YEAR IN REVIEW | YEAR IN SCIENCE Celebrating another year of scientific achievements at the UA in 2022-23

BY COLE FIELDS @DailyWildcat

The University of Arizona is well known for its rigorous scientific community. From our programs in engineering and astronomy to life and health sciences, the programs at the UA are some of the most high-achieving science communities around. There have been more developments to count this year, but here are a few that really stood out. A focus on mental health has branded the semesters following COVID-19. With more awareness of this pressing issue, our community has made an effort to support those struggling with shifts in mental health.

Psychology doctorate Lia Falco, who is informed about the lingering mental health effects after the pandemic, helped to explain why we have been seeing these trends.

Another study this year highlighted the impact of insomnia and reduced sleep on students’ mental health, finding that it is vitally important to get the proper amount and quality of sleep, something that most UA students would admit they don’t get very often.

Yet despite these challenging circumstances, the UA still shot for the stars, literally. The Lunar and Planetary Laboratory was chosen to head NASA’s OSIRIS-REx sample return mission, continuing the university’s long history of leading the way in the frontier of space.

The UA wouldn’t be half as renowned as it is without the dedication of our many faculty researchers, five of which earned an incredible honor this year. They were declared AAAS Fellows by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, following a tradition that dates back to 1874. These few are among many who do important work at the school. While there were those who won distinguished awards, others published