University of Arizona in the News

With scientists beginning to more seriously consider constructing bases on celestial bodies such as the moon, the idea of space mining is growing in popularity. A University of Arizona team, led by researchers in the College of Engineering, has received $500,000 in NASA funding for a new project to advance space-mining methods that use swarms of autonomous robots.

Jeffrey C. Oliver, a data science specialist at the University of Arizona , and Torbet McNeil, a doctoral candidate in educational policy studies and practice, explain that their research finds most undergraduate data science programs dedicated considerable coursework to mathematics, statistics and computer science, but little training in ethical considerations such as privacy and systemic bias.

Daniella DellaGiustina, OSIRIS-REx working group lead at the University of Arizona, is interviewed.

Nadira Mitchell, a University of Arizona junior in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is one of 55 students in the U.S. – and four at UArizona – awarded Udall Scholarships over the summer.

University of Arizona researcher Jekan Thanga is taking scientific inspiration from an unlikely source: the biblical tale of Noah's Ark. Rather than two of every animal, however, his solar-powered ark on the moon would store cryogenically frozen seed, spore, sperm and egg samples from 6.7 million Earth species.

Jeffrey Kucik, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Arizona, writes about the expiration of unemployment insurance for millions of people in the U.S.

Fewer Americans are unwilling to get vaccinated compared to late June. Today, 19% say they won't get a COVID-19 shot, down from 28% earlier this summer. When high-ranking politicians, including former President Donald Trump, made false claims about the virus early on in the pandemic and cast doubt about scientists and public health experts, it further stoked a "stressful political climate," said Saskia Popescu, an epidemiologist and biostatistician at the University of Arizona.

With forfeits possible this year, teams see vaccinations as competitive advantages, prompting locker room campaigns to drive rates higher. The results have often been robust, with many teams vaccinated at higher rates than their surrounding communities. The University of Arizona, Boston College and Mississippi have reported 100% vaccination rates among football players. Some coaches have tried to help players' parents navigate an uncertain era.

Continuing coverage: New studies suggest mRNA vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna trigger the immune system to establish long-term protection against severe COVID-19. While antibody levels reach a peak about a month after the second mRNA shot, the quality of antibody improves over time according to University of Arizona bioimmunologist Deepta Bhattacharya. "The quality of antibodies in the body improves over time," Bhattacharya said. "It takes way fewer of them to protect you."

When the CDC announced in mid-May that fully vaccinated people no longer needed to wear masks in most indoor settings, it felt like a milestone to many Americans, indicating that we might be one step closer to the end of the pandemic. It's understandable, then, that the agency's decision several weeks ago to bring back indoor mask recommendations even for vaccinated people led to anger, frustration or confusion for many.