University of Arizona Udall Center

🚀What risks are the civilian astronauts on Polaris Dawn facing during the mission launching today?👩🚀 Following multiple launch delays due to a helium leak and unfavorable weather conditions, SpaceX's new civilian space craft was expected to launch early this morning. Former UC Fellow and Professor of Astronomy Chris Impey discusses the many risks of space travel in this recent article for the Conversation. Full story here: https://lnkd.in/gATYwkVv . . . 📸: The Polaris Dawn crew during their launch-day rehearsal. Polaris Program/John Kraus, CC BY-NC-ND

👀We're looking for a postdoc to help support the Indigenous Data Sovereignty Movement! Join the Collaboratory for Indigenous Data Governance and the new National Science Foundation (NSF) funded Network of Networks where you will actively contribute to the growth and maintenance of an international-scale collaboration among the Global Indigenous Data Alliance, six national/regional IDSov networks (United States, Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and Sapmí in Norway, Sweden, Finland), and five international IDGov collectives (Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga /New Zealand's Māori Centre of Research Excellence, Local Contexts, the NSF-funded Center for Braiding Indigenous Knowledges and Science [CBIKS], the Equity for Indigenous Research and Innovation Coordinating Hub [ENRICH], and the Collaboratory). Learn more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/gr5FB3ac

🏅We are thrilled to celebrate UC Director Andrea K. Gerlak's selection to the 2024 U of A Women of Impact cohort! Thanks to University of Arizona Research, Innovation & Impact for this well-deserved recognition for our fearless leader!! Here's to another year of success, innovation and impact! See the full 2024 cohort list here: https://lnkd.in/gCKrp_bv

Join us in celebrating ENR2 and our environmental community at the University of Arizona! See you tomorrow from 2-5 p.m. in ENR2 🎉

The Air Force's disturbing PFAS decision in Tucson.... Last month, the U.S. Air Force in Tucson announced that it would not take responsibility to clean up dangerous “forever chemicals” (or "PFAS") that have been leaching from the Morris Air National Guard Base into public water supplies for decades. The announcement is in defiance of an U.S. EPA order issued to the Air Force in May to clean up PFAS. Several UC researchers working on the PFAS issue submitted this recent op-ed to the Tucson Daily Star explaining the threats to human health posed by PFAS and why they believe it would be in everyone's best interest for the Air Force to take responsibility for this dangerous situation sooner than later. Full story (💸behind a paywall) here: https://lnkd.in/guRj_BAz DM us for PDF text :)

🏛️5 lessons from ancient civilizations for keeping homes cool in hot, dry climates.📜 Modern buildings take electricity and A/C for granted, but they can become unbearable when the power goes out. This new article from UC Asst. Prof. and Asst. Prof. in the School of Geography, Development and Environment Adriana Zuniga-Teran offers 5 strategies for keeping cool that come from architects of ancient civilizations. Originally published in The Conversation US, it's been viewed over 40k times and picked up by dozens of other news outlets!🎊 Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gcWaErhM

🥳 Meet the 2024 Mo's Policy Scholars!! 🎊 These nine undergraduate juniors and seniors at The University of Arizona will be paid to learn from expert UC researchers while working on real, active research projects related to environmental policy or Indigenous governance. This second-ever cohort of Mo's Scholars gathered at the Udall Center last week to meet their mentors and kickoff the 2024 program. Meet this year's scholars and learn about the projects they will be working on this semester in our latest news story: https://lnkd.in/gUE4aXVG

"[W]orking in the (Indigenous Nation building) space, it is not possible for academic researchers to apply predetermined methods or activities." The COVID pandemic hit as researchers were working with the Gugu Badhun Aboriginal Nation in what is known today as northern Queensland, Australia to investigate and document the Nation's Indigenous Nation-building (INB) endeavors. Despite plans for extensive in-person collaboration, like most professionals at that time, the research team was forced to pivot in short order to a virtual program for their work, thereby proving the importance of flexibility in INB work and research, as well as the potential for meaningful INB work to be conducted online. This recent paper published in the Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues looks at that research project and presents successes and challenges associated with the shift to a virtual program. NNI Senior Researcher Miriam Jorgensen is a co-author. Full, open-access paper available here: https://lnkd.in/gsS45Xu2

Cities at the forefront of emerging U.S. heat governance... This recent paper in the journal One Earth by resident heat health and policy expert Ladd Keith and his ASU colleague Sara Meerow examines leading heat governance strategies across the United States. Full text is behind a paywall but, if you've got the credentials, you can get the expert scoop here: https://lnkd.in/gxHq7Ecg

⏳2 weeks away: The National Academies’ #AccelnetPEER2PEER program is hosting a webinar on Transboundary Water Management and the Colorado River! Join on September 16 at 11:00 AM EDT to learn about the impact of the Colorado River on transboundary collaboration and diplomacy in the face of broader inequities and governance shortfalls. The featured speaker will be Dr. Andrea K. Gerlak from the University of Arizona. Register to attend: https://lnkd.in/gwJFYPv5 . . . NASEM Capacity Development