/physics/ en /physics/2026/04/16/bfa-awards-ceremony-john-cumalat-gives-keynote-address-juliet-gopinath-and-michael <span>BFA Awards Ceremony: John Cumalat gives keynote address; Juliet Gopinath and Michael McGeehee win research awards</span> <span><span>Kirsten Apodaca</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-16T08:57:02-06:00" title="Thursday, April 16, 2026 - 08:57">Thu, 04/16/2026 - 08:57</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/physics/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC86.JPG?h=e23b0ee6&amp;itok=lQodfWqj" width="1200" height="800" alt="Award recipients on stage"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/physics/taxonomy/term/122"> News </a> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-tags" itemprop="keywords"> <span class="visually-hidden">Tags:</span> <div class="ucb-article-tag-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-tags"></i> </div> <a href="/physics/taxonomy/term/641" hreflang="en">Faculty Awards</a> <a href="/physics/taxonomy/term/738" hreflang="en">John Cumalat</a> <a href="/physics/taxonomy/term/440" hreflang="en">Juliet Gopinath</a> <a href="/physics/taxonomy/term/789" hreflang="en">Michael McGeehee</a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p>Professor John Cumalat gave the keynote address at the 2026 Boulder Faculty Assembly Excellence Awards Ceremony held on Tuesday, April 7. The ceremony recognized the nine recipients of this year's faculty excellence awards in research, teaching, and leadership and service. Physics-affiliated faculty <span>Juliet Gopinath and Michael McGehee won BFA Excellence in Research Awards.</span></p><p>Cumalat's address focused on his time in the Department of Physics and how the department has evolved over the years. He emphasized the importance of nominating colleagues for awards, connecting those efforts to increased departmental recognition.</p><p>Image credit: Casey Cass/University of Colorado Boulder</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-image-gallery paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-row-subrow row"> <div class="col-12"> <div class="row row-cols-lg-6 row-cols-md-3 row-cols-2 gallery-div masonry-option-true" data-masonry="{&quot;percentPosition&quot;: true }"> <div class="col gallery-item"> <a href="/physics/sites/default/files/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC55.JPG" class="glightbox ucb-gallery-lightbox" data-gallery="gallery" data-glightbox="description: "> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_square"> <img loading="lazy" src="/physics/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_square/public/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC55.JPG?h=790be497&amp;itok=f4rv75Yp" width="600" height="600" alt="Alistair Norcross gives the opening remarks at the BFA Awards Ceremony"> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col gallery-item"> <a href="/physics/sites/default/files/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC68.JPG" class="glightbox ucb-gallery-lightbox" data-gallery="gallery" data-glightbox="description: "> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_square"> <img loading="lazy" src="/physics/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_square/public/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC68.JPG?h=f1dccc9b&amp;itok=F2b-DrjR" width="600" height="600" alt="Audience members at the awards ceremony"> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col gallery-item"> <a href="/physics/sites/default/files/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC65.JPG" class="glightbox ucb-gallery-lightbox" data-gallery="gallery" data-glightbox="description: "> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_square"> <img loading="lazy" src="/physics/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_square/public/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC65.JPG?h=44048f27&amp;itok=nwBRkuMF" width="600" height="600" alt="John Cumalat giving a presentation to an audience"> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col gallery-item"> <a href="/physics/sites/default/files/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC86.JPG" class="glightbox ucb-gallery-lightbox" data-gallery="gallery" data-glightbox="description: "> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_square"> <img loading="lazy" src="/physics/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_square/public/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC86.JPG?h=e23b0ee6&amp;itok=JUfNbs-L" width="600" height="600" alt="Award recipients on stage"> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col gallery-item"> <a href="/physics/sites/default/files/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC03.JPG" class="glightbox ucb-gallery-lightbox" data-gallery="gallery" data-glightbox="description: "> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_square"> <img loading="lazy" src="/physics/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_square/public/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC03.JPG?h=790be497&amp;itok=yYRaszRE" width="600" height="600" alt="John Cumalat speaks with attendees"> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col gallery-item"> <a href="/physics/sites/default/files/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC66.JPG" class="glightbox ucb-gallery-lightbox" data-gallery="gallery" data-glightbox="description: "> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_square"> <img loading="lazy" src="/physics/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_square/public/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC66.JPG?h=444198cf&amp;itok=FOr8vD4S" width="600" height="600" alt="John Cumalat presenting at the Boulder Faculty Assembly Awards Ceremony"> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col gallery-item"> <a href="/physics/sites/default/files/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC61.JPG" class="glightbox ucb-gallery-lightbox" data-gallery="gallery" data-glightbox="description: "> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_square"> <img loading="lazy" src="/physics/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_square/public/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC61.JPG?h=9e5b0a56&amp;itok=6WqdpuCQ" width="600" height="600" alt="John Cumalat"> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col gallery-item"> <a href="/physics/sites/default/files/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC43.JPG" class="glightbox ucb-gallery-lightbox" data-gallery="gallery" data-glightbox="description: "> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_square"> <img loading="lazy" src="/physics/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_square/public/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC43.JPG?h=44048f27&amp;itok=YsaAISi0" width="600" height="600" alt="Justin Schwartz, Keith Molenaar and Noah Finkelstein"> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col gallery-item"> <a href="/physics/sites/default/files/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC72.JPG" class="glightbox ucb-gallery-lightbox" data-gallery="gallery" data-glightbox="description: "> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_square"> <img loading="lazy" src="/physics/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_square/public/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC72.JPG?h=44048f27&amp;itok=u0g7w7Zu" width="600" height="600" alt="Michael McGeehee receiving an award"> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col gallery-item"> <a href="/physics/sites/default/files/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC73.JPG" class="glightbox ucb-gallery-lightbox" data-gallery="gallery" data-glightbox="description: "> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_square"> <img loading="lazy" src="/physics/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_square/public/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC73.JPG?h=5f737315&amp;itok=PATxRGTC" width="600" height="600" alt="Juliet Gopinath receiving an award"> </div> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/physics/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2026-04/BFA_Awards_2026.CC86.JPG?itok=P63Bps0j" width="1500" height="1125" alt="Award recipients on stage"> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:57:02 +0000 Kirsten Apodaca 2545 at /physics