Welcome Back NAU 2019

SPECIAL SECTION 1

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2019 |

Welcome Back

M 1

NAU

2019

Students return for new semester of learning and fun

A1

WELCOME BACK NAU

A2 | FALL 2019

ARIZONA DAILY SUN

University president welcomes back students RITA CHENG NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT

‌The new academic year is about to begin, and I want to thank the residents of Flagstaff, our community partners, local businesses, alumni, faculty and staff for all you do to ensure we remain one of the best college towns in the nation.

This year we celebrate our 120th year of academic excellence and our proud history and connections with the Flagstaff community. We remain dedicated to enhancing our collaborations and strengthening our ties. Last academic

year, our students contributed more than 20,000 hours of volunteer service to charitable organizations and more recently our students, faculty and staff helped our community by filling sand bags to help with potential flooding after the Museum Fire and hosting a twoday event providing free dental care to hundreds of northern Arizona community members.

Classes will start Monday for our 23,000 Flagstaff campus students and

nearly 9,000 students who take classes online or attend one of our 24 statewide campuses. Sixty-five percent of our students are Arizona residents, and they are some of the best and brightest in the state with a 3.5 average GPA. NAU is committed to enhancing relationships. Through partnerships with the City of Flagstaff, Coconino County, and our non-profit and business communities, we are creating opportunities that help us foster a sense of pride. This

includes our second annual “Community Welcome” event Monday evening which will bring together volunteer teams from NAU and the city to build positive connections between our students and Flagstaff residents living near campus.

We are thankful that this community welcomes and supports our students and we embrace the opportunity to partner with you to make this a great year for Flagstaff and NAU.

NEW AT NAU Stearns takes on NAU provost role Fourth person to hold spot in past four years KAITLIN OLSON

Sun Staff Reporter‌

NANCY WIECHEC‌

The new 250-seat Kitt Recital Hall at NAU has state-of-the-art acoustics.

Built for sound Kitt Recital Hall’s contemporary performance space

NANCY WIECHEC

‌Architectural acoustics, the relationship between sound produced in a space and its listeners, was the primary focus in constructing Kitt Recital Hall, Northern Arizona University’s latest addition to campus.

From the planning stages to the construction punch list, job number one was dealing with sound, said Todd E. Sullivan, director of the university’s School of Music. Everyone involved was concerned with how to disperse it and how to contain it.

“In the recital hall, sound has to move,” he said. “In the rest of the rooms, we want to contain sound, so it doesn’t bleed from room to room.”

The facility, which couples with Ardrey Memorial Auditorium and the Performing and Fine Arts Center, features a main recital theater plus practice and rehearsal rooms. Outside, the building gleams with metal and glass. Inside the hall, walnut wood paneling and overhead “sound clouds” disperse and direct sound toward the audience. Along with a silent airflow system, the design

NANCY WIECHEC‌

The fixed theater seats are roomy and comfortable, and their sky-blue color offers a nice contrast to the hall’s natural wood. elements are there to deliver an optimal listening experience.

“The configuration of the wood is designed to send the sound all around the room, creating a giant matrix of sound waves,” said Sullivan. “This hall will move sound in complex and rich ways.”

Even as the flow of the music was the top consideration for the $15-million, 255-seat recital hall, there was no lack of attention to style and function throughout the building.

The hall’s vestibules and open, light-filled atrium will also function as en-

trances for Ardrey events, and a new box office will serve both venues. With multifaceted LED lighting, a large visual media display and top-end sound controls, the recital hall is set for multimedia staging.

Light maple flooring on stage lifts the performance space and keeps attention where it belongs.

The new facility has been a long-awaited addition to the College of Arts and Letters and the School of Music. For the last century, the university has used Ashurst Hall for recital purposes, Please see KITT, Page 4

‌This past March, Northern Arizona University selected its next provost, the fourth person to hold the position within four years, but the first permanent replacement since 2017.

Among 103 other applicants, Dr. Diane Stearns, previously interim dean of the College of Engineering, Informatics, and Applied Sciences, was selected to fill the position, which has a $260,000 annual salary. She was the only internal applicant.

The provost, also known as the vice president for academic affairs, reports directly to the university president and is responsible for overseeing all academic units, including faculty, courses and activities.

“Diane’s institutional knowledge, combined with a strong academic record and administrative experience, set her apart. I have complete confidence in her ability to engage with the entire campus community and provide strong leadership for our academic units,” NAU President Rita Cheng posted on Twitter.

Stearns has been an NAU faculty member since 1993, when she started as an assistant chemistry professor. Over the years, she worked her way up to becoming a full professor before transitioning to the associate vice president for research, followed by her most recent role as interim dean.

Although she said many people recommended the provost position to her, her decision to apply hit her suddenly one day.

“When I was thinking about who I would want to be provost, I knew we needed someone who understands and really believes in student and faculty engagement and the president’s vision. Then I realized, ‘Oh gosh, I do, so I should step up and apply,’” she said.

Of the 104 applicants, 11 were interviewed offsite

COURTESY, DIANE STEARNS‌

Diane Stearns officially began her position as NAU provost July 1. by a search committee, who reviewed all applications, organized interview panels of both faculty and students and presented final recommendations to Cheng. The committee was made of nine members of different leadership levels, colleges, departments, genders and races.

Eric Yordy, Interim Executive Director of the School of Hotel and Restaurant Management, was one committee member. He said it took hundreds of thousands of hours for the committee to review the 50- to 100page portfolios sent in by each applicant, a process that began last fall.

“It was a very competitive pool, but the committee was pretty unanimous about who our top candidates were. [Stearns] was very thoughtful in how she answered questions and very mindful about the different constituencies on campus. She was very aware that different academic units have different needs, which is very important for a provost,” Yordy said.

The past four years have

seen four individuals in the same position, mostly as placeholders. When Laura Huenneke left the position in 2015, after three years, she was replaced by Jim Coleman, Dan Kain and Brian Levin-Stankevich, respectively.

Yordy also served on the committees that helped select Kain and Levin-Stankevich.

He said the two were intentionally hired as shortterm solutions, but this time, the final candidate is meant to last, filling the gap left by Coleman when he stepped down from the position in early 2017.

Stearns said she plans to take an unconventional approach to the position by encouraging faculty to help lead problem-solving efforts for university academics, especially in the face of impending changes for institutions of higher education.

“NAU is my home, NAU is my family. I recognize all the complexities and obstacles we face and I feel like, because this is my institution, I can contribute right away because I understand exactly what I’m getting into,” she said.

‘Virtual parking’ set to begin at Northern Arizona University KAITLIN OLSON

Sun Staff Reporter‌

their account,” Erin Stam, director of the NAU transit department, wrote in an email.

Using license plates instead of permits also reduces theft, counterfeit permits and environmental impact, according to the Transit Services website.

Virtual permits are also immediately valid and available for purchase now.

‌ he windshields of vehicles T parked at Northern Arizona University will be less cluttered this year as University Transit Services moves from permit stickers to “virtual parking.”

The new system will treat license plates as the permits, which will be scanned by license-plate-recognizing cameras mounted to university vehicles.

License plate recognition‌ “Users no longer have to worry Stam said NAU purposefully about losing their permit or for- held back on this technology, getting to move it if they are using which is already in use by many a different vehicle registered to other universities and munici-

palities.

“We delayed implementing since Arizona only has single-sided license plates. While many universities with single-sided plates tell their users which way to park, we wanted to give our customers a choice,” she wrote.

Permit holders are required to park with their license plates facing the aisle, clear of obstructions like snow, unless they have a front-facing license plate or purchase one from the university for $20. Stam said the cost for these plates will be waived this year.

This system is currently only in place for parking lots; garages will continue to operate using permits and temporary tickets until the license-plate-recognizing cameras connected to the entrance and exit gates can be installed. This installation is planned for completion by 2020.

Parking kiosks will also be phased into the new system this year. Campus visitors will not receive printed tickets, but must enter their license plate number and park with the plate facing the aisle.

Please see PARKING, Page 4

NAU 2019-20 Parking Permits Annual Employee: $465 Student: $465 Parking garages: $635

Semester

Employee: $348 Student: $348 Parking garages: $476

For more information and permit prices, visit https://in.nau. edu/university-transit-services.

M 1

k c a b e s t m n o e c d l u e . t s n s aspiratio W r u o y ng

Bri

nau.edu M 1

A4 | FALL 2019

WELCOME BACK NAU

ARIZONA DAILY SUN

Collaborative exhibition highlights Flagstaff women ‌A major new exhibition, “​Resilience: Women in Flagstaff’s Past and Present​,” opens at Flagstaff City Hall on Aug. 23. “​Resilience” ​is a collaborative project by the Arizona Historical Society (AHS) and the Martin-Springer Institute at Northern Arizona University. The exhibit​​shares the powerful stories of 20 women who faced extraordinary challenges, and overcame hardships, painful legacies and adverse environments.

The opening reception is Friday, Aug. 23, from 4-6 p.m. at Flagstaff City Hall, 211 W. Aspen Ave. The exhibition will be on view in various locations throughout Flagstaff, including the Arizona Historical Society’s Pioneer Museum, NAU’s Martin-Springer Institute, Flagstaff City Hall and the Murdoch Community Center. The exhibit

opening coincides with National Women’s Equality Day on Monday, Aug. 26th.

Women have shaped Flagstaff’s development as public figures, activists, business leaders, educators and caretakers. The exhibition features Rhoda Abeshaus, Jessie Jimenez Alonzo, Bonn Baudelaire, Mary Costigan, Rachel Tso Cox, Joan Dorsey, Coral Evans, Mary C. Hart, Marianna Herman, Kat Jim, Doris Martin, Procora Vergara Martinez, Meagan and Natalie Metz, Delia Ceballos Muñoz, Eunice Nicks, Shirley Sims, Annie Watkins, Emma Jane Wilson, Dew YuWong and Noemi A. Women have also played a pivotal role in the development of modern Flagstaff. They employed entrepreneurial skills when Flagstaff was still a railroad and lumber town, made it their home af-

ter arriving from as far away as China, navigated the economic crisis of the 1930s, helped to integrate the town in the 1960s, embraced diversity and created opportunities for the less-fortunate. Visitors can trace changes in American society through the experiences of people in a small town of America’s Southwest.

Bill Peterson, Vice President of Collections and Education at the Arizona Historical Society shared, “We all face challenges in life, sometimes these challenges are severe, sometimes quite minor. Can we look to the past for encouragement, to see ourselves and our challenges reflected in the mirror of time and in the experiences of those who have gone before us? Can those past experiences of other people provide us with the ability, strength, and courage to face and overcome our

own challenges?”

Peterson explained, “The women in this exhibit all have something to teach us about overcoming challenges, standing up for ourselves and our communities. Their experiences, their resilience, their stories are the focus of this exhibit. We believe their powerful stories will have incredible meaning for people today.”

Björn Krondorfer, director of the Martin-Springer Institute, said, “Students from NAU worked with us for a full year on this exhibit, doing primary research, assisting in documentation and participating in oral interviews. Together, we discovered richly textured lives of women in Flagstaff’s past and present. It is time for the community to take note of them.”

The ​“Resilience” r​esearch

team consisted of students from Northern Arizona University and faculty/staff from the Martin-Springer Institute and the Arizona Historical Society.

In 2018, the AHS Pioneer Museums exhibit, ​“Todos Unidos: The Hispanic Experience in Flagstaff” was awarded both a Viola Award for Community Impact by the Flagstaff Arts Council and a national Award of Merit by the American Association for State and Local History. That exhibition’s purpose was to tell untold stories in Flagstaff’s history and Hispanic community. ​“Resilience” aims at continuing that mission; it reflects the idea that Arizonans are making history every day.

For more information, please visit ​www.arizonahistoricalsociety.org/museum/pioneer-museum/​or call (928) 774-6272.

Parking From 2

An e-book on license plate recognition released by T2 Systems, one of the vendors providing these services at NAU, states that this technology is more effective in Europe, where license plates are more standardized. In the United States, different styles of plates – like out-of-state plates or specialty designs – can drop successful recognitions below 80%.

Employee walkthroughs of parking lots will continue as needed to account for this.

Permit holders can manage their account online at any time using an online parking portal on the Transit Services website, adding up to five different vehicles to one account, though only one vehicle per permit can be parked on campus at a time.

All other parking procedures and rules remain the same, including a one-time ticket forgiveness policy, which allows people who pass an online educational course to waive one parking fine per year. Certain violations, like parking in a restricted area, are not eligible for this waiver, though.

NANCY WIECHEC‌

Flagstaff resident Mike Kitt stands in the atrium of the Kitt Recital Hall at Northern Arizona University. He and his wife Karen are major donors to the new facility, which will serve music students as well as the community.

Kitt From 2

and it was far from ideal, Sullivan said. Ashurst Hall, located inside Old Main, was constructed around 1918 as a multi-use space.

Its stage is high above the main floor, which is not conducive to musical performance. Also, Ashurst has no fixed seating and the HVAC system is noisy. In the new recital hall, mechanical systems are located outside the building and interior airflow is virtually silent. The fixed theater seats are roomy and comfortable, and their sky-blue color offers a nice contrast to the hall’s natural wood. The stage is level with the first several rows of seating.

Kitt’s north and south vestibules and east-facing atrium

feature floor to ceiling filtered glass panels that bring in light and warmth while subduing outside noise and morning sunlight.

The two-story panels give concertgoers and students views of the University Union and beyond.

Sullivan hopes such open views can refresh student musicians who often spend a lot of time in enclosed space.

Aside from the grand foyer and the hall itself, the new construction includes a backstage and performers’ green room, new restroom facilities, soundproof percussion practice rooms an instrumental rehearsal room and storage space. A long-time choral rehearsal room was updated with acoustic paneling, new lighting, a music library and an entry hall.

An elevator with space enough for large instruments leads from

the atrium to the second-floor practice and rehearsal room, and a grand staircase ushers patrons and students to the hall, Ardrey and to second-floor practice spaces. At the top of the recital hall is space devoted to a future recording studio.

The new building is equipped with modern safety features, such as doors that can be locked down from inside practices rooms and video feeds to display goings-on in the halls and outside the building.

Although all community music lovers are sure to benefit from the new recital hall, Sullivan said student musicians will be the main users of the space.

“Students are developing musicians, and the Kitt Recital Hall is very conducive to learning and healthy music production.”

Problems remain‌

The new technology, though beneficial, does not address many of the existing concerns about NAU parking.

Julie Heynssens, senior lecturer in the School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, has purchased a permit for each of the seven years she has worked at NAU, even though there are no options that accommodate her schedule well.

“I work in two different buildings … but if I buy a parking pass for the parking garage, I can’t park any place else, so I end up walking from the library every day,” Heynssens said.

She expressed a few concerns about virtual parking, including the inability to pull through parking spots and the fear of a mistake in the program if she purchases a new vehicle.

“I’ll probably end up with a

ticket sometime during there, if I had to guess,” she said.

Other employees who are unwilling or unable to pay for a permit choose instead to compete with students for open spots on nearby streets.

“Monday through Friday, if I’m here before 7 o’clock then I get a parking spot.

When I come in [later], I feel like I have to steal somebody’s parking spot just to get here.

It kind of sucks,” said Chad Frank, a supervisor at the Hot Spot, the resident dining hall on north campus.

Frank, who has worked at NAU for nine years, used to park off campus near a bus stop so he could ride the bus into work every day, but now has to find other options to avoid paying for parking on campus or downtown.

“It’s great that it’s a dollar [hourly to park downtown], but sometimes we don’t have a dollar to spare to even do that,” Frank said.

This year, permits have increased by $20 for employee permits and $50 for garage permits. Stam attributed the change to “rising maintenance costs.”

Permit prices at NAU still remain below those of other in-state universities, though.

Lot- or street-specific parking at the University of Arizona costs $610 for the year, while permits for the Arizona State University Tempe campus range from $200 to nearly $800. ASU employees have a discount for permits in a specific lot.

NAU offers no such discounts for its employees, who must pay the same price as students – $465 for the year – to park on campus.

Stam said her department is financially self-funded and uses the profits from permit sales to fund repairs to parking lots and garages, which total more than $1 million annually.

Other NAU transit plans in the works include adding bicycle registration and locker rentals to a database for better tracking, updating parking signs for legibility and creating new brochures to better explain parking procedures for both on-campus residents and commuters.

M 1

WELCOME BACK NAU

ARIZONA DAILY SUN

FALL 2019 | A5

Survival of the fittest NAU researchers study animals for lessons on cancer TIMOTHY JOHNSON

Special to the Daily Sun‌

‌Cancer is one of the most notorious diseases in the world. Annually, it kills 500,000 people in the United States. There are myriad ways that modern medicine approaches cancer treatment: chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy, to name a few.

The methods to research cancer are even more varied, and some of that research takes place at Northern Arizona University.

Professor Marc Tollis, an evolutionary biologist, is approaching cancer research from a genetic standpoint. Instead of looking at humans, his research examines the genes of animals, which can help us fight cancer in the future.

Although we are concerned with cancer in humans, the disease can affect all animals.

“Cancer is 1.5 billion years old.

It’s been here since the first multicellular organisms,” Tollis said.

Examining ourselves and neglecting other species would limit observations. All animals have methods of fighting and preventing cancer, so we can learn how other species have adapted to it.

Some animals are better at dealing with cancer than others. All organisms want to spend their resources with maximum efficiency, so some animals have higher priorities than cancer.

Mice, for example, have short lifespans in the wild — only a few years at most. In nature, they tend to die from predation rather than disease, so evolution has made them faster and sneakier. In a controlled environment, their lifespans increase, but not by much.

“If you keep mice in a lab, then in three years most have died of cancer,” Tollis said.

To see success stories, we must increase the scale. In cancer research, there is a concept known as “Peto’s Paradox.” Looking at humans, people of larger size have higher cancer rates than smaller

Marc Tollis is researching animal genes to help humans fight cancer in the future.

BRET PASCH/NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY‌

A southern grasshopper mouse. people. Bigger organisms have more cells, which means there is more cell reproduction, and more chances for mutation to create a cancerous cell.

Peto’s Paradox is that, across all species, the proportion of deaths due to cancer does not correlate with increasing size. Whales, elephants and rodents, for example, have approximately the same percentage of deaths due to cancer. Blue whales can survive over 100 years before dying of cancer despite having many more cells than mice, which tend to die within three. Whales and elephants have few predators and live approximately as long as humans, so they are ideal candidates for cancer research.

The gene TP53 is present in almost all animals, and it is a tumor suppressant. Tollis calls it “the

most studied gene in history.” It produces a protein that polices cell damage and mutation. If the damage or mutation is too hazardous, the protein will instruct the cell to self-destruct.

TP53 is the primary defense against cancer of all organisms. However, “cancer cells are rule-breakers,” Tollis said. Instead of working with the body to survive, cancer cells compete with healthy cells for resources.

Cancerous cells can mutate to resist TP53’s countermeasures, allowing it to form tumors and eventually kill the host.

Humans have one copy of TP53 in their genomes. Most rodents have two copies, but they barely express those genes. Elephants have about 20 copies, which allows them to evolve more effectively. They can specialize the

WElcoME Back StUDENtS FacUltY aND StaFF!!!

We

copies to function more effectively, or they can mutate the copies and create new functions.

These copies have allowed elephants to grow to their large sizes and survive almost as long as humans.

Not all exemplary cancer-fighting animals are big. Even though most rodents, like mice and rats, are susceptible to tumors, bats are exceptional at combating cancer.

Bat species in the vesper family can live for decades. The secret of vesper bats is a second gene, FBX031. This gene instructs the body to create more TP53, reducing tumor growth. Most animals have FBX031, but vesper bats have 50 to 60 copies, allowing extreme modification or specialization.

Animal research has applications that verge on science fiction.

It is possible to transplant genes

between species, and scientists have successfully transferred elephant genes to mice. It is theoretically possible to transplant housekeeping genes like TP53 from elephants and whales into humans. Alternatively, we could modify TP53 in human DNA to work like it does in elephants, which could also reduce cancer rates.

The options for future research are broad. Researchers have recorded only “one or two [deaths due to cancer] ever” in naked mole rats, Tollis said, but we do not have the data to explain why.

Decoding their near-immunity to cancer could be a step toward eliminating the disease.

Biologists have focused genetic research on mammals because their genes are most applicable to humans.

“The next places to look might be the feathery or the scaly branches of the tree of life,” Tollis said.

Reptiles such as turtles and crocodiles can live over a century, even in bacteria-rich tropics. Birds can also live longer than most rodents. Rodents and birds share fast metabolisms, which increases the risk of cancer, so birds might have a genetic countermeasure.

Lastly, Tollis expressed interest in the genomes of ancient megafauna, like giant sloths, which would have had their own cancer defenses.

! d e l e d o m have re

Make Your Reservations NOW! Family Weekend October 4-6 Homecoming Weekend October 25-27

Back to School

Student Memberships

½ OFF InItIAtIOn FEE Semester Memberships Also Available!

Hampton Inn & Suites in Westside Flagstaff is Located Next to Northern Arizona University’s mountain campus!

2400 s. Beulah Blvd • 913-0900 HiltON.cOM/HaMptON_iNN/FlagstaFF

All Kinds of Goodness

Your membership includes: 2 Clubs, 3 pools (including a salt pool, a lap pool and an outdoor pool), 4 Steamrooms, 6 Jacuzzis, 2 Kids Clubs, 9 Courts, State of the Art Weight and Cardio Equipment, Indoor Track, Personal Training, Massage Therapy, Small Group Training, Physical Therapy and Tanning on site , plus much more!

Over 120 Group Fitness Classes a week including: Yoga, Cycling, Zumba, Step, Pilates, Aqua X, Les Mills®, Aqua for Arthritis, Barre Fusion 45, Barre Above, Piyo, Heart Rate Training, SilverSneakers, and more!

FAC East 1500 N Country Club Rd. • 928-526-8652 FAC West 1200 W Rt. 66 • 928-779-4593 www.flagstaffathleticclub.com M 1

www.facebook.com/FlagstaffAthleticClub

sHOW a cuRReNt Valid Nau id aNd get 10% off FOR YOuR eNtiRe gROup! expiRation on coupon 12/15/19 Over 50 fresh items: fruit, salad, soups, hot bar & dessert bar

3540 e. Route 66 • 526-3391 2105 s. Milton • 779-3267

A6 | FALL 2019

WELCOME BACK NAU

ARIZONA DAILY SUN

Wearable robotics promise big steps forward TIMOTHY JOHNSON

Special to the Daily Sun‌

‌Robotic suits called exoskeletons are devices that humans can wear to improve physical abilities. The newest application of these wearable robotics is improving the lives of people who suffer from movement disabilities.

These exoskeletons are examples of biomechatronics, which is the application of machinery and electronics to living participants. Northern Arizona University’s Biomechatronics Lab has developed exoskeletons for participants with cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy can refer to a group of movement disorders that stem from abnormal brain development. It impairs the ability to use muscles, which makes everyday tasks, such as walking, difficult.

Zachary Lerner, the head of the research, is aiming to rehabilitate participants. His goal is to use exoskeletons to train the operator’s ability to walk.

Walking establishes favorable movement patterns, meaning the participant develops muscle memory and gets accustomed to which nerves are working while in motion.

This training could improve participants’ ability to walk even when they are not wearing the exoskeletons, which would be a permanent improvement to their quality of life. The participants are mostly children.

“We are blessed with great participants. Interacting with them is the most enjoyable part of my job,” Lerner said.

Cerebral palsy varies in severity from one participant to another, so Lerner and his team create customized exoskeletons for each person. The team takes measurements such as height, weight, foot size, and circumference and length of legs. They manufacture and adjust each part of the exoskeleton to fit the participant’s body perfectly.

The exoskeleton only attaches to the lower body, but it must be light and easy to move in. To minimize weight, the materials are mostly aluminum and carbon fiber.

Once the exoskeleton is complete, testing begins.

“One of the largest challenges the team faces is determining how much assistance the exoskeleton should give each participant,” Lerner said.

The purpose of rehabilitation robotics is to improve the body’s ability to move without aid, so the exoskeletons should help the participant without dominating their motion.

Ideal movement means the operator can move comfortably and easily. The team controls how much the suit helps the participant, but they also use software that learns from the movement patterns of the operator. The software analyzes what muscles are working and determines how to best support each participant.

Early this year, the team published a milestone of their research. They developed a wireless, battery-powered exoskeleton and proved that it reduces workload on the operator. Participants used less energy while receiving assistance from the exoskeleton, making it easier to walk. This development shows that wearable robotics are a viable option for improving daily life.

The team has many goals for their future projects. One of the lab’s goals is for its participants to be able to walk between classes without assistance.

The team emphasized that they want to help the children live normal lives.

“Playing sports or increasing recess activities is definitely within the realm of possibility,” Lerner said. Improving day-to-day activities and quality of life is a more immediate goal.

The benefits of rehabilitation robotics extend beyond children with cerebral palsy. Future research could assist anyone with a movement disorder. For example, Parkinson’s disease is notorious for causing shaking hands, but it impacts many aspects of life.

“Standing balance is one of the main challenges of Parkinson’s,” Lerner said.

Exoskeletons could stabilize an operator, making it possible to stand or walk without issues.

Lerner also mentioned spina bifida, which is a condition where a baby’s spinal cord does not develop properly in the womb. In some cases, spinal fluid or nerves form outside of the vertebrae.

Spina bifida can impair walking ability due to nerve damage, like Parkinson’s.

As with cerebral palsy, rehabilitation robotics could build muscle memory to help operators walk. Exoskeletons could also help people with injured spinal columns by reducing workload on the back.

One of the Biomechatronics Lab’s other future goals is to create exoskeletons that extend to participants’ upper halves and extremities. The current designs assist the legs, but exoskeletons could stabilize the torso, which would improve balance. Robotics could also help operators establish movement patterns in the arms, which could improve other everyday activities, such as eating, drinking or reaching for objects.

COURTESY‌

Students can watch “Jaws” at the Wall Aquatic Center for this semester’s Welcome Week dive-in movie on Friday, Aug. 30.

WELCOME WEEK CALENDAR OF EVENTS Friday, Aug. 23‌

Fall 2019 Part-Time Job Fair: 1-4 p.m. Health and Learning Center, building 25, 824 S. San Francisco St. Connect with on- and off-campus employers recruiting for fall, winter and spring job, internship and volunteer opportunities.

Family Event: Tea, Treats and Tissues: 1-4 p.m. Health and Learning Center, 824 S. San Francisco St. Join Parent and Family Services Director Shannon Clark and other Lumberjack families to celebrate the kickoff of fall semester 2019. Mingle with NAU staff, visit with other families, share stories and ask questions. We’ll have cookies, coffee, iced tea and lemonade and, for some of you, tissues. Free and open to all.

Student Involvement Fair: 1-4 p.m.

Health and Learning Center, 824 S. San Francisco St. NAU is home to almost 400 student organizations catered to all interests from running to theater, chemistry to criminal justice. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, you can even start your own. Free and open to all.

Lawn Games: 4-6 p.m. Raymond Hall, building 39, 1075 S. Beaver St. Join the Navigators ministry to play spikeball, Frisbee and other fun lawn games on the lawn next to Raymond Hall. All are welcome.

Young Life NAU BBQ: 6-9 p.m. Off campus, 221 E. Phoenix Ave. A BBQ to welcome returning and new students and let them see the joys of Young Life College and all it has to offer.

Welcome Block Party: 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

University Union Dining Expansion, building 30C, 1050 S. Knoles Dr. Come dance the night away with the Office of Inclusion and get to the staff and the Inclusion and Diversity Scholars.

Fugitive Game: 10-11:30 p.m. Meet at Newman Center, 520 Riordan Ranch St. Participate in a huge game of fugitive, similar to cops and robbers, throughout all of campus. All are welcome.

Saturday, Aug. 24‌

Lava Tube Cave Hike: 1-5 p.m. Meet at Newman Center, 520 Riordan Ranch St. New to Flag? Want to explore Flag?

Hike one of Flag’s coolest underground hikes! Carpool options available. All are welcome.

Welcome Week Concert: 5-9 p.m.

South Quad, 2112 S. Huffer Lane. Featuring The Mowgli’s, Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra, Lady Sol. Food truck, face painting, palm reading and more. Students only; free with valid NAU ID. First 200 get a free shirt.

Bonfire: 7-10 p.m. Off campus, meet at the Field House parking lot across from Cline Library. Come learn about the Navigators and meet new people.

Sunday, Aug. 25‌

Mass & BBQ: 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Newman Center, 520 Riordan Ranch St. There will be a BBQ following 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. mass.

Cards and Cookies: 7-9 p.m. University Union, building 30, 1050 S. Knoles Dr. Join the Navigators to play cards and eat cookies upstairs above Einstein Bros. Bagels.

Monday, Aug. 26‌

NACC Welcome Back Event & Breakfast: 8-9 a.m. Native American Cultural Center, building 14, 810 S. Knoles Dr. Enjoy a welcome back prayer and breakfast, meet NACC and OISS staff, and learn about the services and programs offered.

2 Ball Soccer: 4-6 p.m. Raymond Hall, building 39. Join the Navigators to play a wild game of two ball soccer on the lawn next to Raymond Hall. No experience necessary.

2019 Community Welcome: 4:30-8 p.m. High Country Conference

SUZANNE ADAMS-OCKRASSA

NAU’s Atmospheric Research Observatory hosts weekly public viewing nights where the public can explore the night sky through the Barry-Lutz telescope.

Center, building 58, 201 W. Butler Ave. The annual Community Welcome event helps foster a sense of community between students and long-term Flagstaff residents. Volunteers made up of NAU students and staff, city employees, and Flagstaff and Northern Arizona University police go door-to-door visiting homes in neighborhoods close to campus. The teams will once again distribute valuable educational materials on good-neighboring and city ordinances. Additionally, the volunteers encourage all neighbors to get to know each other to build positive relationships!

Welcome Week Luau Party: 7-9 p.m.

Newman Center, 520 Riordan Ranch St. Enjoy a traditional Hawaiian meal, including a roasted pig, as well as games and dancing. Free and open to all.

Tuesday, Aug. 27‌

Transfer Student Welcome Picnic: 5:30-8 p.m. University Union, building 30, 1050 S. Knoles Dr. All new transfer students are invited to enjoy food, fun and games. Meet your mentor and make new friends.

Basketball Dunk Contest w/NAU Men’s Basketball Team: 7-9 p.m.

Newman Center, 520 Riordan Ranch St. Compete to see who has the best dunk.

Judged by members of NAU men’s basketball team. Free ice cream. All are welcome.

Unboard Games: 7-9 p.m. University Union, building 30, 1050 S. Knoles Dr. Join the Navigators to play charades, mafia and other fun games upstairs above Einstein Bros. Bagels.

Wednesday, Aug. 28‌

President’s Welcome Week BBQ: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Central Quad. Faculty, staff and students are invited to a BBQ with hamburgers, hot dogs and the like with fun games.

South Side Sports: 4-6 p.m. South Quad. Join the Navigators to play spikeball, Frisbee and other fun lawn games.

All are welcome.

Out-of-State Welcome Event: 5-7:30 p.m. Hosted by Peer Jacks Mentoring and Undergraduate Admissions for out-of-state freshmen. Stop by any time throughout the event to mingle with other students, meet your mentor or sign up for

Peer Jacks.

Carne Asada: 6-8 p.m. Newman Center, 520 Riordan Ranch St. Enjoy free carne asada, dancing, games and community. All are welcome.

Thursday, Aug. 29‌

Welcome BBQ for Veterans: 4:306:30 p.m. University Union Fieldhouse, building 30, 1050 S. Knoles Dr. NAU Veterans and Military Services will host a BBQ for returning and new student veterans.

NAU Football Home Opener vs.

Missouri State: 6-9 p.m. Walkup Skydome, building 73, 1701 S. San Francisco St. Tickets start at $15 per person for the general public, free for NAU students with valid ID. LumberjackTicketOffice@ nau.edu Scavenger Hunt: 7-8:30 p.m. Meet in the University Union outside the Hot Spot, building 30, 1050 S. Knoles Dr. How well do you know campus? Join the Navigators in a scavenger hunt that will test your skills by bringing you to different spots on campus.

Friday, Aug. 30‌

Chai Alpha: 7-9 p.m. International Pavilion, building 50A, 1450 S. Knoles Dr. Dance the night away, enjoy free chai and treats, and make new friends.

Dive-In Movie: Jaws: 7-11 p.m. Wall Aquatic Center, building 86. Join Campus Rec and SUN Entertainment for this semester’s Welcome Week dive-in movie.

Arrive early; space in the pool is limited.

Free with valid NAU ID.

Saturday, Aug. 31‌

Lumberfest: 1-4 p.m. Central Quad.

A Residence Hall Association tradition where students can introduce themselves to other residents and enjoy a variety of activities.

Dance Party at 7,000 Feet: 7-10 p.m.

Du Bois Center, building 64, 306 E. Pine Knoll Dr. The Student Philanthropy Council’s annual dance to raise money for the NAU Student Philanthropy Scholarship. Come dance your AXE off to live DJ music, mingle, meet new friends and enjoy free food. $5 for one, $8 for two.

Please see CALENDAR, Page 7

M 1

WELCOME BACK NAU

ARIZONA DAILY SUN

FALL 2019 | A7

BRADY SMITH, U.S. FOREST SERVICE‌

Lights carried by a passing group in the Lava River Cave leave light trails during the 30 second exposure of this photograph. Students can meet at the Newman Center to carpool to this unique hike Saturday, Aug. 24.

Calendar From 6

Roller Rave: 7-11 p.m. University Union Fieldhouse, building 30, 1050 S. Knoles Dr. Join SUN Entertainment for this year’s Roller Rave. Featuring free skate rental, DJ, lights, archery tag, photobooth. Free with valid NAU ID.

Sunday, Sept. 1‌

NAU Women’s Soccer vs.

Detroit Mercy: 1-3 p.m. Lum-

berjack Stadium. Email Athlet- kindness on campus at the secicMarketing@nau.edu for more ond annual Kindness Expo. Learn information. how you can be kind to yourself and others on campus with health Monday, Sept. 2‌ and wellness resources, prizes Mount Humphrey’s Hike: and more.

8 a.m.-5 p.m. Meet at the Newman Center, 520 W. Riordan Thursday, Sept. 5‌ Ranch St. to carpool. Hike the Study Abroad Fair: highest mountain in all of Ari- 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. University zona; make sure to pack lots of Union Pedway. Education Abroad water and food. All are welcome. at NAU hosts the annual Study Abroad Fair to talk to students Wednesday, Sept. 4‌ about study abroad, faculty-led 2nd Annual Kindness Expo: programs, internships, research 3-5 p.m. University Union Ped- and scholarship opportunities. way. Help spread a culture of Cardboard Boat Regatta:

6-10 p.m. Rec Center, 824 S. San Francisco St. Do you have what it takes to build a boat out of cardboard, duct tape and a plastic bag? These items are provided, build will be at the Rec, before moving to the Wall Aquatic Center to race. Free and open to all students.

Friday, Sept. 6‌

Public Viewing Night: 7:3010 p.m. Atmospheric Research Observatory, building 47, 1401 S. San Francisco St. Visit NAU’s on-campus observatory for its weekly public viewing nights.

Cowboy breakfast, lunch, and weekend dinner cafe with great cowboy food, great cowboy service, and American cowboy charm!

Humphrey’s Hike: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Meet at Cline Library, building 28, 1001 S. Knoles Dr. Join Chi Alpha on a strenuous hike up the highest peak in Arizona. Make new friends and see the state from a different perspective. Bring a backpack with lunch, at least two liters of water and a windbreaker.

10

%

OFF

With Student ID

BUY ONE LUNCH ~GET ONE FREE~

Expires Sept. 30, 2019 Coupon Code: Live

Expires Sept. 30, 2019 Coupon Code: Live

$5 OFF ANY BURGER

Saturday, Sept. 7‌

st stUdENts ANd fACULtY GEt

BUY ONE BREAKFAST ~GET ONE FREE~

2 FOR $ 30

Take a look through the Barry-Lutz telescope and explore the night sky with NAU Astronomy Club volunteers. Observatory open weather permitting.

TWO 10OZ PRIME RIB DINNER – OR –

TWO 10OZ RIBEYE STEAK DINNER

Each Dinner comes with choice of two sides and a soft drink. Expires Sept. 30, 2019 Coupon Code: Live

DURING DINNER HOURS Expires Sept. 30, 2019 Coupon Code: Live

OPEN everyday 6:30AM to 2:30PM EVERYDAYY |Friday & Saturday Dinner Hours 5:00pm - 9:00pm

Y’ALL COME HUNGRY NOW! M 1

1300 S Milton Rd | Flagstaff AZ, 86001 | www.lonespurcafe.com

DINING CARD IS BACK!!!

FLAGSTAFF

Lucky Lane

Milton Rd.

Milton Rd.

at the Flagstaff Mall

E. Rt. 66

E. Rt. 66

S. Woodlands Village

ON SALE NOW!!

M 1