Research & Creative Work
2,000+
undergraduates directly
involved in research
#1
public university recipient
of NASA research
650
faculty and students involved in
interdisciplinary bioscience research
Top 3%
worldwide for scholarly
research citations
Research Focus Areas
Discover how research at CU Boulder is changing the world. Our faculty and students are pioneering innovations in aerospace, biosciences, energy, Earth and environmental sciences, fundamental sciences and other major areas.
In-Depth Research Stories
Translating Research into Impact
Venture Partners at CU Boulder builds new ventures from world-leading research and creative works, turning groundbreaking solutions into economic and social impact.
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
CU Boulder provides opportunities for students, faculty, staff, industry partners and the community to engage in innovative and entrepreneurial experiences and mindsets.
Research Opportunities
Undergraduate Research
Explore your passions–no matter what your major. Our undergrad students work with faculty members to participate in ground-breaking research.
- Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) supports research partnerships between faculty and undergraduate students from numerous academic areas.
- Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program supports first-generation college students with financial need, or members of a group that is traditionally underrepresented in graduate education.
- Discovery Learning Apprenticeship Program undergrad engineering students can earn hourly wages while engaging in research with faculty and grad students.
Graduate Programs
Graduate students are integral to our research endeavors. Each of our nine colleges and schools provides an array of research opportunities for graduate students. We encourage students interested in graduate studies to reach out to a department to learn about specific programs and research opportunities.
The Graduate School serves as the intellectual crossroads of the university, a place where we work to educate the next generation of teachers, scholars and researchers and to develop the fields of knowledge and research within which those leaders will pursue their work.
Research Institutes & Centers
With more than 900 researchers, students and supporting staff, CU Boulder's 12 research institutes account for more than half of all sponsored research dollars at the university, making a major contribution to the university's research and education missions as well as the local and area economy.
CU Boulder is home to over 75 research centers housed within academic departments or as subsets of the research institutes themselves. They can be found in all fields of the university, including humanities and the arts, social sciences, natural sciences, engineering, business and law.