Eric Cornell

On October 17th, JILA hosted JILAX, an annual event that invites JILA community members to step away from their research and share their passions, interests, and hobbies. This year’s event brought an eclectic mix of talks, covering everything from automotive restoration to mobile gaming, showcasing the diverse talents and interests of JILA’s community. With the aim of fostering camaraderie and connection beyond scientific pursuits, JILAX highlighted the fun, nerdy, and deeply personal sides of JILA’s members.

JILA marked the summer solstice with a unique celebration in the X-wing basement, a space ingeniously designed to allow sunlight to illuminate its floor at midday on this special day. This architectural feature transformed the basement into a sunlit patio for a few brief minutes, allowing JILA Fellows like Eric Cornell to do a quick experiment on the architecture. 

This year's PISEC (Partnerships for Informal Science Education in the Community) High School Poster Symposium, hosted by JILA, contributed to bridging the gap between high school education and advanced university research. Supported by JILA's Physics Frontier Center (PFC), a center funded by the NSF, the PISEC program brought together high school students from various districts across Colorado, fostering an environment of learning and exploration within the JILA facilities.

The symposium, held annually, is a cornerstone event that allows young aspiring scientists to step into the world of professional research. Students embarked on an educational journey, beginning with engaging activities in the JILA auditorium and extensive lab tours. These experiences gave them a firsthand look at the cutting-edge research and daily operations within a leading research institution.

Introducing the next "Humans of JILA" epsiode for the highly anticipated second part of our PISEC series. PISEC (Partnerships for Informal Science Education in the Community) is an educational outreach and research program within JILA funded by the NSF-Center the JILA Physics Frontier Center (PFC).

Dive deeper into the world of informal physics education with returning insights from the six passionate PISEC members and volunteers you met previously. This episode also introduces two fresh voices in the field, enhancing our exploration of the vital role that physics education plays within the JILA, CU Boulder, and the broader Colorado community. Discover the impactful ways PISEC connects people to science and fosters a lasting enthusiasm for learning. Don't miss these powerful stories of dedication and discovery that highlight the transformative influence of PISEC on both learners and educators alike.

A recent article in De Standaard highlights the science of timekeeping at JILA. The article, written by Senne Starckx, was inspired by the journalist's recent visit to JILA during their time in Colorado as part of the AAAS conference. While the article is written in Dutch, it highlights the innovations in timekeeping spearheaded by JILA and NIST Fellow Jun Ye. 

In its seventh episode, the "Humans of JILA" podcast highlights the Partnerships for Informal Science Education in the Community (PISEC) program.

PISEC is an educational outreach program supported by JILA's Physics Frontier Center (PFC) and the University of Colorado Boulder. Its mission revolves around connecting university volunteers with local K-12 students. Through playful and engaging inquiry-based science activities, it aims to inspire underrepresented student groups in STEM.

While most physics researchers foresee a career in either academia or industry, a few find themselves using their research experience in a less typical fashion. One of those individuals is Aaron Leanhardt, a former JILA alumnus of JILA and NIST Fellow Eric Cornell's group, who has joined the New York Yankees' as the team's chief analyst. 

JILA proudly hosted its 2nd Annual Great Bake Off, marking another successful year of this delightful culinary competition. The event, which has quickly become a cherished tradition, showcases the exceptional baking talents within the JILA community. From cakes to cookies to breads, JILAns, including graduate students, postdocs, staff, and Fellows participated in the institute-wide event.