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2026 �� PREP Research Faculty Receive Outstanding Research and Service Awards

Kirsten Apodaca — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:07:38 +0000

2026 �� PREP Research Faculty Receive Outstanding Research and Service Awards Kirsten Apodaca Tue, 03/03/2026 - 10:07

Nine �� PREP research faculty have been honored with Department of Physics Awards for Outstanding Research and Service, recognizing their exceptional scientific achievements and their meaningful service to our community.

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Prof. Dana Anderson Celebrates Landmark Milestone as Infleqtion Goes Public on the New York Stock Exchange

Kirsten Apodaca — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 18:08:54 +0000

Prof. Dana Anderson Celebrates Landmark Milestone as Infleqtion Goes Public on the New York Stock Exchange Kirsten Apodaca Tue, 02/24/2026 - 11:08

Infleqtion, the quantum technology company founded by Physics Professor and JILA Fellow Dana Anderson, has officially gone public on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Infleqtion began trading under the ticker symbol INFQ on February 17, 2026, marking a historic moment for both the company and the broader quantum technology community.

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Researchers build ultra-efficient optical sensors shrinking light to a chip

Kirsten Apodaca — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 21:23:09 +0000

Researchers build ultra-efficient optical sensors shrinking light to a chip Kirsten Apodaca Mon, 02/23/2026 - 14:23

A team of electrical engineering and physics researchers at �� Boulder have built high-performing optical micro-resonators, opening the door for new sensor technologies.

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Scholar discovers her passion, right on time

Kirsten Apodaca — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 15:15:08 +0000

Scholar discovers her passion, right on time Kirsten Apodaca Thu, 02/19/2026 - 08:15

How �� Boulder physics and math senior Megan Thompson found her calling in precision time measurement and the mentors who helped guide her path.

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Dana Anderson Elected to the National Academy of Engineering

Kirsten Apodaca — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 17:05:01 +0000

Dana Anderson Elected to the National Academy of Engineering Kirsten Apodaca Wed, 02/11/2026 - 10:05

Professor Dana Anderson has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering. As a pioneering figure in optical quantum engineering of ultracold atoms, Anderson has long been at the forefront of translating laboratory science into real-world impact.

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Physics education postdoc awarded prestigious fellowship for AI research

Kirsten Apodaca — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 15:00:09 +0000

Physics education postdoc awarded prestigious fellowship for AI research Kirsten Apodaca Wed, 02/11/2026 - 08:00

Kirsten Apodaca

David Perl-Nussbaum

David Perl-Nussbaum, a postdoctoral research fellow in physics education research, has been awarded a prestigious fellowship by the Israel Science Foundation (ISF) to conduct research on artificial intelligence-generated computational models in physics education at �� Boulder.

Perl-Nussbaum studies how higher ed institutions can adapt to AI responsibly. His research spans multiple angles from how faculty adapt their instructional methods, to students navigating AI-based learning tools, to the broader institutional efforts to develop policy and infrastructure around AI use.

To Perl-Nussbaum, receiving the fellowship represents recognition of his contributions to physics education research at a critical time when AI is reshaping teaching and learning. He works alongside Noah Finkelstein, a distinguished professor of physics in the physics education research group.

“The Physics Education Research group has led impactful and, most importantly, sustainable educational reforms (e.g. the Science Education Initiative),” says Perl-Nussbaum. “I am eager to collaborate with Professor Noah Finkelstein in this endeavor, sharing the belief that educational change should be informed by research and driven by genuine commitment to student learning.”

Perl-Nussbaum completed his PhD in physics education in 2025 at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, where he was awarded the Elchanan E. Bondi Prize for Outstanding PhD Students. Weizmann’s Department of Science Teaching granted him a one-year fellowship to conduct research at �� Boulder, and the new ISF fellowship extends that work for an additional year.

“This extended timeline is crucial for developing impactful research projects and establishing long-lasting collaborations that will continue beyond my time at ��,” says Perl-Nussbaum.

Emphasizing the holistic nature of this research, Finkelstein says, “David is working on the future of education. Not only is he designing next-generation tools and practices to support learners, but he’s also developing and studying practices to support faculty in the use of these tools.”

Finkelstein adds, “this is a remarkably prestigious fellowship, and we are grateful David has joined one of the leading research groups in physics education, here in Boulder.”

David Perl-Nussbaum, a postdoctoral research fellow in physics education research, has been awarded a prestigious fellowship to conduct research on artificial intelligence-generated computational models in physics education at �� Boulder.

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John Cumalat named Big 12 Faculty of the Year Award winner

Kirsten Apodaca — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:21:55 +0000

John Cumalat named Big 12 Faculty of the Year Award winner Kirsten Apodaca Tue, 02/10/2026 - 10:21

John Cumalat, a Professor of Distinction in the Department of Physics, has been named a 2026 Big 12 Faculty of the Year Award winner. The award celebrates a top faculty member from each Big 12 school, recognizing their excellence in innovation and research.

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Meadowlark Optics invests in �� Boulder’s Quantum Scholars

Kirsten Apodaca — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 20:27:18 +0000

Meadowlark Optics invests in �� Boulder’s Quantum Scholars Kirsten Apodaca Thu, 01/29/2026 - 13:27

In a recent gift to the Quantum Scholars program, local optics company Meadowlark Optics is generously supporting $70,000 in scholarships for undergraduates exploring the quantum field at the University of Colorado Boulder.

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Narrowing In: Cooling Molecules with Light Like Never Before

Kirsten Apodaca — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 18:24:02 +0000

Narrowing In: Cooling Molecules with Light Like Never Before Kirsten Apodaca Thu, 01/15/2026 - 11:24

In a study published in Physical Review X Quantum, a team led by JILA and NIST Fellow and University of Colorado Boulder physics professor Jun Ye has demonstrated—for the first time—narrow-line laser cooling of a molecule. By utilizing a previously unaddressed transition in the diatomic molecule yttrium monoxide (YO), the researchers have developed a new approach to manipulate internal states and molecular motion with unprecedented precision.

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�� Boulder physicists automate plasma alignment for next-generation accelerators

Kirsten Apodaca — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 16:54:12 +0000

�� Boulder physicists automate plasma alignment for next-generation accelerators Kirsten Apodaca Mon, 01/12/2026 - 09:54

Kirsten Apodaca

Particle accelerators, like the Large Hadron Collider near Geneva, Switzerland, allow scientists to study the most fundamental particles, but they operate on a massive scale. The tunnel that houses the collider is about 12 feet wide and stretches in a loop over 16 miles long.

The sheer size of these colliders means experiments are expensive to run and have to be coordinated among large collaborations of scientists. But imagine if we could shrink these accelerators, making them available in smaller labs worldwide.

One approach to making smaller, more powerful particle accelerators is plasma wakefield acceleration. Traditional accelerators use metallic structures to create an electric field which increases the speed and energy of the particle beam. Magnetic fields then guide the beam in the right direction. In plasma wakefield acceleration, a special laser-ionized plasma source (an energized gas, the fourth state of matter) accelerates particles which has the potential to make accelerators much more compact and thousands of times more powerful.

In a recent study, a team of physicists at �� Boulder demonstrated the ability to align a laser-ionized plasma source with the electron beam in an ultra-precise and automated way, paving the way for future developments in making plasma wakefield accelerators a reality.

The plasma advantage

Valentina Lee during shift at FACET-II. (Image credit: SLAC/FACET-II)

The plasma source has a distinct advantage because it can handle electric fields much stronger than traditional accelerators, and it’s remarkably compact, says Valentina Lee, a physics graduate student and first-author on the team’s new paper. “Among the various types, the laser-ionized plasma source is the most appealing because it can be shaped in ways other sources cannot,” Lee adds.

“Using a laser to generate the plasma gives us total control over the three-dimensional shape of the plasma, which can be used to preserve the quality of the electron beam during acceleration,” says Lee. “This opens to the door to accelerating positrons (anti-electrons), in the future.”

The plasma accelerator designed by the group at �� measures only 40 centimeters long, about the length of a standard laptop screen. Yet, it provides as much energy to the electron beam as the 1-kilometer long conventional accelerator at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, where the Litos group's experiments take place.

If plasma accelerators become practical, they could bring the power of large-scale accelerators to smaller research facilities, like university labs.

Precision alignment

Using one of the highest-powered lasers on campus in the Litos group’s lab, the team verified the optics for the plasma source before running the experiment with the electron beam at FACET-II, the Facility for Advanced Accelerator Experimental Tests at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California.

Experiment time at the national accelerator lab is limited as research groups bid for slots on the schedule. Running an experiment at a facility like SLAC involves a lot of upfront planning and coordination.

“There are only so many months of beam time per year, and only so many of those hours are available to different users for their experiments,” explains Michael Litos, associate professor of physics.

For Lee, an experiment like this was something she had always hoped for. She had known she wanted to be a physicist since she was 8 years old, after children’s books sparked her interest. When choosing a research field, Lee wrote out what she liked. At the top of the list? Electromagnetics and lasers – giant lasers. So, when she found that plasma wakefield acceleration combined giant lasers with accelerating electrons, she was set.

Lee traveled back and forth to SLAC during her research, often spending two weeks at a time “running shift” on site. “At SLAC, a shift runs about 16 hours, then you go home for 8 hours to rest. Even though 16 hours sounds like a long time, originally it was taking us 12 hours just to set up the experiment, then we had 4 hours to actually do the plasma wakefield research,” said Lee.

Realizing more time was needed for the experiment, Lee teamed up with former Litos group graduate student Robert Ariniello, who at the time was a project scientist at SLAC. Together, they developed a process to automate the alignment, saving about 10 hours of setup time.

Valentina Lee and Robert Ariniello work on the plasma wakefield acceleration experiment at FACET-II. (Image credit: SLAC/FACET-II)

Positioning the plasma source and electron beam requires ultra-precise work. “We’re aligning a large-scale electron beam from one kilometer away with a laser from 40 meters away, and they have to be aligned with better than 10 micron precision. That’s about a tenth of the width of a human hair,” says Lee.

Lee explains that their novel alignment technique relies on analyzing the plasma afterglow light at two longitudinal positions as they scan the plasma column across the electron beam. “Plasma always glows a little but when it’s really bright then you know you have the perfect alignment,” she says.

It worked.

Seeing a working plasma wakefield accelerator for the first time was awe-inspiring for Lee. “I’ve been working in this field for seven years. We’ve talked about it and run simulations. To see it live for the first time was incredible,” she adds.

“Over the last year and a half, we’ve started seeing the high impact results that we’ve been working toward for most of a decade,” explains Litos. “This was an awesome experimental accomplishment which enabled the heart of Valentina’s thesis.”

With these results, Lee is finishing two more papers and will soon be writing her thesis.

The group’s research will help open doors to accelerating positrons, one of the key challenges in plasma wakefield acceleration. The alignment will have to be even more precise, but with Lee’s alignment technique, the team thinks it’s possible.

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Valentina Lee and Robert Ariniello work on the plasma wakefield acceleration experiment at FACET-II. (Image credit: SLAC/FACET-II)

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2026 ���������� PREP Research Faculty Receive Outstanding Research and Service Awards

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Prof. Dana Anderson Celebrates Landmark Milestone as Infleqtion Goes Public on the New York Stock Exchange

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Researchers build ultra-efficient optical sensors shrinking light to a chip

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Scholar discovers her passion, right on time

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Dana Anderson Elected to the National Academy of Engineering

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Physics education postdoc awarded prestigious fellowship for AI research

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John Cumalat named Big 12 Faculty of the Year Award winner

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Meadowlark Optics invests in ���������� Boulder’s Quantum Scholars

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Narrowing In: Cooling Molecules with Light Like Never Before

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���������� Boulder physicists automate plasma alignment for next-generation accelerators

The plasma advantage

Precision alignment

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2026 �� PREP Research Faculty Receive Outstanding Research and Service Awards

Meadowlark Optics invests in �� Boulder’s Quantum Scholars

�� Boulder physicists automate plasma alignment for next-generation accelerators