Current Projects
The University of Arizona has joined the AAAS Sea Change program as an institutional member, with the Office of Societal Impact as the Liaison. SEA Change is an initiative from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) that seeks to empower institutions to identify and address challenges that will enhance student and faculty retention, and foster resilience aligned with each institution's unique mission and goals. By joining SEA Change, colleges and universities access a community of peers, tailored self-assessment frameworks, and practical tools to support continuous improvement.
This UA program provides services to support students in graduating with a STEM major. This program focuses on promising STEM students, especially students who are first in their family to attend college, from low-income households, or who transferred from a community college.
CREAR STEM Learning Communities are Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) groups that are organized by societal impact areas where you can explore solutions to challenges in your communities. This small community of students is enrolled as a group in 2-3 classes together during their first semester at the University of Arizona.
Natives Who Code endeavors to co-create an Indigenized computer science curriculum, with Southern Arizona tribal nations. Starting with listening circles, we aim to help facilitate a vision of success for today's youth, from the tribal communities perspective. Using this foundation, we aim to support educators who teach computer science or coding to Native youth in Southern Arizona with a week long professional development training in culturally sustaining computer science pedagogy. During this grant cycle, we will work with 10 educators and with a projected impact of 300 native youth.
Science City engages learners of all ages through hands-on activities and STEM outreach by the university, local and national participants at the Tucson Festival of Books.
The Prosperity Initiative is an intergovernmental effort to develop wealthier communities across Pima County through policies that reduce generational poverty and improve opportunity. It is led by Pima County and the City of Tucson, along with Marana, Oro Valley, Sahuarita, South Tucson, and the Tucson Indian Center.
TIMESTEP offers educational and professional development opportunities for undergraduate students in the physical sciences at the University of Arizona. We seek to make STEM disciplines more accessible by creating greater access to information, mentoring, and resources for student success.
During Quantum Quest hosted by Qubit by Qubit, participants will explore the fascinating world of quantum computing with unplugged, hands-on activities and exercises on-site at Girl Scouts’ facilities. These topics will cover everything from the foundational concepts that make-up the quantum world–entanglement and qubits–to teaching girls how to code on real quantum computers. Girls will learn from outstanding researchers from the University of Arizona and hear from STEM role models across the Tucson area, including SARSEF staff who support student/STEM mentor relationships year round.
The Research Impacts Project, funded by the Provost’s Investment Fund, aims to helps UArizona researchers, administrators, and leaders collect, document, and communicate the societal impacts of their research to community partners, funders, and others interested in the work we do.
Past Projects
NSF National Research Traineeship “Indigenous Food, Energy, and Water Security and Sovereignty”
NSF National Research Traineeship “Indigenous Food, Energy, and Water Security and Sovereignty”
2017-2023
External Evaluator: Jennifer Fields
Program Coordinator: Cara Shopa
USDA-NIFA “Sustainable Bioeconomy in Arid Regions”
USDA-NIFA “Sustainable Bioeconomy in Arid Regions”
2017-2023
External Evaluator: Jennifer Fields
Program Coordinator: Cara Shopa
Integration of the Arts & Sciences across RII Centers & Institutes
Integration of the Arts & Sciences across RII Centers & Institutes
2022-2023
PI: Jennifer Fields