Solving Complex Environmental and Economic Problems

The university received a five-year grant of up to $15 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture to lead a new center focusing on the mass production of biofuels and bioproducts in the Southwestern U.S. "Researchers at the University of Arizona are ideally positioned to solve complex environmental and economic problems," said UA President Robert C. Robbins when the announcement was made. "This grant will help us work alongside the community, industry, and partner universities across the Southwest to grow our region's economy while finding cleaner and more sustainable energy sources for the future." Faculty from the UA Colleges of Education and Engineering are collaborators on the team and will work with regional growers to move toward less water-intensive crops and provide weekly STEM-related activities at K-12 schools in Arizona and New Mexico. Read more.