The congressional delegation met with University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella (far left) during Garimella's first day on campus as president on Oct. 2.
Craig Reck/Research, Innovation and Impact
Elliott Cheu, interim senior vice president of research and innovation, explains the impact of University of Arizona research to congressional staffers.
Craig Reck/Research, Innovation and Impact
Murat Kacira, director of the Controlled Environment Agriculture Center and professor of biosystems engineering, speaks to congressional staffers during a tour of a greenhouse at the center.
Craig Reck/Research, Innovation and Impact
Barbara Bruno, graduate student manager of the UAg Vertical Farm and biosystems engineering student, explains how researchers can control light intensity and color at each growing shelf in the facility.
Craig Reck/Research, Innovation and Impact
Congressional staffers descend into a mine at the University of Arizona San Xavier Underground Mining Laboratory.
Katy Smith/College of Engineering
James Werner, assistant director of the San Xavier Underground Mining Laboratory, shows congressional staffers the student-run, multi-level mine. In addition to serving as a teaching environment, the laboratory has long been a training and research resource for federal and state agencies, as well as organizations devoted to underground research, tunnel safety and mine rescue.
Katy Smith/College of Engineering
Congressional staffers speak with Suzanne L. Eckert, head of collections at the Arizona State Museum and a professor of anthropology, about the unknown, complex glazing process used to create Native American ceramic bowls at the museum.
Laine Kowalski/Research, Innovation and Impact
Brandon Sanders, coordinator of football alumni and high school relations for the University of Arizona football team, shows congressional staffers around the football complex. In addition, athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois talked with the delegation about the impact of athletics on student-athletes, the university and the community.
Lisa Romero/Research, Innovation and Impact
Congressional staff representing Arizona's federal lawmakers met with University of Arizona leadership and toured research facilities during a four-day visit focused on the university's research strengths and societal and economic impact.
During the Oct. 1-4 visit, staff members representing a multipartisan group of lawmakers heard about the university's historic impact on the state from U of A leaders with the College of Engineering; College of Veterinary Medicine; College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences; Tech Launch Arizona; Arizona Athletics; and the Office of Research, Innovation and Impact. The group visited the Arizona State Museum, Biosphere 2, the College of Engineering's San Xavier Underground Mining Laboratory and the Richard F. Caris Mirror Laboratory, among other stops.
The staffers also made connections with experts in fields related to key policy issues, such as agriculture, critical minerals, water and natural resources.