Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences

Strategic Imperative 2: Collaboration

Strategically link research groups and improve the mobility of our people and ideas to enhance innovation and interdisciplinarity across CIRES

A person talks while 3 other people at the same table listen
Group discussions during the CIRES Science Summit Fall 2025
- Lauren Lipuma/CIRES

Explore our goals and learn how we are implementing each part of the strategic plan. Click on each card to see more information.

Goal 1

Get to know one another

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Seminars

CIRES departments, units, and centers offer seminars throughout the year that are open to all CIRES employees

Sunny skies, lush grass, mountain backdrop

Town Halls

The CIRES director hosts Town Halls regularly to share administrative news and information on strategic goals of the institute

A group of people chat in front of a poster

Rendezvous

This institute-wide symposium aims to elevate CIRES science and encourage collaboration among CIRES researchers and staff

A photo taken through snow covered pine tree branches looking out toward snow covered mountains with low-hanging clouds

Seasonal Celebration

The CIRES events team hosts a seasonal celebration each year in early December to connect our community and families

a brick sign saying "NOAA" with snowy bushes around it.

Tours at NOAA

CIRES often provides tours at NOAA for groups such as graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and administrative teams

Goal 2

Link people who work on similar themes

A group of people chat in front of a poster

Rendezvous

This institute-wide symposium aims to elevate CIRES science and encourage collaboration among CIRES researchers and staff

A group of people looking up, posing for a group photo taken from above

Science Summit

This mini-conference strengthens our internal networks, fosters collaborations, and amplifies existing research, outreach, and engagement efforts

Goals 3 and 4

Establish new cross-disciplinary relationships focused on exploratory themes; and Foster innovation through collaboration

A group of people looking up, posing for a group photo taken from above

Science Summit

This mini-conference strengthens our internal networks, fosters collaborations, and amplifies existing research, outreach, and engagement efforts

Person in snow-covered valley with research equipment

Innovative Research Program

An internal, competitive program of CIRES, IRPs support novel research that might otherwise be difficult to fund

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Visiting Fellows Program

CIRES Visiting Fellowships stimulate interdisciplinary research across the institute through engagement with CIRES researchers at CU Boulder and NOAA

two researchers wade next to inflatable rafts carrying monitoring equipment

Graduate Student Research Awards

This CIRES program recognizes and sponsors excellent graduate students with salary, tuition, and more

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CIRES Early-Career Assembly (CECA) travel award

The travel award supports graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to present their work at conferences or meetings

People installing instruments inside a science airplane

Shared supervision of graduate students

Several CIRES graduate students have been advised across academic departments, bridging CU Boulder groups and NOAA labs

aerial view of CU campus buildings

Fellows meetings and retreats

CIRES fellows guide the development of our cross-cutting research program