From insight to impact: Meet CU Boulder’s sesquicentennial faculty scholars
Left to right, starting from the first row: Professors Waleed Abdalati, Brian Argrow, Annie Booth, Emmanuel David & Yumi Roth, Mimi Engel, Alena Grabowski, Sarah Matsumoto, Sammy Ramsey, Mehak Sawhney, and Phoebe Young.
What happens when some of CU Boulder’s most imaginative researchers, creators and innovators step away from their labs, studios and field sites—and take center stage?
In celebration of its 150th anniversary, CU Boulder is inviting you to find out. This fall, the Sesquicentennial Faculty Scholars Program will spotlight faculty whose research and creative work are shaping how we understand the world and addressing the pressing challenges of our time. Through two public events in Denver and Boulder, audiences will experience CU Boulder scholarship as it was meant to be shared: bold, engaging and deeply connected to the public good.
Each event features a lineup of faculty delivering TED Talk-style presentations designed for broad audiences. These aren’t traditional lectures. They’re accessible, story-driven presentations that bring big ideas to life, showcasing how CU Boulder scholarship connects to real‑world issues across health, climate, culture, technology and the arts, and why that work matters far beyond campus.
“This program captures what makes CU Boulder special,” said Michele Moses, vice chancellor for faculty affairs. “Our faculty are advancing knowledge in ways that serve communities and the public good, and these events offer a powerful way to experience and celebrate that work firsthand during our sesquicentennial year.”
The Denver event on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, brings together an interdisciplinary group of scholars and artists—Waleed Abdalati, Brian Argrow, Emmanuel David, Yumi Roth, Sarah Matsumoto, and Phoebe Young—for an evening that explores how ideas move from insight to action.
The celebration continues in Boulder on Thursday, Nov. 19, with presentations by Annie Booth, Mimi Engel, Alena Grabowski, Samuel Ramsey and Mehak Sawhney, offering fresh perspectives on the challenges and opportunities shaping our future.
Open to CU Boulder faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members, these events will provide a unique window into CU Boulder’s faculty excellence and its continued impact into the future. Registration details and venue information will be announced soon. Space is limited; join us in Denver and Boulder and be part of CU Boulder’s sesquicentennial celebration in action.
For updates on the Sesquicentennial Faculty Scholars program and CU Boulder’s 150th anniversary events, please visit the program webpage or contact FacultyAffairs@Colorado.EDU.