CU Boulder partners with state to support coal transition economic resilience strategies

CU Boulder is advancing the university’s commitment to sustainability, public impact and statewide engagement by partnering with the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) on a new, cross-disciplinary project designed to analyze and identify economic development and employment opportunities in Colorado communities transitioning from a coal-driven economy.

The yearlong initiative brings together graduate students, faculty and researchers from the Business Research Division (BRD) in the Leeds School of Business and the Master’s of the Environment (MENV) program to deliver research-driven analysis; stakeholder engagement; and actionable, community-driven recommendations for coal transition communities in Northwest Colorado. Work began in January 2026 and will conclude in October 2026.

“This partnership reflects CU Boulder’s responsibility as a public research university to offer our expertise in the service of Colorado communities,” said Andrew Mayock, vice chancellor for sustainability. “This capstone-based work allows our students to contribute directly to the diversification of local economies by listening to communities, meeting their needs, and incorporating community input into effective solutions to move forward in a strategic way.”