The 2017 CO-LABS Governor's Awards for High Impact Research event on October 5, 2017 recognized four significant research projects with an audience of over 220 supporters of science. From the quantum realm of bioscience to the vanguard of atmospheric physics, from the technology advancing new possibilities in manufacturing to crucial new assessments of severe weather – CO-LABS was proud to convene more than 200 fellow champions of science at Colorado's premier scientific research recognition event at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Researchers, entrepreneurs, business leaders, technology experts, STEM educators and government officials mingled and celebrated the exceptional and groundbreaking work of scientists and engineers from Colorado’s federally-funded research labs! See the winning projects' individual videos for more details. This year's winners are • JILA and Dr. Tom Perkins' New twists in the molecules of life • NIST - Seeing More with a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) • NOAA/CU-Boulder/UCAR - GPS Reflections: Innovative Techniques • CIRA - GOES-16 the New Generation of Geostationary Weather Satellites Also for 2017 there are three Honorable Mentions: • USDA ARS - Sugar Beet research with High Impact in Colorado, the USA and the World • CIRES - Snow Research Improves Avalanche Safety, Water Resource Management • NOAA ESRL- Science on a Sphere and SOS Explorer visualization systems James Balog gave the keynote, speaking on “The Value of Scientific Research in the Anthropocene.” Mr. Balog is the world-renowned photographer featured in the Emmy Award-winning documentary Chasing Ice and founder of the Extreme Ice Survey. His insight into global environmental and societal trends, and the crucial role research plays in assessing complex factors shaping our world make him a compelling addition to this year’s CO-LABS Awards ceremony. “I've always believed that photography is a way to shape human perception,” says Mr. Balog. “I look forward to joining the esteemed guests at the Governor’s Awards to discuss and share imagery that highlights the power of art and science to not only reveal incredibly profound forces in nature but also to be a source of inspiration and solutions to our most prevalent and pressing societal challenges.” (Read more his work at http://extremeicesurvey.org ) “The projects in this year’s CO-LABS High-Impact Awards spotlight what makes Colorado a leader in innovation It’s terrific to see research advance its partnerships with the private sector. The range of crucial and profound discoveries coming from these labs are a national asset,” said Governor John Hickenlooper. “I congratulate the scientific teams for their groundbreaking work and am excited to see the mark they will leave on our state and society as a whole.” Representing Governor Hickenlooper was the state’s Chief Innovation Officer Erik Mitisek.

JILA and Dr. Tom Perkins' New Twists in the Molecules of Life - JILA is a joint research institute of the University of Colorado at Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Principal Investigator: Thomas T. Perkins, Ph.D. Fellow of JILA & Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Dr. Tom Perkins of JILA has partnered with the biotech industry to develop powerful new tools to dramatically improve the measurement and understanding of the complex structure and function of single proteins and nucleic acids - in real time and under real-world biological conditions. Dr. Perkins has developed the world’s most sensitive atomic force microscope (AFM), and applied it to making the world’s most precise measurements of the structural details of individual protein and nucleic acid molecules. With this tool, he is now able to observe these large and complex molecules fold and unfold as they perform their crucial biological functions. Dr. Perkins has worked with AFM manufacturers to develop the world’s most sensitive AFM–with 100 times better resolution of position, force, and time than previous AFMs. The custom-made cantilevers for these machines are able to operate in the wet, warm environment of living cells. Dr. Perkins has teamed up with pharmaceutical/biotech companies to apply his unique AFM technology to make ultraprecise measurements of real-time folding and unfolding of individual protein and nucleic acid molecules for the first time. These experiments are creating rich new opportunities for medical diagnostics, treatments, and fundamental biomedical research; the AFM technology recognized by this award can directly advance biomedical research and lead to new biotech products. Dr. Perkins has transferred his technology through inventions and patents, through widely cited scientific publications, through direct collaborations with industry, and through training graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who have gone on to advance this revolutionary technology at AFM and biotech companies. Learn more at https://goo.gl/FVs62Z