IBS Fellow and Assistant Professor of environmental studies, Zia Mehrabi, received the Frontier Research Foundation’s Frontiers Planet Prize. Mehrabi and his team were one of only three international recipients. They will receive $1 million in funding to advance their research on farm diversification, expanding on their Science article, “Joint environmental and social benefits from diversified agriculture.”
“If we want to do something about environmental issues, agriculture is one of the big buckets that we need to really, really start in… We all need food to eat. We really need to innovate, and we should put money behind that. It’s worth it.” – Zia Mehrabi
Read the full story by Clint Talbott of the CU Boulder Arts & Sciences Magazine:
One out of five incarcerated people in the U.S. have a drug-related charge. But recent research led by Katherine LeMasters shows criminalization is not the answer to the opioid epidemic. The Assistant Professor of medicine at University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and IBS Affiliate discusses the impact of Colorado’s Fentanyl Accountability and Prevention Bill, with insight from the individuals most affected by these laws.
Many employees are being entrusted with increasing workloads after recent layoffs. But if employee’s don’t feel a sense of self esteem at work, this trust from supervisors can spell trouble down the line. A recent study lead by associate professor in organizational leadership and information analytics at the Leeds School of Business and IBS fellow, Dejun Tony Kong, examines this topic. He sat down with CU Boulder Today’s Katy Marquardt Hill to unpack his research:
Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at CU Boulder and IBS Fellow, Karen Bailey, received the 2025 Exceptional Mentor Award this May. Bailey was one of only 15 faculty in the CU Boulder Graduate School to receive this achievement. The award recognizes faculty mentors who actively improve the graduate student experience.
“I chose to pursue a career in academia because of my love of teaching and the joy it brings me to mentor and support students and early career scholars,” says Bailey. “This award means the world to me, reflecting the fact that my commitment to mentoring is seen and valued by the students I’m lucky enough to work with, and that I’m truly having the impact that I hope to,” said Bailey.
One student who has felt the impact of Bailey’s mentorship is Kathryn Sullivan, a PhD student in environmental studies. When Sullivan experienced a health setback, Bailey went above and beyond to ensure Sullivan could continue her education.
“Dr. Bailey consistently demonstrates an exceptional level of support for students navigating disability services, mental health challenges, and institutional barriers. Her ability to adapt to diverse needs, goals, and personal circumstances of her mentees is a defining strength of her mentorship,” said Sullivan.
Bailey’s adaptability is also evident in her mentorship of India Malkan, a biochemistry and business major. Despite their different disciplines, Malkan has still received an unparalleled level of support from Bailey.
“She worked to tie her broad scope of knowledge to my own interests to help me grow and expand upon my research skills,” says Malkan. “She mentors numerous students across various majors, but I can see from her leadership and mentorship, we are all connected and support one another well.”
Bailey fosters community with her graduate students through weekly check-ins and time to connect off campus. In addition, Bailey encourages interdisciplinary collaboration among her students. Nirav Patel, an assistant teaching professor in environmental studies, notes that despite Bailey’s large advising cohort, she continues to deliver personalized mentorship with a commitment to growth and diversity.
“Whether it is helping students connect to resources, advocating for necessary accommodations, or just listening with empathy, Dr. Bailey ensures that every student feels supported and valued. She’s not just an advisor—she’s a guide, an advocate, and a source of unwavering support,” said Patel.
Max Boykoff, chair and professor of the Environmental Studies department and fellow of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), echoed that sentiment:
“Put simply, she is an amazing graduate student mentor who consistently has a learning and growth mindset as she seeks to continue to improve how she supports and guides students through and beyond their studies here at CU Boulder,” said Boykoff.
For students in search of an exceptional mentor like Bailey, she advises the following steps:
Reflect on your key needs. What challenges do you face? How do you like to communicate?
Ask questions of a potential mentor (and their students) to identify if they’d be a good fit.
Recognize that you may need more than one mentor. Seek out others who can support you where your primary mentor cannot.
We have the data to understand and take action on the global climate crisis. But how do we make this information accessible and actionable to the folks most impacted by climate change? The University of Colorado Boulder 2025 Right Here Right Now Global Climate Summit addressed this and other challenges from climate change. Read more about key takeaways from the event, attended by IBS Fellow and Associate Professor of environmental studies, Amanda Carrico.
Dejun “Tony” Kong is an associate professor of organizational leadership at the Leeds School of Business and a new IBS Fellow. He received the 2025 Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR) Climate Curriculum Award for his climate-conscious course, ‘Negotiating and Conflict Management’. Tony’s research explores how to encourage prosocial behavior by studying trust, positive psychology in organizations, and behavioral ethics across various social and cultural settings. Learn more about his new graduate-level course on negotiation and sustainability:
Professor of Anthropology at CU Boulder and IBS Fellow, Sharon DeWitte, was recently named a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. The fellowship recognizes DeWitte’s achievements in bioarchaeological research on mortality crises, including the 14th century Black Death plague in England.
“It is truly an honor to be recognized by such accomplished individuals as having contributed something significant to the understanding of our material past,” said DeWitte.
Fellows in the Society include archaeologists, bioarchaeologists, historians, art historians, and literary scholars. They receive lifelong fellowship status. The Society of Antiquaries was foundedin 1707 to preserve the cultural heritage of the UK. The Society supports research, publishes academic work, and holds regular lectures and events for its fellows and the public.
IBS Affiliate and Assistant Professor of Anthropology, William Taylor, was one of two CU Boulder anthropologists to receive the National Science Foundation CAREER award. Taylor, who is also the CU Museum of Natural History archaeology curator, received a $419,696 grant for his research project “Understanding Animal Domestication and Human-Environmental Relationships.”
“[This award] is a tremendous honor and a huge step forward in our scientific investigation of the past. Ancient Mongolia was deeply intertwined with so many parts of the story of animal domestication, from dogs to horses, reindeer, and beyond. It’s exciting we will be able to start exploring that with our interdisciplinary team at CU over the years ahead,” says Taylor.
Read more about Taylor’s project and that of fellow awardee, Fernando Villanea, from the Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine:
Though Brazil’s quilombola people number 1.3 million, they do not have land rights like other Indigenous Brazilians. A new study in World Development Sustainability points to deeper systemic issues that may be at play. Senior Author for the study, Peter Newton, is an IBS fellow and associate professor of environmental studies. He sat down with CU Boulder Today’s Yvaine Ye to shed light on the quilombola and their plight for land rights.
