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The Research & Innovation Office (RIO) today announced the 2026 RIO Faculty Fellows cohort.��

This year’s cohort includes 18 faculty members from departments and research institutes spanning the campus—the largest and most interdisciplinary Faculty Fellows cohort since the program launched in 2018.

The 2026 fellows will convene for the first time formally in January for a retreat in Estes Park focused on leadership styles and honing collaboration skills. The group will then meet again in May for a retreat focused on communicating their scholarship and impact to the public.

The��RIO Faculty Fellows program��supports faculty in achieving their research and innovation goals and promotes collaboration through tailored training, experiential learning and leadership skill building. Through a series of intensive research leadership retreats and coaching, the program is also designed to build a community of interdisciplinary, creative research leaders to help drive collaboration and innovation across the university.

“The 2026 cohort will add to the community of��CU ������ý������faculty who are expanding their leadership skills to advance their individual scholarship and grow our collective impact��as a public university benefitting society,” said Senior Vice Chancellor for��Research & Innovation and Dean of the Institutes Massimo Ruzzene. “These scholars will engage deeply with colleagues who are equally committed to increasing their impact on students, their areas of specialty��and society as a whole.”

“Our faculty consistently push the boundaries of scholarship in ways that strengthen our campus and benefit society,” said Senior Director of Research Leadership Development Kirsten Rowell. “Their leadership—whether in the lab, studio, classroom or community—helps make CU ������ý���� a place where bold ideas can flourish.”��

The RIO Faculty Fellows program

Through a nomination process and open application, the program selects faculty who are poised to lead significant collaborative projects, develop vision and deliver��novel and impactful scholarly work.��The resulting cohort is a “vertically integrated” peer group—bringing together perspectives and experiences from assistant professors, associate professors, full professors and institute directors—resulting in a scaffolded model that faculty find energizing and rewarding as their careers develop. ��

Members of the new cohort are already learning what more than 100 CU ������ý���� leaders have discovered through the experiences of the previous eight cohorts: RIO Faculty Fellows is unlike any other opportunity available to CU ������ý���� faculty. It is a tailored experience, aimed at strengthening the capacity of faculty’s individual leadership qualities. According to Faculty Fellow alums, the program provides:

����… a unique opportunity for reflection and learning about my leadership style and goals, the research and academic communities in which I am a member, and broader goals for future work"

����... a strong new community established in our cohort, which promotes a sense of connection to CU as an institution"

����… better confidence in, and self-knowledge of, my leadership orientation; pragmatic ideas about how I can fill gaps in my leadership and professional work”

����… absolutely a transformative experience for faculty”

This and other faculty development programs, including the , represent investments in CU ������ý���� faculty and in the university as a global leader in innovation and impact.

In addition to the cohort’s three-day retreat in January, the program framework includes several more focused retreats and a variety of informal networking activities throughout the year.

Applications for the 2027 cohort will be accepted starting in September 2026.��If you have questions, would like to nominate a faculty candidate or would like to express interest in advance, please email������kirsten.rowell@colorado.edu.