FY2023 Equipment Enhancement Fund Distributes $1.3 million among 13 UArizona Investigators

Continue real-time Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) forecast services at the university and augments research capabilities in applied hydroclimate science. Increases daily forecasts and improves forecast accuracy, especially in extreme events.

Detects PFAS in water, soil, sediment, biomass, and biofluids. Due to increased awareness of the negative impact of PFAS contaminants on national security (e.g., Tucson’s mayor recently testified before congress on how PFAS in groundwater has negatively affected potable water supplies), the equipment is required for numerous DOD funding opportunities. search capabilities in applied hydroclimate science. Increases daily forecasts and improves forecast accuracy, especially in extreme events.

Refines patent pending, large scale solar dryer that repurposes food to grow insect, fish, and mushroom protein for human consumption. The dryer uses solar radiation for energy and reclaims water evaporated from the food waste. “By the year 2050, the world will not be able to produce enough protein to sustain a population of 10 billion people,” says Davidowitz. “Over 30% of all food produced worldwide ends in a landfill. In the US, this is 40%. . . Initial data has shown that [UArizona’s prototype tower] is significantly faster at drying food waste than commercial hot air dryers and sun drying tables.”

Augments quantum research being funded by NSF, DoD, and industry. “High-speed, secure, reliable quantum networking approaches will serve as a framework for cross-disciplinary research in quantum networks, cryptography, quantum information theory, quantum nanophotonics, coding theory, and fiber-optics technologies. And it will strengthen our position when applying to the NSF and various DoD agencies,” says Djordjevic.

Measures light scattering of individual single molecules at a glass surface. “Studying which oligomers and complexes form and how they change due to environmental or pathophysiological conditions is important for understanding normal cellular function and how it is altered in various disease states,” says Horton. The instrument accelerates the generation of preliminary data needed to obtain new research grants.

Increases capabilities of electron microprobe, including chemically characterizing samples returned from the asteroid Bennu by OSIRIS-REx. In addition to facilitating NASA- and NSF-funded research, the probe has increased collaboration: In the past 5 years, it has enabled research by more than 132 individuals from 11 departments, 20 outside universities, and several outside companies, museums and government agencies.

Enables depth-profiling of the chemical composition of a wide range of materials. The ion gun will be attached to an existing, well-utilized x-ray photoelectron spectrometer. “The sputter gun will allow peeling away material layer-by-layer rapidly and delicately, thereby uniquely revealing the chemical composition buried below the sample surface, with nanometer precision and over thicknesses up to microns,” explains Monti. The technology strengthens proposals spanning all major federal science and engineering funding agencies.

Complements existing high-demand Zeiss instruments by creating high-quality images faster than existing imaging technologies. The confocal imaging capability of the microscope facilitates data collection to meet the needs of students and researchers. Students benefit from the AI-based tissue finder that assists novice users in finding and imaging tissue samples.

Provides testbed environment for studying impacts of the fourth industrial revolution. Satam explains that the 4IR has created research challenges in factory design, factory development and management, and cybersecurity. The factory will help researchers develop strategies to mitigate these issues. His work includes collaboration with research teams in Mexico and India to address the impacts of 4IR in developing economies.

Facilitates research into photovoltaics, additive manufacturing, printable electronic devices, and photonic quantum devices and trains students through hands-on experience.

Enables precision research in microbial disease transmission and air pollution exposure. Wilson will use the equipment to monitor aerosolization during dental procedures and detect microbial exposures to dentistry personnel. The transportable equipment will be available to interested faculty via a 6-month check-out system.

Allows for more precise contrast imaging through controlled delivery and automatic injections of contrast agents. Enhances collaboration spanning diverse research areas, including cancer, brain, heart and cardiovascular disease, lymphatic physiology and disease, kidney function and contrast agent development.