List of University of Colorado at Boulder alumni

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

• 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
• Sarvadaman Chowla, mathematician
• Ward Churchill, ethnic studies professor noted for inflammatory statements dealing with 9/11, no longer faculty at CU-Boulder
• 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
• John Taylor, physicist
• Michael Tracey, famed author
• Stanislaw Ulam, mathematician
• Ty Tashiro, 2008 Professor of the Year

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
• Thomas 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
• Christopher McKay, planetary scientist at NASA Ames Research Center
• Kenneth Miller, renowned biologist at Brown University

Arts, Film and Literature

• 3OH!3, American hip-hop group
• Stan Brakhage, filmmaker
• 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
• Kevin Lucero Less, actor, artist, did not graduate, Move Me Sundance Film Festival 2007
• Larry Linville, actor (M*A*S*H)
• Christopher Meloni, actor
• Chaney Kley, actor of Darkness Falls
• Glenn Miller, band leader
• 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
• 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

Astronauts

• Loren Acton, NASA astronaut
• Patrick Baudry, CNES astronaut
• Vance D. Brand, NASA astronaut
• Scott Carpenter, NASA astronaut
• 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
• Stuart Roosa, NASA astronaut
• 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, member of the Detroit Pistons of the NBA, 2004 NBA Finals MVP
• 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
• Chris Fowler, ESPN College Football analyst
• 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
• James Heuga, Olympic bronze medal in alpine skiing
• Katie Hnida, football place kicker (graduated from University of New Mexico)
• Jay Howell, retired Major League Baseball pitcher of 15 years
• 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, bronze medal in alpine skiing, 1970 world ski champion
• Joe Klopfenstein, NFL tight end for the St. Louis Rams
• Matt Lepsis, former NFL offensive tackle for the Denver Broncos
• Michael Lewis, NFL safety for the San Francisco 49ers
• Dathan Ritzenhein, Professional Runner with Nike, Olympian 2004
• Rashaan Salaam, former NFL running back, 1994 Heisman Trophy winner
• Kordell Stewart, former NFL quarterback
• Debi Thomas, Olympic figure skater
• Bill Toomey, Olympic gold medal in the decathlon
• Michael Westbrook, football player
• 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
• 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
• 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. Kennedy has a degree in fine art from the university.
• Edwin Araque Bonilla, current President of Honduras Central Bank, former Subsecretary of Economy and Commerce of Honduras and former General Manager of Empresa Nacional Portuaria (Honduras National Port Authority).
• Jim Barton, Co founder of TIVO
• Lyndon "Duke" Hanson, Co-founder of Crocs

Journalism

• Kevin Corke, NBC News Correspondent
• Chris Fowler, ESPN Sports
• Herb Keinon - Columnist and journalist for The Jerusalem Post
• Jim Gray, ESPN and ABC Sports
• 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, Sports Illustrated writer, ten-time National Sportswriter of the Year

Politics

• 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
• 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 U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney
• Larry Day, one of the first two D.M.A. recipients from the School of Music. Student of Berton Coffin.
• Nancy Spungen, Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious's girlfriend