ARIS Awardee Spotlight: CU Boulder Science Discovery

Posted On: 05-29-2025

Posted In: Awardee Spotlight,

Dr. Stacey Forsyth and Dr. Alex Rose of CU Boulder’s Science Discovery program have received the ARIS Enduring Achievement Award, recognizing their longtime dedication to making science accessible to broader audiences.

Forsyth, director of the program, described their work as wide-reaching: “We get to connect with scientists and engineers all across campus … helping them think about how they want to communicate their work to the broader community.”

Rose added, “I became really passionate about helping scientists do that really hard work of communicating their science and making their research accessible.”

Together, they aim to make outreach easier for researchers by offering deep community ties and years of experience. “Our role is to make the lives of our campus’s researchers easier,” said Rose, “by providing the opportunity for partnership with an organization such as ours.”

Both are passionate about inspiring young learners and showcasing the variety within STEM. “You’re not just a biologist — you have to be a little bit of a computer scientist and a little bit of an engineer,” said Rose.

Forsyth noted her motivation: “I was more interested in that people connection more so than just doing research in biology.”

From reluctant hikers transformed by science and gummy worms to seeing students pursue STEM careers, both point to meaningful moments as the heart of their work. “It’s been really rewarding,” said Forsyth.

Winning the ARIS award, they say, is a rare moment to pause and reflect. “It makes me emotional,” said Forsyth. “To hear that our work is that important — it’s big.”

Rose echoed, “It’s extra nice to be able to celebrate.”

Their advice to others in outreach? Know your audience and co-create with intention. As Forsyth put it, “It’s a win-win on both sides.”

Learn More About the Awardees