Arizona Environment

03/30/2026

Join us this Thursday for "Holding Earth: A Creative Exploration of Eco-Emotions and Connection to Nature, Community, and Self!"

The world is changing, and many of us carry emotions tied to environmental uncertainty. This workshop offers a welcoming space to pause, reflect, and explore these emotions, as well as our connection to nature, community, and self.

Facilitator Maria Renée Johnson, griefworker, artist, and environmental professional, will guide participants through common eco-related emotions using mindfulness and creative approaches.

Students, staff, faculty, and community members are invited to this next Craft and Connect workshop!

Thursday, April 2, 2026
5–6:30 p.m.
ENR2 N595
Free, with pizza, refreshments, and supplies provided!

Please RSVP at https://events.trellis.arizona.edu/en/f44lNu67/craft-and-connect-holding-earth-with-maria-renee-johnson-4a3UV4Ca69/overview

02/23/2026

05/02/2025

🚫Extensive funding and staffing cuts threaten a major US climate report. 🌎

🏛️Congress requires a report on climate risk, assessment, and mitigation every four years, but recent funding and staffing cuts will make it harder for the NASA-supported Global Change Research Program to give crucial insight on future climatic impacts.

👉Udall Center and Assoc. Prof. of Planning Ladd Keith told the New York Times that “The strength of the National Climate Assessment is that it goes through this detailed review by all federal agencies and the public. That’s what makes it different from just a bunch of academics getting together and doing a report. There are already lots of those.”

The article offers a glimpse at the public impact of losing such a resource.

🔗Full article at the link below! ⬇️
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/09/climate/trump-national-climate-assessment.html

02/19/2025

New University of Arizona postdoctoral researcher Ufuoma Ovienmhada is using geospatial technology to uncover the climate risks facing U.S. prisons — one of society’s most overlooked populations. Her work bridges engineering, environmental justice, and policy change to drive real-world impact.

Ufuoma Ovienmhada, an MIT-trained engineer and environmental justice advocate, was recently named the Endowed Postdoctoral Research Associate in Climate Change and Human Resiliency.

Read more about her research through the link in our bio!🔗

02/14/2025

Dig into campus happenings with The Dirt newsletter! 🌱🌵 Your go-to source for environmental news, events, and updates from the University of Arizona. Sign up through the link in our bio!

02/11/2025

Hope Barton, a sophomore double majoring in natural resources and public management & policy at the University of Arizona, is deeply committed to environmental policy with a focus on rural communities.

In a recent Q&A, Barton reflects on her journey from environmental science to policy and how her experiences growing up in a small town in Oklahoma, where she saw how environmental challenges impact agriculture and livelihoods, have shaped her mission to amplify the voices of underrepresented communities.

"Environmental issues aren't abstract concepts to me; they're the lived experiences of people I know and care about," she said. "I want to make sure those most impacted by environmental harm have a seat at the table."

Read more Hope's journey at arizonaenvironment.edu

02/10/2025

From harvest failures to wildfires, the jet stream has shaped Europe's climate — and history — for centuries.

Learn how University of Arizona Professor Valerie Trouet and her team used tree rings to unlock 700 years of extreme weather patterns and their impact on society. 🌲✨

Click the link in bio to read more! 📖

10/16/2024

Fermentation science students are developing and producing a line of beers called CALES Ales, a line of beers developed and produced on the main University of Arizona campus and sold at Cork & Craft.

Led by Patrick Heacock, head brewer for the School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness (SNSW), students will participate in every step of the brewing process, from initial concept, to recipe development, to testing and quality control.

“We hope to harness the pilot plant’s capabilities to provide the campus community with innovative food and beverage products, and empower students to drive change in our food culture through research," said Kim Krumhar, SNSW senior scientist and a driving force behind the fermentation and food science programs.

Read more:
https://cales.arizona.edu/news/sipping-science-cales-ales-gives-campus-community-chance-sample-work-fermentation-science

A selection of student-produced microbrews will soon be on tap at Cork & Craft.

10/13/2024

When the summer jet stream over Europe deviates north or south from its usual path, it can bring weather extremes that exacerbate epidemics, ruin crop harvests, and feed wildfires, a new study by University of Arizona researchers found.

“The jet stream has caused these extreme conditions for 700 years in the past without greenhouse gases,” Ellie Broadman, a co-author of the study, told Grist. “To me, that’s a little scary, to think about the compound effects of simply adding more heat to the atmosphere and imagining how those extremes might get more extreme in the future.”

Read more about the findings in the following Grist article: https://grist.org/science/jet-stream-study-climate-change-wildfires-plagues/

New research shows that the patterns of Earth’s high winds have led to serious problems on the ground.

10/10/2024

A new study of Earth's ancient history reveals a much warmer past than previously understood, correlating closely to periods of high carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.

The findings suggest that over the long term, temperatures could rise more than expected given the large quantities of CO2 that humans are currently emitting.

“When carbon dioxide and temperatures change rapidly, that’s when everything on the planet just can’t keep pace,” Emily Judd, who conducted the research as a postdoctoral researcher with the University of Arizona and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, told The New York Times.

“The environment is changing at a rate that’s too fast for organisms to keep up with. And that’s when we experience mass extinctions,” Judd said.

08/05/2024

The pace of local extinctions is on the rise in the Sonoran Desert sky islands. Professor of ecology and evolutionary biology John Wiens discusses with Arizona Public Media how climate change is impacting these species and what it takes for them to survive.

The pace of local extinctions is on the rise in the sky islands of the Sonoran Desert.