Tag: NAU

The NAU Review — Recognize NAU’s Class of 2023 and more of its exceptional members in this commencement edition

by Community Contributor • May 11, 2023 • Comments Off

NAU will celebrate more than 5,200 graduates in four ceremonies May 12-13. The honorary doctorate recipients and commencement speakers are Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Arturo A. Massol-Deyá, executive director of Casa Pueblo; Ty White, the 2023 Arizona Education Foundation Teacher of the Year; and David P. Franke, a principal at Franke & Company. Check out the NAU Commencement website for information about traffic and parking, the clear bag policy and the new bot who can answer your questions this weekend.

The NAU Review — Grad becomes advocacy leader, scouts cook at NAU, a circuitous journey to graduation, extraterrestrial geology, Grad excited for medical school and elevating excellence

by Community Contributor • May 9, 2023 • Comments Off

Jessica Muniz was inspired by her upbringing to pursue a career allowing her to help others. From immigrating to the U.S. at the age of five to organizing awareness fairs for the LGBTQ+ community, Muniz learned that having access to all types of resources can make a significant impact on someone’s life. Now, Muniz is set to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in social work and pursue a master’s at Arizona State University.

The NAU Review — Grad becomes sustainability star, FUSD middle schoolers visit NAU, an epic journey to graduation and NAU’s first In Memoriam

by Community Contributor • May 4, 2023 • Comments Off

Sophia Swainson was working as a server when she got a text message that changed her life—a job posting for a student worker position at NAU’s Office of Sustainability. It was a big change, but she took it and never looked back. As she prepares to graduate, she’s looking at jobs in the sustainability nonprofit sector, confident that the perseverance that got her through the challenges of college will help her as she takes on conservation.

The NAU Review — How dog fostering affected one grad’s future, a system that tracks tree stress and a graduate prepares for a career in inclusion

by Community Contributor • May 2, 2023 • Comments Off

Senior Trevor Geiger is a passionate animal lover who has fostered four dogs through High Country Humane Society. Despite challenges, he persevered with patience and empathy, successfully helping dogs find furever homes while pursuing his studies in biology and chemistry. He finds joy in seeing the progress and transformation of dogs in his care, and his heartwarming experiences with fostering have brought him happiness even when it meant later nights and earlier mornings. For National Pet Foster Care Month, learn more about Geiger’s dedication to animals and his future strengthening the human-animal bond as a veterinarian.

The NAU Review — Discover the Undergrad Symposium, learn about the creator of ‘Lost World’ and how climate warming alters forests’ memory

by Community Contributor • April 25, 2023 • Comments Off

Every year, hundreds of undergraduate students in all disciplines become researchers—either joining a professor’s lab or creating their own research project, including getting their own funding. That work culminates at the Undergrad Symposium, a daylong event in which students present their research to the NAU and Flagstaff communities. Experience the 15th annual symposium on Friday at the High Country Conference Center. All events are free and open to the public.

The NAU Review — Celebrating Earth Day and Autism Awareness Month, a mission to Mars’ moons and everything you didn’t know about Eid al Fitr

by Community Contributor • April 20, 2023 • Comments Off

A resilient forest needs a little less tension
We know how hard winter was for us. How was it for the trees? How do our forests and their complicated, interconnected, life-giving ecosystems react to the sun, the wind, the drought, the rain, the cold? For Earth Day, creative writing professor Nicole Walker, who authored Sustainability: A Love Story and dozens of articles and essays on nature, reflects on the complicated relationships that exist in a forest ecosystem and how the smallest processes and organisms keep the largest trees—and all the rest of us—alive.

The NAU Review — octoral student wins NSF fellowship, International Haiku Day, 10 ways to get involved with sustainability and Janine Schipper answers our questions

by Community Contributor • April 18, 2023 • Comments Off

Anna Baker has always known she wanted to be a scientist. She came to NAU in 2021 to earn her doctorate in planetary science and dove into new research on Mars’ windblown sand dunes, which may hold clues to the planet’s past and present and help pave the way for more exploration of Earth’s closest neighbor. But it wasn’t just her passion for science that earned her the Graduate Research Fellowship Program award—her commitment to improving inclusivity and accessibility in STEM fields, particularly making field research accessible to people with disabilities, is an important part of her work.

The NAU Review — How a Chinese American student embraces her heritage, a record-breaking Giving Day and getting to know our GSG president

by Community Contributor • April 13, 2023 • Comments Off

Growing up in a mostly white community, Cate Cameron was almost a teenager before she truly felt curious about her Chinese heritage; not until she was around people with similar backgrounds did she feel comfortable exploring her roots as an adopted Chinese American. That journey continued in Flagstaff; during her four years at NAU, she found a community and learned more about her birth culture. In honor of Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which NAU celebrates in April, Cameron talks about how she first explored and then embraced her Chinese heritage through Chinese language classes, the Chinese Culture Club at NAU and spending a year studying abroad in Hong Kong.

The NAU Review — NAU’s new recycling program, Notes from the President and a look at the People’s Art Project

by Community Contributor • April 6, 2023 • Comments Off

Introducing the 4 Rs of recycling: Recycle right, reap rewards

NAU is revamping its sustainability efforts with a new recycling program intended to increase recycling rates while decreasing landfill waste. The bin system is getting an upgrade, making it easier for everyone to know where to put which materials. Funding from the Green Fund, including new waste sensors, will allow the team to track how much waste is generated on campus to analyze and ensure effectiveness. The team hopes to encourage everyone to recycle correctly and reduce our environmental footprint. This program will enable us to do our part and be recycling superheroes!

The NAU Review — Celebrating Asian and Pacific Islander heritage, Living Library inspires empathy, protection from Earth’s microbes and easy DIY

by Community Contributor • April 4, 2023 • Comments Off

Celebrating Asian and Pacific Islander heritage
Join the NAU community in celebrating API Heritage Month! Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is typically celebrated in May to commemorate the achievements and contributions of people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent in the United States. However, in order to students a chance to participate, NAU celebrates API Heritage Month during the month of April. Learn about different cultures, try new foods and enjoy traditional dances and songs. Join the festivities, gain a cultural understanding and show your support for the vibrant API community!

The NAU Review — Protecting global supply chains, a marathoner’s Olympic dreams and a modern twist on Mozart

by Community Contributor • March 30, 2023 • Comments Off

We all remember the empty shelves that marked the early days of the pandemic and the high fuel prices that accompanied the war in Ukraine. Access to food, water, energy and other supply chains is critical for the U.S. economy and the well-being of the American people, yet the infrastructure that keeps the supply chain moving is at risk—not only from world events but also from hackers or terrorists. NAU is building on its FEW-Viewtechnology, a groundbreaking project that maps the entire U.S. supply chain, to reduce these risks through data science and technology.

The NAU Review — Celebrating HSI and inclusion work, Indigenous Youth Media Workshop and Rima Brusi answers our questions

by Community Contributor • March 24, 2023 • Comments Off

Creating inclusive spaces: policing and education at NAU
Luis A. Fernandez, professor and chair of the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, is also the Hispanic-Serving Institution Advisor to the Provost at NAU currently researching the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement on policing and how to create a more balanced approach to community safety while working to support Latinx students and increase their access to education. Fernandez aims to create inclusive spaces that promote safety, inclusivity and opportunity for all students.

NAU announces Hispanic Serving Institute Updates and coming events March 22, 24, 31

by Community Contributor • March 17, 2023 • Comments Off

ENCUENTRO NAU: A Symposium, a Teach-in, and a Celebration of Latinidad! will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 22 at the Du Bois Center.

We will have a full day of panels in the Du Bois Center (with a light breakfast and lunch provided). NAU President Cruz Rivera will kick off the day at 9 a.m.

Click here to see the schedule

The NAU Review — Our women influencers, Pi day reflections, using degrees to help those in need and an All-Steinway School designation

by Community Contributor • March 9, 2023 • Comments Off

The women who shaped us
March 8 is International Women’s Day, and it has been a global celebration since 1911, recognizing the many contributions women have made to society. To honor the day, The NAU Review asked the women of NAU to reflect on a historical female figure who inspired them. From trailblazers like Ruth Bader Ginsburg and visionary writers like Octavia Butler to other figures with whom you may not be familiar—this is a list you don’t want to miss. And despite their different influences, these historical figures all have one thing in common—they fully embody and represent the month’s themes, whether it be environmental consciousness, cultural influences, equal representation, self-identity or equity. Their stories remind us that we’re all in this together, fighting for gender equality and celebrating the countless ways women have shaped our world.

Read the story

The NAU Review — Research using NASA’s ECOSTRESS, tracking indigenous plants and Arizona’s new flat tax explained

by Community Contributor • March 7, 2023 • Comments Off

NAU has received a $600,000 grant from NASA for a three-year project led by Teki Sankey to study the impact of forest restoration treatments on drought resilience in Arizona’s forests using NASA’s ECOSTRESS satellite. The team of researchers will focus on Arizona’s forests including Ponderosa pines and will validate their findings with field measurements of canopy and soil moisture. The project aims to determine if forest treatments result in water benefits for the entire ecosystem and will advance the development of satellite-based remote sensing methods for rapid detection of drought stress in vegetation.

The NAU Review — DART=success!, Hip Hop National Champions, expanding nursing and celebrating Women’s History Month

by Community Contributor • March 2, 2023 • Comments Off

Remember DART, NASA’s attempt to redirect an asteroid? Results are in. It worked.
After ramming a spacecraft into a small asteroid last fall, researchers knew almost immediately that the mission had worked—that the impact changed the asteroid’s orbit. A new study authored by Cristina Thomas found that the orbit changed by a whopping 33 minutes, suggesting that the momentum of the ejected material was a significant contributor to the change. The study is published in Nature alongside three other articles detailing findings from this groundbreaking NASA mission.

The NAU Review — Who pays the price for carnivores, celebrating TRIO and the PBC and two Jacks teams bring home a 🏆

by Community Contributor • February 28, 2023 • Comments Off

Developing countries pay the highest price for living with large carnivores

Farmers who raise livestock depend on the health and safety of those animals. When large predators threaten their wellbeing, it can financially devastating for them—the effects of which can be felt for years. Human-wildlife conflict has been highlighted as one of the globe’s most pressing human development and conservation dilemmas, and NAU’s Duan Biggs was determined to take a deeper look into this matter. He worked with researchers from throughout the world to study how the lives of those living alongside these large predators are impacted, and why developing countries were the one to suffer most.

The NAU Review — Super Bowl dreams, Garcia Family Honors Scholars Program impact, A Long Christmas Ride Home and Notes from the President

by Community Contributor • February 23, 2023 • Comments Off

Super Bowl 2023: For these student reporters, it doesn’t get better than this
When sophomore Ava Nichols enrolled at NAU with a dream of becoming a sports reporter, she knew that in addition to the Final Four and annual spring training, Arizona was set to host the Super Bowl. Just the thought of being in the same state as such major sporting events made her that much more excited to move out west. She never expected, however, that she would be one of five NAZ Today students selected to cover Super Bowl Media Week. And if that wasn’t enough, she was also given a game day media pass, giving her field access to cover the game—something most career reporters can only aspire to.

The NAU Review — A winning big idea, collaborating on water research and the President’s Achievement Awards

by Community Contributor • February 21, 2023 • Comments Off

Innovative ideas, collaboration take center stage at Jacks Big IDEA

Students from a variety of disciplines recently participated in the third annual Jacks Big IDEA competition, which challenged them to develop innovative solutions to real-world issues like food waste and water scarcity. Teams had three days to develop a prototype, then present it to a panel of judges comprised of NAU experts. The competition helped the students foster creativity, practice problem-solving skills, network and build teamwork and leadership skills. The winning team, SafeCom, developed a prototype for a nearly indestructible phone case that could help rescue workers find people in the aftermath of natural disasters when Wi-Fi and cellular service are down. The team won the grand prize and will compete against schools worldwide for a grand prize of $5,000.

The NAU Review — Earth’s temperature, drool-worthy spring rolls, cooking for college and Notes from the President

by Community Contributor • February 16, 2023 • Comments Off

A new review of available climate information from the last 12,000 years takes on an as-yet-unresolved question: whether global average temperature rose for thousands of years before the Industrial Revolution, or whether temperatures peaked around 6,500 years ago and then cooled until global warming reversed the cooling trend 150 years ago. The first option is favored by climate models and the second by paleoenvironmental evidence. The review, led by Regents’ professor Darrell Kaufman and recently published in Nature, reached a likely answer to that question while also highlighting areas of uncertainty in the data and modeling that need to be addressed to ensure climate scientists and global decision-makers are working with the most accurate picture possible.

The NAU Review — Diversity in Route 66 history, for the love of bread, love stories in six words

by Community Contributor • February 14, 2023 • Comments Off

Spreading joy, one bun at a time
The School of Hotel and Restaurant Management is reviving a beloved NAU tradition they hope will be a chain reaction of spreading joy across campus and beyond. Show your appreciation to a department, team or group on or off campus by enlisting HRM. They’ll receive a mouth-watering surprise of warm, buttery, freshly-baked rolls. Spark a joyful chain reaction—join the #HRMBunRun movement and taste the happiness of being thanked!

The NAU Review — How NAU brought coding classes to Tuba City, how to Valentine’s Day the Lumberjack way and National Safer Internet Day

by Community Contributor • February 9, 2023 • Comments Off

‘Something you can use in the real world’

Maliya Peyketewa, a freshman at Greyhills Academy High School in Tuba City, wants to become an app and web developer when she gets older. A virtual after-school coding course offered to STEM students at her school and taught by NAU volunteers is helping her learn one of the computer languages she can use to get there.

The NAU Review — Celebrating women in science and MLK Day, Jacks on Track and the joy a card can bring

by Community Contributor • February 7, 2023 • Comments Off

Want to take on the world’s complex, constantly changing problems? Start with making sure all of the world’s population have the opportunity to engage with the science, technology and engineering that is remaking the world. For International Day of Women and Girls in Science on Feb. 11, The NAU Review talked to some of the many women on our campus who are tackling questions of climate change, ecological diversity, computing, forest health and semiconductors—everything from the tiniest organisms and microchips to the entire universe.

The NAU Review — NAU celebrates Black History Month, a $6.4M grant to train nurses and redwood resilience

by Community Contributor • February 2, 2023 • Comments Off

Do you know how Black history has shaped the history of Flagstaff and NAU? Through events, panel discussions and guest speakers, NAU commemorates the legacy, heritage and brilliance of our Black community. During Black History Month, learn about the significant contributions of Black Americans to our community and the United States and gain a greater understanding of how that legacy continues to evolve and affect Black and African Americans today.

The NAU Review — What the ancient Maya landscape can tell us, why NAU’s land acknowledgement matters and Peter Friederici answers our questions

by Community Contributor • January 31, 2023 • Comments Off

Estevan Ramirez, a master’s student in archaeology, has made good use of his time at NAU—multiple research trips to Belize to study Preclassic Maya archaeology, restarting the Student Association of Graduate Anthropologists and gaining a greater understanding of the border crisis. In his final semester, he’s taking on new challenges as he prepares for graduate school and a career in anthropology.
Read the story

The NAU Review — NAU’s Early Learning and Development Center, athletic training saving lives and President Cruz Rivera talks first (full) week of the semester

by Community Contributor • January 26, 2023 • Comments Off

Applications open for NAU’s Early Learning and Development Center

The ELDC is integrating programming knowledge from NAU’s College of Education and aims to demonstrate, observe, study and teach exemplary practices in early childhood education, speech-language pathology and other related fields. The ELDC serves children aged 3–5 years old and their families, supporting their intellectual growth, social-emotional intelligence and physical development. Priority enrollment is being offered to NAU student-parents, staff and faculty. Applications for enrollment and financial assistance are currently taking place.

The NAU Review — Health care theater, a real-life tooth fairy and what China’s politics mean for the future of our world

by Community Contributor • January 24, 2023 • Comments Off

Lights, camera, SCALPEL!
When the stage lights and hospital beds meet, greatness happens. Students from NAU’s School of Nursing and the Department of Theatre collaborated to create a simulation lab as part of the Health Care Theater Class, giving students hands-on experience in their respective fields of study.

The NAU Review — Read the most popular stories of 2022, NAU’s efforts to protect our water and learn how to get over your resolution hump

by Community Contributor • January 19, 2023 • Comments Off

2022 was a year of missions to space, inspiring stories of achievement despite the odds, game-changing research, creating new ways to help Arizonans go to college and putting a local spin on global issues. Check out The NAU Review’s top 10 most-read stories of last year, plus a few favorites that we just can’t stop thinking about.

The NAU Review — Honoring MLK, Go Baby Go is going and how NAU is addressing disparate cancer rates in Indigenous tribes

by Community Contributor • January 12, 2023 • Comments Off

Addressing cancer disparities in tribes

The Center for Native American Cancer Health Equity, funded by a new $4 million grant from the American Cancer Society, aims to improve education and screening rates in Native American tribes, which have disproportionately high rates of cancer.

Feb. 10 — Accent, Premier International A Cappella Group, to Perform at Northern Arizona University’s Jazz Madrigal Festival

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2023 • Comments Off

The annual Northern Arizona University Vocal Jazz Madrigal Festival will take place February 9 and 10. It is one of the largest festivals of its kind in the United States and features special guest clinicians and over 140 high school ensembles from Arizona and nearby states. The two-day festival includes a concert featuring the Accent, one of the premier popular vocal ensembles in the world, alongside NAU’s Shrine of the Ages Choir on February 9 and 10 @ 7:30 PM in Ardrey Auditorium.

Through Feb. 24 — NAU presents Made Here: A Juried Student Exhibition

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2023 • Comments Off

Northern Arizona University will host Made Here, a juried student exhibition in the Beasley Gallery within the Performing and Fine Arts building, February 9 through February 24. The Beasley Gallery will host a free public opening of Made Here on February 9 at 5-7 p.m.

This exhibition is an annual competition open to all students enrolled in coursework in the School of Art. Jurors from outside the institution select the works for the exhibit and choose distinctive awards. Student artists and designers working in all media and art disciplines are included.

March 3, 4, 5 — NAU Theatre presents The Long Christmas Ride Home, a play of contradictions

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2023 • Comments Off

The Long Christmas Ride Home is written by Pulitzer-winning playwright Paula Vogel and directed by Kathleen M. McGeever. This play of contradictions uses puppets, yet it is not written for children; it is framed by a holiday trip home but is not meant as a Christmas story.

The play presents the family using human actors and puppets inspired by traditional Japanese bunraku puppetry, or as Vogel is quoted saying, “one Westerner’s misunderstanding of bunraku.” The puppets represent the children in some scenes, while the puppeteers themselves take over as the grown children in others.

March 23 — NAU to present ‘Following the Ball: The Beautiful Game of Colonialism’

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2023 • Comments Off

Join the NAU community in welcoming professor Todd Cleveland of the University of Arkansas for a discussion entitled: Following the Ball: The Migration of African Soccer Players across the Portuguese Colonial Empire, 1949-1975.

March 23 — NAU to present ‘Women, Work, and Welfare: A History of Precarious Labor from mid-nineteenth century to the era of Uber and TaskRabbit’

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2023 • Comments Off

In honor of Women’s History Month, the Department of History is sponsoring Jennifer Klein, Durfee Professor of history at Yale University, who will speak on “Women, Work, and Welfare: A History of Gender and Precarious Labor” at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 23, NAU Campus, Liberal Arts building, room 120.

This lecture is co-sponsored by the Commission on the Status of Women, the Department of Sociology, the Department of Social Work, and the Department of Women and Gender Studies.

Klein’s talk will offer a historical discussion of women’s precarious labor in the U.S., spotlighting the gendered development of urban wage work from the mid-19th century to the era of Uber and TaskRabbit.

April 5 — Bilingual report — ENCUENTRO NAU: A Symposium, a Teach-in, and a Celebration of Latinidad!

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2023 • Comments Off

(Postponed until April 5)

ENCUENTRO NAU: A Symposium, a Teach-in, and a Celebration of Latinidad! will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 5 at the Du Bois Center.

We will have a full day of panels in the Du Bois Center (with a light breakfast and lunch provided). NAU President Cruz Rivera will kick off the day at 9 a.m.

Click here to see the schedule

April 19 — City and NAU host first Neighborhood Partnership Coalition meeting

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2023 • Comments Off

Residents of the La Plaza Vieja and Southside neighborhoods are invited to attend the first Neighborhood Partnership Coalition (NPC) meeting on Wednesday, April 19, from 6 – 7:30 p.m. at the Murdoch Community Center (203 E Brannen Ave). Hosted by the City of Flagstaff and Northern Arizona University, the NPC meeting will create a space for staff to share updates relevant to the two neighborhoods and engage in related discussions with attendees.

April 20 — NAU Dept. of History to present ‘Bridges and Barriers: A History of the US-Mexican Borderlands’

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2023 • Comments Off

FLAGSTAFF — The NAU Dept. of History will present “Bridges and Barriers: A History of the US-Mexican Borderland” at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 20 at Liberal Arts 136, Flagstaff.

April 24 — NAU to present the session ‘Making the Hidden Visible: An Interdisciplinary Assessment of the Environmental, Social and Developmental Impacts of The War on Drugs in Central America’

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2023 • Comments Off

AU’s Chief Sustainability Officer) will present “Making the Hidden Visible: An Interdisciplinary Assessment of the Environmental, Social and Developmental Impacts of The War on Drugs in Central America” at 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 24 in LA136, Northern Arizona University.

Through July 30 — Flagstaff Summermusic: Horizons Concert Series

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2023 • Comments Off

Enjoy music that broadens your horizons and brings the world to your doorstep every Sunday through July 30 at 3 PM in Kitt Recital Hall.

Sept. 28 — Pedro Gonzalez Corona to speak on ‘Echoes of Racial Fantasies: The Politics of Mexican Antisemitism’ at NAU

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2023 • Comments Off

FLAGTAFF — Pedro Gonzalez Corona, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Martin-Springer Institute will be giving a talk titled “Echoes of Racial Fantasies: The Politics of Mexican Antisemitism,” at 7;30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28 at Liberal Arts 120.

Presented by the Martin-Springer Institute. His current research focuses on Mexican antisemitism and the phenomenon of forced disappearances. He will also teach a course on this topic in spring 2024, HUM 382 Cultures of Disappearance on Mondays from 4-6:30 p.m. for CCS.

Free and open to the public.

Oct. 11 — Screening of recently completed documentary of Chilean singer songwriter Nano Stern at NAU

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2023 • Comments Off

FLAGSTAFF — Award-winning Chilean singer-songwriter Nano Stern is coming to Northern Arizona University!

A Screening of the recently completed documentary of Chilean singer songwriter Nano Stern “We’ll be Singing by September (Cuando canta el Gallo),” (in Spanish with English subtitles) will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11 Communications Room 119 at NAU.

This event is in conjunction with a performance on Friday, October 13 at 7:30 pm in Kitt Recital Hall.

Stern will be present on Zoom for the Q & A after the film. he Q & A will feature Stern in English

The NAU Review — Celebrating our graduates, Notes from the President and the Early Learning and Development Center

by Community Contributor • December 15, 2022 • Comments Off

More than 2,400 students have applied to graduate this semester; they will be celebrated in two ceremonies at the Skydome on Dec. 16. Learn about parking, traffic, the clear bag policy and how you can get updates on commencement.

The NAU Review — A graduate’s journey, affordable and fun holiday craft, playing to learn with Brian Stone

by Community Contributor • December 13, 2022 • Comments Off

When life throws you unexpected challenges, the only way forward is through. Graduate student Altoveda Tortice has embodied this moral throughout her master’s program while working full-time, raising a family and dealing with loss. Tortice first graduated from NAU in 2007 with a degree in psychology. Now, 13 years later, she’s ready to graduate again, this time with a degree in human relations and a goal of helping other students reach their educational goals.

The NAU Review — Non-traditional grad finds passion in special ed, exploring the icy surface of Europa and Santa rides the bus

by Community Contributor • December 8, 2022 • Comments Off

Lorie Lee never imagined she’d make it to university; she is now graduating with two degrees, having won the prestigious President’s Prize. A mother of three and non-traditional student, her inspiring tale begins earlier than her first day at NAU. As a child, Lee experienced poverty, a mother with substance abuse issues and a father unwilling to care for her. Through the support of her friends and teachers, Lee found a love and passion for education and excelled academically. Married and raising three children with special needs, Lee enrolled at NAU’s North Valley campus and is earning a bachelor’s degree in both elementary education and special education.

The NAU Review — Engineering an escape, soil microbes—friend or foe?, how alumni are helping current Lumberjacks thrive

by Community Contributor • December 6, 2022 • Comments Off

Figuring out how to get out of an escape room can be stressful. Now imagine your challenge isn’t to get out of the escape room—it’s to build one, troubleshoot it and then make fixes on the fly when things break as people move through them. That’s what mechanical engineering student Valentin Gamez did alongside his compatriots in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. It was a great opportunity to put their engineering skills to good use as well as let the community have a good time. It also provided a rare opportunity for Gamez’s family to come from California and experience the work he did. Gamez graduates next week and starts his new job at Gore in 2023.

NAU to present ‘Human Rights Across the Americas!’ in-person, Zoom presentation on Dec. 5

by Community Contributor • December 1, 2022 • Comments Off

On Monday Dec 5 from 11am-12:15pm in the Blome Conference Room (and on Zoom) we are hosting a roundtable discussion with a Human Rights Across the Americas group through the State Department’s international visitor leadership program. This is a unique opportunity, especially in Flagstaff, to hear from a diverse group of Latin American Human Rights activists! All students, staff, and faculty are welcome and translation will be provided.

The NAU Review — NAU Flagstaff receives its first Hispanic Serving Institution grant: Meet the two women who made it happen

by Community Contributor • December 1, 2022 • Comments Off

NAU’s School of Forestry recently received the first HSI grant for the Flagstaff campus. Yeon-Su Kim, executive director and professor, and Anita Antoninka, assistant research professor in the School of Forestry, won an award of more than a quarter-million dollars for support in the professional development and training of the next generation of Hispanic leaders to manage resilient forests under a changing climate. The community is mourning the unexpected death of Yeon-Su, who leaves behind a legacy of scholarship, numerous grants, professional firsts and faculty and students supported and mentored by her.

The NAU Review — A grad says no to the familiar, the effect of grazing on drylands and the anthropology of Star Trek

by Community Contributor • November 29, 2022 • Comments Off

Valerie Pietrczak, who graduates in December, has kept busy during her time at NAU. She’s had three internships, including a six-month stint at Audi HQ in Germany; she is in the NAU Wind Symphony, which went to the national championship this year; and she’s a member of the Honors College. As for what’s next, well, figuring that out is part of the fun.

The NAU Review — XC champions, tips for hosting Thanksgiving and the importance of shopping small this holiday season

by Community Contributor • November 22, 2022 • Comments Off

After stellar performances by runners Nico Young and Drew Bosley (who placed second and third, respectively), the men’s cross country team defended their title as national champions, winning for the third consecutive year. The women placed sixth—the team’s best finish since 2007. This is only the fourth time in program history that both teams have placed in the top 10 and the first time that both teams have placed in the top six.

The NAU Review — Planetary space exploration, honoring Gold Axe winners and other graduating seniors and the politics around the World Cup

by Community Contributor • November 17, 2022 • Comments Off

Space exploration goes underground

For millennia, caves have served as shelters for prehistoric humans. Caves have also intrigued scholars from early Chinese naturalists to Charles Darwin. Cave ecologist Jut Wynne has been in and out of these subterranean ecosystems, examining the unique life forms—and unique living conditions—that exist in Earth’s many caves. But what does that suggest about caves on other planetary bodies? In two connected studies, Wynne, along with dozens of co-authors including engineers, astrophysicists, astrobiologists and astronauts, lay out the research that needs to be done to get us closer to answering the age-old question about life beyond Earth.

The NAU Review — Expanding A2E to Arizona’s tribes, what to know about NaNoWriMo and a National Recycling Day quiz

by Community Contributor • November 15, 2022 • Comments Off

President José Luis Cruz Rivera and Vice President for Native American Initiatives Ann Marie Chischilly announced Monday that NAU’s popular Access2Excellence program, which provides a tuition-free education for Arizona students from households with an annual income of $65,000/year or less, will now be expanded to first-time undergraduate students who are members of Arizona’s federally recognized Native American tribes. The program, which goes into effect in Fall 2023, reflects the university’s longstanding commitment to Native American and Indigenous students.

The NAU Review — A veteran’s journey to NAU, Fit it in a Minute with Pete Yanka and NAU Theatre’s Orlando

by Community Contributor • November 10, 2022 • Comments Off

Former Marine finds a new calling

Tyler Derzay had a plan for his life. It didn’t involve math classes and final exams, and it definitely never included a graduate degree in engineering. Yet, this former Marine, who will graduate next month as the standard-bearer for the College of Engineering, Informatics, and Applied Sciences before beginning grad school, found a journey worth taking. As a Lumberjack, he made connections with professors and at the Veterans Success Center, met his wife and found a new life path that honored his family history as much as his military career did.

The NAU Review — Homecoming photos, making STEM inclusive and women’s soccer champions!

by Community Contributor • November 8, 2022 • Comments Off

View this email as a webpage. Nov. 8, 2022 LumberSNAPS: Homecoming 2022 From the student carnival and dedicatee banquet to the Saturday morning parade and a hard-fought football game, Lumberjacks from near and far celebrated a week of Homecoming at…

The NAU Review Welcome to the space cam! + real-life CSI and an award for service to humanity

by Community Contributor • November 3, 2022 • Comments Off

It’s a tight fit in the cleanroom, but the students wearing “bunny suits,” who move around each other and all the equipment, are too focused on the work to worry about personal space. They’re part of a new project called VISIONS—a mission to design, build and test a new dual wavelength camera system that could go into space. Planetary sciences professor Christopher Edwards is leading a team of 27 students on the project, which is being done to NASA’s exacting standards, with the dual goals of getting it onto a spacecraft in upcoming years and giving students unparalleled hands-on experience that will prepare them for graduate school or industry careers.

The NAU Review — Celebrate Native American Heritage Month, World Vegan Day and a Big Sky win!

by Community Contributor • November 1, 2022 • Comments Off

Participate in different events, including speakers, panels, Stew Fest, Rock Your Mocs and a variety of other interactive and educational activities. The month recognizes the significance of Native American history, culture and issues and what this means to our students, faculty, staff and the Flagstaff community. “Most importantly,” Ora Marek-Martinez said, “we would like to take the time this month to educate our communities about the important sacrifices and contributions that Native Americans have made to our country and communities.” NAU sits at the base of the San Francisco Peaks, on homelands sacred to Native Americans throughout the region. We honor their past, present and future generations who have lived here for millennia and will forever call this place home.

The NAU Review — Celebrating World OT and International Religious Freedom Day, scary movies and RaMPing up research

by Community Contributor • October 27, 2022 • Comments Off

Opportunity + Choice = Justice
Arantxa Amaya always knew she wanted a career that allowed her to help underserved communities become healthier. This goal led her to NAU’s occupational therapy program at the Phoenix Bioscience Core, where she is working on her doctorate. For World Occupational Therapy Day, learn more about one of the NAU students preparing for a career in this critical field of health care: “In the future, I would like to continue my OT journey in the field of pediatrics. I know I want to serve my community, working with underrepresented populations and advocating for diversity within the profession.”

The NAU Review — Tackling health disparities through big data, meet the ASNAU President and saving the monarch butterfly

by Community Contributor • October 25, 2022 • Comments Off

How can big data help eliminate health disparities?

Amit Kumar grew up in one of the poorest areas of the world. He’s seen firsthand how systemic inequalities, often attributed to race and poverty, affect people’s health. The assistant professor’s research has looked at these disparities in various communities, particularly focused on stroke care, and his work is going to a new level with a $3.8 million grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. The project won’t just identify disparities in treatment and health outcomes among stroke patients; Kumar’s goal with this work is to help health care providers, policymakers and patients make more informed decisions and provide better care.

The NAU Review — Removing greenhouse gases from the air, a professor makes history and an innovation hub

by Community Contributor • October 20, 2022 • Comments Off

We know the Earth is warming, and society is struggling to slow emissions quickly enough to make a real difference. So scientists are looking at other options, including removing greenhouse gases from the air. Easy, right? According to mechanical engineer Jennifer Wade, it’s a difficult task, but not an insurmountable one. She is leading two federally funded projects that are addressing the critical question of how to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, thus slowing the devastating effects of global climate change. It’s part of a national effort called the Carbon Negative Earthshot: Being able to remove carbon at $100 a ton at a scale of a million tons per year. Learn how her lab is working toward that goal.

The NAU Review — The dangers of a thawing Arctic, putting Homecoming 🎡 on your calendar and National Transfer Student Week

by Community Contributor • October 18, 2022 • Comments Off

Mark your calendars! It’s time to celebrate the Lumberjack family.

This year, NAU is celebrating 123 years as an institution, and Lumberjacks from near and far are returning to their alma mater to help celebrate during Homecoming week. With a variety of activities scheduled for Nov. 1-5, Lumberjacks of all ages are encouraged to participate. VP of Alumni Engagement Stephanie Smith said, “We sure do have a lot to celebrate this year! If this is your first year at NAU or your 20th year in Flagstaff, Homecoming is a fun time for all. And don’t forget to bring your roommate, friends, neighbors and family to the parade before cheering on the Jacks against Montana State!”

The NAU Review — One student’s story of war and survival, calling for donations and testing air quality at the Cocopah Head Start

by Community Contributor • October 13, 2022 • Comments Off

Surviving refugee camps, abuse and losing loved ones to suicide
Personalized Learning student Aida Sibic grew up in Bosnia and Herzegovina. There, she experienced firsthand the horrors of war, genocide and the trauma that followed. She recently sat down with The NAU Review to discuss her childhood, how she and her family escaped war, what brought her to NAU and her recently published memoir, Luck Follows the Brave.

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