norlin fire all Catholics and Jews at ��ֱ��. Norlin refused, even though the Klan-dominated Legislature slashed ��ֱ��’s budget to zero.

In the 1950s, hysteria over communists and “subversives” gripped the nation, prompting state lawmakers to demand the firing of professors who had once associated with communists. The university protected its tenured professors—though, sadly, dismissed some non-tenured faculty. The extent to which ��ֱ�� transcended the moment mirrors the degree to which it adhered to its core values.

Student protests against the Vietnam War in the 1960s drew more legislative fire and pressure to suppress dissent, but the university emerged from this controversial period with its values—academic freedom, free speech and open inquiry—intact.

These episodes hold lessons as we reach a new crossroads. Today, higher education faces broad challenges, including:

Changing demographics. America will likely hit a peak of about 3.5 million high school graduates in 2025, according to some estimates. After that, the pool of prospective college students might shrink by as much as 15% over the next decade. We call this the “enrollment cliff.”
Eroding public opinion. More people question the value of a college degree than at any point in our lifetimes. An increasing number of people believe colleges and universities should focus more on students’ career success. Others question higher education’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Declining public funding. For decades, states have been steadily allocating less funding per student. Since 2000, state support per student has dropped by about 40%. Falling public funding drives rising tuition, which propels more student debt.

While the challenges are irrefutable, the best response is a matter of debate.

Some suggest that post-secondary education should focus more on “marketable” skills, “competency”-based education, “upskilling,” “reskilling” and the like. These are reasonable concerns, and the university is addressing them.

In a host of ways, we help students gain specific skills and specialized knowledge that help them pursue satisfying careers. In addition to majors and minors in a wide array of disciplines, we offer an ever-broader selection of certificates, research opportunities, study-abroad opportunities and internship-placement assistance.

Because we want to help students succeed, we provide advising, coaching, scholarships and other support. Predictive analytics help us intervene when students are at risk of dropping out and help them acquire skills to succeed.

At the same time, we are proud that a liberal arts education—which is the bedrock of the College of Arts and Sciences—imparts a host of foundational skills that drive success in a wide range of careers. Critical thinking and communications prowess remain at or near the top of employers’ most-requested employee attributes.

And this makes sense. As the world changes ever more rapidly, people increasingly need the ability to grasp, analyze and share new knowledge. As society grapples with new and vexing problems, those who broadly understand the arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences will be better prepared to help our democracy soar.

We know times are changing, and we are adapting. The college experience of today is not that of our forebears. While we adapt, however, we will not forsake our core values, the first of which is a broad education.

On the library that now bears his name, George Norlin’s words—that anyone who knows only this generation remains “always a child”—are literally etched in stone. In times of blistering change, our dedication to core values remains as solid as bedrock.

Daryl Maeda is interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

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College of Arts and Sciences names 2025 Van Ek Scholars

Kylie Clarke — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 21:38:02 +0000

College of Arts and Sciences names 2025 Van Ek Scholars Kylie Clarke Wed, 04/16/2025 - 15:38

Seventeen students receive one of the college’s most prestigious honors, recognized for their exemplary academic achievement and meaningful contributions to the campus and broader community

The College of Arts and Sciences has awarded the Jacob Van Ek Scholarship—one of the college’s highest honors—to 17 outstanding undergraduates.

Named in honor of Jacob Van Ek (1896–1999), the award commemorates his remarkable contributions to the university. Van Ek joined ��ֱ�� Boulder in 1925 as a young assistant professor shortly after earning his doctorate from what is now Iowa State University. Within three years, he rose to the rank of full professor and, by 1929, was appointed dean of the College of Liberal Arts—a role he held until 1959.

Students walking across campus.

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

Danya Al Nazal, Neuroscience/Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology
Amaneet Brar, Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology
Michaela De Oliveria Olsen, Integrative Physiology
Rachel Suter, Neuroscience/Art Practices
Nikolaas Steele, Integrative Physiology
Ivory Carpenter, Environmental Studies
Karis Lowe, Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences
Natalie Sesselmann, Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences/Psychology
Brooklyn Phillips, Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences
Kalen Sieja, Political Science/Evolutionary Biology
Katie Mikell, Evolutionary Biology
Kalvyn Adams, Astrophysics and Planetary Sciences/Physics
Adriana Ripley, Psychology/French/Musical Theatre
Xavier Cisneros, Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology/Sociology
Marina Levine, Economics/Psychology
Devayani Ravuri, Physics
Abby Schaller, Political Science

Seventeen students receive one of the college’s most prestigious honors, recognized for their exemplary academic achievement and meaningful contributions to the campus and broader community.

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Abby Hickcox wins 2025 Cogswell Award for Inspirational Instruction

Rachel Sauer — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 20:08:09 +0000

Abby Hickcox wins 2025 Cogswell Award for Inspirational Instruction Rachel Sauer Tue, 04/15/2025 - 14:08

Hickcox, a ��ֱ�� Boulder teaching associate professor of geography, is recognized for empowering students to think of themselves as creators of knowledge

Abby Hickcox, a teaching associate professor of geography and associate director of the Arts and Sciences Honors Program, has been named the 2025 Cogswell Award for Inspirational Instruction winner.

Supported by a generous donation from Craig Cogswell, a three-time alumnus of ��ֱ�� Boulder, the award recognizes outstanding instruction in the college, honoring individuals for their inspirational qualities and teaching abilities.

Hickcox, who also is co-principal investigator of the ��ֱ�� Boulder Affordable Housing Research Initiative, earned a BA in peace and global studies from Earlham College in 2000. In 2006, she received an MS from the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Her master’s research investigated the privatization of common property (the Mexican ejido) in a national protected area in western Mexico. She earned her PhD in geography from the University of ��ֱ�� in 2012 and joined the honors faculty that year.

Abby Hickcox (second from right, with faculty colleagues in the Arts and Sciences Honors Program) has won the 2025 Cogswell Award for Inspirational Instruction.

“I am so honored to be selected for the Cogswell Award!” Hickcox says. “Teaching is what I love most about my role in the Honors Program. To be selected for the Cogswell Award, which recognizes inspirational instruction, is heartwarming and affirming. I am honored that my colleagues and peers took the time to nominate me, and I am so grateful for the community I have at ��ֱ��, especially my students.”

In nominating Hickcox for the award, her colleagues and students noted her innovative teaching practices, interdisciplinary focus and genuine care for students.

“(Hickcox) excels at creating an inclusive classroom where students feel safe to share their thoughts, ideas and opinions,” noted Amy Palmer, a professor of biochemistry and the 2024 Cogswell Award winner. “She challenges students to take ownership of their own learning and empowers them to think of themselves as creators of knowledge.”

A former student who took Hickcox’s Environment Society Geography class as a freshman detailed how Hickcox combines an “irresistible passion for geography and learning with an unparalleled care and respect for students and their experiences.”

The student added, “From the first day, Dr. Hickcox had us questioning what can even define the line between nature and the human world, and from this philosophical beginning we extrapolated from questions into frameworks into analysis of lawns and wolves. It rocked.

“Dr. Hickcox’s excitement permeates through the classroom with geographical jokes and contagious interest in people and places. She almost got me; I almost considered changing my major—I might still add a minor. One thing will stick with me forever: a deeper appreciation of our interaction as humans with the world.”

Focusing on human geography

"From the first day, Dr. Hickcox had us questioning what can even define the line between nature and the human world, and from this philosophical beginning we extrapolated from questions into frameworks into analysis of lawns and wolves. It rocked."

Hickcox also is faculty advisor for the Honors Journal, an interdisciplinary, student-run journal published annually by the Arts and Sciences Honors Program. A student who worked on the journal praised the community that Hickcox helped them cultivate as they worked on the journal—“the friendships, memories, creativity and mutual respect that was intentional and significant,” the student noted.

“There is one moment that will last with me for a long time: Towards the end of the semester, we had finished the stressful process of planning the release event for the journal. After we had finished tasks for the day, Dr. Hickcox told us that she wanted to take a moment to talk about what she had observed this semester and what she valued in each of us. I have not felt the same depth of honesty and genuine thoughtfulness from a professor before or since.”

Hickcox teaches five honors courses per year—both lower division and upper division—which include Sustainable Futures (GEOG 1972); Place, Power and Contemporary Culture (GEOG 3742); Environmental Justice (HONR 4075); and Racism in American Culture (HONR 4000). She recently overhauled the Honors Diversity Seminar (HONR 1810) and created a new Advanced Writing Seminar—Honors Journal Section (HONR 3220).

Her research expertise is in human geography and focuses on the relationship between people and the environment. Her areas of research include parks and protected areas, environmentalism, environmental justice, racism, racialization, white racial privilege and the politics of belonging and exclusion. Specifically, through examination of historical and contemporary data, her research addresses the complicated overlap between environmentalism, progressive politics and racism in Boulder.

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Hickcox, a ��ֱ�� Boulder teaching associate professor of geography, is recognized for empowering students to think of themselves as creators of knowledge.

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Financial wellness despite the current chaos?

Rachel Sauer — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 22:47:57 +0000

Financial wellness despite the current chaos? Rachel Sauer Mon, 04/07/2025 - 16:47

Expert to discuss letting money work for you in April 15 workshop

A University of ��ֱ�� Boulder finance expert will discuss financial independence this month during a Let’s ��ֱ�� Well presentation.

Let's ��ֱ�� Well

What: Let's ��ֱ�� Well: Financial freedom and happiness: Don't work for your money, learn how to make your money work for you, with Diane Hirschhorn

When: 1 p.m., Tuesday, April 15

Where: Zoom, registration is required.

Who: Diane Hirschhorn is a lecturer of finance in the Leeds School of Business and a wealth manager.

The College of Arts and Sciences event, titled “Financial Wellness with Diane Hirschhorn,” is scheduled for 1 p.m. April 15 via Zoom. Attendance is free, but registration is required at this link.

The presentation is designed to inspire and empower ��ֱ�� students, staff and faculty and community members on their journey to financial independence.

Led by Diane Hirschhorn, a wealth manager and lecturer of finance at the Leeds School of Business, this hour-long session will revisit powerful strategies to optimize savings and earn more with what you have. Hirschhorn will also discuss the current market swings.

This workshop will approach wellness through a financial lens and aims to help participants feel more secure within the changing financial landscape. The workshop is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.

The workshop will be moderated by Erin Cunningham, director of employee wellness and engagement in the College of Arts and Sciences.

The event is presented by the college’s Office for Access and Community Engagement. It is co-presented by the college’s wellness initiative, called Be Well. Let’s ��ֱ�� Well is that initiative’s regular series of expert presentations.

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Expert to discuss letting money work for you in April 15 workshop.

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Discovering Boulder County’s tiniest residents

Rachel Sauer — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 17:10:47 +0000

Discovering Boulder County’s tiniest residents Rachel Sauer Mon, 03/24/2025 - 11:10

Collette Mace

��ֱ�� Boulder alum and experienced caver Dave Steinmann recently discovered a new species of pseudoscorpion in Mallory Cave, with a moniker honoring its namesake hometown

When Dave Steinmann (Phys’90) first started classes at the University of ��ֱ�� Boulder in 1984, he had never explored a cave before and never really thought much about caves. However, when his new dorm-mate suggested they try his dad’s favorite hobby of caving, what seemed at first like an adventurous new pastime soon turned into a lifestyle for Steinmann—one that he has continued for more than 30 years and leading to his discovery of almost 100 new cave-dwelling species.

Steinmann, now a research associate with the Denver Museum of Nature & Science’s Zoology Department, most recently discovered a new species of pseudoscorpion named after the city closest to where it was found—none other than ��ֱ��’s hometown of Boulder. Steinmann said that he knew almost immediately that the critter that is now known as Larca boulderica was a new species.

Dave Steinmann (right) with his son, Nathan (left), and wife, Debbie (center), as they get ready to go caving. (Photo: Dave Steinmann)

When he first spotted it in Mallory Cave, one of Boulder’s most well-known cave systems thanks to its role in bat conservation, he immediately noticed its unique, almost lentil-shaped body and adaptations for cave living, such as its pale color. These specimens were later verified as a new species by Mark Harvey, a pseudoscorpion expert at the Western Australian Museum; Harvey and Steinmann recently published details of the discovery in ZooKeys.

Steinmann notes that it’s typically not difficult to discern when a specimen is a new species, as it happens pretty frequently in the ancient cave systems right below our feet.

“I always say that if I want to discover a new species, I just need to visit a new cave,” he says.

Why are caves such a great place to make new discoveries? The answer lies in their role as a sort of refuge from climate change, Steinmann notes. In caves, insects can hide from the effects of temperature, floral and faunal changes that happen more rapidly in the outside world, facilitating isolated evolutionary changes.

Changing cave life

However, even cave life is changing. Lately, the temperature inside of caves, typically very cold, has been observed to be rising on a minuscule scale. Although this may seem trivial, even a few degrees’ difference can have immeasurable effects on the delicate life structures within the caves.

Similarly, outside temperatures affect which species go in and out of the cave systems, most notably bats. With the recent spike in white-nosed syndrome in bat populations, the number of bats in cave systems has decreased dramatically, with disastrous effects on internal cave species such as Larca boulderica, who survive on organic material—most often wood brought into the cave—and guano (bat fecal matter).

These changes are slow to progress, though, and there is still time to save cave ecosystems like that of Mallory Cave, which is closed to the public to protect the bat population inside (although it’s still possible to hike up to the cave entrance, a pleasant and short hike for anyone hoping to get outside).

So, how did Steinmann spot these teeny tiny bugs who live on bat feces? Well, after more than 30 years of experience, he has some tricks up his sleeve. One of the easiest methods he uses to spot tiny critters is simply by turning over rocks or pieces of wood.

When species like pseudoscorpions are disturbed by the movement or sense the carbon dioxide released by human breathing, they tend to skitter in every direction, looking for a new spot to curl up and revel in the damp darkness. When they move around, according to Steinmann, it’s just a game of whether you can catch them quickly enough.

The newly described pseudoscorpion Larca boulderica is about the size of a sesame seed and is only known to live in Boulder, ��ֱ��. (Photo: Dave Steinmann)

To catch samples, Steinmann usually brings simple tools along with him—a painter’s brush and some rubbing alcohol. When the brush is wetted with the alcohol, it’s easy to run it along a surface and pick up all of the tiny things residing there, including minuscule species of bugs like Larca boulderica.

From there, it’s also easier to see what he’s found, as cave species are usually albino due to the lack of melanin— they don’t need pigmentation when there’s no sunlight—and they stand out against the dark ground and hairs of the paintbrush.

Looking for a gold bug

Despite being at it for multiple decades, Steinmann has no plans to slow down his caving career any time soon. He’s even made it a family pastime, and often spends time caving with his wife, Debbie, and his son, Nathan. He keeps an ongoing list of caves he plans to visit in the future and looks forward to making even more discoveries.

“I’d really like to find some kind of gold-colored bug and name it after the university,” he says, “or maybe even Coach Prime!”

He’s also enthusiastic about getting more students involved in caving, including caver and photographer Andres “Andy” Better, who will be a ��ֱ�� transfer student next fall. Steinmann emphasized how many different opportunities lie in the caving experience and says students of any background could find a niche interest in the hobby.

He also mentions local groups and clubs for both new and experienced cavers, including the Front Range Grotto and the ��ֱ�� Grotto, which meets at the ��ֱ�� School of Mines. He says that while anyone is welcome in caving, experienced members of the clubs can sometimes be protective of the places they visit, as human disturbances can harm delicate cave ecosystems, and caving as a hobby can be dangerous in a lot of ways.

However, if you’re looking to learn about caving with curiosity and respect, any of these clubs are great ways to get involved in this adventurous and exciting hobby—just be careful not to step in the bat guano because there could be a new species in there!

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��ֱ�� Boulder alum and experienced caver Dave Steinmann recently discovered a new species of pseudoscorpion in Mallory Cave, with a moniker honoring its namesake hometown.

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Creating an inclusive and future-focused Hellems

Rachel Sauer — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 20:44:49 +0000

Creating an inclusive and future-focused Hellems Rachel Sauer Tue, 02/04/2025 - 13:44

Supporters revivify not just the building but also what it fosters and represents

John and Karen McLaren didn’t meet in Hellems—they met in a women’s studies class held in Ketchum—but their son William met his fiancée there.

So, as a family they well understand that a university education extends far beyond successive semesters of classes. It’s also a collection of experiences—bright beads on a string that grow, one after another, into something complete and beautiful.

Where those experiences happen is an important part of them, both in the moment and recalled in memory years later. For the 85% of University of ��ֱ�� Boulder undergraduate students who will have taken a class in Hellems Arts and Sciences Building by the time they graduate, the place is a part of the story.

��ֱ�� Boulder alumnus Michael Klump (right), with College of Arts and Sciences Interim Dean Daryl Maeda, gave $2 million to the Hellems Fund for Collective Belonging and the Hellems Fund for Fostering Success. “I owe a lot of my success to attending the University of ��ֱ��, where I had the privilege of meeting inspiring individuals and forming lifelong connections across the country,” says Klump. “These experiences have deeply motivated me to give back and set an example.”

“It’s the center of campus,” says Karen McLaren, explaining what inspired her and John, in part, to donate to the ongoing Hellems renovation. While their names will be on a plaque at the entrance of a conference room in honor of their donation, they see it as not only supporting the physical place—the walls and tables and teaching technology—but the broader idea of experience.

Hellems, then, is more than a building; it is also a symbol, one that heralds the liberal arts, signifies a common student experience and fosters student success. In that vein, supporters like the McLarens buttress two funds that advance these ends: the Hellems Fund for Collective Belonging and the Hellems Fund for Fostering Success.

These funds have garnered support. For instance, in addition to his $13 million donation to fund the Michael A. Klump Center for Real Estate, Klump gave $2 million to the Hellems Fund for Collective Belonging and the Hellems Fund for Fostering Success.

The Hellems Fund for Collective Belonging will provide resources for student mental health and well-being, which inspired Klump to include Hellems as part of his recent $15 million gift to ��ֱ�� Boulder. His gift of $2 million to name the Hellems south courtyard will help students find support groups through the Hellems Fund for Collective Belonging. “I owe a lot of my success to attending the University of ��ֱ��, where I had the privilege of meeting inspiring individuals and forming lifelong connections across the country,” says Klump. “These experiences have deeply motivated me to give back and set an example.”

Hellems is “one of the most significant contributors to the student experience at ��ֱ�� Boulder,” notes designer David Keltner of Hacker Architects, which is working with ��ֱ�� Boulder to reimagine Hellems for today and tomorrow. “As such, it is not only one of the most commonly held experiences of the university; it also plays a role in creating those critical first impressions of collegiate life for incoming freshmen.”

Hellems also is the heart of the College of Arts and Sciences and home not only of the beloved Mary Rippon Theatre, but the ��ֱ�� Shakespeare Festival—a renowned nexus between the university and the community beyond its borders.

Construction on the 95,000-square-foot building is expected to be complete in 2025. The process of re-envisioning Hellems has been guided not only by administrative, faculty and staff input, but by guidance from students. They suggested not only practical improvements to accessibility, study spaces, classrooms and lighting, but creating spaces of gathering and belonging.

Reimagining Hellems has been a process of not only honoring its more than 100-year history and preserving the integrity of the building but also recreating it as a 21st-century space.

The redesign seeks LEED for New Construction Version 4 Gold Certification as well as reduced energy consumption, aligning with campuswide sustainability goals and aligning with college priorities

A reimagined Hellems will create opportunities for students to gather, linger, connect and succeed in their arts and sciences home on campus. It will be a place for everyone—accessible and inviting, a key part of the college experience.

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Supporters revivify not just the building but also what it fosters and represents.

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Workshop aims to help participants cope and feel better

Rachel Sauer — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 00:24:43 +0000

Workshop aims to help participants cope and feel better Rachel Sauer Thu, 01/16/2025 - 17:24

Participants will learn how to regulate heart rhythms to immediately address their emotional state in challenging situations.

An expert in heart-rate variability will share research and its application via the HeartMath system in a workshop at the University of ��ֱ�� Boulder.

Participants in the workshop, which will be at 1 p.m. Feb. 11 on Zoom, will learn how to use the heart/brain connection to regulate heart rhythms to immediately address their emotional state in challenging situations. The event is open to all, but registration is required.

The workshop will teach participants how to do so while uniting heart, mind and emotion; boosting resilience; decreasing stress; and improving mental and physical performance, notes Erin Cunningham Ritter, who will lead the workshop.

Cunningham Ritter, who is director of wellness and employee engagement for the College of Arts and Sciences, says that the workshop’s aim is to “support our communities with practical, in-the-moment tools for building coherence and capacity for resilience, stress reduction, improved self-regulation, performance and mental and physical health.”

She describes HeartMath as an evidenced-based program that teaches participants to access their hearts’ inner balance to become the best versions of themselves. These tools, which can be applied in the moment, are proven to help participants reduce stress and anxiety while improving coherence, self-security and decision making, Cunningham Ritter says.

HeartMath has developed highly successful programs for self-improvement in mental, emotional and physical balance, according to Cunningham-Ritter. However, HeartMath technology and materials are not intended to replace treatments for medical or psychological conditions by licensed physicians, psychologists or other health care professionals.

The workshop is a presentation of Let’s ��ֱ�� Well, an expert-speaker series sponsored by Be Well, the College of Arts and Sciences’ wellness initiative, and ��ֱ�� Boulder Health and Wellness Services. For more information or to ask questions, contact Erin Cunningham Ritter.

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Participants will learn how to regulate heart rhythms to immediately address their emotional state in challenging situations.

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Difficult Dialogue focuses on extremism, antisemitism

Rachel Sauer — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 22:18:47 +0000

Difficult Dialogue focuses on extremism, antisemitism Rachel Sauer Mon, 11/11/2024 - 15:18

��ֱ�� Boulder’s Center for Humanities & the Arts welcomes German delegation for latest in Difficult Dialogue Series

Late last month, a delegation from Germany joined scholars from the University of ��ֱ�� Boulder to discuss extremism, antisemitism and misinformation.

The discussion was organized by the ��ֱ�� Boulder Center for Humanties & the Arts (CHA) in collaboration with the Boulder Council for International Visitors and with support from the U.S. State Department. It was the latest of the CHA’s Difficult Dialogue Series.

The six visiting delegates, representing various regions in Germany, asked not to be photographed or quoted but engaged in a structured discussion facilitated by CHA Director Jennifer Ho. Topics spanned antisemitism, media literacy and the global effects of extremism, reflecting the delegates’ interest in the CHA’s approach to fostering meaningful discussions around divisive issues.

The Difficult Dialogue series is designed to emphasize open-mindedness, respectful listening and personal storytelling. This approach enables participants to confront challenging topics and seek mutual understanding without pressure to agree.

During last month’s discussion, participants shared their perspectives on democracy, racial inequities and the historical issues that influence the present-day political landscape, such as what is happening in Gaza. The U.S. and German participants exchanged experiences and strategies for navigating division, demonstrating the CHA’s commitment to conversations that resonate across borders.

Through the Difficult Dialogue series, the CHA aims to connect people from diverse backgrounds, emphasizing that discussing challenging topics is essential to problem-solving and cultural understanding. By hosting this German delegation, the CHA continues to affirm its dedication to promoting respectful dialogue rooted in the humanities, the center stated.

The next event in the Difficult Dialogue series is scheduled for Nov. 13 and is titled “Is that a fact?!” The session will focus on how to find facts in a world filled with misinformation. This community conversation is co-hosted with ��ֱ�� Chautauqua and open to the public and will be held at 6 p.m. at the Chautauqua Community House Rocky Mountain Climbers Club room.

For more information, visit Chautauqua’s website: www.chautauqua.com/event/difficult-dialogue-is-that-a-fact/

The University of ��ֱ�� Boulder’s Center for Humanities & the Arts (CHA) is known internationally for its Difficult Dialogue series, which fosters meaningful conversations about complex issues.

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��ֱ�� Boulder’s Center for Humanities & the Arts welcomes German delegation for latest in Difficult Dialogue Series.

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Paul Sutter honored as 2024 Professor of Distinction

Anonymous — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 21:28:50 +0000

Paul Sutter honored as 2024 Professor of Distinction Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 10/18/2024 - 15:28

College of Arts and Sciences leadership and peers recognize history professor’s service, teaching and research with the award

Paul Sutter, a University of ��ֱ�� Boulder professor of history, has been named the 2024 College Professor of Distinction by the College of Arts and Sciences in recognition of his exceptional service, teaching and research.

The college presents this prestigious award annually to current faculty members who are scholars and artists of national and international renown and who are recognized by their college peers as teachers and colleagues of exceptional talent. Honorees hold this title for the remainder of their careers in the College of Arts and Sciences at ��ֱ�� Boulder.

“Being named a Professor of Distinction is a career honor, and I am deeply appreciative of my wonderful colleagues in the History Department who nominated me for this award, and those around campus who supported my nomination,” Sutter notes.

Sutter’s research focus is U.S. and global environmental history. He is the author of Driven Wild: How the Fight against Automobiles Launched the Modern Wilderness Movement (2002) and Let Us Now Praise Famous Gullies: Providence Canyon and the Soils of the South (2015).

��ֱ�� Boulder Professor Paul Sutter is the author of many accalimed essays and books, including Driven Wild: How the Fight against Automobiles Launched the Modern Wilderness Movement and Let Us Now Praise Famous Gullies: Providence Canyon and the Soils of the South.

In Driven Wild, Sutter details an aspect of his longtime intellectual fascination with wilderness and U.S. environmental history: “Historians had long studied the centrality of the wilderness idea in American history, from its importation as a filter for viewing the colonial landscape to its role as a shibboleth of the postwar environmental movement, and I was fascinated by the same questions that preoccupied many of these scholars: How was it that a nation founded upon an antipathy for the wilderness had come to cherish and protect it? What had produced this intellectual and cultural sea change?”

In addition, Sutter is the co-author of The Art of Managing Longleaf: A Personal History of the Stoddard Neel Approach (with Leon Neel and Albert Way, 2010), and the co-editor of Environmental History and the American South: A Reader (with Christopher Manganiello, 2009) and Coastal Nature, Coastal Culture: Environmental Histories of the Georgia Coast (with Paul Pressly, 2018).

His current book project, Pulling the Teeth of the Tropics: Environment, Disease, Race, and the U.S. Sanitary Program in Panama, 1904-1914, is an environmental and public health history of the construction of the Panama Canal.

In addition to his books, Sutter has also written a number of influential essays on environmental historiography, including a state-of-the-field essay in the Journal of American History (June 2013), and he is the series editor for Weyerhaeuser Environmental Books, published by the University of Washington Press. He has received major fellowships from the Smithsonian Institution, the Huntington Library, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Library of Medicine/National Institutes of Health, the Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society, and the National Humanities Center.

Sutter earned his BA in American studies from Hamilton College and his PhD from the University of Kansas. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Virginia from 1997 to 2000 and a member of the History Department at the University of Georgia from 2000 to 2009. He joined ��ֱ�� Boulder as an associate professor of history in 2009 and was named professor in 2016.

Sutter served as Department of History chair from 2017-2021. He is a faculty affiliate in the Department of Environmental Studies and in the Center of the American West, and he has just joined the Advisory Board of the Ted Scripps Fellowships in Environmental Journalism.

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College of Arts and Sciences leadership and peers recognize history professor’s service, teaching and research with the award.

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Family raises funds for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation by pairing with ��ֱ�� Buffalo Bicycle Classic

Anonymous — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 14:49:14 +0000

Family raises funds for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation by pairing with ��ֱ�� Buffalo Bicycle Classic Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 10/16/2024 - 08:49

Bradley Worrell

They ride for 5-year-old Cora Beaver, who was diagnosed with the illness shortly after birth

When David Beaver and his 9-year-old daughter, Brenna, crossed the finish line of the Buffalo Bicycle Classic in September, they were met with the sounds of cowbells ringing and family members loudly cheering.

It was Brenna’s first time to do the 10-mile Little Buff ride, so it was special in that respect, but beyond that, every Buffalo Bicycle Classic ride for the past five years has felt especially rewarding for the Beaver family, which has spearheaded efforts to field a group of riders for Team Cora Force to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Cora is the name of David and Brittany Beaver’s youngest daughter, age 5, who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis in 2019, just two weeks after her birth.

Cora (left) and Brittany Beaver (Photo: Beaver family)

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a rare inherited disorder that can cause severe damage to the lungs, digestive system and other organs. CF affects the cells that produce mucus, sweat and digestive juices, which are normally thin and slippery. However, in people with CF, a defective gene causes the secretions to become sticky and thick, plugging up tubes, ducts and passageways—especially in the lungs and pancreas.

In years past, many children born with CF did not survive into adulthood. And while there is no cure for the disease, lifespans for children today with CF have increased greatly, thanks to medical advances and disease management efforts, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Brittany Beaver says receiving Cora’s diagnosis was tough on her entire family.

“Our faith has gotten us through all the hard moments. Also, staying connected to our family and community and the CF Foundation has been instrumental in helping us through the ups and downs of the disease,” she says.

Raising money for a cure

Beaver says it was her father-in-law, Dave Beaver, who spearheaded Team Cora Force as a fundraiser, driven by a passion to raise money to find a cure for his granddaughter.

“In 2019, he rallied literally everyone he knew—and continues to do so—to ride for Cora. He sends emails, has meetings and sends out texts often to remind people and invite them,” she says.

In other parts of the country, the CF Foundation has its own organized rides to raise funds to find a cure for CF, but Beaver says the Rocky Mountain chapter discontinued its annual ride around the time of COVID. So, Dave Beaver organized a group of his friends to ride in the Buffalo Bicycle Classic, with donations riders raise benefiting the CF Foundation, she says.

“My mother-in-law (Doreen Beaver) actually worked at the university for 30-plus years, so we have strong roots at ��ֱ��, and that’s why we wanted to do the ride there,” Beaver says. “Plus, it’s a great ride, we love the area, and because of the location it was easy for (the riders) to be able to attend.”

Cora Beaver on her scooter at the Buffalo Bicycle Classic (Photo: Beaver family)

Organizers of the Buffalo Bicycle Classic have allowed the CF Foundation to have a booth at the event every year, which Beaver says has been a great way raise awareness about CF, efforts to find a cure and Team Cora Force.

As for the riders on Team Cora Force, Beaver says they are easy to spot, thanks to their distinctive purple and gold bike jerseys with the words “Breathe In” on one side and “Breathe Out” on the other. She says riders participate in all levels of the Buff ride, from the 10-mile Little Buff to the 100-mile Front Range Century and everything in between.

Ridership on Team Cora Force has grown every year, currently averaging between 35 and 40 participants, according to Beaver.

“Our goal is always to raise about $40,000 a year with our team for the CF Foundation,” she says. “I don’t know what our exact number is for this year, because we leave it open where people can continue to donate after the ride, but we always raise quite a bit of money for the CF Foundation under Team Cora Force. All gifts are tax deductible, because it’s a nonprofit, and people donate whatever they feel comfortable giving.”

Beaver estimates Team Cora Force has generated about $200,000 since it first started its fundraising efforts. And while she acknowledges the goal is ambitious, she says she would love to see the group raise $1 million in total for the CF Foundation by the time Cora is ready to attend college.

“We love raising money for the CF Foundation, which is just a remarkable organization,” she says. “They do so much, not just to help find a cure, but they do much more for us families. With CF, it’s just a very difficult disease and it affects our everyday lives a lot, so we’re grateful for everything they do to help us. I don’t think that our experience as parents of a little one with CF would have gone as well as it has without the CF Foundation; they’ve been truly remarkable.”

Beaver says that, for their part, riders have remarked how satisfying it’s been for them to arrive at the finish line to find Cora and other Beaver family members congratulating them.

“It’s always really sweet, because Cora is often at the finish line with her little cowbells, cheering them on,” she says. “It’s not uncommon for riders to have a few tears in their eyes at the end, knowing they did this hard ride to raise money for the CF Foundation, and seeing Cora there to welcome them.”

Top image: David Beaver (left) and daughter Brenna at the Buffalo Bicycle Classic (Photo: Beaver family)

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They ride for 5-year-old Cora Beaver, who was diagnosed with the illness shortly after birth.

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