University of Arizona Land Acknowledgment

We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples. Today, Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes, with Tucson being home to the O’odham and the Yaqui. Committed to diversity and inclusion, the university strives to build sustainable relationships with sovereign Native Nations and Indigenous communities through education offerings, partnerships, and community service.

Producers

Kim Patten, Daniel Moseke

Designer

Andreá Brooks

Writing & Editorial Team

Stephanie Doster, Leslie Ruth Hawthorne Klingler, Emily Litvack, Kristina Makansi, Eric Van Meter

Original Reporting

Much of the content in this magazine is based on original reporting by Alexis Blue, Rosemary Brandt, Emily Dieckman, Lori Harwood, Mikayla Mace Kelley, Angela Martinez, Erika Mitnik, Kyle Mittan, Tracy Mueller, Stacy Pigott, Daniel Stolte, Eric Swedlund, Brittany Uhlorn

Questions and feedback research-comms@list.arizona.edu

A MESSAGE FROM

Dr. Elizabeth Cantwell

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

Since its founding in 1885, the University of Arizona has focused on big questions about humankind, our world, and the universe in which we live. A few of our milestones include establishing the Arizona State Museum, founding the first-of-its-kind Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, and being the first public university to lead an entire planetary mission.

More recently, our researchers led the development of critical imaging technology aboard NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, whose captivating imagery punctuates the pages of this magazine. Our National Science Foundation Center for Quantum Networks operates a quantum entanglement testbed on the Tucson campus, connecting laboratories in six buildings with a combination of optical fibers and free-space optics between rooftops in one of the most advanced network demonstrations in the world. Our Biosphere 2 is the world’s largest controlled environment dedicated to understanding the impacts of climate change and developing solutions for resilience.

From ideas to results, we stay connected to our fundamental goal: creating societal and economic impact that benefits humankind. Our responsibility as Arizona’s land grant institution enables us to harness the power of science to meet needs across the state and beyond. And, as part of an academic institution, we must always pair creating new knowledge today with preparing the workforce of tomorrow.

Though the scope of the work highlighted in the forthcoming pages is wide-ranging, impact is the thread that weaves each of these stories together.