Research Programs
ISPE strives to create larger research projects and programs that stretch far beyond the single investigator and discipline to create an array of integrated knowledge that more effectively serves the public. These larger efforts are based on broad partnerships, often across three or more colleges on the UA campus, and often with partners in other universities, the private sector, government agencies, and the public arena. Interdisciplinary ISPE-related initiatives include:
Translational Environmental Research
Supported by the Technology and Research Initiative Fund (TRIF), Translational Environmental Research (TER) is designed to support and promote seven interrelated initiatives at UA: engineering for a sustainable environment; environmental informatics and decision-support; economics, law, policy, and the environment; environmental entrepreneurship; biogeochemistry and ecosystem dynamics; hydrometeorology and climate; and environment and health. These initiatives serve critical needs in the development of environmental technology and knowledge that can address challenges posed by environmental and societal changes in Arizona and around the world. Visit the TER website for more information.
Climate Assessment for the Southwest
Climate Assessment for the Southwest (CLIMAS) assesses the impacts of climate variability and longer-term climate change on human and natural systems in the Southwest. CLIMAS is designed to improve the ability of the region to respond sufficiently and appropriately to climatic events and climate changes. Visit the CLIMAS website for more information.
Southwest Assessment
Climate variability and change present both challenges and opportunities for the United States. To be better prepared, the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) led a National Assessment of the Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change. As part of this project, The University of Arizona's Institute for the Study of Planet Earth (ISPE) coordinated the Southwest Regional Assessment to determine the potential consequences of climate change and variability for key sectors in the Southwest.
Sustainability Under Uncertainty
Sustainability Under Uncertainty explores the possibility of building an integrated, collaborative, interdisciplinary program at The University of Arizona that specifically focuses on the sustainability of ecosystems in the arid and semiarid borderlands. Visit the SUUASE website for more information.
Wildfire Alternatives
Wildfire Alternatives is an interdisciplinary research initiative aimed at improving our understanding of the processes and consequences of interactions among wildfire, climate, and society. WALTER seeks to capitalize on advances in geospatial, analytical, and web delivery technology to provide access to scientific research activities and findings, educational materials, and decision support tools. Visit the WALTER website for more information.