IALC Founding Member Institution

Tucson, Arizona

Founded in 1885 as a land-grant institution, The University of Arizona has a strong and wide-ranging commitment to excellence in teaching, public service, and research. Departments such as Anthropology and Astronomy traditionally have been ranked among the best in the United States and a number of other units, such as Arid Lands Studies, Life Sciences, and Optical Sciences, recently have risen to national prominence.

The University of Arizona ranks among the top 15 public research institutions in the nation. It has a student enrollment of more than 35,000, a faculty and staff of 12,300, about 2,400 graduate associates and assistants, and a 343-acre campus close to downtown Tucson. External support for research and development in 1993 was $182 million. The graduate college offers more than 91 Ph.D. and 133 Master degree programs. These programs are supported by top-quality library and computer facilities.

Arid Lands Expertise at The University of Arizona

Arizona, which includes parts of both the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts, provides a natural setting for studying arid lands. The UA conducted the state's first arid lands research in the late 1800s at its Agricultural Experiment Station. Today, arid lands research at The University of Arizona covers diverse topics at both national and international levels and involves collaboration of researchers and faculty university-wide. Areas of special expertise include arid lands agriculture and environmental and climatic change through time.

Selected units conducting arid lands research at The University of Arizona include:

• Department of Anthropology
• Department of Family and Community Medicine
• Department of Hydrology and Water Resources
• The Desert Laboratory
• School of Renewable Natural Resources
• Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research
• Maricopa Agricultural Center
• Office of Arid Lands Studies

Areas of expertise at The University of Arizona include:

• Development of arid lands plants as sources of energy and chemicals
• Development of drought- and salt-tolerant crops
• Farming systems research-extension
• Flood forecasting
• Groundwater hydrology
• Irrigation systems
• Remote sensing and geographical information systems (GIS)
• Soil conservation
• Water harvesting, conservation, and reuse

Visit the UA Website