A fire alarm at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Aerospace Building interrupted a scheduled campus event Monday afternoon, forcing the evacuation of the facility and halting a talk that featured the president of Lockheed Martin Space, according to an email sent to students and faculty in the department.
The message, written by Aerospace Chair Hanspeter Schaub and shared with “El Diaro de la Gente” by a student who requested anonymity due to fear of retaliation, said the alarm “disrupted all activities in the building.” The CU Police Department (CUPD) is investigating the incident.
University officials did not immediately respond to questions regarding whether the activation appeared accidental or intentional or whether the seminar will be rescheduled. No injuries or damage have been reported.
The incident prompted a response from Boulder Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), a student group that has been critical of CU Boulder’s engagement with the defense industry. In a statement released this week, the organization said the disruption drew renewed attention to the university’s longstanding partnerships with Lockheed Martin and other contractors. The group stated it had no involvement in the fire alarm.
Lockheed Martin Space has extensive ties to the university, including internship placements, research partnerships and workforce development programs. According to the university’s Industry and Foundation Relations office, Lockheed Martin is one of CU Boulder’s major aerospace research collaborators and has supported student involvement in satellite development and related engineering work through faculty led programs.
Lockheed Martin has also participated in CU Boulder recruiting events. The company was listed among employers at the university’s “From Earth to Space: Bio, Science and Exploration Career & Internship Fair” held on Oct. 16.
The October fair was the subject of student protest. According to a report by Palestine Legal, several CU Boulder students demonstrated at the event in opposition to the company’s presence and later faced temporary campus-access suspensions issued by the university’s Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution office.
The fire alarm disruption comes amid an ongoing campus discussion regarding the role of defense contractors in university research, recruitment and funding relationships. Students involved in SJP have said they plan to continue raising concerns about corporate partnerships at future events.
CUPD has not announced any findings in its investigation. This is a developing story, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
El Diario de la Gente 
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