­Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to the annual CIRES Rendezvous! This year’s remote science symposium is definitely non-traditional, and there is just something paradoxical about a socially distanced “Rendezvous.” Despite our not being able to celebrate CIRES and all of your achievements in person, I am no less excited about what we have accomplished over the last year (and a half). We are now eight years into our current 10-year cooperative agreement with NOAA. Our relationship with the agency began more than 50 years ago, and we are looking forward to pursuing a new cooperative agreement soon, with efforts beginning in earnest next year. Fortunately, we have a lot to showcase in terms of scientific excellence, our support of NOAA, and our recognition as a global leader in environmental science and more. Some of our more recent achievements will be highlighted in today’s 80 virtual posters and presentations.

CU Boulder continues to be a powerhouse in research, with another year of external funding in excess of half a billion dollars; CIRES is responsible for nearly one fifth of that funding. As such, CIRES plays a critical role in CU Boulder’s standing as a research university and its position at the top of the list of universities in the world that excel in the geosciences. You published 700 papers last year, submitted 250 proposals, and led multi-agency and multinational research efforts. You achieved honorable status in your fields, as fellows of professional societies, medal winners, and highly-cited researchers. You helped CU Boulder stay high in various rankings; In 2020, Nature ranked us #5 among US universities in in Earth and Environmental Sciences (outranked only by Stanford, Columbia, CalTech and the University of Washington). In the Shanghai Indices’ Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, though, we’re still #1 in both Earth science and Atmospheric sciences.

Far more important than the numbers, however, is our excellence in research and quality of education. Our efforts lead to fundamental understanding of how environmental processes work, which is critical to society’s ability to address the environmental challenges of today and tomorrow, and to thrive in the face of change. In short, we develop foundational knowledge; we provide actionable information at all scales to inform decision-making; and we enhance environmental literacy.

Beyond that, we are an institute of character. I continue to be amazed by how effectively we have been meeting the COVID-19 challenges, carrying out our work with minimal interruption, continuing to secure research funding, serving the teaching mission of the university effectively and thoughtfully, and ultimately, bringing tremendous value to society despite incredible challenges. Of this last part, I am especially proud.  It is easy to lose sight of the fact that the state, the nation, foundations, industry, and others invest in us, and time and again, we provide many-fold returns on those investments, not simply by financial measures, but by measures far more important – knowledge and societal well-being. 

So thank you all, for your contributions to science, to CU Boulder, to our Nation, and to society as a whole. Thank you for your infectious spirit of exploration and discovery. Thank you for your conscientious spirit of service to society through education and research; and thank you for contributing to our success as an institute. I am so very proud of our achievements over the last year, and even more than that, I am very proud of the heart, soul, and character that we exhibit as a research institute. The world is a better place because of CIRES and because of you! Thank you.

Waleed Abdalati
CIRES Director