List of University of Colorado Boulder alumni

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The seal of the University of Colorado at Boulder

The following is a list of encyclopedic people associated with the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Nobel Laureates

• John L. Hall, Nobel Laureate in Physics in 2005
• Eric Allin Cornell, Nobel Laureate in Physics in 2001
• Carl Wieman, Nobel Laureate in Physics in 2001
• Herbert Kroemer, Nobel Laureate in Physics in 2000
• Thomas R. Cech, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry in 1989
• Sidney Altman, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry in 1989

Notable faculty and staff

• Mark Amerika, American artist and author
• Fred Anderson, historian, author of The Crucible of War
• Albert Bartlett, physicist, popular writer on exponential growth in populations, and energy resources
• Petr Beckmann, physicist, engineer
• Adolf Busemann, pioneering aerospace engineer
• Stan Brakhage, filmmaker
• Sarvadaman Chowla, mathematician
• Ward Churchill, former ethnic studies professor noted for inflammatory statements dealing with 9/11, dismissed from CU-Boulder 2007
• Larry Esposito, discoverer of Saturn’s fourth ring
• George Gamow, physicist and cosmologist
• Deborah S. Jin, physicist
• Daniel Kellogg, composer
• Patricia Nelson Limerick, historian and occasional New York Times columnist
• Margaret Murnane, physicist, pioneer of femto-second laser research; MacArthur fellow
• Carter Pann, composer
• Hobart Muir Smith, most published herpetologist of all time; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Joseph R. Tanner, former astronaut
• John Taylor, physicist
• Michael Tracey, famed author
• Stanislaw Ulam, mathematician
• James F. Williams, Dean of Libraries
• Muriel Sibell Wolle, American artist and author
• Betty Woodman, American ceramic artist
• George Woodman, ceramicist, painter, and photographer
• Melanie Yazzie, American sculptor, painter, and printmaker

Notable alumni

Academia, Science and Technology

• Ward Darley, president, University of Colorado
• Vine Deloria, Jr., academic and political author on Native American subjects
• W. Edwards Deming, renowned expert who created a revolution in quality and dependability in Japan's manufacturing production, thereby turning it into an economic superpower
• David Haussler, professor, University of California, Santa Cruz.
• Gretchen Hofmann professor of ecological physiology of marine organisms at the University of California, Santa Barbara
• Tom Hornbein, developed the standard breathing mask after climbing Mt. Everest in 1963
• William T. Kane, physicist in field of fiber optics
• Alan Kay, computer scientist, Turing Award winner
• Elisabeth Kubler-Ross Swiss-born psychiatrist and the author of the groundbreaking book On Death and Dying
• Christopher McKay, planetary scientist at NASA Ames Research Center
• Kenneth Miller, renowned biologist at Brown University

Arts, Film and Literature

• Big Head Todd & the Monsters American rock band
• Jonah Hill Comedian/actor (attended for one semester)
• Chris Wood American electronic musician
• Iglu & Hartly American rap-rock band
• Low vs. Diamond American rock band
• 3OH!3, American hip-hop group
• Chairlift, electronic-pop group
• Judy Collins, American folk musician
• Eric Darnell, Director
• Ed Dorn, poet
• Patricia Elliott, Tony Award
• John Fante, author of Ask the Dust
• Joe Flanigan, actor
• Dave Grusin, composer, winner of three Academy and three Grammy awards
• Land of the Loops, electronica musician
• William Lewis, opera singer and academic
• Mark Leyner, Author
• Larry Linville, actor (M*A*S*H)
• Christopher Meloni, actor
• Chaney Kley, actor of Darkness Falls
• Glenn Miller, composer, big band leader, died in U.S. Army Air Force WWII aviation accident en route from England to France
• Thomas Noel, historian
• Trey Parker, Co-Creator of South Park
• Robert Redford, actor, did not graduate, Oscar winner, Founder of the Sundance Film Festival
• Aaron Simpson, Emmy-nominated animation producer
• Susan Arnout Smith, award-winning playwright and novelist
• Paul Soldner, artist
• Jean Stafford, Pulitzer prize winner
• Matt Stone, Co-Creator of South Park
• Dalton Trumbo, writer, Academy Award winner
• Joan Van Ark, actress
• Casey Parker, Adult film actress, Did not graduate
• Lisa Donovan, American actress & writer
• Jeff Halmos, American fashion designer, Co-Founder of Trovata, Shipley & Halmos
• Sam Shipley, American fashion designer, Co-Founder of Trovata, Shipley & Halmos

Astronauts

• Loren Acton, NASA astronaut
• Patrick Baudry, CNES astronaut
• Vance D. Brand, NASA astronaut
• Scott Carpenter, NASA astronaut in second orbital flight (fourth manned) of Project Mercury
• Kalpana Chawla, NASA astronaut died on Columbia
• Takao Doi, NASA astronaut
• Samuel T. Durrance, NASA astronaut
• John Herrington, NASA astronaut
• Richard Hieb, NASA astronaut
• Marsha Ivins, NASA astronaut
• John M. Lounge, NASA astronaut
• George Nelson, NASA astronaut
• Ellison Onizuka, NASA astronaut died on Challenger in January 1986
• Stuart Roosa, NASA astronaut flew on Apollo 14
• Ronald M. Sega, NASA astronaut
• Jack Swigert, NASA astronaut flew on Apollo 13
• James Voss, NASA astronaut

Athletics

• Bobby Anderson, former NFL running back for the Denver Broncos
• Dick Anderson, former NFL safety for the Miami Dolphins
• Tom Ashworth, NFL offensive tackle for the Seattle Seahawks
• Justin Bannan, NFL defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens
• Dede Barry, cyclist, won silver in the 2004 Summer Olympics in the women's time trial
• Mitch Berger, NFL punter, plays for New Orleans Saints
• Chauncey Billups, Denver Nuggets of the NBA, 2004 NBA Finals MVP
• Abhinav Bindra, shooter, won gold for India in the 2008 Summer Olympics in the 10 metre air rifle
• Jeremy Bloom, Olympic Skier (played football for Colorado), drafted by Philadelphia Eagles
• Tyler Brayton, NFL defensive end, plays for the Carolina Panthers
• Chris Brown, NFL running back for the Tennessee Titans
• Rae Carruth, former wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers
• Joe Cooper, former NBA center
• Mason Crosby, NFL kicker for the Green Bay Packers
• Christian Fauria, NFL tight end for the Carolina Panthers
• Adam Goucher, Professional Runner with Nike, Olympian 2000
• Kara Goucher, Runner, Olympian 2008
• Daniel Graham, NFL tight end, plays for Denver Broncos
• Alex Gurney, professional auto racing driver
• Andre Gurode, NFL center for the Dallas Cowboys
• D.J. Hackett, NFL wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers
• Tyler Hamilton, cyclist, many impressive finishes at the Tour de France, Summer Olympics
• David Harrison, center for the Indiana Pacers
• Jimmy Heuga, alpine skiing, 1964 Olympic bronze medalist in slalom
• Katie Hnida, football place kicker (graduated from University of New Mexico)
• Jay Howell, retired Major League Baseball pitcher of 15 years
• Jay Humphries, former NBA guard
• Hale Irwin, golf, three-time U.S. Open champion
• Brian Iwuh, NFL linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars
• Jonathan Kaye, professional golfer on PGA Tour
• Billy Kidd, alpine skiing, 1964 Olympic silver medalist in slalom, 1970 World Champion (combined)
• Joe Klopfenstein, NFL tight end for the St. Louis Rams
• Matt Lepsis, NFL offensive tackle for the Denver Broncos
• Michael Lewis, NFL safety for the San Francisco 49ers
• William Nelson, professional runner with Nike, Olympian 2008
• Dathan Ritzenhein, professional runner with Nike, Olympian 2004 & 2008
• Rashaan Salaam, NFL running back, 1994 Heisman Trophy winner
• Spider Sabich, alpine skiing, 1968 Olympian (5th in slalom), and pro champion, 1971 & 1972.
• John Stearns, former catcher for Philadelphia Phillies and NY Mets
• Kordell Stewart, former NFL quarterback
• Debi Thomas, Olympic figure skater in 1988
• Bill Toomey, Olympic gold medalist in the 1968 decathlon
• Scott Wedman, former NBA forward
• Michael Westbrook, NFL wide receiver
• John Wooten, All-American; played for the Cleveland Browns; former vice president/director for the Philadelphia Eagles; assistant director for the Baltimore Ravens

Economy, Business and Law

• Mohammed Al Mady, President of SABIC
• Christine Arguello, Federal Court Judge, Denver, CO
• Stephen Bechtel, Jr., head of Bechtel Group; chair of National Academy of Engineering
• Hank Brown, U.S. Senator; U.S. Representative; Colorado State Senator; former president of the University of Northern Colorado, former president of the University of Colorado system
• Jake Burton Carpenter, founder of Burton Snowboards
• J. Scott Christian, figure in deregulation of U.S. airline industry, co-founder of New York Air, Chicago Air, and executive with Continental Airlines, Texas Air Corporation and the Office of Naval Intelligence
• Steve Ells, founder, Chairman, and CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill
• Richard S. Fuld, Lehman Brothers, Chairman and CEO
• Michael Karlan, founder of the nation's largest social and networking group, Professionals in the City
• William Lee Knous, State Supreme Court judge and State Legislator
• Sanford McDonnell, President of McDonnell Aircraft Corporation
• Scott Oki, former senior vice-president of sales and marketing for Microsoft who conceived and built Microsoft's international operations.
• Wiley Rutledge, U.S. Supreme Court Justice; Associate Justice of U.S. Appeals Court
• Byron White, associate justice of the Supreme Court
• David Kennedy, co-founder of Wieden + Kennedy advertising agency, well-known for its 1980s "Just Do It" campaign for Nike.

Journalism

• Dave Briggs, Co-host Fox & Friends Weekend, Fox News Channel
• Kevin Corke, NBC News Correspondent
• Chris Fowler, ESPN
• Herb Keinon - Columnist and journalist for The Jerusalem Post
• Jim Gray, sports reporter
• Joe Kernen, CNBC Anchor
• Frank W. Mayborn (1903-1987), Texas newspaper publisher and philanthropist based in Temple
• Robert Palmer, Emmy Award winner; news editor and executive editor
• Carl Quintanilla, NBC News Correspondent
• Rick Reilly, ESPN commentator and former Sports Illustrated writer, ten-time National Sportswriter of the Year

Politics

• Gordon L. Allott, former U.S. Senator from Colorado (1955-1973)
• Bob Beauprez, former U.S. Representative
• Mary Ann Casey, Ambassador to Algeria, Tunisia
• Tsakhiagiyn Elbegdorj, leader of non-violent revolution that brought democracy to Mongolia, two time Prime Minister, one time vice speaker of the parliament, one time Majority Leader of the parliament, and three time Member of Parliament
• Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President of Liberia
• Harold Montgomery, former member of the Louisiana State Senate
• Bill Ritter (Colorado Law School) Denver District Attorney, Advisor to the U.S. Attorney General, Governor of Colorado (D)
• Roy Romer, (Colorado Law School) former Colorado governor
• Richard A. Sossi, Maryland politician.
• Llewellyn Thompson, Ambassador to USSR; consul to Moscow; received the Medal of Freedom

Other

• Lynne Cheney, wife of former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, and author of childrens' books
• Larry Day, one of the first two D.M.A. recipients from the School of Music. Student of Berton Coffin.
• Hosea Rosenberg, winner of Bravo's "Top Chef" (Season 5).