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Front Range Consortium holds meeting at �鶹��Ƶ

Tasha Abbott — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:04:49 +0000

Front Range Consortium holds meeting at �鶹��Ƶ Tasha Abbott Wed, 04/15/2026 - 12:04

Last week, the Front Range Consortium (FRC) held a vital forum for advancing the collaboration between government, industry, and academia in the defense sector. Hosted at the University of Colorado Boulder, the event facilitated a high-level exchange of ideas centered on critical national security and aerospace priorities. By integrating technical briefings on hypersonics, space situational awareness, and AI/ML with tours of the Ann & H.J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences and Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) facilities, the consortium provided a practical look at how shared research goals can transition into mission-ready capabilities.

The day’s dialogue emphasized that solving complex challenges in domains like BioAstronautics and SmallSats requires a deeply integrated ecosystem. Insights from �鶹��Ƶ Industry Research Partnerships, BioServe Space Technologies, Center for National Security Initiatives (NSI) and LASP underscored that these partnerships are not merely beneficial, but essential for driving the next generation of aerospace and defense innovation.

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Dr. Iain Boyd elected to National Academy of Engineering class of 2026

Tasha Abbott — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 17:00:33 +0000

Dr. Iain Boyd elected to National Academy of Engineering class of 2026 Tasha Abbott Thu, 02/19/2026 - 10:00

NSI is honored to celebrate Director Iain Boyd’s induction into the National Academy of Engineering’s Class of 2026. This recognition reflects his exceptional leadership, impact, and contributions to the field. Dr. Boyd is recognized for contributions to the computational simulation of high-temperature gases and plasmas using kinetic methods for hypersonics and space propulsion.

Election to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is one of the profession’s highest honors, recognizing exceptional contributions to engineering research, practice, or education. Members are distinguished for advancing established fields, pioneering new technologies, or creating innovative educational approaches.

NAE members include leading engineers from industry, academia, and government. Since its founding in 1964, the Academy has provided independent, objective advice on national engineering and technological challenges.

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The Science Behind Nuclear-Powered Missiles

Tasha Abbott — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 16:44:22 +0000

The Science Behind Nuclear-Powered Missiles Tasha Abbott Thu, 10/30/2025 - 10:44

Iain Boyd, Director of the Center for National Security Initiatives at �鶹��Ƶ, explains the science behind nuclear-powered missiles and why Russia’s claimed test of the Burevestnik may raise serious global stability concerns.

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Research & Innovation Office’s CoBabe-Ammann to retire at the end of the year

Allison Jane Miller — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 17:01:44 +0000

Research & Innovation Office’s CoBabe-Ammann to retire at the end of the year Allison Jane Miller Mon, 11/04/2024 - 10:01

Chris Yankee

Emily CoBabe-Ammann announced her planned retirement as Research & Innovation Office Senior Advisor and Executive Associate Director (Acting), Center for National Security Initiatives, effective January 1, 2025.

Emily CoBabe-Ammann

CoBabe-Ammann has been with �鶹��Ƶ’s Research & Innovation Office (RIO) since the fall of 2015, when she was hired to lead the university’s Grand Challenge, Our Space, Our Future. Before joining the Research & Innovation Office, she served as director of UCAR Community Programs.

CoBabe-Amman’s work with RIO spanned the entire campus. In recent years, she worked extensively with the Center for National Security Initiatives (NSI), including dedicated emphasis on the multifaceted work transitioning the campus towards approval to work on classified research and working to move NSI to become a sustainable institute. She also provided support for the CUbit Quantum Initiative during a critical strategic and leadership transition, paving the way for the campuswide momentum currently underway in quantum science and technology.

“I’m so appreciative of the Emily’s contributions to the advancement of the strategic goals of RIO and the university, and for her help in many outstanding achievements through this often complex and exciting, and always important work—work that Emily was uniquely suited to tackle and accomplish,” said Massimo Ruzzene, vice chancellor for research and innovation and dean of the institutes. “We would not be the same without her contributions, and we wish her only the best in this next phase of her life.”

For nearly a decade, CoBabe-Ammann played an important role in a wide range of strategic initiatives. Her initial focus upon joining �鶹��Ƶ was spearheading the nascent Grand Challenge Initiative, which was established through the bold aspirations of then-chancellor Phil DiStefano, Provost Russ Moore and then-CFO Kelly Fox. The initiative spawned an extraordinarily influential cohort of research and innovation programs such as Earth Lab, IRIS, the Space Minor, NEST Studio for the Arts, the Space Weather Technology, Research and Education Center, and more. While the overarching initiative that seeded these programs was officially decommissioned in the summer of 2024, the programs cultivated through the Grand Challenge led to new discoveries, new collaborations and several new entities that have become longstanding, self-sustaining and influential organizations on campus.

In addition to focusing on a campuswide strategic initiatives portfolio, CoBabe-Ammann contributed critical leadership to strategic revisioning work in areas as disparate as the Center for Humanities & the Arts, the College of Engineering & Applied Science, the University of Colorado Art Museum, the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History and the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI).

She co-led the campuswide Academic Futures visioning process with Jeff Cox, then the associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, helping reimagine future of �鶹��Ƶ’s education and research, leading to significant outcomes including online and distance learning, interdisciplinary approaches in research and education, and the eventual creation of the Center for Teaching and Learning.

"Perhaps more than any single figure, Emily has been at the center of �鶹��Ƶ's most important academic transformations over the last decade," said �鶹��Ƶ Provost Russ Moore. "Her abilities to identify complex problems, work in partnership to untangle them, and communicate clearly to leaders and constituents about paths forward, is unmatched among the many colleagues I've worked with. Her service to the university has been immeasurable and has occurred at a vital moment in �鶹��Ƶ's history. We will miss her, and we wish her all good things in her new life adventures."

CoBabe-Ammann plans to spend the first half of 2025 experiencing life overseas, starting with several months in Italy. Other than spending more time with her family, she is excited about traveling and seeing as many F1 races as she can manage. CoBabe-Ammann is looking forward to saying farewell in individual conversations over the next few months in lieu of a public gathering.

“It’s been such a privilege to be able to work across �鶹��Ƶ, supporting and expanding the research enterprise as it moves in important new directions,” said CoBabe-Ammann. “The freedom afforded to me by Provost Russ Moore, former Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation Terri Fiez, and current Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation Massimo Ruzzene, to support efforts and units across campus is a rarity in academia. I want to thank them, the RIO leadership team, and the people across the campus that made this such a wonderful experience.”

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In Orbit Aerospace explores hypersonics under AFWERX contract (Featuring NSI Researcher Nick Campbell)

Anonymous — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 15:49:09 +0000

In Orbit Aerospace explores hypersonics under AFWERX contract (Featuring NSI Researcher Nick Campbell) Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 10/07/2024 - 09:49

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VIDEO: How long can Iron Dome repel missiles?

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 20:51:26 +0000

VIDEO: How long can Iron Dome repel missiles? Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 10/04/2024 - 14:51 Iain Boyd

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Russian drone attacks against Ukraine reach record levels but experts warn of worse to come

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 16:46:46 +0000

Russian drone attacks against Ukraine reach record levels but experts warn of worse to come Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 10/04/2024 - 10:46 Chris York

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Dr. Merritt Turetsky, NSI Faculty Director for Arctic Security, was named Volunteer of the Month by the American Geophysical Union

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 16:36:43 +0000

Dr. Merritt Turetsky, NSI Faculty Director for Arctic Security, was named Volunteer of the Month by the American Geophysical Union Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/02/2024 - 10:36

Dr. Merritt Turetsky, NSI Faculty Director for Arctic Security, was named Volunteer of the Month by the American Geophysical Union for her work as a volunteer science advisor to Eos science news magazine.

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Dr. Furlich demonstrates detection of the Space X Starship IFT 4 launch using weather satellites

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 16:15:15 +0000

Dr. Furlich demonstrates detection of the Space X Starship IFT 4 launch using weather satellites Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 07/01/2024 - 10:15

Dr. Furlich participated in an exercise to detect and track Space X Starship IFT 4. Dr. Furlich continues his work for unclassified launch detection using weather satellites for the SDA TAP Lab Project Apollo Cohort 3. Dr. Furlich demonstrated an automated capability that checks the latest images from weather satellites for launches and reports out a message to alert on launch location and time. Dr. Furlich successfully detected the Starship IFT 4 using his developed capabilities as a part of a collaboration on this exercise. The exercise is summarized in the image below. (Image Credit: Major Sean Allen, USSF, SDA TAP Lab Chief).

Below is an animation of the detected launch using the Geosynchronous Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) mesoscale domain scans. The mesoscale domain scan produces images every minute. The animation loops through the GOES advanced baseline imager (ABI) channels 7 first from t-2m through t+10m and then channel 8 for the same times.

Dr. Furlich and Dr. Crews continue their participation in the SDA TAP Lab as academic members in the Project Apollo Tech Accelerator Cohort 3. The cohort members are shown in the image below. (Image Credit: Major Sean Allen, USSF, SDA TAP Lab Chief).

Dr. Furlich would like to thank Tim Garner from NOAA’s Space Flight Meteorological Group (SMG) for his request to task the GOES mesoscale domain sector (MDS) over Boca Chica to observe the Starship IFT 4 launch.

Reference Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sdataplab_tech-udl-commercial-activity-7211500523571564544-btu1

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sdataplab_apolloaccelerator-starship-activity-7204562501676457985-jn3t

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sdataplab_tech-weather-automated-activity-7204207959046844417-ITkw

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sdataplab_gif-starship-sda-activity-7205000889382625280-Wb7-

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Hypersonic Vehicle Analyses: The Needs and Challenges of Multidisciplinary Simulations

Anonymous — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 17:32:59 +0000

Hypersonic Vehicle Analyses: The Needs and Challenges of Multidisciplinary Simulations Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 04/17/2024 - 11:32

Iain Boyd

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