University of Denver Research Addresses Global Challenges

Faculty and Students in Colorado Collaborate to Create Practical Solutions for Communities

Our planet is in the midst of an extended period of significant change. Communities are fighting to create equity across differences in race, religion and gender. Countries are struggling to build economically and environmentally sustainable futures for the next generation. And millions of people around the world are contending with home security after being displaced by conflict.

University of Denver (DU) faculty are dedicated teachers and scholars who are leaders, collaborators and changemakers. They draw their students in to sit at the table and experience this firsthand. Not content with sitting idly by, DU students are eager to work alongside faculty committed to helping them prepare for this work.

DU’s research enterprise is strengthened by partnering with other institutions, community organizations, state agencies and national governments to drive positive innovation that serves all segments of society, leveraging its diverse portfolio of knowledge leaders, and the energy and enthusiasm of its students.

“The challenges are grand, but our ambitions and capabilities are grander,” says DU Chancellor Jeremy Haefner. “When I look to the future, I see boundless potential. I see a myriad of ways this university community—today, tomorrow and years into the future—can make living better for everyone.”

In the last year alone, interdisciplinary groups of researchers have worked closely to confront challenges presented by COVID-19. Together, they created a faster and more cost-effective solution for COVID testing that allows for greater volume without sacrificing accuracy. DU’s inaugural STAT Conference: Seeking Tomorrow’s Answers Together brought together leaders from around the world to share innovations in COVID-19 response.

Understanding the trends that shape our social, economic and political futures in the midst of constant change is paramount. The Pardee Center for International Futures has created the most comprehensive model for global forecasting available. Working with the United Nations, continents, countries and companies, the Pardee Center is helping nations prepare for an unknown future with a degree of precision that was previously unparalleled.

University of Denver faculty have also collaborated to produce contributions including:

The use of de-icing salts destroy our cars, road and ecological environment. DU scientists have developed new options for dealing with ice that are far less harmful.
DU’s Mental Health and Wellness Collaborative is a consortium of four divisions that bring together clinicians, researchers, instructors, and policy influencers to transform mental health response during a time when it looms as one of society’s largest concerns.
Two DU faculty members crossed the disciplinary divide to investigate the impact increasing the minimum wage would have in Colorado, specifically focusing on pay inequities and childcare. The resulting data informed Colorado voters on critical propositions impacting minimum wage, paid family leave, housing and homelessness.

Researchers at the Center for Orthopedic Biomechanics are using a high-tech Human Dynamics Laboratory in conjunction with state-of-the-art computational soft and hard tissue models to gain insight for designing better implants for shoulder, spine, hip and knee replacements.

The power of our work is amplified through our collaborations, as we focus on serving the public good, making an impact in Colorado and around the world.

This content was paid for and created by University of Denver. The editorial staff of The Chronicle had no role in its preparation. Find out more about paid content.