Our impact | Northern Arizona University

Research & innovation

One of the most powerful ways we make an impact is through our research. From astrophysicists and climate scientists to bioinformaticists and geneticists, NAU’s talented research faculty are leaders in their fields.

NAU director Amir Arzani studies a computer screen with a student.

Modeling blood flow Studying cardiovascular disease

Amir Arzani, director of NAU’s Cardiovascular Biomechanics Lab, studies the mechanisms behind initiation and progression of different cardiovascular diseases, developing computational models that can capture the multiscale and multiphysics nature of cardiovascular disease.

Astronomer confirms most distant object ever observed in solar system

NAU astronomer Chad Trujillo is on a team confirming a planetoid nicknamed “Farfarout” that is almost four times farther from the Sun than Pluto, making it the most distant object ever observed in our solar system.

Professor Katie Mommaerts talks with a student.

Researcher invites teens to speak about mental health

Interdisciplinary Health PhD student and Assistant Clinical Professor Katie Mommaerts is continuously striving to improve her teaching skills, expand her scholarship, and deepen her research on adolescent mental health.

First-generation Biomedical Science major Andres Huerta talks with a fellow student.

Family loyalty sparks insulin resistance research

First-generation Biomedical Science major Andres Huerta studies insulin sensitivity in the Hispanic population.

Viacheslav “Slava” Fofanov holding petri dish.

Improving dental health among underserved populations in Arizona and Hawai’i

NAU bioinformatician Viacheslav “Slava” Fofanov is leading the first large-scale effort to understand the biological factors that drive tooth decay in preschool aged children.

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Community engagement

We pursue a better world. In our state and around the globe, we leverage our strengths to benefit the communities we serve.

N A U student holding up a information magazine to show elementary students.

Born to teach Sharing a love of learning

Thea Hookey, a 2021 graduate of Northern Arizona University’s College of Education (COE), was born to teach. That’s good news for the thousands of students whose lives she will help shape throughout her career.

Taylor Lane sitting at a desk working on her computer

Crunching numbers, changing lives

Taylor Lane, a PhD candidate in NAU’s Interdisciplinary Health doctoral program, finds that data analysis can lead to information that helps people become healthier and more fit.

Michael and Karen Kitt smile together for a picture.

Kitt’s School of Music donation is pivotal

Michael and Karen Kitt’s donation to NAU’s music department will serve generations of student musicians.

Person in blue jacket skiing down a snowy mountain

A different kind of classroom

Alumnus Alexander Davenport used a flexible degree option and ties with his alma mater to develop a world-class adaptive ski program.

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Commitment to Native Americans

We amplify essential voices. One of our principal goals is to become the nation’s leading university serving Native American and Indigenous people.

Lorenzo Max sitting on the floor in a wood house.

Where Indigenous studies are applied Preparing for careers in their communities

The Applied Indigenous Studies program is growing a workforce that addresses unique aspects of Nation-building, leadership, governance, and self-determination.

Nikki Cooley stands on a staircase smiling.

Indigenous environmental stewardship

Nikki Cooley, alumna and assistant director of NAU’s Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, is an Indigenous scientist and educator. She draws strength from her ancestor’s past as she works to address future climate change challenges.

Students sitting in a hotel lobby discussing textbooks.

Diné Institute for Navajo Educators

The NAU Diné Institute for Navajo Nation Educators is a partnership with Yale University and the Navajo Nation to strengthen curriculum and culturally responsive teaching in K-12 tribal schools.

NAU Elder Cultural Advisor Viki Blackgoat shares her experiences

With NAU’s Elder Cultural Advisors program, Viki Blackgoat helps students balance and sustain cultural traditions while at college.

NAU student Autumn Begay looks at a native sculpture.

Student grounded by roots, community

Autumn Begay, ’22, found her home away from home at NAU’s Native American Cultural Center (NACC).

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Creative works

We awaken creativity. Through scholarship, artistry, and ingenuity, we celebrate the human experience.

NAU student Mackenzie Baradic points to a computer monitor.

Filmmaking for social good Documenting Arizona’s immigration crisis

Creative Media and Film major Mackenzie Baradic is documenting the stories of migrants, and those who help them, as they risk their lives to cross the Sonoran desert.

Designing the future at New York Fashion Week

Joey Carosilva and four other NAU students networked with expert designers during their trip to New York Fashion Week.

Professor David Van Ness crosses his arms posing for a picture.

Bridging art and science

A lifelong artist and Assistant Professor in NAU’s School of Art, David Winslow Van Ness is known as the “power user” of the 3D printer in Cline Library’s MakerLab. The pursuit of a new perspective, collaboration, or the combination of existing perspectives is key to Van Ness.

Honors student Claire Sipos takes a picture while at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

Revelations from the field

The NAU Honors College brought alumna Claire Sipos, BS Photography, ’20, to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and gave her the opportunity to push her own boundaries.

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Sustainability

We seek solutions. Across disciplines, we work together to build a just and sustainable future.

Three researchers stand outside on a dirt road looking at a laptop.

Dust and drought Paleoclimatologists study dust and drought

Associate professor Nick McKay and his team of paleoclimatologists in NAU’s School of Earth and Sustainability have been studying dust for several years in this high-elevation region, which is particularly vulnerable to climate change.

The manager of sustainability, Avi Henn stands by a recycling bin with a bike.

NAU Climate Action Plan supports sustainability

NAU’s Manager of Sustainability, Avi Henn, guides the Flagstaff campus towards carbon neutrality with the Climate Action Plan.

A professor and student sit outside looking at a tablet.

Assigning value to spring ecosystems in northern Arizona

Through study and evaluation NAU Professors, Julie Mueller and Abe Springer along with Assistant Professor Ryan Fitch hope to generate nationwide interest in critical Arizona water resources and increase their protection by raising awareness.

Jayne Sandoval working on her laptop outside.

Finding solutions for her community

Fulbright scholar and Gold Axe winner Jayne Sandoval aspires to help her Navajo community develop a renewable energy program.

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Alumni making a difference

We teach powerful change-makers. For our alumni, their time at NAU is only the beginning of a lifelong quest to empower others.

Student sits on a rock holding a notebook.

New energy sources Discovering new energy sources

Glen D’Silva, MS Mechanical Engineering, ’19, is building on his master’s education at NAU with PhD program focusing on research in energy and magnetism.

NAU alumni Sara LaRosa trimming NAU posters.

Encouraging creative uses of discarded objects through upcycling

Alumna Sara LaRosa is encouraging her colleagues in Printing Services—as well as students, faculty, and staff from across the NAU campus—to adopt upcycling and other environmentally friendly practices.