Flagstaff Science and Research | 2018

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SCIENCE RESEARCH 2018 An Advertising Supplement brought to you by

A One Health View of Our World The scientists at TGen North recognize that the health of plants, animals and our environment all intertwine with human health. Microbial pathogens — the bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites that can make you sick — often know no particular biological boundaries. Understanding that the microbial universe is shared among all living systems, the TGen One Health Collaborative is a new initiative, funded through a partnership with the Flagstaff-based NARBHA Institute, designed to apply next generation technology to address today’s health challenges in a holistic manner.

These challenges include tracking the cause and source of disease outbreaks, antibiotic resistance, hospital-acquired infections, microbial evolution, pathogen dispersal, and emerging infections. We’ll work alongside researchers, physicians, health care workers, public health officials, wildlife managers, ranchers, farmers, veterinarians, and a host of other disciplines to apply TGen’s One Health Collaborative approach to maximize the health benefits of our research for everyone. Learn more at tgennorth.org

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The Oldest, Pure Research Facility West of the Mississippi

Open to the Public Daily www.lowell.edu | 1400 W Mars Hill Rd, Flagstaff, AZ | (928) 774-3358

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CCC aims for the stars with science This summer and fall, Coconino Community College will be brimming with Science, Technology, Engineering and Math events and programs. By Larry Hendricks

C

oconino Community College is gearing up for all things science this summer and beyond. Science classes in Page. Outdoor science education classes for teachers. Summer camps for children that focus on science, technology, engineering and math. A monthly Lunar Legacy speaker series.

“I am excited about the innovative programs Coconino Community College science professors are developing for community members, K-12 teachers, children and college students,” said CCC President Colleen Smith. “We are focusing on community at CCC and are proud to serve as your community college.”

LUNAR LEGACY SPEAKER SERIES Beginning in August, CCC’s Lone Tree Campus will host a monthly speaker series during the yearlong Lunar Legacy celebration in Flagstaff.

According to information from the city, Lunar Legacy will be “Celebrating Flagstaff’s Scientific Role in the Apollo Moon Missions.” Astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon July 20, 1969. The year 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of that achievement with a variety of activities celebrating Flagstaff’s Biology students at Coconino Community College show their microbe know-how during a recent demonstration at the Lone Tree Campus.

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Students learn internal systems of the human body during an anatomy class at the Lone Tree campus.

role in that achievement – including a monthly Lunar Legacy Speaker Series at CCC. The speaker series will be the second Wednesday of each month, beginning Aug. 8, and running through December 2019. All speaker series events, meant for families with children and adults, are free.

Additionally, CCC will participate in

the weeklong Flagstaff Festival of Science in September with a variety of lectures, after-school workshops and a Science Night on Friday, Sept. 27, beginning at 6 p.m., at the Lone Tree Campus.

PETRACORPS This summer, CCC also kicks off the PetraCorps Outdoor Education program.

PetraCorps is a one-week, three-credit

course offered in the summer that immerses educators seeking continuing education credits for subjects related to STEM disciplines. Teachers, as students, will be traveling throughout northern Arizona and southern Utah exploring the biology, chemistry, geology and physiology of the region as well as its flora and fauna through field research, classroom lectures and laboratory experience.

iLAB AND KIDS SUMMER CAMPS CCC’s iLab at the Fourth Street Innovation Center officially went online in April. People who visit the iLab will be able to explore robotics, technology, drones, microcomputers, 3-D printing, vinyl cutting and computer coding. The iLab is meant to provide a creative space for students, faculty and community members.

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With the iLab opening in time for summer, CCC will be offering CCC STEM Camps for children. The summer camps include: Lego Robotics (June 11-14, 8 a.m.-noon) for students to learn robot design, assembly, coding and sensors and to compete against one another in an official First Lego League Challenge Drones and Coding (June 18-21, 8 a.m.-noon) for students to learn about drones and their many commercial and consumer uses and to build and to code their own drones and to compete in obstacle courses Maker Space Experience (June 25-28, 8 a.m.-noon) for students to learn TinkerCAD and 3-D design, and then understand and use 3-D printing concepts to build their own prototypes.

Space is limited. For more information, or to register, contact Jeff Jones at 928-226-4279.

ED TALKS CONTINUE CCC’s monthly free educational talks, or ED Talks, continue at the Fourth Street Innovation Center, 3000 N. Fourth St., on the second Monday of each month, beginning at 6 p.m.

In addition to the regular series, on June 7, Scott Walmer will give a special presentation on the American Civil War beginning at 6 p.m. at the Joe C. Montoya Community Senior Center, 245 N. Thorpe Road.

On June 11, Gonzalo Perez, Associate Vice President of Innovative Learning Solutions, will speak about “Voice, Fingerprints, Eye Scans: Are Biometrics Really Keeping Your Mobile Device Secure?”

On July 9, Melinda McKinney, Biology faculty, will help us “Meet the Bugs in Your Compost.”

The iLab at the Fourth Street Innovation Center.

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On Aug. 13, Rachel Edelstein, Alumni

CCC science instructors Dr. Aaron Tabor (right) and Andrew Allen take their chemistry and biology classes on the road to Page for in-person teaching that students appreciate.

and Donor Relations coordinator, will present “Mushroom Mania: Get to Know the Various Types of Fungi that Grow in Northern Arizona During the Monsoon Season.�

GRANT AIMS MINORITIES TO SCIENCES CCC will be receiving grant funding for the next five years to help steer minority students into STEM careers.

The funding is part of a National Science

Foundation Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) grant awarded to the University of Nevada Las Vegas. The grant funds a project called the Southern Nevada Northern Arizona LSAMP, which is an alliance of UNLV, NAU, College of Southern Nevada and CCC. At CCC, the funding will help fulfill the objective of recruiting 80 underrepresented minority students per year into STEM fields.

SCIENCE IN PAGE

In order to give students easier access to coursework without long commutes, CCC has begun several hybrid biology and chemistry classes for the communities of Page that offer a combination of inperson and online instruction at CCC Page, and, starting in the fall, at the Grand Canyon. CCC instructors will conduct in-person classes every other week in those communities to allow for personal interaction with the students that is not possible with completely online courses.

Additionally, CCC will offer a

Summer Kids Science and Astronomy Camp (grades 5-8) in Page, led by CCC science instructors, June 11-15, from 2 to 10 p.m. For more information, or to register, contact CCC Page at (928) 6453987.

Larry Hendricks is the public relations coordinator for Coconino Community College.

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IGNITING THE

FUTURE THROUGH INNOVATION For more than 40 years, the medical products division of W. L. Gore & Associates has worked side by side with the healthcare community to create some of the world’s most advanced medical devices, the majority of which are proudly engineered and manufactured here in Arizona.

With more than 40 million devices implanted worldwide, our dedication to innovation is constantly fueled by patient success stories.

Some of these stories are remarkable, while many may seem like standard medical procedures.

But when it comes to patients’ lives, we regard nothing as routine. From infants to seniors, patients pose unique challenges and conditions.

Through research and development we pursue innovative solutions and intently listen to patients, physicians, and providers so that together, we improve lives.

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MAY 2018

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Arizona Daily Sun provides many special edition publications throughout the year to provide vital and exciting stories from various aspects of the community.

Sunday, April 22, 2018 - 1

PROGRESS 2018

Special advertising supplement

SPECIAL EDITION

FLAGSTAFF

2018 PROGRESS ECONOMY

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Markers point to robust local economy John Saltonstall | Guest Contributor

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The economy in Flagstaff is doing well. Economic growth has been strong. These are statements we love to say and hope to hear, but what constitutes a strong economy? There is a “ton of dirt moving” to indicate construction projects, but is that really a good indication of a strong economy? And if so, by what measure?

In Flagstaff, we can look at a number of measurements to explore how the economy has been growing, such as the Bed, Board, and Beverage tax, overall tax revenues, the number of building permits issued and the number of units being proposed or reviewed for future development.

After exploring those numbers, we can review other anecdotal markers, such as specific brands that have entered the market or businesses that have expanded or re-invested in their operations.

After such a review, we will be in verifiably good standing to say that the economy in Flagstaff is strong and growing.

BBB REVENUE

The Bed, Board and Beverage (BBB) tax collects a tax on the sale of such items. Therefore, it is a great indicator of the business status of hotels, restaurants and bars as well as the tourism industry in general.

Here is an excerpt of the BBB revenue tables followed by narrative.

In 2009, after the Great Recession, the BBB hit bottom with an annual revenue of $5.05 million, but in the following year, the BBB began to level off. The BBB revenue for 2010 was $5.07 million and has been growing ever since. Between 2010 and 2017, the BBB experienced increases between 4 and 15 percent each year. In 2017, BBB revenues were approximately $8.64 million—a growth of about 67 percent since 2008. This suggests strong economic growth. Despite the winter being as lean as it was with snowfall, the BBB for February appears to be up 78 percent over where it was in February of 2017, which

TOP

REASONS TO CHOOSE FLAGSTAFF

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4 ECONOMY Page 1-2

REAL ESTATE Page 4

7 8 TOURISM Page 6

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long-standing Best of Flag contest now has a magazine component with indepth stories and various features on the winning contests. Publishing in December.

EDUCATION Page 10

99 Things to Do: TRANSPORT Page 7 Above photo courtesy of the Flagstaff Convention and Visitors Bureau

ARTS & CULTURE Page 8

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TECHNOLOGY Page 11

Saturday, April 28 • 11 am to 2 pm • Flagstaff Aquaplex For more information, visit bit.ly/AhoyToSummer

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annual publication that reports on the economic growth and vibrancy in the community. The publication looks at various sectors, from commerce to education to tourism and construction.

Publishing in April.

HEALTH CARE Page 9

first-served) • Free One-Day Swim Voucher Free Dental Screenings • Free Sports Physicals (first-come, & Much More!

Fun Activity Stations • Balloon Artists • Face Painting • Prizes

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Best of Flag: Our

LOCAL BUSINESS Page 5

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OUTDOOR Page 8

Progress: An

SCIENCE & RESEARCH 2018

A comprehensive guide to all the great attractions, trails, locales and activities Northern Arizona has to offer.

It makes one the most encompassing collections of the things to do in our region. Publishing in May.

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SCIENCE RESEARCH 2018 An Advertising Supplement brought to you by

Science & Research:

A annual publication that shares the best and brightest stories and ideas coming out of the science and technology sectors of northern Arizona.

Customers driving innovation for cleaner energy, advanced technology across Arizona Customers are accelerating change for energy companies across the country, including in Arizona. Customers want access to cleaner energy resources and the choice to adopt increasingly advanced energy technologies in their homes and businesses.

Addressing these trends while continuing to deliver safe, reliable and affordable energy for customers is driving innovation at APS. The company is deploying cleaner energy resources and incorporating advanced technologies that support more customer choice and control.

“This is an exciting time for customers and energy companies alike,” said Brad Albert, vice president of resource management for APS. “Customers want cleaner energy, and they also have more technology options to help them manage their energy use. We are evaluating how to effectively integrate those technologies and add resources such as more renewable energy

and energy storage in the most reliable, cost-effective ways we can to benefit our customers and Arizona.”

BUILDING ON CLEAN ENERGY RESOURCES Half of the APS energy mix comes from clean, carbon-free resources such as biomass, energy efficiency, energy storage, solar, wind and nuclear from the nation’s largest energy producer, the Palo Verde Generating Station.

Teams at APS are researching and developing more clean energy resources that enhance value for customers. Energy storage is growing in potential to maximize solar energy use throughout the day. Batteries soak up surplus solar energy produced at midday, when energy use is typically lower, and then deliver it as the sun sets and customers begin to cook dinner and do other household tasks. APS plans to add 500 megawatts of energy storage in the next 15 years.

APS has also proposed next-generation energy efficiency programs to help customers reduce energy use during peak demand times. The programs cover technologies including smart thermostats, energy storage, electric vehicle charging infrastructure and water heater timers. Customers can lower their bills when they conserve power when it’s most expensive, from 3-8 p.m., and take advantage of Arizona’s abundant solar resources during midday.

Energy companies including APS are collaborating to share clean energy resources and reduce costs for customers. APS participates in the western Energy Imbalance Market, which dispatches low-cost energy including solar to customers in eight states and Canada. So far, the EIM has delivered more than $46 million in benefits for APS customers.

Supplement to the Arizona Daily Sun

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5/17/18 5:16 PM

Energy storage starts to fulfill promise The idea of generating electricity and then storing it in large batteries for later use has offered tantalizing promise – a promise that has largely gone unfulfilled since the days of Edison.

Today, APS is in the early but critical stages of delivering on energy storage’s potential. The company has deployed a number of battery storage projects across Arizona and is planning for more, up to 500 megawatts (MW) in the next 15 years.

“The work that is being done on energy storage here in Arizona is truly groundbreaking,” said Scott Bordenkircher, director of technology innovation for APS. “Our ongoing efforts to increase reliability and grid flexibility through the thoughtful application of new technologies are key to enabling our state’s sustainable energy future.”

APS has installed battery storage systems in a variety of environments to test their capabilities for customers. A pair of 2 megawatt-hour systems are filling gaps in solar production and delivering surplus solar later in the day to meet customers’ peak demand in neighborhoods of two Phoenix suburbs, Buckeye and Surprise.

ENHANCING RELIABILITY IN RURAL ARIZONA In the rural Tonto Basin, about 120 miles south of Flagstaff, an 8 megawatt-hour battery system maintains reliability while accommodating rising energy demand from 1,500 residents. The project also created savings for APS customers by delaying rebuild of the nearly 20-mile service line to the area.

Customers participating in the Solar Innovation Study are seeing how they may use battery storage and other advanced technologies to manage their energy use more efficiently.

On the horizon, APS is partnering with another homegrown leader in renewable energy, First Solar, on Arizona’s largest solar-plus-battery storage project. A 65-MW universal solar plant will charge a 50-MW battery with solar energy during midday, and the energy will be released to customers when their demand peaks as they come home from work and the sun goes down.

PALO VERDE: AMERICA’S CLEAN-AIR ENERGY LEADER Building a sustainable energy future for Arizona requires balancing the addition of cleaner resources with the need to maintain reliable and affordable service for customers.

Did you know?

Arizona continues to score high marks in solar energy development.

Among U.S. states, Arizona ranks:

#1

in residential solar capacity installed per state resident in 2017

#2

in total residential solar capacity installed in 2017

#2

in total cumulative residential solar capacity installed to date

#3

in total cumulative solar (residential and utility-owned) capacity installed to date

Source: 2017 U.S. Solar Market Insight, Solar Energy Industries Association/GTM Research

An important foundation for today and the future is the APS-operated Palo Verde Generating Station, located about 50 miles west of downtown Phoenix. Palo Verde continues to be the country’s largest source of carbon-free energy, far surpassing other sources for producing clean, around-the-clock power.

In 2017, Palo Verde produced 32.3 million megawatt-hours of electricity, more than 70 percent of Arizona’s total carbon-free energy.

“The carbon dioxide release that is avoided because Palo Verde produces this power for our region, rather than conventional sources, is significant,” said Bob Bement, executive vice president and chief

Information provided by Arizona Public Service.

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NEW PROGRAM INCREASES ACCESS TO CLEAN ENERGY APS customers across Arizona who are living on limited or moderate incomes now have increased access to renewable energy through the new APS Solar Communities program.

“We are always looking for ways to bring unique programs to our state that benefit our customers, community and economy – that’s exactly what Solar Communities delivers,” said Marc Romito, APS director of customer technology.

In collaboration with Arizona-based solar installers, APS will put rooftop solar systems on qualifying single-family residences. In exchange, participating customers will receive a monthly bill credit totaling $360 annually for 20 years.

Later this year, qualifying APS non-residential customers will be eligible to apply for the program, including multifamily housing, Title I schools, nonprofits serving limited-income groups and rural government entities in APS service territory.

To learn more and to apply, visit aps.com/solarcommunities.

STEM programs aid area students APS and the APS Foundation support a wide range of educational initiatives for students and teachers in order to keep the next generation of Arizona’s workforce strong and competitive.

Students across Northern Arizona are benefiting from these programs, including numerous opportunities to get excited about learning science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

The APS Foundation provided a $250,000 grant to NAU in 2016 to support the APS STEM Schools of the Future. This professional development program provides hands-on learning in STEM subjects to Arizona educators and school administrators. The STAR School near Flagstaff is one of the participating schools, along with four others across the state.

Through an ongoing partnership with the Phoenix Suns, APS provides STEM mini-grants of up to $2,500 to Arizona teachers to support hands-on learning projects in the classroom that may not be possible otherwise.

nuclear officer at APS. “To put it into perspective – imagine 2.8 million cars, and the air pollution they cause, disappearing from our roads each year.”

Besides leading the country in energy production for 25 consecutive years, Palo Verde is an economic powerhouse in Arizona. APS employs more than 2,500 full-time workers and nearly

1,000 seasonal contractors there.

The facility contributes $2 billion a year into the state’s economy, supporting thousands of Arizona businesses each year with the purchase of products and services.

• In January, Ponderosa High School in Flagstaff received a $2,500 mini-grant to build a new rainwater harvesting system for the school’s greenhouse.

Students are responsible for calculating how much water they expect to harvest, designing the system and putting it together.

• Flagstaff High School also received funding in 2016 for its gardening program, which teaches students about soil chemistry and water-quality monitoring.

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Dr. Sarah Highlander

TGen launches new discovery center to help guard human health

T

he idea of unseen microbes—bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites—floating around one’s body may make a person squeamish, yet the organisms play vital roles in digestion, immune response and other bodily functions.

The Translational Genomics Research Institute, or TGen, is making these microscopic creatures, collectively known as the human microbiome, the focus of a new effort at its infectious disease facility in Flagstaff.

Established in March, TGen’s dedicated Clinical Microbiome Services Center will examine the impact of the microbiome on human health, looking at a range of issues from gastrointestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel disease, to skin problems, such

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as psoriasis.

Also, the new center will help investigate specific problems related to other serious and common human diseases, such as diabetes and cancer, and will also address the health needs of animals and the environment.

Dr. Sarah Highlander, a highly experienced expert in medical microbiology and the human microbiome, leads the new endeavor as research professor and director of the Clinical Microbiome Services Center, supporting hundreds of physicians and researchers at TGen and its affiliate, City of Hope, a private not-for-profit clinical research center, hospital and medical school.

“Having a dedicated clinical services center will help ensure that we provide comprehensive clinical microbiome

information to hospitals, such as City of Hope,” said Dr. David Engelthaler, director of TGen’s Pathogen and Microbiome Division, or TGen North. “It will also allow us to better support our internal and external microbiome research needs in this growing area of human, veterinary and environmental health sciences.

Specific communities of microbes occupy different parts of the body, such as the eyes, nose, mouth, colon, lungs, genitals and skin.

“If you’re healthy, these are doing good things for you,” Highlander said.

“You can’t survive without the microbes in your body. They are protecting you, creating barriers against infection, helping you digest your food, and making essential vitamins and nutrients.”

Microbiomes are not limited to animals. They also are found in soil and water — these are environmental microbiomes.

In addition to assisting its scientists, TGen North works with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and numerous local and international public health organizations seeking better ways to track, control and prevent potential regional and global outbreaks of infectious disease.

Highlander most recently was a Professor of Genomic Medicine at the J. Craig Venter Institute in La Jolla, Calif., where she worked for nearly three years on microbiome projects ranging from travelers’ diarrhea, antibiotic resistance transmission to tooth decay.

Before that, she spent nearly 24 years at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, where she taught budding doctors and doctoral students as part of her role as associate professor of molecular virology and microbiology.

As a member of the Human Genome Sequencing Center, she was a principal investigator on the Human Microbiome Project.

In addition, Highlander was the founder of Prokaryon Technologies Inc. in Houston, a company the develops vaccines to prevent animal illnesses, such as bovine respiratory disease, or shipping fever.

She holds more than a dozen patents, is the author of more than 60 peerreviewed scientific papers and more than 80 scientific abstracts, and has helped secure more than $16 million in grants.

At TGen, she will supervise state-ofthe-art microbiome sample extraction, sequencing and analysis to spell out the complex natures of DNA, RNA, proteins and metabolites from a variety of sample types.

“I’m excited to collaborate with TGen’s geneticists and the many physicians and researchers at City of Hope, using various disciplines, including microbiology, genomics and bioinformatics to broaden our expertise on a whole host of human diseases and conditions,” she said.

The Oldest, Pure Research Facility West of the Mississippi

Open to the Public Daily www.lowell.edu | 1400 W Mars Hill Rd, Flagstaff, AZ | (928) 774-3358

Raymond Dake Photography

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