News at NAU

Can we count on forests to continue absorbing the carbon dioxide that’s warming our world? A new study from researchers at NAU and the University of New Hampshire says …maybe not. The study, led by NAU Ph.D. student Darby Bergl, took advantage of an exceptionally rare 20-year record of measurements taken in New England to ask a simple question:…

When it comes to gauging the ages of ancient bones and plants, radiocarbon dating is the gold standard. The method involves measuring the amount of radioactive carbon remaining in an object—say, a bird’s femur or a snail’s shell—to analyze how long it’s been since it died. But Darrell Kaufman, a Regents’ professor at NAU’s School of Earth and Sustainability, said radiocarbon dating doesn’t work for the…

For students passionate about serving their communities, pursuing a master’s degree can feel like a long and expensive journey. But what if they could earn two graduate degrees without doubling the time, tuition and effort? An online dual master’s program in public administration and social work offers students the opportunity to combine two complementary fields into one streamlined, flexible path. By sharing…

California’s redwood forests are a national treasure. And the coastal fog that often covers the trees in a mysterious gray shroud? That’s no less beloved. A few researchers at NAU believe those trees, and that fog, are worth protecting. So they’re using machine learning to investigate how the two work together to create a healthy, resilient forest—and how less fog…

It only takes one sprained ankle to appreciate your ability to manage the stairs. Now imagine, instead of a single injury, you have motor difficulties from a neurological disease that make stairs difficult or impossible all the time, not just for a couple of weeks. Imagine how much life could change with a wearable device that gave you the ability…

Jackson Truitt started his research early and organically. Now a Ph.D. student working on building a robotic arm to help children with cerebral palsy be more independent, his passion for the work started when he was growing up. His brother had muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy, so Truitt saw firsthand how people’s lives were affected and the challenges they faced with these conditions. When it came time to pick a career,…

Good healthcare is not only about medical knowledge, but also about human connection. Understanding patients’ needs and histories goes a long way toward providing high-quality care. A new undergraduate certificate at NAU aims to give students a unique set of tools to help them succeed in the industry by bridging the gap between language and culture in healthcare. Juliana Suby, teaching professor, and Jersus Colmenares, associate teaching professor, both in the Department of Global Languages and Cultures,…

When David Politzer, director of the School of Art and Design (SoA+D), arrived at NAU four years ago, the first SoA+D/Grand Canyon Alumni exhibition had already been scheduled. After its success, Politzer met with Clover Morell, who at the time was the new director of residency, and together, they worked on making the joint exhibition an annual event. This venture has now evolved into a residency program for emerging…

Every journey begins with a single step, but some journeys take us far beyond what we ever imagined. Traveling can be more than an opportunity to visit a new place; it can also be a way to discover new cultures, build lasting connections and gain a deeper understanding of the world around us. This summer, a group of 30 Lumberjacks discovered just that through NAU’s award-winning Global Citizens Project Scholars (GCPS) program, which took students…

The small mountain streams that feed many of the West’s rivers may face a much drier future. A new study led by NAU researchers found that groundwater-fed streamflow, known as base flow, has been steadily declining across headwater watersheds in the western United States since 1950 and could decrease by 45% to 65% by the…