Students from the Early Start program in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change visit the Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve for a tour.
Students from the Early Start program in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change visit the Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve for a tour.
Faculty and students in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences apply their research to develop solutions for worldwide challenges in climate, health care and technology. Solutions to problems yet discovered require dreamers, visionaries and leaders. The work of ASU researchers is to accept, challenge and empower those who will shape the future. Together, students, faculty and the community can build a better future for humankind and the planet.
Assistant Professor Liza Roger at the School of Molecular Sciences, along with co-investigators from the University of California, San Diego and the University of Rhode Island, received $1.2 million from the National Science Foundation to investigate the environmental stressors threatening coral reefs, in particular rising seawater temperatures.
The Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve, managed by the School of Human Evolution and Social Change, is the site of over 1,500 petroglyphs on 579 boulders dating back about 5,000 years. This look into the past informs the interconnectivity of humans and cultures now and in the future. The preserve celebrates 30 years of community engagement, exhibits and research this winter.
The BA in culture, technology and environment is the first to involve all three schools in the humanities division. Oncampus and online students investigate issues like climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental justice and bring humanities thinking to global ethical challenges. The curriculum inspires solutions for a habitable planet where wellbeing is attainable for all humankind.
Oceans cover 70 percent of the Earth, but much has gone undiscovered and unprotected. The Blue Humanities Initiative brings together humanities scholars to explore ecology and organisms and study the seas through the lens of history, literature and visual arts. The transdisciplinary work raises awareness and inspires activism to protect the high seas as well as understand the relationship between humans, the ocean and the creatures that call it home.
Experiential learning, such as internships, study abroad opportunities and research apprenticeships, prepare students with careerreadiness skills that are essential for entering the workforce.
The initiative hosts a collection of books and articles for the public to explore. “Essential Blue Reading” is available to begin a journey into the deep, and includes classics like Homer’s “Odyssey” as well as contemporary titles such as “Life Between the Tides: In Search of Rockpools and Other Adventures Along the Shore” by Adam Nicolson.
Unfortunately, for first-generation and lowerincome students, these programs can often seem out of reach. The Futures Initiative at The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences hopes to change that.
The new Center for the Study of Guns in Society is a first-of-its-kind center that prioritizes listening to and learning from diverse perspectives, enhancing society’s knowledge about the nuances of the gun debate and bringing rigorous and thoughtful data to the forefront of the conversation.
Through career counseling, internship and research scholarships and adaptable new programs, the Futures Center will help all of our over 30,000 become strong candidates in the job market.
Connecting studies to careers
Led by MacArthur Foundation “genius grant” recipient Jennifer Carlson, the center has developed multiple avenues for students, faculty and the community to engage. Fellowships support graduate students from across the U.S. who are the future of the gun debate. Scholars are coming together to collaborate and work on solutions at the annual Guns in Society Symposium and in virtual working groups. The center’s newly released Guns Unpacked Podcast shares informed insights on diverse scholarship and viewpoints.
Real-world experience, in tandem with a college education, prepares students for career success. The Futures Center, housed in Armstrong Hall, o ers career services for all of our students, including Pre-Health Advising, Prelaw Advising, internship placement and scholarship support.
Improving internship access
Students taking biology courses in The College experience the subject up close and personal via Dreamscape Learn, which utilizes virtual reality headsets, haptic vests and gloves to immerse students in an alien zoo to study endangered lifeforms. It combines cutting-edge technology and emotional storytelling to show students real-world applications for biology concepts.
Whether you are able to get involved with critical research and programming or donate to a cause close to your heart, your support can help The College educate the next generation and fuel world-class research in language, culture and society, critical thinking, scientific exploration and discovery.
Support the Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve’s mission of research and education at asufoundation.org/petroglyph.
• Visit deervalley.asu.edu/experience/events for 30th-anniversary event information.
• Visit the Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve museum and trail, open Wednesday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 3711 W. Deer Valley Road, Phoenix, AZ, 85308.
Help shape informed discourse on guns by giving to the Center for the Study of Guns in Society at asufoundation.org/CSGS
• Join the conversation by listening to the center’s podcast: csgs.asu.edu/podcast.
Support research and scholarship at the Humanities Institute, home of the Blue Humanities Initiative, at asufoundation.org/bluehumanities
• Listen to the conversations surrounding the initiative’s work: bit.ly/BlueHumanitiesPodcast.
Strengthen the environment-saving research of the School of Molecular Sciences at asufoundation.org/coral.
Assist with the development of innovative learning solutions that are interactive and immersive for students at asufoundation.org/Dreamscape.
The Woodside Scholar Program removes the financial burden for students with unpaid internships at nonprofit organizations, encouraging students to pursue these internships, prepare for careers in the nonprofit sector and develop a commitment to lifelong community service.
Engaging online learners
Dreamscape Learn is a part of NeoBio, a first-of-itskind learning experience that focuses on accessibility for all students, concentrating on what learners can “do,” not what they “know,” by delivering custom experiences, activities and resources based on the unique needs of the individual. This approach levels the playing field for science education and inspires a new generation of scientists and problem solvers.
Research experience is critical in preparing students for graduate school and other career paths. Online students at The College can get that hands-on learning opportunity through the Online Undergraduate Research Scholars (OURS) program, which provides remote and hybrid research opportunities to students in the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences.
While there has been a great deal of research on guns from criminological, legal and public health perspectives, CSGS is the first to reckon with the reality that guns impact people in the U.S. in complicated ways, from gun rights to gun trauma; how political, social and cultural meanings shape how our gun realities are experienced; and how all of this intersects with structures of inequality, including race, class, gender, citizenship and beyond.”
— Jennifer Carlson, Director of the Center for the Study of Guns in Society