Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey was in Tucson last week to tour the Arizona supersonic wind tunnel with UArizona President Bobby Robbins, Raytheon Missiles and Defense President Wes Kremer, and several members of the university’s Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering program. The governor also participated in a roundtable on workforce development.

Visiting southern Arizona for the 93rd time since taking office in January 2015, Ducey stressed the importance of the state’s robust university system and innovative job creators in forging a competitive economy.

“Educators and workforce leaders across the state do incredible work to help Arizonans find meaningful work and ensure our small businesses can succeed,� Ducey .

UArizona’s supersonic wind tunnel project is set to benefit from a $3.5 million investment in the fiscal year 2022 state budget proposal, improving wind tunnel infrastructure and expanding the ability of students to interact with and work on the wind tunnel.

“I would think not only what we’re seeing is critical to the future of our economy, it’s critical to the future of our national defense,â€� Ducey .

The supersonic wind tunnel is to test “how hypersonic technologies respond under specific conditions, such as speeds and attacks.�

UArizona is working with Raytheon to advance the project.

Following his tour of UArizona’s campus, Gov. Ducey led a roundtable on workforce development alongside key stakeholders. In addition to Robbins and Kremer, attendees included:

• Dr. David Hahn, Craig M. Berge Dean, UArizona’s College of Engineering;
• Ted Maxwell, President of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council; 
• Kathy Prather, Superintendent and CEO of Pima JTED; 
• Lee Lambert, Chancellor of Pima Community College; 
• Steve Holmes, Superintendent of Sunnyside Unified School District;
• Kate Hoffman, Founder and CEO of Earn to Learn.

The group discussed how the state government, local governments, public-private partnerships, universities, and the private sector could collaborate to expand career opportunities in the state. Gov. Ducey made supporting small businesses a priority.

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A University of Arizona professor was awarded a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to further his research on using quantum resources for covert operations.

With the funding, he hopes to take secret communications to the next level for use by the military and other organizations involved in national security. 

Boulat Bash, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, Bash, also is recruiting undergraduate students to help.

Using quantum resources could provide an exponential boost in the amount of information that can be securely and reliably sent, said Bash, who specializes in covert communications. 

He and his research team already have demonstrated how using quantum resources can substantially increase the limit on information that can be sent reliably over a covert channel. 

With the foundation grant, the focus will now be on sensing to improve covert messaging and detection. 

Going up against adversaries with quantum resources

The project is investigating how quantum resources can be used to improve covert communications as well as how communicating parties can maintain security when an adversary has quantum resources.  

Tasks like sensing, communicating and computing are often done via classical processes, which are accomplished using bits of information made up of 0s and 1s. Quantum processes use qubits, which can exist as 0s and 1s at the same time, making them very powerful. For example, in 2019, a quantum computer performed a calculation in just three minutes that would take 10,000 years for a classical computer to perform.

“Moving from square root law to the linear law increases the covert information throughput tremendously,� Bash said. “That has not been done for quantum at all, so we’re going to address that in this project.�

Quantum technology not perfected yet

Quantum technology is still in its early stages and cost effectiveness continues to be an issue. Quantum computers, quantum sensing devices, quantum memory and other quantum technologies often outperform traditional electronics in speed and performance but they are susceptible to errors and noise, Bash said.

Because of that, their classical counterparts often are seen as the easier and less costly choice. 

“When you add quantum, you add complexity to a system,� he said. “You have to add all sorts of gizmos that are difficult to make and that cost money.�

Benefits of quantum “sweet spot�

A combination of both high noise and low transmitter power is very unusual, and difficult for any system to work in. But these are the  conditions needed for covert operations. 

This is where quantum has the most benefit, Bash said.

Radar systems operate in the realm where the noise and interference levels are high. However, classical radars also have high power levels, which they can use to push their transmissions through all the noise. Lidar, or laser-based, sensing systems, operate in the regime where the noise level is inherently low. Thus, classical lidar doesn’t need high power to overcome it.

“To operate covertly, you have to have high noise so that you can hide your probes somewhere, and you have to have low power for the probes, because of the code requirements,� Bash said. “That corresponds very directly to the sweet spot of where quantum has the most benefit.�

Recruiting Undergraduates

Bash anticipates that his research could lead to enormous advances in covert sensing. He also hopes to generate interest among the next generation of engineers through the .

He will offer a series of workshops that focus on how quantum information science and technology can affect familiar systems, such as radar. He plans to recruit a handful of “quantum scholars� from the workshops each year to receive ongoing mentorship.

“The goal is to bring this information to students who might not think about this as being available to them, or as something they can succeed at,� Bash said. “I feel that if I get one person who otherwise would not be entering into the quantum field through this program, it would be a win.�
To learn more about the research opportunity, go to: .

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As public universities face losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars due to COVID-19, they also are seeing declining enrollment figures for the fall, particularly among international and out-of-state students. 

They are rushing to mitigate the damage — expanding online and global programs, cutting student fees, reaching out directly to students — anything to spur enrollment.  

With little or no funding coming from the state, international and out-of-state students are the bread and butter for state universities, including supplementing the costs of in-state students, said Larry Penley, chair of the Arizona Board of Regents that oversees public universities. 

“We have to think of our universities in the same way we think of Raytheon or Intel,â€�  Penley said. “Both of those companies manufacture goods that bring revenue from outside of our state and outside of our country into the Arizona economy. Universities do exactly the same thing and much more so today than they did in the past.

“Essentially, we are an export industry now, a base industry, bringing revenue that was not generated here in the state but perhaps from India, perhaps from China, perhaps from California or Illinois or New York.â€� 

International students alone pump $727.6 million annually into Arizona’s economy, according to the latest statistics from , the world’s largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education and exchange. Almost 23,000 international students attended Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­niversities in 2018, supporting 8,745 jobs. 

The loss of that revenue, hurts not only universities but surrounding communities, Penley said. In Flagstaff and Tucson, they are the largest employers. 

To illustrate the impact, the University of Arizona (UArizona) in Tucson is projecting fall enrollment of new international students to be down 80 percent and currently enrolled international students, 30 percent. 

International students’ brain power important to economy

Not only do out-of-state and international students bolster the state’s economy, they bring valuable intellectual property to the state, said former Arizona U.S. Congressman Matt Salmon, who served five terms. As a member of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, he led numerous delegations to China. 

“Foreign science in the United States has long been something that has benefited this county and we should be attracting the brightest and best from wherever they live on the planet and getting them here to work for American companies,� said Salmon, who is now vice president of government affairs for Arizona State University’s (ASU) Office of Government & Community Engagement Team.

“Some of the best researchers at the university come from other countries, and what will happen if we lose that?�

Brightest students from China and India come to Arizona schools  

Arizona overall ranks 12th in the country for international students, according to Open Doors, a comprehensive information resource on international students and scholars in the U.S. 

Chinese students make up the biggest percentage of international students, followed by students from India. They often represent their country’s brightest minds, Salmon said. 

Some end up staying. Among their ranks: top surgeons, scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs.  

Travel restrictions, closed embassies block student entry to U.S. 

Right now, major roadblocks are discouraging enrollment for these highly sought after students. Travel restrictions are in place due to COVID-19. Embassies that issue travel visas from countries like China, where the outbreak started, are shut down 

Out-of-state student enrollment is also down, largely due to fear and uncertainty right now.

UArizona President Robert Robbins called the situation “a category 5 hurricane right in the middle of the campus.â€� 

Rushing to expand online, global programs is number one goal 

Robbins and other public university and college presidents have worked feverishly in the past month to transition to marketing, expanding online offerings and other measures to attract international and out-of-state students and hold on to current students for the fall. 

While most schools are planning to open campuses back up in the fall. Things will not be the same. 

Hybrid models, where about half the course are online, will be in place. Every campus is embarking on exhaustive safety precautions, including costly investments in personal protective equipment (PPE) and “the three ‘ts,’� testing, tracing and treating, Robbins said.

Infected students will be housed in an infirmary. Their illness will be traced to everyone they had contact with. Anyone exposed will be quarantined in separate quarters.  

All colleges and universities, public and private, are expanding online and virtual education to ensure social distancing can take place on campuses. 

ASU and UArizona accelerated the launch of two programs to do just that:

Online summer school launched at ASU 

ASU announced that beginning May 18, it will be offering more than 5,000 online courses at a reduced rate to people looking for new learning opportunities and for students at all levels including those currently enrolled in good standing at any university in the U.S. 

Application fees for college students enrolled at other universities will be waived, and scholarships are available for most admitted and currently enrolled ASU students.

UArizona launches world’s largest network of global campuses

Officials at the University of Arizona recently accelerated the expansion of its Global Campus after international travel restrictions and visa moratoriums were put in place.

Partnering with top universities to provide an education to international students, UArizona has created the world’s largest network of global campuses, offering access to a U.S. degree from more than 130 locations in 34 countries.

Now, students around the world who want to study and earn a degree from the University of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ay do so remotely, but still have an in-person community experience at partner campuses. Students can also live and study in purpose-built residential communities through a partnership with GSA, a global leader in student accommodations. 

The vision of the Global Campus is a way to reach millions of students where they are. So, while travel between world countries is restricted due to COVID-19, students do not need to suspend their ambitions to learn from a top research university like Arizona, university officials said. 

“The Global Campus is a long-term effort towards meeting the United Nations’ sustainable development goal of providing accessible quality education to the world,” President Robbins said. “We are truly making affordable, world-class education available to global citizens around the world and, in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has never been needed more.â€�

Grand Canyon University’s expects higher enrollment in the fall  

Not all universities are seeing major impacts on enrollment. The private Grand Canyon University has about 85,000 online students and 22,000 ground campus students. Sixty percent of on-campus students are from out of state but their numbers are not declining, likely because in-state and out-of-state tuition are the same, making it more affordable than what they might pay in their own state, university officials said. 

Enrollment is on target to grow 5-6 percent this year, said GCU President Brian Mueller.

“We expect 8,000 new students coming on campus in the fall, which will be our largest incoming class ever,� President Mueller said. 

GCU has also invested $250 million over the past decade on technologies to teach students online so transitioning to a remote model was fairly seamless, he said. 

Maricopa Community College District seeing drop in enrollment

While community colleges do not cater to international and out-of-state students, they are still being affected, said Steven R. Gonzales, interim president for the Maricopa Community College District.

The district, which has colleges Valleywide and the Maricopa Corporate College, serving more than 200,000 students with two-year degrees, is seeing a 20 percent drop in fall enrollment. 

The district has not yet determined whether it will be safe to reopen its campuses in the fall, Gonzales said.

“Understandably, students are anxious for additional information about how classes will resume in the fall, and we’re working to prepare for every possible scenario. If it is possible to return to the classroom, we are still committed to the safety of our community,â€� said Matt Hasson, chief communications officer. 

The district is offering a variety of learning solutions to keep students intact, including offering classes in summer and fall: fully online and online live with synchronous virtual classes, as well as on-campus hybrid and face-to-face classes.

“Many college students, whether they’re at a university or community college, are wrestling with the idea of returning to college in the fall with reports of COVID-19 potentially coming back, as well as the financial impact the virus has had,â€� Gonzales said. “ We also know that many in our community are experiencing hardships because they’ve lost their job or a family member has lost theirs.

“These concerns are very real and are at the heart of every discussion I am having with my college presidents and leadership teams on a daily basis. The bottom line is that we are here for our community. We’ve designed every possible delivery method for anyone interested in taking a course, upskilling with a new certificate, and we’re redesigning how we deliver our programs to expedite returning Arizonans to the workforce. We are committed to finding every possible solution to serve this community in whatever way meets their needs.â€�

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When COVID-19 first surfaced in Arizona three months ago, colleges and universities immediately reacted, diving into research to find solutions and attacking community challenges as they arose.   

Their efforts have become a formidable force for innovation and compassion during the pandemic. 

Here’s a snapshot of some of their efforts that are helping to change the face of the pandemic in Arizona, and potentially the world. 

First in the nation: Testing Arizona’s health care and first-response workforce

Last week, the University of Arizona launched an effort to test 250,000 health care workers and first responders across the state to determine who has developed antibodies to the virus. 

The project, made possible with a $3.5 million grant from the state, is the first of its kind in the nation. 

The tests will help determine how many people have been exposed to COVID-19 and successfully built an immunity against it. Experts say as many as 50 percent of people who have been exposed to COVID-19 have experienced few to no symptoms.

“Determining whether a significant percentage of individuals have COVID-19 antibodies is critical to returning to regular social interaction,” said Michael Dake, senior vice president for UArizona Health Sciences, who is overseeing production of the tests. “Through what we hope would eventually be a comprehensive testing program, the university and local health care facilities could begin working toward reestablishing fully operational learning and working environments.”

The tests also could be important for determining the pandemic’s reach, and for paving a pathway to develop therapeutics for patients as well as vaccines to guard against infection.

“This is critical to understanding what current immunity might be in our community and state, and it’s something no one else is doing,â€� Dake said. “This is a great opportunity to participate in something that will add to understanding the virus across the whole country, if not the world.

“People are literally working 24/7 to get this project up and running —  pushing, pushing, pushing.â€�

To read more about the project, go to:

Texting project to track 1 million households  

To collect critical local data to track COVID-19 as it spreads, a team of researchers from UArizona Health Sciences and Data Science Institute launched a two-way texting system to gather and provide information to track the virus and identify areas where more resources may be needed. 

The AZCOVIDTXT allows people to easily report the health condition in their household on a weekly basis through surveys via their mobile phones. This will allow users to connect with needed resources, and provide vital information to a team of researchers at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.

A promotional campaign is encouraging Arizonans to join the crowdsourcing project. The project plans to enroll 1 million or more participants.

To participate, Arizonans can simply text “JOIN” to 1-833-410-0546. Users also can sign up through the project website, .

An AZCOVIDTXT community resource board on the integrated platform allows messaging tailored to different community segments. The platform, online or via text, also can help dispel myths and prevent scams, said Tracy Crane, assistant professor, Biobehavioral Health Sciences Division, UArizona College of Nursing, and co-director of the Behavioral Measurement and Interventions Shared Resource at the UArizona Cancer Center.

“A large number of COVID-related websites have emerged,” she said. “It’s important to have the University of Arizona provide reliable facts. In addition, cancer patients, geriatric populations, Native American communities and other groups all have varying needs. This allows an opportunity to reach a lot of people quickly and provide resources we know are evidence-based and truthful.” 

Over the next six months, the researchers will work to understand the lifecycle of the novel coronavirus, identify potential treatments and create patient databases to expand understanding of the disease, among other goals.

NAU, UArizona, TGen analyze coronavirus genome 

Northern Arizona University, UArizona and TGen research institute have formed the Arizona COVID-19 Genomics Union to better understand how the virus may be evolving, how it is transmitted and how it is moving through the general population. 

This molecular epidemiological combines traditional epidemiology methods with evolutionary modeling based on a high-resolution analysis of the virus’ genome. In humans, a copy of the entire genome — more than 3 billion DNA base pairs — is contained in all cells that have a nucleus.

“Only by using genomic sequencing and advanced analyses can we begin to fully understand this disease at the molecular level, looking for keys to unlock its mysteries,” said David Engelthaler, PhD, co-director and associate professor of the TGen’s Pathogen and Microbiome Division in Flagstaff. “We have the ability to sequence the genome of every strain from every patient. That’s what we are working toward.”

The Genomics Union is similar to other groups working to gain a foothold on the new coronavirus. Rapid sharing of data and analysis will provide a better understanding of the virus to the scientific, medical and public health community. The consortium of scientists hope that their regional sequencing will give Arizona health care providers and public policymakers an edge in responding to the pandemic.

Providing housing to first responders

Grand Canyon University (GCU), whose mission includes investing in the surrounding community, is reaching out during the pandemic in a number of ways including providing housing for first responders. 

GCU opened up the GCU Hotel for first responders from Phoenix Police, Phoenix Fire Department, Peoria Fire Department and potentially health-care workers. They now have a place to stay if they do not want to take that risk of infection back home to their families, school officials said. 

GCU to donate all stimulus funds to impacted students 

GCU recently announced it is giving 100 percent of the $22.3 million it is receiving from the federal government as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act directly to students in the form of emergency cash grants. 

Stipulations in the act require that half of the money allocated must go to students, with the other half for universities to cover costs associated with COVID-19. But GCU President Brian Mueller said the University is committed to providing the full amount to students.

“This was an easy decision to make,� Mueller said. “It is incumbent on us to take care of our students and families who are trying to navigate the challenges caused by this coronavirus pandemic.�

Students manufacture thousands of face masks daily  

Colleges also have been reaching out to their respective communities, manufacturing thousands of 3D masks every day and other protective gear for frontline workers. They also are donating laptops and school supplies to students whose families have been negatively impacted by the virus. 

All 10 Maricopa Community colleges are involved in projects to help.

For example, Glendale Community College has been delivering supplies to the front door of a local hospital emergency room. 

Phoenix College is donating $8,000 worth of protective gear from its Allied Health programs to local community partners. The college is redistributing personal protection equipment from its Phlebotomy and Medical Lab Technology programs to help those in the medical field. 

GateWay Community College in Phoenix has loaned more than 120 laptops and nearly 100 hotspots to students to help them transition to remote learning. GateWay also donated more than $3,300 in supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) to various healthcare partners in the Valley. It is lending ventilator and test lung equipment, valued at more than $260,000, to Dignity Health-Chandler Regional Medical Center. 

Free online academic access for teachers, students, public at large 

To reach out to parents, teachers, students and the public, the University of Phoenix is offering free academics, online advice, career services and more during the pandemic.

Free webinars and courses are available to anyone who needs them. From parents homeschooling for the first time, a high school needing help transitioning from classroom to job seekers wanting career advice.  

One of the first things the university did was to offer support to K-12 schools needing help transitioning from classroom to online instruction during the coronavirus shutdown. 

The university also opened up its continuing teacher education collection to K-12 educators. 

Anyone can jump online and sign up for on topics like Technology Survival for Educators, Using Apps in the Classroom, and Multimedia for Educators. 

ASU Biodesign Institute expanding rapid testing to save lives

To slow the viral spread and possible recurrence of COVID-19, ASU’s Biodesign Institute received funding from the Virginia G. Piper Trust Charitable Trust to increase its capacity for automated, rapid diagnostic testing.

“ASU is in a unique position to scale up our testing efforts to support round-the-clock testing and analyze hundreds of samples daily,� said Joshua LaBaer, director of the institute, who also serves as the Piper Chair in Personalized Medicine and leader of the Biodesign Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics. “We have an urgent window right now to make an impact through testing and save lives in our community.�

The Institute has shifted its research capabilities to support a clinically approved and certified COVID-19 testing center, a COVID-19 swab test kit production facility capable of assembling 2,000 kits per day, production of personal protective equipment such as face shields, and supporting drive-through COVID-19 testing at area hospitals.

This rapid shift was made possible by a Department of Defense $40 million investment in ASU back in 2009 as the lead contractor on a multi-year project aimed at helping to triage a population in the event of a nuclear emergency.

“This particular tool was specifically for measuring the absorbed dose of gamma radiation exposure to civilians if a nuclear bomb were detonated in a city or populated area,” LaBaer said. “Now, we just swapped out the genes for radiation detection for the coronavirus ones to do the test. We have all the automation and robots in place, and everything’s ready to go now.â€�  

For more information about the project, go to:

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Dr. Joaquín Ruiz is a professor of geosciences at the University of Arizona, endowed by the Thomas R. Brown Foundations. He also serves as vice president of Global Environmental Futures and director of Biosphere 2, a project of UArizona. Last, but not least, Ruiz serves as co-chair of the Mining Committee at the Arizona-Mexico Commission.

From day to day, Ruiz manages Biosphere 2 and its many unique, powerful environmental experiments, and he also spends a lot of time educating both his students and the public about the environment, especially as it pertains to food growth, water usage and mining.

Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ spoke with Ruiz about his work and his recent time as a board member of the Arizona-Mexico Commission. Read the full interview below.

Question: What do you do in your day-to-day work?

Answer: Managing Biosphere is one; but finding connections between the powerful environmental programs of the U of A with international partners — or national partners — I spend a lot of time doing that.

Q: Can you tell me more about ?

A: If you think about Biosphere 2, it has four components.

The first component [of the Biosphere] is the experiments that go inside the glass.

Right now, for example, we have an experiment on the fate of rainforests as they dry up, because as global climate change progresses, we worry that many of the big rainforests are going to be drying out; there’s going to be less rain.

The second [experiment] is: How do we protect corals? Again, as the temperature of the ocean warms up and the waters become more acidic, many corals are dying, and our interest is that corals are fundamental for the well-being of a lot of people in the world — either for tourism or because of fisheries.

The third [experiment] is: We have a big program in the fate of water in the Southwest as, again, climate changes. And, of course, our vegetation is going to change because of that, so the mass balance of water is going to be very different. So, there are huge experiments that cannot be done anywhere else.

The second part of the Biosphere is: We get about 100,000 tourists that show up every year, and we want to educate them about the environment.

The third part of the Biosphere is: We have a conference center in there, which we’re trying to develop into something like the of the Environment; not with Aspen, but that kind of concept.

And the fourth [part of the Biosphere] is that it’s an icon that we can then use to connect these partnerships.

I have three partnerships that are being worked on extensively right now. One of them is: ‘How do we make Mexico City more sustainable?’ We have a huge project with Mexico City, and we chose Mexico City because the partnerships we have there are great. And if we get Mexico City to be more sustainable, then we’ve done something at scale that can be then introduced to other big cities, like São Paulo, [Brazil], or Lagos, [Nigeria].

The second project that we have is a binational partnership — again with Mexico — to study the effects of climate change in semiarid environments, broadly speaking. So, we have groups between Mexican institutions and U of A institutions trying to understand a variety of issues that come from those changes in the desert, including mining, which is an important part of it.

We have a project that we’re developing, supported by the Jewish National Fund, creating a binational institute between the U of A — through the Biosphere — and a region in Israel called the Arabah, which is in southern Israel, in a region called the Negev Desert, which is one of the driest deserts [in the world].

And these folks have amazing water technology [in Israel]. They basically grow food in rocks with salty water; it’s just the most incredible thing. That’s a partnership we’re developing. And we have other things that we can offer to them, like growing mushrooms and other stuff that they don’t have, so it’s a great partnership. And, of course, education is in the middle of it, with students coming and going.

Q: When did you first get involved with the Arizona-Mexico Commission, and in what capacity?

A: I’ve gone to a variety of meetings, but then I was added to the board I’d say about four years ago. I’m now a board member of the Arizona-Mexico Commission, and I’m also the co-chair of the Mining Committee of the Arizona-Mexico Commission.

Q: What do you do with the Mining Committee?

A: What we’re always trying to find is ways to look for what makes us special in mining and how we can leverage that to create programs in which more mining companies would come in — or the industry that supports mining companies, like Komatsu or Caterpillar.

How do you approach all of the industry that surrounds mining, including making sure that mining is sustainable — which is a big deal now — and responsible? It’s always been responsible, but it’s basically more sustainable. And how do you do all that?

The mining industry is more and more interested in sustainable operations, not only because it’s good for the bottom line, but because it’s good for the environment and the people that work in mining. I’m spending a lot of time thinking about those kinds of things.

Q: How do you feel your unique expertise in environmental science and geology help the Arizona-Mexico Commission accomplish its goals in the mining sector?

A: One of them is simply personal. I was born in Mexico City, and I got my first degree there, and I know a lot of people — including people from the mining sector in Mexico — very, very well. So, the personal touch is important.

Secondly, I’m a geologist, so I’ve been working as a professor with many of my students doing research in ore deposits — in Mexico, in particular; in other parts of the world, too.

So, I understand the needs of the mining industry very well. I can speak the language, and there’s [the] trust and the connectivity that the AMC really is all about; I think I fit the bill in all those categories.

Q: What would you say is one of your most notable memories during the time that you’ve been with the AMC?

A: The various meetings in which our governor and the governor of Sonora clearly have a joint vision for the region. I’ve been quite impressed by that.

I was also fortunate to be [on] the very first trip that [Gov. Doug Ducey] took to Mexico City, and the recognition of how important [it is to have] a common vision with our neighbor… it’s been terrific.

If it hadn’t been for the AMC and its leadership, which, of course, includes the governor, I think, with all the narrative in both countries about what’s going on — if it wasn’t for the AMC and the governor and the governor of Sonora, who knows what kind of pickle we would be in, really?

Q: How has your work with the Arizona-Mexico Commission, and your other cross-border work, shaped your view of the Arizona-Mexico relationship?

A: Most of my relationship [with Mexico] before I joined the AMC was academic. I’ve been a professor all my life, and even though I’ve been working with [the] mining industry, it’s been through science research projects. And the AMC has broadened my view about the importance of the business part of it, which then allows me to be more effective in what I’m trying to do in these connections.

Q: In your opinion, what is the value of that relationship and fostering collaboration between Arizona and Mexico?

A: We speak highly of the business that we do across our border, and we cannot forget that a very large part of that is actually mining. So, there are a couple of issues: one of them is truly the importance of mining to our economy — we tend to forget that; secondly, the issues that the mining companies have to address to be successful in their business — and more and more there are environmental issues that are part of it.

All those things that, before, I was only dimly aware of, I am fully aware of now. My connection with them in the past was simply helping [the mining industry] find more ore, but now my view of the industry is way more holistic, and [I’m aware of] all of the issues that they need to address, not only simply finding more ore.

Q: In what ways do you feel you’ve seen the AMC grow or expand its scope since you’ve been involved?

A: Even in those four years, I can see the AMC — from the beginning, when I got on, to now — it is a much more effective entity, with clear directions and committees and subcommittees, and you can see that specifically when you go to these AMC conventions. And, I think that every year that I’ve been to one of these, they’ve been better — they’ve been more focused…

They’ve come up with important issues; there’s follow-up on them. So, it’s a much more effective organization than when I started in it.

Q: Is there a recent achievement, project or event that you want to share?

A: I think the most important one would be — there’s a mining company in Mexico called . They’re the largest silver producer in the world, and they’re listed in the . They’ve become more and more interested in Arizona through the University of Arizona, and they are more and more interested in sustainable mining.

And that, I think, would not have happened without two things: one of them, some of the programs at the U of A; but secondly, without the interest of the AMC, and [the AMC] allowing me to use that to have conversations with this company.

This is an exact transcript, but minor changes have been made for clarity.

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The University of Arizona is addressing Arizona’s significant lack of primary care physicians, as well as the growing burden of student loan debt, by offering free tuition to medical students who agree to practice primary care.

To qualify for the scholarship, UArizona College of Medicine students in Tucson and Phoenix must agree to serve in a primary care role in a federally designated underserved community in Arizona for at least two continuous years, starting within six months of completing their residency.

Arizona only has enough primary care physicians to meet the needs of about 40 percent of its residents, and underserved areas are hit the hardest, according to UArizona.

“Ensuring every Arizona resident, whether in rural communities or urban cities, has access to quality health care is a top priority for Arizona,� said Gov. Doug Ducey.

The United States will face a shortage of nearly 122,000 physicians by 2032, according to the governor’s office.

“The University of Arizona Primary Care Physician Scholarship is another example of the innovative steps the state is taking to address this critical workforce shortage facing Arizona and the entire nation. My thanks to the University of Arizona as well as health care leaders and medical professionals across the state who continuously demonstrate their commitment to Arizona’s health care industry.�

In May, the Arizona Legislature appropriated $8 million in annual tuition funding to UArizona’s two med schools — enough to cover about 100 students, or about 10 percent of the student body, according to the university.

“Arizona needs nearly 600 primary care physicians today, and the number is expected to grow to more than 1,900 by 2030,â€� said Dr. Michael Dake, senior vice president of UArizona Health Sciences. “As the state’s only two designated medical schools, the College of Medicine – Tucson and the College of Medicine – Phoenix are taking full advantage of the public investment approved by our state legislators, who recognize the time to address this shortage is now.â€�

Any remaining funding will be used to expand the med school class size in Phoenix.

“In addition to the dire need for more primary care physicians in the state, the issue of student debt is a major roadblock for many people who have the potential to be great doctors,� Dake said. “It keeps many individuals from even applying to medical school.�

UArizona’s guidelines state that a primary care physician in this case is “someone who successfully has completed medical school at UArizona and completed residency or fellowship training in one of the following specialties: family medicine, general internal medicine, geriatric medicine, general pediatrics, psychiatry, or obstetrics and gynecology,� according to a statement.

Eligible applicants must be Arizona residents and current full-time med students at one of the UArizona Colleges of Medicine. The program is already accepting applicants for the spring 2020 semester.

“Students who graduate from the University of Arizona want to tackle important issues and meet big challenges in society,� said UArizona president Dr. Robert Robbins. “The physician shortage is a major issue facing the state and nation, and I am excited that the University of Arizona will provide scholarships for qualified medical students and get more primary care physicians into underserved areas across the state.�

State Reps. Gina Cobb, R-Kingman, and Tim Dunn, R-Yuma, released a statement praising UArizona for waiving students’ tuition in a way that helps address the primary care physician shortage.

“Not only does UArizona’s primary care tuition waiver program provide an opportunity for medical students to graduate without crippling student loan debt, but it will get primary care physicians to the areas of the state that badly need them,� Cobb said.

She said she was proud the Legislature made this issue a priority.

“Arizona ranks 44^th among states in active primary care physicians per capita, and rural Arizona is bearing the brunt,� Dunn said. “Patients shouldn’t have to wait weeks or even months to get an appointment with a primary care physician, but that’s the situation many of my constituents face. UArizona’s tuition waiver program will begin to address this critical doctor shortage, and I thank my colleagues in the Legislature for recognizing the problem and funding this program.�

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The University of Arizona was recognized recently as one of the top universities in the world by U.S. News & World Report.

UArizona was listed No. 85 among 1,500 higher education institutions across 81 countries in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities ranking in October.

“The University of Arizona is recognized throughout the world as a premier academic research institution,” UArizona President Robert Robbins said in a statement. “That reputation is due entirely to the consistently excellent work of our faculty and research staff and the university’s long-standing commitment toward supporting world-class scholarship and research across all fields of study.â€�

The report also ranks institutions among 28 distinct subject areas, and UÂ鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ade the list for 26 categories.

UArizona tied for No. 11 in the space science category because of its research reputation and frequency of publication, according to U.S. News & World Report.

“This research reputation comes from a long history of astronomers and space scientists who came to this place in Arizona where they could see farther and more clearly,â€� said Elizabeth Cantwell, senior vice president for research and innovation at UArizona. “That vision has helped propel the University of Arizona and our people to stellar achievements.”

Currently, UArizona holds leadership positions in the OSIRIS-Rex mission to retrieve and analyze particles from asteroid Bennu and is working to capture the first direct image of a black hole, according to the university.

UArizona’s overall score in the rankings increased from 69.7 in 2018 to 70.6 this year.

Arizona State University ranked No. 146, with a global score of 65.7. Northern Arizona University ranked No. 688, with a global score of 42.9.

The Best Global Universities list aims to provide insights about how U.S. higher education institutions stack up globally.

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