University of Arizona in the News

New images taken with the James Webb Space Telescope reveal intricate, never-before-seen structures and features hidden in visible light. The insights will help astronomers better understand the history of the Milky Way.

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression gives Arizona's state universities "green lights" in its annual evaluation of student codes of conduct at major universities nationwide. The group's Spotlight on Speech Codes report praises the University of Arizona for maintaining policies that, "do not seriously threaten student expression."

As the moon's core cools and shrinks, its surface develops creases that create "moonquakes" that can last for hours, as well as landslides, according to a new study. The findings could provide an opportunity to confirm whether the seismic activity could pose a hazard to future manned lunar missions. "Moonquakes are an incredible tool for doing science," said University of Arizona associate professor of planetary science Jeffrey Andrews-Hanna, who didn't participate in the work.

The Indigenous Teacher Education Program in the University of Arizona College of Education trains teachers how to support students in Tribal communities while increasing the number of skilled Indigenous teachers in Arizona.

Research led by University of Arizona professor of economics Derek Lemoine and associate professor of government and public policy Laura Bakkensen shows that even small errors in temperature predictions – as little as one degree Celsius – lead to more deaths, and that improving forecasts would save thousands of lives and billions of dollars annually.

The University of Arizona recently earned the "Age-Friendly University" designation from the Gerontological Society of America. The university's Innovations in Healthy Aging initiative met 10 criteria that demonstrate an environment that promotes healthy aging, from free public presentations on aging and wellness to prioritizing personal and career development in older adults, as well as their participation in core educational and research programs.

Six University of Arizona researchers helped author chapters in last year's National Climate Assessment – the nation's preeminent report on climate change impacts, risks and responses – covering topics ranging from ecosystems and biodiversity to water and human health.

Water levels in Lake Mead stand at 1,072.46 feet as of Jan. 30, a rise of over four feet since the beginning of the month. "What really drives lake levels at Mead is the snowpack that melts in the spring," said Andrea K. Gerlak, a professor at the University of Arizona and director at the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy. "That is the real contributor to our lake levels. Everyone I talk with suggests that it is the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation modelers that can speak to this better.

University of Arizona and NASA researchers report interesting discoveries from the material recovered from the asteroid Bennu by the OSIRIS-REx mission. Professor of planetary sciences Tom Zega discusses the key findings so far.

Retired University of Arizona Regents Professor of English N. Scott Momaday, who won the 1969 Pulitzer Prize for fiction for his first novel "House Made of Dawn," died last week at his home in Sante Fe, New Mexico. He was 89. Momaday taught English and comparative literature at the university from 1981 to 2005.