President José Luis Cruz Rivera announced today that, starting in Fall 2023, NAU will provide tuition-free college education for Arizona residents with household incomes at or below $65,000. This new Access2Excellence initiative reflects the urgent need to broaden participation and increase educational attainment in Arizona, helping students gain the knowledge and skills needed to participate in the state’s booming economy.
NAU’s soon-to-be Ranger James
James Jensen received a bachelor’s in political science, then quickly got a sales job that left him feeling unsatisfied and unfulfilled. After spending a week last summer backpacking through Glacier National Park, he decided it was time for a change; he wanted to pursue something he truly enjoyed—the outdoors. Northern Arizona University’s accelerated Park Ranger Training Program is one of only six in the country. In just 16 short weeks, students earn a certificate that opens the metaphorical door to working in state and national parks throughout the U.S. This week, Jensen and his cohort will graduate. Thanks to this program, he will soon get to work his dream job in his favorite place on Earth.
President Cruz Rivera honored 48 Gold Axe winners, five President’s Prize recipients and nine Distinguished Seniors for their hard work and commitment to their educations and their careers at NAU. “These students have shown incredible resilience and determination to arrive at this point in their academic and personal journeys, and they all have achieved a tremendous amount to excel in their studies and give back in such meaningful ways,” he told the crowd on Tuesday night. The recipients of the President’s Prize, which is the highest award for undergraduates at NAU, are Maylee Acosta, Matthew Billings, Clarreese Greene, Ariana Kelley and Rachell Krell.
This year the Bioscience Roadmap turns 20 and we hope you will join us next week and attend a special virtual event that will focus on how far we’ve come – with an overview of what still needs to be done – to make our state a national leader in this sector by 2025.
The Flinn Foundation, which originally commissioned this long-term strategic plan two decades ago, will be hosting the free Zoom session from 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 20. You can register to attend HERE.
The event will feature a presentation by Mitch Horowitz and Ryan Helwig, principals of TEConomy Partners, who will reveal new performance metrics, including comparisons to 20 years ago when the Roadmap was launched.
This is your opportunity to make a difference with the Flagstaff Festival of Science! Your ongoing support as a meaningful friend to the Festival has helped us develop compelling and powerful events each year! This year, our keynote speaker will bring the fascinating world of pharaohs and Egyptian gods, right here to our mountain town!
Dr. Zahi Hawass, world renowned Egyptologist and presenter, typically charges $50- $150 for ticketed events, but here in Flagstaff audiences can attend for FREE as we promise to make science accessible to all! But we need the help of our donors today, to make a difference in science education!
The Festival has a goal to raise $3,000 in this campaign!
(We are one third of the way there with one day to go!)
Support what you love on NAU Giving Day
Give, show your pride and share your love for NAU alongside Lumberjacks throughout the world on Giving Day, our annual celebration of everything that makes NAU great. On Wednesday, wherever you are, don your True Blue and Gold, break out your LJs and donate to your favorite fund. Unsure of where to give? Take the NAU Giving Day online quiz and find the perfect fund to make an impact.
A new study, co-authored by Pamela Bosch, Indrakshi Roy and Amit Kumar, found that people with lower socioeconomic status and people from ethnic minority populations have a greater likelihood of severe stroke than white Americans or those of a higher socioeconomic status. But it’s not just that—those groups also are more likely to have a more severe stroke incident at the time they are admitted to the hospital.
Grand Canyon Conservancy (GCC) and Grand Canyon National Park are proud to announce the selection of the next Grand Canyon Astronomer in Residence, biologist, landscape and nature photographer, and conservationist Imma Barrera. She will live and work at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, with visits to the North Rim and Tuweep, from April 28 to May 23, 2022.
Barrera’s current project, “Under the Night Sky,” involves raising awareness about the importance of protecting the night sky by presenting different features of select National Parks in the format of a published book, combining photography and nature education and illustrating the efforts these parks have undertaken as part of their mission to preserve the environment. Barrera’s goal is to capture those inspiring landscapes under the night sky.
Advances in stroke treatment aren’t just coming from medicine—they’re coming from engineering too. Mechanical engineering student Josette Vigil is spending her career at NAU working on stroke research, including material testing of 3D printed polymers and tissues and algorithm development to define the volume and dimensions of an aneurysm. For stroke patients, this work could be life-changing—or even life-saving. Vigil, who works in associate professor Tim Becker’s Bioengineering Devices Lab, is sharing her work publicly this semester at NAU’s Undergraduate Symposium on April 22.
Throughout her education and career, Melissa Wheeler was used to being the sole Indigenous person in a room, or one of a few. She’d never had a Native American professor. That’s no longer the case for Wheeler, a doctoral student in the counseling/school psychology education program, as she has helped open doors to others by bringing her work to them. In recognition of her commitment to culturally centered work, Wheeler was named to the second cohort of Rising Graduate Scholars from Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. She was one of only 10 students nationwide to receive this honor.
The boreal forest is a belt of cold-tolerant conifer trees that stretches nearly 9,000 miles across northern North America and Eurasia; it makes up almost a quarter of the Earth’s forest area. It’s also the coldest—and most rapidly warming—forest biome on the planet, and its shifting characteristics amid climate change are raising concerns about increased fire activity, decreased biodiversity and other long-term adverse effects for human and natural ecosystems.
Unveiling the secret lives of ticks, Dr. Joe Busch leads us through fascinating research in population genetics. Joe, a Senior Research Scientist at the Pathogen & Microbiome Institute (PMI) at Northern Arizona University, studies Cattle Fever ticks. These ticks pose a major threat to food security in the United States, and Joe uses DNA fingerprinting markers to track tick movements and look for the spread of certain genetic groups.
What happens when an invasive insect starts killing Flagstaff’s fall staple and, more importantly, how can we stop it? These are questions a team of School of Forestry professors and graduate students are asking alongside the U.S. Forest Service as a plague of sap-sucking insects threatens northern Arizona’s aspens.
Is kindergarten too young for students to get excited about STEM? No way, says assistant professor Morgan Vigil-Hayes, who is partnering with FUSD to develop a curriculum to get K-5 Native American students doing fun learning activities that focus on math and computational thinking.
Despite a global pandemic, he and his staff were instrumental in getting Coconino Community College’s Automotive Technician program running.
That’s why Robby Findlay, director of operations for the Findlay Automotive Group, has been selected as the 2021 recipient of the prestigious Distinguished Service Award at CCC.
“What an unbelievable honor,” he said. “I know how much the college has done for the community, and it’s such an honor CCC is commending me and our auto group.”
The Fall 2021 semester was a big one for NAU—it brought new leadership, a return to fully in-person activities, another national championship and a new look to the university newsletter. Reread some of our most popular stories from the semester and share your news with us to help us start the new year strong.
In January, we have appointments available on four Saturdays at the East Flagstaff Community Library.
The public is invited to attend a virtual open house on the Utility Scale Renewable Energy Ordinance (REO) Draft on Wednesday, February 9, 2022, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The draft ordinance will be available for review and comment on the open house site beginning February 9 through February 16, 2022.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz — The City of Flagstaff will host a series of in-person home energy efficiency workshops this winter, with the first workshop scheduled for Wednesday, November 9. Each workshop will provide a quick one-hour demonstration and discussion to help…
For the last two years, Laurel Malm, the first graduate of a joint program between nursing and ROTC, was on the front lines of health care, working in the COVID ward at Flagstaff Medical Center. Now she’ll take that experience with her into the Army, applying the leadership lessons she learned from ROTC and the need for flexibility, collaboration and focus she’s learned in nursing school.
With nearly 100 free and exciting events this year in the Festival of Science, it can be hard to make it to all of the ones you want to go to! But, don’t let this stop you from engaging in the Flagstaff science community all year round, and catching up on the events you missed.
The Flagstaff Festival of Science has a YouTube Channel!
Nearly one in five individuals in the U.S. identifies as having a disability, and it is important to recognize the experiences of those people. Throughout the month of October, NAU is celebrating Disability Pride and Heritage Month. NAU’s Commission on Disability Access and Design will host events that focus on inclusivity like the accessibility scavenger hunt and sitting volleyball, along with accessibility design workshops and others, all of which are free and open to the public.
Grand Canyon Conservancy (GCC) and Grand Canyon National Park are proud to announce the selection of the second Grand Canyon Astronomer in Residence, renowned educator, author, and astronomy expert, Dean Regas. He will live and work at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park from November 16 to December 8, 2021.
Regas has been the astronomer for the Cincinnati Observatory since 2000 and was co-host of the PBS program “Star Gazers” from 2010 to 2019. He is the author of the books “Facts from Space” and “100 things to See in the Night Sky,” and is a contributing editor to Sky and Telescope Magazine and a contributor to Astronomy Magazine, from which he won the 2008 “Out-of-this-World” Award for astronomy education.
FLAGSTAFF — From “En Plein Air in Flagstaff’s Open Spaces: Stories in Stone,” at Buffalo Park on Sept. 17, to the return of the “Science in the Park” on Sept. 18 and the “Flagstaff Star Party” at Buffalo Park on Sept. 30, the 2021 Flagstaff Festival of Science (Sept. 17-26) provides families with a variety of events to choose from.
Click here to view the entire 2021 Flagstaff Festival of Science Passport schedule.
The festival kicks off with the 2021 Keynote presentation — “When Stones Speak: Decoding the Messages Embedded in Ancient Maya Monuments” with Dr. Jaime Awe at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17. Doors open at 6 p.m.
During the presentation, Dr. Awe will illuminate the Maya culture for audiences at Ardrey Auditorium, Northern Arizona University.
Full program of events to include Science in the Park, presentations, workshops, guided tours all taking place Sept. 17-26. With many programs led by outstanding Flagstaff scientists, Festival-goers will also have the opportunity to learn about other ancient cultures in this year’s archeological-themed festival.
On June 23, 2020, the Flagstaff City Council declared a Climate Emergency. The Declaration commits Flagstaff to achieving community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030, to respond to the climate emergency and improve quality of life for all residents. With input from the Flagstaff community and technical experts, the city of Flagstaff developed a draft a plan that outlines a framework for action over the next nine years. This plan details seven target areas of action that the city will take to reach carbon neutrality:
The Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) is an FCC program to help families and households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. This new benefit will connect eligible households to jobs, critical healthcare services, virtual classrooms, DES Services, and so much more.
The DES Office of Community Engagement would like to share with you information about this program. The EBB program opens on May 12, 2021 for eligible individuals and households to enroll. Below is additional information and the link to the Toolkit.
Among the many consequences of COVID-19 are its effects on the criminal justice system, including the safety of participants who appear in court.
Flagstaff and Williams Justice Courts are piloting a procedure that allows criminal defendants the opportunity and choice to appear by remote online methods while still being aware of all their legal rights and protections along the way.
STEM City will be hosting virtual STEM nights beginning on Monday, May 3rd with community partner organizations via the groups’ Facebook page, FlagstaffSTEMCity. Participating organizations are creating science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematic video presentations highlighting their work in the greater Flagstaff community. The resources will also be made available to area educators as classroom materials to enhance learning opportunities in area schools.
“Unfortunately, we will not be hosting this event in-person this year,” shared STEM City President Mike Thomas. “We are excited to continue forward with the spirit of this event in a different format, continuing to celebrate STEM in this community, and offer learning opportunities to all that participate.”
Coconino County announced today that updated, digital flood hazard maps for the Kachina Village and Mountainaire areas are available for public review and comment.
The maps, known as Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), show the extent to which areas recently re-mapped in Kachina Village and Mountainaire are at risk for flooding. Used to help determine flood insurance and building requirements, the new flood maps replace maps that were based on studies more than 25 years old.
Yesterday, more than 300 leaders from around the state gathered virtually to discuss Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap, the progress we’ve made in the last two decades, and how innovation zones and collaborative efforts will increase the pace of investment in this vital sector of our economy.
The agility of bioscience related businesses and organizations was put to the test by the pandemic, as hospitals and health care workers were pushed to the brink by soaring admission rates and lack of essential equipment. Meanwhile, many of our local entities quickly shifted gears to meet the moment:
Are you a scientist, educator, or presenter at a scientific institution? Do you or your business want to share your research and programs with the community?
We are calling for submissions to host an event with this year’s Festival!
Workshops, talks, trips, and programs that highlight innovative Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math are all welcome to participate in the 2021 Festival, scheduled to take place in September!
Submissions are due by April 31.
STEM City is now accepting nominations for the 2021 STEMmy awards, an annual award given to organizations and individuals who are STEAM leaders in the greater Flagstaff community. The deadline is April 23, 2021 and nomination forms for each of the categories are available below.
Student Nomination Form
Teacher Nomination Form
Community Member Nomination Form
In addition to a roundtable discussion on anti-Asian violence, in which several NAU professors participated, the HAPA Hawaiian Club’s 15th annual lū’au will be held virtually 6 p.m. on Saturday.
The National League of Cities (NLC) announced the city of Flagstaff as one of eight cities for the 2021 Leadership in Community Resilience program. The NLC will provide the city with $10,000 in direct financial support as well as technical assistance and advisory services from NLC staff and partners to help meet community-specific resilience goals. The city will use this funding to focus on the impacts of smoke from wildfires and prescribed burns by launching the Resilient Neighborhoods Network in three pilot neighborhoods and to provide micro-grants for participating neighborhoods, as well as purchasing HEPA air purifiers to distribute to vulnerable residents.
The scenario is all too common: The computer isn’t working right. What’s wrong with it?
The customer dials a number or submits a ticket via email. The line engages; the email is answered.
“Support desk,” the voice says. “How may I help you?”
Coconino Community College is collaborating with Google to offer an Information Technology Support Professional certificate beginning this summer, and the three-class program can be completed before the end of the year.
From providing professional development training to educators, to informing parents and education advocates about policy and legislative reforms, the political process, school improvement efforts, and local events around education — students, families and the community have benefited from the long term partnership between CCC&Y and the Coconino County Education Service Agency (CCESA).
The Coalition has provided a variety ongoing professional development in recent years including Trauma Informed Care training for educators at the Flagstaff Unified School District and other districts throughout Coconino County.
FUSD reported that more than 1,500 professionals were in attendance for virtual webinar presented in 2020 by CCC&Y.
“Through the support of CCC&Y we were able to provide the opportunity for all staff on our professional development day, August 10th to participate in viewing the webinar: “Understanding Adverse Child Experiences,” district officials reported.
Online learning opportunities are perfect for students who are interested in taking one of our educational opportunities, but prefer to work at home. These learning opportunities provide a well-rounded experience in various visual art mediums.
Our workshops are live online learning experiences with one-on-one interaction between student and instructor. Click here to see all our online learning opportunities
When it comes time to renew your driver license, ADOT MVD has good news: driver license renewal can now be completed online at AZMVDNow.gov.
Because Governor Doug Ducey’s Executive Order on deferring standard driver license expiration dates ends on Feb. 28, the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division is giving many Arizonans the ability to renew their driver license online. Previously, renewals could only be processed during an office visit.
It’s true – you can make awesome digital marketing pieces without a degree.
Join CCC Community Education, and NAU Instructor and AEC Printing Owner Amy Dryden for a 3-part series that teaches non-designers the fundamentals of graphic design.
Leaders in the technology industry say that cloud-based computing is not only the future, but it is already here.
Coconino Community College has joined other colleges across Arizona in a statewide effort to increase access to cloud computing education in schools. On Thursday, the Arizona Commerce Authority announced the initiative, with the support of Amazon Web Services, Inc., which has a goal to train and certify 5,000 students in the state for entry-level cloud computing careers by June 2022.
Zoom. FaceTime. YouTube. Online dashboards. Email.
It’s different from face-to-face teaching, but it gets the job done so students can keep chipping away at their educational goals during the time of the COVID-19 stay-at-home executive order issued by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey.
Faculty at Coconino Community College spent their Spring Breaks this year working to figure out ways to reach their students in order to keep instruction on schedule.
The 2019 Flagstaff Festival of Science continues through this weekend! Here is a brief overview of some of the events going on today (Thursday). Go to the programfor the full listing, and remember, everything is free! Festival Program of Events…
The 2018 Flagstaff Festival of Science, Accelerating into the Future, will explore the astounding changes our lives may take in the next few years. The FREE, award-winning 10-day Festival, Sept. 21 – 30, 2018, will showcase signature events such as Science…
FLAGSTAFF — Coconino Community College, your neighborhood college, is offering a wide array of courses at the Fourth Street Innovation Center this fall. A new lineup of courses will fill the Fourth Street campus roster to help students working on associate…
R.S.V.P. Today for “Your Digital Presence — From SEO to Social Media and Everything in Between” with Nick Allen of Sublime Dzine Digital Design Flagstaff Communicators luncheon presentation Thursday, August 11 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Oakmont, 2380 N. Oakmont Dr.…
FLAGSTAFF — Flag Tech Talk will present a discussion on “Search Engine Optimization (SEO)” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 20 at Bookmans, Flagstaff. Presented by Joe Bodin of Reliable Web Designs. Having a website doesn’t mean anyone is ever going to find it! One…
FLAGSTAFF — Flag Tech Talk will present a discussion on “Cyber Security” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 16 at Bookmans, Flagstaff. A cyber attack or data breach can have a major impact on both big and small businesses. Join Flag Tech Talk in March…
From AmigosNAZ staff reports FLAGSTAFF — The free movie screening of “Underwater Dreams” will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 5 at the Coconino High School Main Auditorium, 2801 Izabel St., Flagstaff. Written and directed by Mary Mazzio, and narrated…
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