University of Arizona

Two College of Agriculture and Life Sciences students, Andri Rachmadi and Quinea Lassiter, won the 21st graduate and undergraduate President’s Awards for their academic research during the November 2013 Student Showcase held here at UA.

Andri Rachmadi, a graduate student in the Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science received the graduate President’s Award for his wastewater treatment study. Quinea Lassiter, an undergraduate microbiology major in the School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, received the corresponding undergraduate award for her research on the inhibition of gene expression that causes the formation of cancer.

The President’s Award is given annually to a single graduate student and a single undergraduate student who exemplify innovative academic research and community service. It is presented in conjunction with the Graduate and Professional Student Council’s Student Showcase. The award includes a plaque and $1,000 donated by the President’s Office.

Monarch butterflies are relatively small insects that participate in one of nature's most impressive migrations, but many scientists and other professionals are concerned about their long-term survival.

The butterflies can travel from their wintering grounds in central Mexico to summer homes in the United States and Canada. However, their descendants eventually return to Mexico to begin the process again.

Supporters say the insects' numbers have been dwindling significantly, and they worry about the butterflies' long-term survival.

Because of this, many people are thankful and supportive of an agreement between Canada, U.S. and Mexico that is establishing a task force to try to help the insects.

"It's going to change everything," says University of Arizona junior Philipp von Bieberstein.

He's talking about his independent study research comparing growth of a medicinal plant in hydroponic versus aeroponic systems in greenhouses at the University of Arizona's Natural Products Center, part of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' School of Natural Resources and the Environment.

Von Bieberstein's research focuses on the plant Withania somnifera, a member of the tomato family that contains a potential anti-tumor agent called withaferin A, which can be isolated through chemistry. The roots of the plant have been used medicinally for more than 3,000 years in India and adjoining countries. Historically, roots were used to treat cancer, stress and neurological disorders.

The retail landscape of 2014 is more digital than ever before, and integrating store and online operations is a key focus for retailers as e-commerce capable solutions increasingly replace  traditional point-of-sale and mobile technologies.

According to a new study conducted by the University of Arizona’s Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences, the National Retail Federation and Demandware that polled more than 200 U.S. and European retail business technology executives, more than one-third (35.8%) of retailers surveyed are considering a single platform to manage interactions and transactions across all channels.

The Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences is part of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Vice Provost and Dean Shane Burgess announced on February 11 the appointment of the new University of Arizona College of Agriculture & Life Sciences associate dean for research.

Dr. Parker Antin—Associate Dean for Research, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences

A graduate of Union College and the University of Pennsylvania, Professor Antin is a national authority in the areas of developmental biology and genomics who has taught and conducted research at the University of Arizona since 1992.

Dr. Antin replaces Dr. Ron Allen, who served as the CALS associate dean for research and director of the Arizona Experiment Station for almost two years before resigning the position on January 1. Dr. Allen continues as a faculty member in the School of Animal & Comparative Biomedical Sciences.

With the Arizona Legislature back in session, some in the UA community are hoping a proposed veterinary medical program will become a reality.

Though the UA currently allows students to spend four years taking prerequisites required for a veterinary degree, students must transfer to another school to finish their degree. The proposed program would allow students to finish their degree at the UA.

This will be the second legislative session the proposed program enters since it failed to be included in Gov. Jan Brewer’s 2013-14 budget request, according to Shane Burgess, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

The University of Arizona's Undergraduate Biology Research Program will hold its 25th annual conference this weekend to showcase student research in areas ranging from cancer to psychology.

More than 2,000 students have been involved in the effort over its history, authoring or co-authoring more than 900 scholarly articles and giving more than 1,000 presentations at scientific conferences.

The participants are given "high-impact educational experiences," said Carol Bender, who directs UBRP as well as its international component, the Biomedical Research Abroad: Vistas Open – or BRAVO! program. "For 25 years, UBRP and BRAVO! have enhanced the learning experience of hundreds of students."

Three University of Arizona professors in the departments of entomology, chemistry and biochemistry and the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world's largest general scientific society.

Founded in 1848, the association includes 261 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals. Its mission is to advance science and serve society through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education and more.

This year, AAAS awarded the distinction, an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their scientific peers, to 338 individuals who have been elevated to this rank because of their efforts toward advancing science applications that are deemed scientifically or socially distinguished. Being chosen as an AAAS fellow signifies that colleagues in the field deem the nominee among the best in the country. The honor is reserved for only a half percent of the total AAAS member base. The AAAS database currently lists 45 fellows at the UA.