With three-quarters of the state in severe drought, Colorado’s Drought Task Force is leaning on Russ Schumacher, atmospheric science professor at Colorado State University, for regular updates on statewide conditions. Governor Jared Polis issued a statewide drought emergency proclamation on June 4 based on the task force’s recommendation. The designation gives him the ability to request a federal disaster declaration and use emergency funds. “Russ and the Colorado Climate Center have been invaluable…

Four current CSU students and an alumnus received Graduate Research Fellowships, and 11 earned honorable mentions. The program supports outstanding students pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees and is designed to help ensure the quality, vitality and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce. This year’s fellowship recipients include atmospheric science student Justin Hassel and incoming student Alyssa Vivienne Shih, joining Professor Russ Schumacher's lab. The five-year fellowship provides three…

The Vice President for Research Graduate Fellows Program at Colorado State University supports excellence in graduate student research and promotes interdisciplinary work by engaging the best and brightest students from graduate programs across the institution. These VPR Graduate Fellows receive research funding, professional development, networking opportunities and travel funding aimed at preparing them to become thought leaders.  James Larson was selected for the 2026-2027 fellows cohort with the project, "Modeling Climate…

We asked our graduating students about their plans following graduation and the most important thing they learned at CSU. Here are their responses.  Chelsea Bekemeier  Staying at ATS for PhD. Ski on weekdays, work on weekends;) OR I am capable of being a scientist (as a first gen science/grad/PhD student).  Chloe Boehm  Postdoc at Alfred Wegener Institute, Germany. How to make compelling figures and write interesting papers, and the importance of a strong support system.  Samantha Greeney  Staying…

Doctoral student Jennifer McGinnis has been a lifelong learner in the field of aerosols in her time at Colorado State University, even working through a federal shutdown to learn from the experience.  McGinnis went to Maryland in the fall of 2025 as one of three NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Technology and Research II 2025 visiting scholars to study aerosols – particles in the air that are much smaller than fine beach sand and have serious health outcomes.   At Goddard, McGinnis began working with her mentor Robert Levy who is a Research…

Each spring, our department awards the Herbert Riehl Memorial Award and the Maria Silva Dias Award to — typically two — students nominated by their advisers for outstanding research. This year, three students received awards because the nominees were so strong. Lena Low and Delián Colón-Burgos both won the won the Riehl Award for an outstanding technical manuscript by a master's student. The award is named in honor of department…