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Virtual & Video Lab Access COVID has reduced our in-person access to most research labs - check out these on-demand virtual and video access options! National Center for Atmospheric Research Virtual exhibits at the Mesa Lab I'm an image title Describe your image here. I'm an image title Describe your image here. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Science on a Sphere Explorer videos

ABOUT US We Connect Technologists To Manifest Scientific Discoveries Improving the World: Since World War II, our country's national security and global leadership in technology has relied on fundamental scientific research and discoveries in taxpayer-funded research labs. At CO-LABS we believe it is crucial to support scientific research in Colorado - and that discoveries in federal research labs here are making the world smarter, safer, more resilient and capable of meeting the challenges of the 21st Century. For the United States, being the source of our own brilliance is crucial in the face of global challenges ranging from public health to energy to cybersecurity to food production (and space exploration, climate change/extreme weather, robotics, augmented reality, quantum computing, and much more...) We ensure technologists, economic development experts, scientific thought leaders and elected officials can leverage the resources, discoveries and cutting-edge technologies available in Colorado's federal research labs. Our Aspirational Purpose: To Make Colorado THE Hub of Scientific Research Addressing the Planet's Most Crucial Challenges What CO-LABS Means to Colorado's Innovation Economy: Our Mission : It is our mission to ensure Colorado's federal research laboratory ecosystem remains a world-class scientific discovery and innovation asset to the state and the country by communicating the value of taxpayer-funded research, promoting partnerships with federal labs and connecting with key stakeholders across academia, the private sector and civic leadership. ​ Our Vision: We envision Colorado as the Epicenter of Interdisciplinary Scientific Discoveries by a Diverse Network of Scientists Shaping The Path of Humanity. ​ In pursuit of this mission and vision, CO-LABS educates the public, businesses, educational organizations, and government officials about the value of federally-funded scientific laboratories. We create connections between these sectors, and support the technology transfer of Colorado's scientific resources from the lab into society. ​ Through events, economic analyses, strategic communications and networking activities we work to: • PROMOTE Colorado as a global leader in research and technology • EDUCATE the public about the labs’ impact and importance of sustained funding for research • CONNECT the labs, universities and businesses to facilitate partnerships and technology transfer Established in 2007, CO-LABS is a tax exempt 501(c)3 that is funded through membership and event sponsorship donations. The CO-LABS consortium includes Colorado federal research laboratories, research universities, state and local governments, economic development organizations, private businesses and nonprofit organizations. ​ Colorado’s research laboratories are often called upon to help solve state, national, and global issues. CO-LABS plays an important role in bringing together the collective research and development expertise within Colorado to highlight the state-of-the-art in scientific knowledge and identify solutions to difficult societal challenges. CO-LABS considers any research entity getting 50% or more of its funding from federal sources to be included in Colorado's network of "federal labs", whether they are financially contributing members or not to CO-LABS. With this definition, we include several joint research institutes on university campuses working on basic research as well as the commercialization of technologies. ​ Key CO-LABS Activities We collect and analyze data to understand the scientific and economic value of federally-funded research labs in Colorado. According to our 2017 study by the CU-Boulder Leeds School of Business for CO-LABS, federal labs in Colorado together with their affiliates contributed $2.6 billion to the state economy in fiscal years 2014-2015 and accounted for more than 17,000 direct and indirect jobs. We inform the public about what the federal labs do and their scientific and economic value to Colorado. We promote the work of those federal research labs in Colorado and provide information about technology transfer, testing facilities and scientific specializations. We facilitate interactions between Colorado’s federal labs, universities, and its businesses to enhance the potential for new partnerships, technology transfer, and job creation. We host the annual Governor’s High-Impact Research Awards celebration to recognize the global research impact of Colorado-based federal scientists. ​ To find out more about becoming a CO-LABS partner contact Executive Director Dan Powers at 720-389-0455 or dan@co-labs.org . Raymond P. Goodrich, PhD Executive Director, Infectious Disease Research Center , Colorado State University "The work that CO-LABS does helps us maintain a leadership position that not only benefits Colorado, but also provides the source of problem solving and problem preventing efforts ranging from infectious disease research, agricultural programs, energy programs, defense related programs and environmental efforts that impact the citizens of Colorado, the United States and the world in general.” Katie Woslager Senior Manager- Advanced Industries , Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) “The State of Colorado has enjoyed working with CO-LABS to strengthen our relationships with Federal Labs to further promote collaboration and participation. We support your mission and role in bringing together the collective research and development expertise from Colorado. The convening of government, EDO's, Federal Labs, Universities and the private sector strengthens Colorado assets to help us become a global leader in technology development.” Vicky Lea Director of Aerospace and Aviation, Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation “The recent CO-LABS tour of CU Boulder’s Laboratory for Atmospheric & Space Physics certainly offered a wonderful atmosphere for learning and networking! CO-LABS tours provide a highly engaging way to learn about the exceptional Federal research assets in our region, and they’re also very effective in connecting us to the outstanding “people assets” within our community - the leaders, scientists and innovators who work at the cutting edge of scientific advancement.” Erik Mitisek President, Highwing & Founder, Denver Startup Week ​ “CO-LABS is the innovation glue that inspires, connects and convenes science and our lab community in Colorado. The greatest innovations are created – together – and CO-LABS’ commitment to connect ideas to resources and opportunity – is a blessing to our State and a pillar of our innovation community. I could not be more thankful for the work they so passionately do.”

Econ%20Impact%20graphic%205_edited Econ%20Impact%20graphic%201_edited Econ%20Impact%20graphic%204_edited Econ%20Impact%20graphic%205_edited 1/4 Federally-Funded Laboratories and Institutions Have a $2.6 Billion Annual Impact in Colorado ​ University of Colorado - Boulder economic impact study reveals dynamic research nurturing Colorado’s innovation economy Federally funded research facilities in Colorado contributed an estimated $2.6 billion to the state’s economy in 2016 and supported more than 17,600 jobs, according to a report from the University of Colorado Boulder Leeds School of Business. ​ The report—Economic and Fiscal Impacts of Federally Funded Research Facilities in Colorado, FY2013-FY2015—also shows how 33 federally funded laboratories help make Colorado a national center for research and innovation. "Colorado's federally funded research labs fuel our innovation economy,” said Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper. “Their impact is far reaching, attributing to Colorado's high-quality talent pool and expanding into our startups and private industry. These labs help to ensure our state's future progress.” This is the fourth economic impact report produced by the Leeds School of Business for CO-LABS, previous CO-LABS and Leeds economic impact studies were released in 2013, 2011 and 2008. ​ CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL REPORT (PDF download) ​ For the latest report, the Leeds Schools’ Brian Lewandowski surveyed Colorado’s 33 federally funded research laboratories, from the Crops Research Laboratory in Fort Collins to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Boulder and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden. He collected detailed data on employees’ educational attainment, organizational budgets, spinoff companies, technology transfer and more. ​ The study also summarized the federal science funding landscape, drawing from national reports to highlight Colorado’s top-tier ranking among states in funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce (second), Department of Interior (second), NASA (third), Environmental Protection Agency (fifth) and National Science Foundation (sixth). ​ Among the findings: ● The estimated economic impact of federally funded laboratories in Colorado in fiscal year 2015 was $2.6 billion; it was $2.5 billion in fiscal years 2013 and 2014. ● Colorado’s federally funded labs directly employed nearly 7,800 people in FY 2015, and supported an additional 9,800 jobs through the multiplier effect (people employed by instrument makers, utility companies, etc.). ● In the latest year available, 2014, Colorado’s scientists and research groups received funding support from many agencies, making the state one of the top in research funding from departments such as Commerce and Interior, and agencies such as NASA and the National Science Foundation. ● Colorado's federally funded scientists live in 30 of the state’s 64 counties, with the highest number in Boulder, Larimer and Jefferson counties. ● Ten labs reported active commercialization programs, from tech transfer and licensed technology to spin-off companies and public-private partnerships with shared space or equipment. Colorado’s federal research facilities conduct wide-ranging basic and applied research that results in scientific and commercializable research advancements,” said Brian Lewandowski, associate director of CU Boulder’s Business Research Division. “Beyond the research, these facilities play an important economic function in the Colorado economy, including employing a body of highly educated researchers and through the purchasing of goods and services within the Colorado economy.” A critical finding in the report is that federal investments in this state support a strong scientific and technical workforce. Of those employed in federal laboratories, 55 percent have master’s or doctoral degrees, compared with 15 percent statewide; and Colorado ranks fourth among states for the percentage of the workforce engaged in science and engineering jobs. ​ That expertise has a strong effect on the state’s powerful innovation economy. Highly educated and trained workers leave federal employment to form spinoff companies and others develop technologies based on discoveries and inventions coming out of the research laboratories. Many of the state’s federally funded research laboratories work within powerful partnerships that include industry and academia. ​ “We found that the labs add value in dollars, jobs and beyond,” added Brian Payer, CO-LABS Board Chair and Program Manager of Strategic Operations for Sphera. “We learned about tremendous synergy between the laboratories, businesses and the community. The labs spur innovation through spin out companies, technology licensing, cooperative work agreements, and access for formal and informal conversations with world-class experts across an incredible breadth of disciplines. In addition, we learned that people want to live here, making it easier for the labs to recruit top-notch talent to the state.” ​ Contacts: ● Dan Powers, Executive Director, CO-LABS, 720-389-0455 dan@co-labs.org ● Brian Lewandowski, Associate Director, Business Research Division, Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado Boulder, 303-492-3307 Brian.Lewandowski@colorado.edu ● Elizabeth Lock, CU Boulder Strategic Relations, 303-492-3117 elizabeth.lock@colorado.edu 2017 Economic Impact Report PDF 2013 Economic Impact Report PDF 2011 Economic Impact Report PDF 2008 Economic Impact Report PDF

Unleashing American Innovation Symposium The United States invests about $150 billion each year on federal R&D, but are the American taxpayers reaping the full benefit of that investment? ​ The Unleashing American Innovation Symposium was about highlighting the nation’s journey to a new level of innovation performance. This path will seek the best models and approaches for converting the results of federally funded R&D and intellectual property into new companies and jobs as well as entirely new industries that bring new products, technologies and better healthcare to the American people. The symposium also explored barriers that limit industry’s access to federal R&D and ways to maximize the economic, security and societal benefits to the nation. Check out more details>>>> How Federal Laboratories Spur Innovation ​ In addition to helping the public understand how science can improve daily lives, federal laboratories play an increasingly important role nationally in promoting regional growth by partnering with entrepreneurs to create new jobs, products, and companies. ​ Several of the state’s laboratories including JILA, NCAR, and the Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) work collaboratively with industry researchers and support startup companies by offering access to their scientists and facilities. For example, through its annual Industry Growth Forums, NREL has provided an opportunity for 30 cleantech startup companies to present their business cases to an expert panel of investors and energy executives. To date, participating companies have raised more than $4 billion in growth financing. ​ Work conducted in Colorado’s federally funded research laboratories is also critical to protecting lives and property. A NOAA research group in Boulder, for example, works on weather modeling innovations that improve forecasting, especially for high-impact storms. These innovations give emergency managers and others better information, earlier. That team developed the HRRR, or High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model, now used in the 122 National Weather Service offices around the country. ​​ “NOAA’s research efforts have been crucial to improving the forecasts of hazardous aviation weather, which impacts the safety and the efficiency of the National Airspace System," said the Federal Aviation Administration's Steve Abelman. The FAA has long supported NOAA's weather research efforts, and the outcomes have included validation of turbulence, in-flight icing and thunderstorm forecasts now used operationally in the national airspace, according to Abelman. "Long-term research has led to new and improved weather prediction models such as the High Resolution Rapid Refresh, which is integrated into FAA decision-making every day," he said. The collective impact of the labs’ research also ripples out to every state in the country,” said Dan Powers, executive director of CO-LABS. “Ranging from partnership agreements to licensing of technology to outright free access to the research from these taxpayer-funded labs, thousands of companies throughout the United States representing hundreds of thousands of jobs utilize this science in ways that make us healthier, safer, more sustainable and global leaders in innovation.” US Dept of cOmmerce Office of Space Commerce resources for Space Entrepreneurs ​ https://www.space.commerce.gov/links/resources-for-space-entrepreneurs/ By law, each federal agency involved in research is required to have an Office of Research and Technology Applications, abbreviated ORTA. This office is intended to serve as an intermediary between the Laboratory and those outside such as universities, private companies and nonprofit entrepreneurial support agencies. Some of the tools available for “outsiders” to collaborate with federal Labs are summarized below: Small Business Innovation Research awards (SBIR) This is a competitive program designed to encourage the commercialization of products and processes developed by small businesses through grants of federal funds. Small Business Technology Transfer program (STTR) is similar to SBIR except it only applied to the departments of Defense, Energy, Health and Human Services, NASA and the National Science Foundation and award applicants are partnerships of small businesses and universities. Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) These agreements are used when a Lab and a private company share mutual research interests. They spell out the details of the relationship, cost sharing, and protection of the resulting discoveries or products. Intellectual Property (IP) The labs can patent technology developed by their scientists and license inventions to companies that will commercialize them. If the lab collaborates with an outside partner on an invention, intellectual property issues are typically negotiated and formalized in advance. Personnel Exchanges It is possible for Laboratory scientists to be deployed on a short term basis to private sector companies and universities, or for company employees and university personnel to be deployed to a Lab to enhance the knowledge, expertise and research of both parties. This is discretionary with each Lab and paid for by the outside party. Technical Assistance (Work for Others) agreements allows a Laboratory to advise US companies or other researchers on problems for which the Lab has special expertise or equipment. There may be a fee and a formal agreement if the assistance requires more than an incidental amount of time. Use of Facilities Outside entities such as universities, technology incubators, private companies and individual inventors may be able to use scientific equipment, specialized rooms, testing centers or other unique experimental property of the Labs. This use is at the discretion of the Lab with costs paid by the user. ​ Federal Laboratory Consortium website FLC Technology Locator helps match user technical requests for expertise and facilities with appropriate federal laboratory capabilities. Their website also has a good list of Resources about technology transfer. National Technical Information Service website This federal agency collects and disseminates scientific and technical information generated by federally funded research. Technology Transfer Tactics website Robert Byrd National Technology Transfer Center website This organization offers information and assistance about federal technologies. ​ ​

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Feb 1: NOAA Leaders Privately Disowned Agency's Rebuke of Weather Forecasters ​ Emails obtained under public records laws show top leaders scrambling to do damage control in the days after Mr. Trump appeared in the Oval Office on Sept. 4 with an altered map of Hurricane Dorian’s path ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Accessories Make this your own. Add the content you want. Bathroom Make this your own. Add the content you want. Accomplishments Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at CU Boulder Vases Make this your own. Add the content you want. Kitchenware Make this your own. Add the content you want. Wallpaper Make this your own. Add the content you want. REPORTS ​ WWA Intermountain West Spatial SWE Report ​ ART OF THE TITLE Westword: Power Switch Sept. 19, 2019 - "....Established in 1974, the U.S. Geological Survey’s Core Research Center houses tens of thousands of rock cores, cylindrical sections of earth extracted from boreholes all over the West. Its repository is open to everyone, but the vast majority of its cores come from oil and gas wells, and most of its visitors are industry geologists who pore over its samples with special tools, looking for secrets in the rock...." Read the article on the evolution of Colorado's fossil fuel era Sources of News from our Network ​ AAAS CBSA CTA ARPA-E Silicon Flatirons PPI Center NWCCG FedScoop Colorado Space Coalition CBRT CSBR JISEA SSURF OSTP Platte River Networks Boulder Chamber Longmont EDC Metro Denver EDC EDCC Catalyst Campus CSEF Innosphere FLC OEDIT FRIPS ​ World Trade Center Denver ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Why CO-LABS? CO-LABS champions the brilliant scientific discoveries of Colorado's 30+ federally-funded research labs and institutes. ​ Topics shaping the CO_LABS network and the manifestation of science for society ​ Artificial intelligence and big data/surveillance tech - algorithms will know us better than we know ourselves = health prompts, relevant ads, insight to psychological attributes ​ Threat reports Water shortage borne of climate change Pace of IoT, robotics automation, AI = rise of "useless" class of people. Biosecurity - GMOs vs lab grown meat 2 global internets (5G; censorship, truth/facts/info) People pay to be invisible/limit info ​ ​ TRUTH = Need for science ​ The nature of work in federal labs - comparing 2000 with 2020; 2030 predictions ask lab Directors ​ Report on top industries/jobs and federal lab connections ​ Ensuring the funding of scientific research and discovery in Colorado because of our activities and advocacy. ​ Ensuring the value of research is recognized and scientific discoveries continue to make our world a better place ​ ​ ​ ​ Mission CO-LABS educates the public, businesses, educational organizations, and government entities about the value of the federally funded laboratories, creates connections between these sectors, and supports retention and expansion of Colorado's scientific resources. Vision Advancing Colorado's global competitiveness through an interactive, widely supported community of federally funded laboratories, universities, and business. The CO-LABS consortium includes Colorado federal research laboratories, research universities, state and local governments, economic development organizations, private businesses and nonprofit organizations. It conducts economic analysis, encourages technology collaboration and provides education programming. Colorado’s research laboratories are often called upon to solve state, national, and global issues. CO-LABS plays an important role in bringing together the collective research and development expertise from Colorado. CO-LABS Activities We collect and analyze data to understand the scientific and economic value of federally-funded research labs in Colorado. According to a study completed in 2016 by the CU-Boulder Leeds School of Business for CO-LABS, federal labs in Colorado together with their affiliates contributed $2.6 billion to the state economy in fiscal years 2014-2015 and accounted for more than 17,000 direct and indirect jobs. READ MORE>>> We inform the public about what the federal labs do and their scientific and economic value to Colorado. We promote the work of those federal research labs in COlorado and provide information about technology transfer, testing facilities and scientific specializations. Read what people say about our tours>>> Facilitates interactions between Colorado’s federal labs, universities, and its businesses to enhance the potential for new partnerships, technology transfer, and job creation. See our lab tour schedule>>> We Host the annual Governor’s High-Impact Research Awards celebration to recognize the global research impact of Colorado-based federal scientists. See the most recent winners>>> ​ Established in 2007, CO-LABS is a tax exempt 501c3 that relies on donations from its partners and the public to fund its activities. To find out more about becoming a CO-LABS partner contact Executive Director Dan Powers at 720-389-0455 or dan@co-labs.org . ​ ​

Frequently Asked Questions When was CO-LABS formed? ​ What is a "federal research lab? Who are your members? ​ How can I join? ​ ​ Social Media Followers February 22, 2020 Linked In 204 Instagram 160 YouTube 17 Twitter 629

CO-LABS Partner Events DARPA Forward Conference August 30 - 31, 2022 CSU - Ft. Collins This Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) conference will unite innovators across the Rocky Mountain region to develop new breakthrough technologies for national security. Hear from Dr. Stefanie Tompkins, Director of DARPA; U.S. Army General James H. Dickinson is the Commander, U.S. Space Command, Dr. Timothy Chung, Director of Robotics at Microsoft and many other thought leaders! INFO NOAA Innovator Series Ongoing, 2021 online The NOAA Technology Partnerships Office and the NOAA Central Library teamed up to organize a brown bag series that features NOAA and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funded technologies The NOAA Central Library Brown Bag program provides an educational forum (hosting over 900 presentations since 1992) for the presentation of ideas, research updates and share news in support of NOAA's mission : to understand and predict changes in climate, weather, oceans and coasts; to share that knowledge and information with others; and to conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources. INFO NCAR Explorer Series Ongoing, 2021 online Get the inside scoop on science from National Center for Atmospheric Research scientists. The NCAR Explorer Series includes lectures to learn about the advances their scientists are making in areas of study that stretch from the Earth's oceans, forests, and cities up through the layers of the atmosphere and into the scorching swirls of plasma on the Sun. INFO NREL Industry Growth Forum April 20 - 22, 2022 Online In its 26th year, the Industry Growth Forum (IGF) is the premier event for cleantech entrepreneurs, investors, and experts from industry and the public sector to build relationships, showcase innovative technologies, and identify disruptive business solutions. ​ The Industry Growth Forum creates opportunities for productive connections between investors, cleantech entrepreneurs, and the ecosystem of incubators and accelerators that support them. The 40 investor-selected cleantech startups pitch in their respective tracks, which include: early stage, commercialization stage, growth stage, and emerging markets . INFO 36th Annual Space Symposium August 23 - 26, 2021 Colorado Springs The Space Symposium has become widely known as the premier U.S. space policy and program forum and as the “must attend” opportunity for information on and interaction among all sectors of space. ​ Space Symposium attendees consistently represent all sectors of the space community from multiple spacefaring nations: space agencies; commercial space businesses and associated subcontractors; military, national security and intelligence organizations; cyber security organizations; federal and state government agencies and organizations; research and development facilities; think tanks; educational institutions; space entrepreneurs and private space travel providers and more. Info & Tickets

Postcards with highlights - a "hello" to CO-LABS members ​ Who are our "fans"? ​ ​ Office of Science and Technology Policy White House ​

Eleventh Annual Event Honored Colorado’s Top Scientists and Engineers for Projects Having a Significant Impact on Society! On November 12, 2019 we celebrated brilliant discoveries from the realms of atmospheric science, nanotechnology and laser physics, extreme weather and flood dynamics, global greenhouse gas tracking, and tax-payer funded grants enabling commercialization of Nobel-Prize winning technology to track methane leaks - and all projects were the result of amazingly creative, complex and necessary multi-agency partnerships. ​ Our premier scientific research recognition event in Colorado saw 250 researchers, entrepreneurs, business leaders and government officials celebrate the exceptional and groundbreaking work of scientists and engineers from Colorado’s federally-funded research labs and institutes. ​ Presented By: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ CONGRATULATIONS to the WINNERS! WINNER: "Free Range Frequency Combs: a collaborative journey from national lab to Colorado’s oil and gas fields" ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The winning technology is Dual Comb Spectroscopy Methane Detection : Technology based on Nobel Prize-winning research in Colorado can detect methane emissions as small as a quarter of a human breath from over a mile away! WINNER: "Avoiding deadly floods through innovative partnerships: Estimating extreme precipitation in the 21st century to enhance dam safety and community resilience" ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ A multi-agency, private sector partnership to calculate flood risks to dams in Colorado with incredible precision to improve public safety - AND serve as a national model. WINNER: "Discovering a major violation of the most successful international treaty, the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer" ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ A data-sleuthing effort that revealed outlaw emissions of CFC-11 - violations of Montreal Protocol emissions standards - resulting in China making a national-level plan to comply with the Protocol. ​ Watch their Spotlight Videos below - and say "WOW!"​ ​ See full project details at the 2019 Governor's Awards for High-Impact Research Website ​ including nominations, press releases, photos and more! ​ 2019 Governor's Awards for High Impact R... All Categories Play Video Play Video 02:26 CO-LABS 2019 CO-LABS Governor's Awards for High Impact Research Event Eleventh Annual Event Honored Colorado’s Top Scientists and Engineers for Projects Having a Significant Impact on Society! On November 12, 2019 CO-LABS celebrated brilliant discoveries from the realms atmospheric science, nanotechnology and laser physics, extreme weather and flood dynamics, global greenhouse gas tracking, and tax-payer funded grants enabling commercialization of Nobel-Prize winning technology to track methane leaks - and all projects were the result of amazingly creative, complex and necessary multi-agency partnerships. ​ Our premier scientific research recognition event in Colorado saw 250 researchers, entrepreneurs, business leaders and government officials celebrate the exceptional and groundbreaking work of scientists and engineers from Colorado’s federally-funded research labs and institutes. The winners: Dual Comb Spectroscopy Methane Detection Technology based on Nobel Prize-winning research in Colorado can detect methane emissions as small as a quarter of a human breath from over a mile away #NIST #CIRES #RASEI #LongPathTechnologies Estimating Extreme Weather to Avoid Flood Risks and Improve Community Resilience A multi-agency, private sector partnership to calculate flood risks to dams in Colorado with incredible precision to improve public safety - AND serve as a national model #ColoradoDNR #NOAA #USGS #FEMA #FERC and many others! Discovery of Emission Violations to the Montreal Protocol A data sleuthing effort that revealed outlaw emissions of CFC-11 - violations of Montreal Protocol emissions standards - resulting in China making a national-level plan to comply with the Protocol #NOAA #CIRES and many others! See the winners' spotlight videos on CO-LABS' YouTube channel and more info at www.2019GovAwards.com/the-winners Play Video Play Video 03:35 CO-LABS WINNER: 2019 Governor's Awards - Estimating Extreme Weather to Avoid Flood Risks WINNER: 2019 Governor's Awards - Estimating Extreme Weather to Avoid Flood Risks. A multi-agency, private sector partnership to calculate flood risks to dams in Colorado with incredible precision to improve public safety - AND serve as a national model. In the last 100 years, the leading cause of dam failure and resulting loss of life has been overtopping due to inadequate or improperly designed spillways. With increases in severity and frequency of extreme precipitation events, current modeling practices of rain and snowfall has shown to be inadequate for assessing possible public safety issues regarding dams and spillways. Leveraging 21st century scientific and engineering advances and applying creative approaches, a unique federal-state-private sector team of nationally recognized scientists, engineers, public safety officials and dam owners designed and implemented an innovative scientific approach to understanding extreme precipitation in the Rocky Mountain region. This Award involves a significant multi-partner effort, with key stakeholders including: William McCormick - Colorado Division of Water Resources (DWR) Kelly Mahoney - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Jeffrey Lukas - University of Colorado - Boulder Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES)/ Western Water Assessment (WWA) Charles McWilliams - United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) David Keeney - United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) Kenneth Fearon - Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) William Asquith - United States Geological Survey (USGS) James Demby - Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Bill Kappel - Applied Weather Associates (AWA) Tye Parzbok - MetStat, Inc. Will Silva - Acclivity Associates Read full details in their nomination at www.2019govawards.com/the-winners Play Video Play Video 03:49 CO-LABS WINNER: 2019 Governor's Awards: Dual Comb Spectroscopy Methane Detection WINNER: 2019 CO-LABS Governor's Awards for High Impact Research Dual Comb Spectroscopy Methane Detection Technology based on Nobel Prize-winning research in Colorado can detect methane emissions as small as a quarter of a human breath from over a mile away. Principal Investigators: Ian Coddington, Applied Physics Division, NIST Greg Rieker, CTO, LONGPATH Technologies, Inc. Nathan Newbury, Applied Physics Division, NIST November 12, 2019: Combining the engineering expertise of the University of Colorado – Boulder, the laser spectroscopy expertise of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and micro-meteorological modeling expertise of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NIST, this team began a multiyear effort to build the first ever field-ready dual-comb spectrometer capable of pinpointing small methane leaks from over 1 mile away. As a nod to taxpayer-funded research, funding from ARPA-E and DARPA enabled the team to expand to conquer the series of key developments that were required to realize this system. In 2018, members of the team and local business experts founded LongPath Technologies to provide monitoring services to oil and gas partners. With established industry partnerships and systems deployed in four locations, their work is shifting the paradigm of methane leak detection and is a technology informing the evolution of environmental regulations, such as Colorado’s 2019 legislation SB-181 which stipulates continuous monitoring for certain oil and gas infrastructure. CO-LABS is emphasizing the unique collaborations among many partnering organizations that made this pathfinding work possible, including: Caroline Alden, Research Scientist, CIRES Esther Baumann, Senior Research Associate, Applied Physics Division, NIST Sean Coburn, Research Scientist, University of Colorado Boulder Kevin Cossel, Physicist, Applied Physics Division, NIST Fabrizio Giorgetta, Senior Research Associate, Applied Physics Division, NIST Andrew Goldstein, CEO, LongPath Technologies Inc. Kuldeep Prasad, Engineer, Fire Research Division, NIST Eleanor Waxman, Chemist, Applied Physics Division, NIST Ted Weaver, Former CEO, LongPath Technologies, Inc. Robert Wright, Research Engineer, University of Colorado Boulder Read full details in their nomination at www.2019govawards.com/the-winners Play Video Play Video 04:02 CO-LABS WINNER: 2019 Governor's Awards - Discovery of Emission Violations to Montreal Protocol 2019 Governor's Awards - Discovery of Emission Violations to Montreal Protocol: A data sleuthing effort that revealed outlaw emissions of CFC-11 - violations of Montreal Protocol emissions standards - resulting in China making a national-level plan to comply with the Protocol. Principal Investigators: Stephen A. Montzka, NOAA Geoff S. Dutton, CIRES Eric Ray, CIRES The methodical detective work undertaken by these scientists allowed them to announce to the world that despite indications of success, the Montreal Protocol was in fact being breached in a substantial way by a country in eastern Asia. The United Nations Ozone Secretariat responded rapidly with a call to address the issue, specifically calling out this team’s research. This discovery became an immediate topic of discussion at the United Nations and in other international and national agencies, and within the scientific community. A few months after those findings were made public, China made a commitment to the United Nations to immediately curtail the production of CFC-11 within their boundaries. Country-wide searches and crackdowns on CFC use in the country have been conducted. Furthermore, an international workshop (attended by Montzka) explored a range of actions China might take to address this issue, including the creation of a national atmospheric measurement network for the detection and quantification of CFC-11 emissions across China. This outcome, which can be attributed directly to this team’s long-term and accurate measurements of CFC-11 in the atmosphere and their skill in communicating this critical information to a global audience, will benefit people worldwide for generations to come. See complete details of the winners research at www.2019GovAwards.com/the-winners History of the Governor’s Awards for High Impact Research: Started in 2009, the annual Governor's Awards for High-Impact Research celebrates the brilliant ground-breaking discoveries and innovative research from Colorado’s ecosystem of federally-funded laboratories and institutions. That year, following the creation of CO-LABS in 2007, Governor Bill Ritter suggested hosting a celebratory and spotlighting event; the various labs were prompted to submit nominations and a Selection Committee was convened of professional researchers, technologists, academics and economic development experts to identify remarkable research having “high impact” on society. Each year at this event, CO-LABS spotlights the men and women creating our future through brilliant technological and engineering discoveries in aerospace, energy, agriculture, public health, weather prediction, wildlife ecology, communication, earth science and dozens of other fields of research right here in our communities. Over the years Colorado Governors Ritter and Hickenlooper have presented winners with these awards and comments recognizing their impact on our country's leadership in science. ​ 2018 Governor's Awards Read More 2017 Governor's Awards Read More 2016 Governor's Awards Read More