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A new interdisciplinary graduate program at Colorado School of Mines will prepare engineers and scientists to contribute to the growing field of quantum technology – without the four- to six-year time commitment of earning a PhD. Starting in Fall 2020, Mines will offer graduate certificates and thesis/non-thesis master’s degrees in Quantum Engineering, with specialization tracks in hardware and software. “Quantum technology could revolutionize computing, communication, sensing and more, but critical workforce shortages are threatening to hamper progress,” said Eliot Kapit, associate professor of physics. “You don’t need a PhD to make an impact in quantum engineering – you need quantum literacy, and this program is designed to bring students and working professionals up to speed on key concepts needed by industry today, including cryogenic equipment operation, programming quantum systems and quantum optics setup and operation.” Core courses in the Quantum Engineering program will focus on four areas: the fundamentals of quantum information, quantum many-body physics, quantum programming and low-temperature microwave measurements for quantum information. Students will also get unique access to cutting-edge quantum instruments, including helium-cooled units and device measurements using microwave network analyzers, spectrum and signal analyzers. READ MORE.

The State of Colorado launched www.HelpColoradoNow.org to accept a range of volunteer offers, info on donating supplies, how your organization can connect with volunteers, childcare for first responders, join an innovation team, contribute or find money for your non-profit, where to donate blood and more.

Via FedScoop: the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) issued a bulletin advising agencies to ensure the cybersecurity of any internal resources they make available to teleworkers through remote access during the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote access technologies are, by nature, exposed to more external threats, says the advisory, which follows a separate guidance Wednesday by the Office of Management and Budget for agencies minimize face-to-face interactions as the coronavirus spreads. “An organization should assume that external facilities, networks, and devices contain hostile threats that will attempt to gain access to the organization’s data and resources,” reads the bulletin. “Organizations should assume that malicious parties will gain control of telework client devices and attempt to recover sensitive data from them or leverage the devices to gain access to the enterprise network.” READ MORE.

Click here to see interim guidance based on what is currently known about the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will update this interim guidance as needed and as additional information becomes available.

Congressman Joe Neguse is urging Appropriators in Congress to include robust funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in next year's budget. Colorado is home to over 30 federally-funded research labs and joint institutes across the state, making it one of the highest concentrations of federally funded science and research centers in the nation. Both NIST and NOAA have facilities in Boulder, Colorado as well as several joint research institutes with the University of Colorado and Colorado State University. “Our district is home to some of the nation’s top federal labs, research, and scientists,” said Congressman Joe Neguse. “Last year, I brought my colleagues on the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis to visit many of the federal labs in Boulder, including the NOAA laboratory, to see both the groundbreaking scientific research happening at these facilities as well as the need for additional support to update aging facility infrastructure and increase security and climate controls. In addition to introducing the Federal Labs Modernization Act last year to provide a permanent funding fix for these institutions, I’m requesting robust federal funding for these labs in this year’s budget process. Our nation cannot remain a leader in research and development without Congress’ dedication to providing the funding for these much needed improvements at federal laboratories.” “Colorado is home to crucial research shaping our national security. From extreme weather threats to our food systems to new paradigms of energy resources to urgent public health concerns, our network of federal labs' scientists provide fundamental discoveries and tireless focus on challenges affecting our country,” said Dan Powers, Executive Director at CO-LABS. “At NOAA and NIST and several joint institutes American taxpayers are benefitting from the brilliant efforts of scientists and researchers to understand extreme weather and climate change dynamics, digital communication potential and cybersecurity threats, and dozens of other realms of research necessary to keep the United States safe and in a leadership role across innovative industries.Support for these labs cannot be overstated as a necessary national security investment.” Congressman Neguse sent a letter requesting $592 million for NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR). OAR research focuses on forecasting large storms and seasonal wildfires, assessing local impacts of projected sea-level rise, and improving seasonal drought forecasts. It also improves understanding of ocean and atmospheric processes and the marine environment. OAR’s Earth Systems Research Laboratory is also located in Boulder, CO. Read the letter here. Additionally, Neguse is requesting an $85 million increase in funding for the National Institute for Science and Technology (NIST) over FY2021 to further advance research projects in key areas, including quantum science and technology, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), as well as broader NIST measurement science programs. In addition, the letter requests an $82 million increase in facility construction which is necessary because “delayed facilities repairs and maintenance currently have a direct impact on NIST’s ability to provide critical services to industry,” as stated in the letter. In total, the letter asks for an $839 million investment in core laboratory research and $200 million for facilities construction. NIST’s Colorado-based facility is located in Boulder, CO. In December, Congressman Neguse introduced the Federal Labs Modernization Act to ensure a permanent pathway for federal labs in Colorado and across the country to receive needed modernization and security updates. Throughout his first year in office, Congressman Neguse has visited multiple labs across the district and witnessed firsthand the need in some of these labs for updated infrastructure, energy efficiency, climate controls and security. In August, he hosted the U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis in his district to tour federal labs. The Committee’s Chair, Ranking Member and others visited NREL, NOAA, CIRES and NCAR and spoke with federal scientists there on their research.

In a controlled and secure lab at the foothills of Colorado State University in Fort Collins, the virus has successfully been duplicated and is currently being researched. Just days after Congress passed an $8 billion spending bill to further combat and research the coronavirus COVID-19, Sen. Michael Bennet visited Colorado State University to see how they are developing a vaccine. While many across the world are doing their best to avoid COVID-19, CSU’s researchers are working to grow it. At the Infectious Disease Research Center Executive Director Raymond Goodrich told CBS4 that many of his researchers have dropped previous projects to focus on the COVID-19 outbreak. CSU hopes to contribute enough research to not only better understand how the virus spreads from animals to humans, but also potentially create a vaccine to combat the virus by the end of the year. “We are applying those resources and capabilities to addressing this emergent problem. Not only for Colorado, but for the United States and the rest of the world as well,” Goodrich said. READ MORE.

Ball Aerospace successfully completed the preliminary design review (PDR) of the advanced spectrometer instrument for the MethaneSAT Flight System, a 350-kilogram satellite that will locate and measure methane emissions around the globe. With the completion of PDR, Ball will proceed with the critical design phase. "We are excited to be a part of a mission that aims to study and address the impact of methane on the environment and climate," said Dr. Makenzie Lystrup, vice president and general manager, Civil Space, Ball Aerospace. (Dr. Lystrup is also CO-LABS Vice Chair of the Board) "MethaneSAT fits well with Ball's long history of earth science, our commitment to sustainability and our experience in providing highly-calibrated measurements of environmental factors related to ozone, weather and pollution." MethaneSAT is expected to be launched in 2022 by MethaneSAT LLC, a subsidiary of Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). The non-profit is dedicated to creating innovative science-based solutions to critical environment challenges, including anthropogenic methane emissions, a significant contributor to global climate change. Two extremely sensitive spectrometers sit at the heart of the Ball-designed instrument that will measure a narrow part of the shortwave infrared spectrum where methane absorbs light, allowing it to detect concentrations as low as two parts per billion. In addition to the MethaneSAT instrument, Ball Aerospace is providing flight systems integration and testing, launch support, and commissioning services. READ MORE.

Manufacturers typically guarantee that panels will endure the elements for at least 25 years before experiencing significant drop-offs in power generation, but recent reports highlight a trend of panels failing decades before expected. For some models, there has been a spike in the number of cracked backsheets — layers of plastic that electrically insulate and physically shield the backsides of solar panels. The premature cracking has largely been attributed to the widespread use of certain plastics, such as polyamide, but the reason for their rapid degradation has been unclear. By closely examining cracked polyamide-based backsheets, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and colleagues have uncovered how interactions between these plastics, environmental factors and solar panel architecture may be speeding up the degradation process. These findings could aid researchers in the development of improved durability tests and longer-lived solar panels. READ MORE.

Up in the sky, it’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s (another) University of Colorado Boulder CubeSat! CU Boulder’s role as a major force in cube satellites is being highlighted by Bryce Space and Technology, a space research and consulting firm. According to the company’s just-released 2020 Bryce Small Sat Report, CU Boulder is leading all United States academic institutions and non-profits in the launch of small satellites between 2012 and 2019 and is No. 3 globally, behind only Japan’s Kyushu Institute of Technology and Germany’s Technical University of Berlin. Bryce notes that CU Boulder has built and launched eight CubeSats since 2012. CubeSats are being developed by students and faculty in numerous academic departments and laboratories across campus, including the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, and Colorado Space Grant. Up to five CubeSat launches are expected in 2020 alone: PolarCube INSPIRESat-1 (International Satellite Program In Research and Education Satellite) CUTE (Colorado Ultraviolet Transit Experiment) CU-E3 (Colorado University Earth Escape Explorer) Lunar Flashlight READ MORE

March 18, 2020 - the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense will convene a meeting and webinar to address national biodefense in light of the response to the disease and its implications for preparedness. Webinar is free to participate, RSVP by March 13. The meeting agenda: to better understand the ongoing response to novel coronavirus 2019, national readiness to address possible large-scale spread of the disease in the United States and throughout the world, and implications for improving preparedness for the next biological threat. Speakers will share their perspectives, experiences, challenges, and recommended solutions with regard to the federal response to COVID-19.

University of Colorado Boulder - Center for Science and Technology Policy Research in collaboration with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) announces the launch of the Local Science Engagement Network. Dan Powers, Executive Director of CO-LABS is on the Advisory Board. The objectives of the CO-LSEN program is twofold: first, to bring relevant and timely science to bear on policy decisions at the local and state level so that policies are better suited to address challenges related to climate change, sustainability, technology adoption, and natural resource management in Colorado; and second, to build  and foster the LSEN as a new contingent of scientists in the state who are regularly engaged in identifying opportunities and relationships for bringing science into the policy realm. As a crosscutting theme, this program prioritizes diverse representation (i.e., across geographies, disciplines, livelihoods, genders, ethnicities, etc.) from the science, policy, and stakeholder communities. This program is a test-bed for local science engagement and advocacy, and accordingly coordinates and shares information, experiences, and insights with AAAS to inform their ongoing formulation of a nationwide strategy for supporting policy-engaged scientist networks at the state level. This program builds from and capitalizes on Colorado’s wealth of scientific capacity (17 universities and 38 federal research labs and joint institutes) as well as draw from various early-career science policy initiatives such as the Forum on Science Ethics and Policy (FOSEP). Given the program’s general focus on informing climate solutions, we collaborate with the existing ‘Inside the Greenhouse’ (ITG) project at CU Boulder. ITG focuses on creative framing and storytelling through video, theatre, dance, and writing to connect a wider audience to the deep and pressing need to address climate change.

The FLC National Meeting brings awesome innovators together! Join us in Portland, Oregon to hear the keynote address from Derick Botha, Innovation Manager at NuScale Power, who has dedicated his career to commercializing nuclear technology.Portland, Oregon-based NuScale Power has developed a new kind of power plant with a simplified design that is small, scalable, and cost-effective. Since NuScale's concept was first proposed in 2000, it has attracted more than $900 million in funding.Derick will discuss NuScale's collaborative work with US national laboratories to commercialize new technologies, including deployment of NuScale’s Small Modular Reactor (SMR) at the Idaho National Laboratory site. Register now for the FLC National Meeting in Portland and this great opportunity to listen, learn and meet Derick, as well as other T2 professionals engaged in advancing the profession.