University of Arizona in the News

The Guardian Sept. 11, 2022
Mourning rituals help people cope with grief, say scientists

The death of Queen Elizabeth II has plunged the royal household and much of the country into a period of mourning, with black armbands and flags at half mast. While such traditions may seem far removed from everyday experiences of bereavement, experts say rituals can help us cope with death. Mary-Frances O’Connor, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Arizona and the author of "The Grieving Brain," agrees that traditions are important. "Mourning rituals can offer constancy and comfort in a moment when everything can feel very uncertain," she said. "By connecting us to rituals that have existed for hundreds of years, we are reminded that those who came before us have experienced grief and uncertainty, and they have carried on and restored meaningful lives."
KOLD Sept. 9, 2022
University of Arizona unveils interactive display to highlight clean energy partnership

An interactive display, designed and built by Creative Machines, demonstrates how clean energy is generated by Tucson Electric Power's wind and solar farms and how it flows to the University of Arizona main campus.
The New York Times Sept. 9, 2022
Sheila Tobias, who defined 'Math Anxiety,' dies at 86

Sheila Tobias, a science-education researcher who worked at the University of Arizona under a contract with the Sloan Foundation and studied the gender gap in math and science at the college level, died on July 6, 2021. She was 86. As part of her research, she paid liberal arts graduate students to take first-year chemistry and physics courses at the University of Arizona and another institution and to take notes on their experiences. "She was very strong and forthright," Alison Hughes, a former director of the Center for Rural Health at the University of Arizona, said in a phone interview. "She had a brilliant mind – she challenged everything."
Quanta Sept. 8, 2022
Black hole's ring of light could encrypt its inner secrets

When photons hurtle toward a black hole, most get sucked into its depths, never to return, or gently deflected away. A rare few, however, skirt the hole, and keep circling the singularity practically forever. Described by astrophysicists as a "cosmic movie camera" and an "infinite light trap," the resulting ring of orbiting photons is among the weirdest phenomena in nature. If you detect the photons, "you're going to see every object in the universe infinitely many times," said Sam Gralla, a physicist at the University of Arizona.
Indian Country Today Sept. 8, 2022
University of Arizona opens first tribal microcampus to serve Pascua Yaqui

The microcampus's initial curriculum will include the Indigenous Governance Program courses jointly offered by the James E. Rogers College of Law and Native Nations Institute, with plans to expand in the future. Courses will begin this fall.
Arizona Daily Star Sept. 7, 2022
University of Arizona gets funding to support and develop Native entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs from Arizona's tribal nations can develop their small businesses with help from the University of Arizona Native FORGE program, which seeks to support and develop Indigenous entrepreneurship.
The New York Times Sept. 7, 2022
Can exercise strengthen your immunity?

Recent research suggests regular workouts create improved resistance to infectious – including COVID – but "there is a huge debate about whether or not too much exercise makes you more susceptible to infection and illness," said University of Arizona professor of nutritional sciences Richard Simpson, who studies exercise physiology and immunology. Marathon runners often report getting sick after races, Simpson said, and some researchers think that too much vigorous exercise could inadvertently overstimulate cytokines and inflammation in the body.
 
Arizona Daily Star Sept. 6, 2022
Aari McDonald is Arizona's new director of recruiting; will juggle off-court role, WNBA

Aari McDonald joined the University of Arizona's women's basketball program last week as director of recruiting. She will continue to play in the WNBA, returning to Tucson during her offseasons to work for the Wildcats and train under head coach Adia Barnes and assistant coach Salvo Coppa.
KVOA Sept. 6, 2022
UArizona's UAlert system helps keep students and staff safe on campus

The University of Arizona uses the UAlert system, which sends out campus emergency alerts to subscribers to keep students and staff informed and safe.
The New York Times Sept. 6, 2022
Are vasectomies reversible?

Research suggests about 3-6% of the 300,000 vasectomy patients each year will want to undo the procedure. “Sometimes a partner set on not having children reverses their stance," said Dr. Sheldon Marks, a clinical assistant professor of urology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, who performs reversal surgeries. "But couples change their minds. If both partners think that they're done having children, then a vasectomy is the easiest form of permanent birth control."