Lost in the excitement over the largest research contract ever awarded to the University of Colorado at Boulder -- a $485 million probe of the Mars atmosphere -- is the role our undergraduate students play in this and other momentous projects.

A number of our undergraduates will help develop instrument operations and software for the Mars probe, known as MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution mission). NASA awarded this historic contract to CU over 19 competitors in September.

Our undergraduates are getting experience in everything from space research to reporting on the presidential convention to artistic performances. They are expanding their horizons and opening doors to a future that can only be imagined.

In another big research award, our undergraduates designed a telephone-booth-sized space instrument known as the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS), to be installed in the Hubble Space Telescope.

This $70 million-dollar instrument will allow us to see the fingerprints of gases in the early universe for clues to the formation of galaxies, stars and planets. Additional students will soon be hired for data analysis.

These high-profile space projects are not restricted to science majors. Sarah Levine was a triple major in Japanese, art and music who brought welding skills that she learned in her sculpture class to the project. She graduated with three degrees, but her work on COS inspired her to re-enroll as a mechanical engineering student and she continues to work on the project.

"I hire people willing to work hard, regardless of their major," says Professor James Green, COS science team leader. "One of the great advantages of attending CU is that undergraduates can get a hands-on, cutting-edge experience in molecular biology, physics or any number of disciplines and I think that's what distinguishes us from other major universities. There are plenty of really exciting opportunities for undergraduates."

When our graduates seek employment at NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory or at private companies, their experience differentiates them from graduates of other institutions. This is entirely consistent with our Flagship 2030 initiative to provide more experiential learning for our undergraduates.

For every new multimillion-dollar contract calling on CU to advance knowledge of our universe, innovate new energy technologies or solve the most perplexing biomedical challenges of our time, undergraduates play a key role.

At the same time, they are actively enhancing their awareness of the arts and the important role that the humanities play in their education.

This is as it should be and we are proud of their accomplishments in whatever field they choose to excel.

G.P. "Bud" Peterson is the chancellor of the University of Colorado at Boulder.