ATLAS Institute at CU Boulder

ATLAS Institute at CU Boulder ATLAS is an interdisciplinary institute for radical creativity and invention at CU Boulder.

10/07/2026

It's one thing to design something. It's another to bring it to life.

In Form, Creative Technology & Design students learn to think in three dimensions, moving from sketches and CAD models to physical objects they can hold, test and refine.

Along the way, they work with 3D printers, laser cutters, CNCs and other fabrication tools to create cups, lamps, furniture, sewn objects and more. Each project is a chance to figure out how an idea becomes a functional thing.

Learn more at colorado.edu/atlas

09/30/2026

What does a black hole merger “sound” like? This interactive exhibit—created for the Design a Science Exhibit Class, co-taught by ATLAS director Mark Gross—helps visitors understand gravitational waves by translating the behavior of colliding black holes into sound. Change the characteristics of the black holes, then hear how their interaction changes the resulting “song.”

Learn more about ATLAS at colorado.edu/atlas

09/24/2026

“The Three-Billion-Year-Long Camping Trip” exhibit lets you explore phenomena in the sky at different timescales—some that are impossible to witness in a human lifetime. The path of the sun, the phases of the moon, the motion of stars in the sky: whether it takes place over a day, a year or thousands of years, this student-designed exhibit gives you a chance to visualize things that can be hard to conceptualize.

The exhibit was built for ATLS 4519/5519, Design a Science Exhibit, co-taught by ATLAS director Mark Gross, and showcased at Fiske Planetarium spring semester 2026.

Learn more about ATLAS at colorado.edu/atlas

09/15/2026

ATLAS director Mark Gross taught a class this spring called Design a Science Exhibit. The course produced six hands-on astronomy exhibits, each translating a fairly abstract scientific concept into something visitors could physically interact with, hear or manipulate—from lunar science to black holes to the aurora borealis. The class was taught in collaboration with Fiske Planetarium, where the projects were showcased.

Learn more about ATLAS at colorado.edu/atlas

09/09/2026

It’s always satisfying to tick things off your to-do list. But Nudge makes it fun.

Nudge is a digital device and docking station that empowers users with ADHD or attention regulation challenges to start tasks and get stuff done. Use the hand-built computer to input an intention and tasks for the day, then send it all over to a custom handheld tracker that lets you check tasks off wherever you are. Nudge is a CTD capstone project by Vanica Chhay, built with support from fellow students Kaj Weterrings, Elizabeth Mann and Rhys Williams.

Learn more about ATLAS and CTD at colorado.edu/atlas

ATLAS staffer Josh Hughes is not only a curriculum management maven, he’s also an accomplished artist. His intricate qui...
08/19/2026

ATLAS staffer Josh Hughes is not only a curriculum management maven, he’s also an accomplished artist. His intricate quilt-inspired works incorporate thousands of pieces of folded paper to recontextualize memory, landscape and systems of extraction.

You can view 3 of his pieces as part of the Dairy Arts Center's Off the Page exhibition in Boulder, on view through October [free, no tickets required]. And join an artist talk on 9/2 at 5pm [tickets required].

07/29/2026

Forget Area 51 - check out Locker 34. A Creative Technology & Design student made this spacey diorama some time ago. And it still lives on… [Know who made it? Tag ‘em!]

07/13/2026

If you’ve ever wondered how gravity changes as you get closer to a black hole, Gravity Gradient has answers. The interactive display was built this spring by Autumn Bement, Isaiah Millington, Rui Wen for the Design a Science Exhibit course, co-taught by ATLAS director Mark Gross.

Video edited by CTD student .

07/06/2026

Colorado weather changes quickly, and so does the Sopris Board! Named after the mountain top in Pitkin County, Colorado, the board was created by Creative Technology & Design students Aidan Youell and Ellyse Jensen, who showcased it at the 2026 ATLAS EXPO.

Video edited by CTD student

07/03/2026

Audio engineering, physical fabrication, fine art, game production, product development, graphic design, robotics, neuroscience, interactive installations... whatever you're interested in, Creative Technology and Design gives you the opportunity to explore your passions—and discover new possibilities.

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1125 18th Street
Boulder, CO
80309

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+13037354577

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