The purpose of the Center for Integrated Plasma Studies (CIPS) is to provide a focal point and forum for the exchange of both educational and research ideas among scientists with these diverse affiliations. Research in plasma physics is extraordinarily broad, encompassing basic physics of plasmas, fusion sciences, space and astrophysics, beam and accelerator physics, laser-matter interactions, and industrial processing. CIPS possesses scientific expertise in all of these areas, and will foster unique new opportunities for sponsored research in interdisciplinary aspects of plasma physics. CIPS sets the guidelines for both undergraduate and graduate education in plasma physics at the University of Colorado, providing research opportunities and guidance for plasma physics doctoral candidates.

Modern plasma physics is the study of collective, often nonlinear, electromagnetic processes in ionized gases called plasmas. Plasma physics related research at the University of Colorado is currently carried out primarily in the Departments of Physics, Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and Electrical and Computer Engineering. In the community at large, plasma research is conducted at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), NCAR's High Altitude Observatory (HAO), NOAA's Space Environment Laboratories, and at local companies such as Lodestar Corporation and Science Applications International Corporation.