Arctic sea ice is rapidly diminishing due to global warming, and scientists have found that sea ice dynamics have a big impact on circulation and precipitation patterns in Arctic Alaska, which lies at a climatological crossroads between the Arctic and North Pacific Oceans. Recent studies—most of which… Read more
School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability
NAU researchers Nancy Johnson and Laura Huenneke elected as 2020 AAAS Fellows
Northern Arizona University researchers Laura Foster Huenneke and Nancy Collins Johnson have been named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
This year, 489 members nationwide have been awarded this honor by AAAS because of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications.
“AAAS Fellows are selected by their peers at the American Association for… Read more
NAU alum authors research into groundwater, an often overlooked, but essential factor in Colorado River management practices
The Colorado River is the seventh-largest river in the United States, and its basin spans seven U.S. and two Mexican states. It currently supplies water to 50 million people with an expected increase of 23 million by 2030. Because it winds its way through several different regions, the policies regulating it are complex,… Read more
NAU economist earns NSF grant to study economics of COVID-19 in rural and tourism-dependent communities
Northern Arizona University economics professor Julie Mueller is a principal investigator on a grant from the National Science Foundation aimed at increasing knowledge and solutions around the unique problems pandemics present to rural areas.
Mueller, who has an 80 percent appointment in the Franke College of Business and a 20 percent appointment in the School of Earth and Sustainability, is researching “Build and Broaden:… Read more
NAU key partner in bringing 2020 Festival of Science to Flagstaff community Sept. 18-27 with more than 60 free virtual events
Access the full Festival of Science program of events here.
Now in its 31st year, the award-winning annual Festival of Science—the longest-running event of its kind in the Western Hemisphere—continues to be a cornerstone event for the Flagstaff community, with Northern Arizona University playing a key role in the festival’s success. Through active participation by NAU scientists, artists and educators, as well as through a robust sponsorship commitment, the university contributes to the Flagstaff community through the festival in… Read more
NAU researcher receives $1.3 million DOE grant to study how fungus may help grow sorghum for biofuels
For years, researchers have been trying to harness the crop-growing benefits of the symbiotic relationship between plants and fungi. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), for example, can deliver water and nutrients to the roots of plants like sorghum, a grain used to produce biofuels. The US Department of Energy (DOE) is particularly interested in producing sorghum more efficiently to reduce the need for irrigation and fertilizer, and… Read more