TechConnect Winter 2022 Issue -- FINAL

A R I Z O N A’ S

TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

WINTER 2022

THE

BROADBAND ISSUE ISSUE

06 08 10 14

Sun Corridor Network Branches Out AZ Broadband Stakeholder Network Faster, Faster with FreeFall 5G TGen’s Economic Impact

16 NAU Addresses the Digital Divide

WINTER 2022

PUBLISHERS

Sandra Watson Steven G. Zylstra

12 Banking on Broadband

EDITOR

Don Rodriguez

EXECUTIVE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

The Arizona Commerce Authority shares the efforts underway to build rural Arizona’s information superhighway

Alyssa Tufts

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jill A. Brownley

EMAIL techconnect@aztechcouncil.org For queries or customer service, call 602-343-8324.

TechConnect is published by the Arizona Technology Council, 2800 N. Central Ave. #1530, Phoenix, AZ 85004

04 Better with Broadband

Council CEO Steven G. Zylstra shares how broadband is at the heart of success for Arizona companies

05 The Final Mile Project Entire contents copyright 2020, Arizona Technology Council.

Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

Products named in these page pages are trade names or trademarks of their respective companies. Publication of TechConnect is supported by the Arizona Commerce Authority.

View more of TechConnect: aztechcouncil.org/techconnect

Program brings the world closer and faster to rural students in Arizona

06 Lessons Learned

Sun Corridor Network connects communities in expanded role

08 A Team Effort

Arizona Broadband Stakeholder Network finds strength in numbers

10 Faster, Faster

Tucson-based Freefall 5G antenna system picks up pace of data sharing

14 Now, that’s an ROI

TGen’s annual economic impact exceeds a half-billion dollars

16 Bridging the Divide

NAU broadband solutions address digital inequities in rural tribal communities

18 Wide World of Wireless

Award enables ASU research to develop next-generation technologies

22 Innovative Individuals

Three UArizona faculty named fellows of National Academy of Inventors

TechConnect | WINTER 2022 | 03

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

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Better with Broadband

Steven G. Zylstra is president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council and SciTech Institute.

If you’re able to read this, odds are you are very familiar with the theme of this issue. For many, broadband has become the center of our lives and makes many things possible.

Whether it’s staying connected with our businesses or classrooms, streaming episodes that fuel our binge-watching sessions or checking travel sites for that long-delayed vacation, the huge amounts of data that we capture through our devices seem unimaginable if not for the impact on our daily lives.

Seemingly not long ago, elders in our families were recalling the big day when they had their own landline phone—in their homes!

Now we have large and small companies in Arizona with broadband at the heart of their success either through evolution or from the start.

While AT&T can trace its lineage to a focus on telephones, the multinational company now offers internet access in different flavors among its services to residential and commercial customers. When CenturyLink wanted to shift its focus to a platform that links devices instead of just a service, it rebranded itself as Lumen Technologies. Even Cox Business highlights what customers can get done with internet.

Arizona itself has become a draw for smaller companies that recognize what the state offers their growth trajectory. For example, Utah-based FirstDigital has established operations in Tucson to offer services that include internet, fiber and voice.

Let’s not forget those companies that are homegrown.

Chandler-based Alluvion Communications offers fiber, data and voice services with a focus on education, finance, health care and hospitality.

In Phoenix, Triad Wireless has grown to become the ninth largest fixed wireless provider in the nation, according to Broadband.now, a broadband availability website.

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Of course, there are many others making a difference in their own sectors of this expanding field. One is Tucson-based FreeFall 5G, which was formed to commercialize a high-bandwidth solution through antenna innovations developed by Electronic Design and Development Corporation and FreeFall Aerospace—both also established in the Old Pueblo.

Read more about FreeFall 5G’s story and those of other organizations and their representatives making an impact in the pages that follow. Keep in mind they are just samples of many more stories to tell in this burgeoning field.

Also, know it’s fitting that TechConnect at this time showcases the innovations of broadband in Arizona.

Just as we all have been through a great deal of change during nearly two years, we still have managed to discover our own new ways of staying connected.

While the technology has helped, so has the resiliency of the human spirit. n

For many, broadband has become the center of our lives and makes many things possible.

Whether it’s staying connected with our businesses or classrooms, streaming episodes that fuel our binge-watching sessions or checking travel sites for that long-delayed vacation, the huge amounts of data that we capture through our devices seem unimaginable if not for the impact on our daily lives.

FINAL MILE PROJECT

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The extent to which technology can effectively deny a child access to an education has expanded exponentially over the last few years. The Final Mile Project aims to establish patterns of service that will overcome the deficit and create a more interconnected world to those in rural Arizona.

Program brings the world closer and faster to rural students in Arizona

BY DON RODRIGUEZ

Imagine someone telling you that your gateway to anyplace in the world was only a mile away from your home. No packing to do or flights to book. You just have to make that final mile.

For some students in rural Arizona, this scenario is similar to their getting the opportunity to quickly connect through the internet with the rest of the globe.

They are beneficiaries of the Final Mile Project, which gets its name from students being able to connect a relatively short distance to their schools and benefit from being served by high-speed fiber networks.

The program brings internet equity to rural students and families who have either no home internet, slow internet or unaffordable internet.

It works to extend the broadband capacity provided to schools and libraries through the federal E-rate program to the homes of students by capitalizing on existing infrastructure.

The public-private effort allows internet service providers to offer high-speed internet to students and their families at an affordable cost. The project is spearheaded by the Arizona Rural Schools Association in association with the Arizona Business

and Education Coalition and the Arizona Association of County School Superintendents.

The Arizona Department of Education already has allocated $1.5 million to help support the project through federal relief and recovery funds that will link high-speed internet infrastructure to homes in geographically diverse areas.

As of early December, the school sites with progress so far included: • Pima Unified School District (Pima) and Holbrook Unified School District (Holbrook) – Fiber is available.

• Paloma Elementary School District (Gila Bend) – Fiber is at the school and capacity is available.

• Beaver Creek School District (Rimrock) – Fiber is approved and installation is slated for completion in June 2022.

There is still more to be done in order to serve more schools and students. To learn about support and other information on the program, visit www.finalmileproject.com/Home. n Don Rodriguez is the editor of TechConnect Magazine for the Arizona Technology Council.

TechConnect | WINTER 2022 | 05

LESSONS LEARNED

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Sun Corridor Network connects communities in expanded role

BY DON RODRIGUEZ “The Sun Corridor Network is Arizona’s gateway to the Internet2, which is the national research and education network.”

Lofty credentials for sure. As one of the founders in 2013, Derek Masseth speaks with pride as he describes what has grown to connect Arizona’s three state universities and other educational research partners to a far-flung community that includes over 1,400 universities, 800 community and vocational colleges, and 84,000 K-12 schools.

But Masseth—now Sun Corridor Network’s executive director— says those credentials more recently came down to the question being asked: “How do we enable Wi-Fi on buses?”

“I’m a big fan personally of learning about taking on the biggest challenges facing educators and finding pathways to leverage modern technologies against those challenges. That’s why I was drawn to take on the Sun Corridor full time,” says Masseth, whose journey started as founding architect while an information technology leader at The University of Arizona to board member to the technical director then ultimately his current role.

But Wi-Fi? On a bus? That’s a big challenge?

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was the curve ball that gave these questions a twist. The deeper issue was helping meet unforeseen needs related to Wi-Fi

06 | TechConnect | WINTER 2022

hotspots and distribution. The remedy was to park buses in communities and provide broadband service to students who didn’t have it.

“And so, we became a subset of the internet here in Arizona,” Masseth says. The pandemic “was an opportunity for us to demonstrate what we can do and how we how we might help schools and students and communities.”

No longer was the Sun Corridor Network just for the university crowd. “Many of the issues faced by schools and learners during the pandemic pushed us out of that comfort zone,” he says. “We became a bit of a trusted advisor because many of these issues are more complex and issues that a lot of schools had not encountered before.”

The entry into this new role came about because “our sweet spot is in helping educators use technology, specifically broadband technology,” Masseth says.

Prior to the pandemic, schools, administrators, school boards and even information technology directors at K-12 schools and some community colleges didn’t have a lot of exposure to broadband but they understood they needed to know more and that they needed to do something to connect their unconnected students.

Masseth’s organization is widely known for providing to eligible entities its Research and Education Connection Service that enables members to access Internet2 (I2), an ultra-high speed, national network

for research and educational purposes while also providing access to commercial internet service.

Sun Corridor Network is the approved Arizona regional connector for the I2 network. Subscribers can partner with one another as they access a national research and academic community, including leading science and technology entities that collaborate closely with I2.

Closer to home as Arizona wrestled with the pandemic, the need arose for people who could be trusted to guide and advise. Because of its knowledge and industry connections, Sun Corridor Network filled that role in a number of places while in some cases it ultimately delivered the service such as cellular-enabled mobile Wi-Fi and hotspots in buses parked in neighborhoods.

With Masseth spending most of his career serving education with a focus on technology, he knew the solutions were in bringing technology to bear against education’s complex needs. “The technology’s there for us to help,” he says.

And Masseth’s team was not alone in helping meet new types of challenges. “Things are happening with providers all over the state and that took an army to really deliver on what Arizona needs,” he says.

In turn, what the schools did with the technology was unheard of just a few years ago. One of the most memorable moments wasn’t even at the college level.

“Paradise Valley (School Distriict) has been the most creative in terms of making use of those kind of additional educational services that come along,” says Masseth, referring to student musicians gathering at Arizona State University’s Gammage Auditorium to perform with other young artists playing in another part of the country.

That is just an example of why an organization like the Sun Corridor Network even exists.

“It’s all about just creating opportunity for kids to learn and explore,” Masseth says.n Don Rodriguez is the editor of TechConnect Magazine for the Arizona Technology Council.

TechConnect | WINTER 2022 | 07

A TEAM EFFORT

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Arizona Broadband Stakeholder Network finds strength in numbers

BY DON RODRIGUEZ Jeff Sobotka had a challenge. He needed to spread the word about the Federal Communications Commission’s $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband Benefit, a program offering a $50 monthly subsidy to low-income consumers. And he wanted to do it quickly.

Sure, as vice president and state broadband director of the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), Sobotka had resources to let people know about the program.

But his goal was to find the most efficient means to connect with those who would benefit the most from the subsidy.

Enter the members of the Arizona Broadband Stakeholder Network, which was created to provide participants opportunities to collaborate on initiatives and strategies to accelerate deployment of fast, affordable and reliable broadband internet access in Arizona communities.

“When confronted with the task of rapidly publicizing this new federal program,” Sobotka says, “members acted as key outreach partners for the state, contacting municipal governments, nonprofits, K-12 districts and higher education institutions—all of which provided a means to contact and register to low-income consumers for this federal subsidy.”

This is just one example of what the Arizona Broadband Stakeholder Network (AZBSN) can do.

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When launched to serve communities in the state, its purpose was to use connections to enable education and train a workforce for the 21st century, create jobs and support economic development, enhance public safety and health care, and connect citizens to the world.

Without much fanfare, the group pursued its mission.

But the action really shifted into high gear about two years ago when COVID-19 hit. “We recognized that there were a lot of other more pressing needs,” says Steve Peters, AZBSN’s coordinator.

A suddenly changed world led to creation of the AZBSN COVID-19 Digital Access Task Force. And now about 300 people from different sectors are on the email list and 100 are engaged in various ways.

“It took COVID but it’s a good shot in the arm for the group,” Peters says.

Sobotka says the ACA had good reason to become involved. “AZBSN provides a means for the ACA to communicate state of Arizona broadband initiatives to individuals, carriers, communities and nonprofits who are involved in the broadband ecosystem,” he says.

Where results really can happen quickly are the Monday morning task force calls that have 40 to 60 participants representing economic development organizations, nonprofits, regional organizations and more getting a chance to get others up to speed.

When launched to serve communities in the state, the Arizona Broadband Stakeholder Network’s purpose was to use connections to enable education and train a workforce for the 21st century, create jobs and support economic development, enhance public safety and health care, and connect citizens to the world.

For example, Sobotka says, “The ACA provides an update on state and federal broadband funding programs, state-led broadband infrastructure projects and relevant legislation that advances broadband development.”

On a wider scale, the callers include “a lot of people who are partnering, working together who (previously) didn’t know other people existed, what people were doing, how they can collaborate and so forth,” Peters says. “So, that really has been the strength.”

With more people getting involved and the task force maturing, the group members have recognized what exists is “a much more complex problem than just providing internet access,” he says.

Peters is referring to the groups that have been caught short when it comes to digital equity. They include the seniors, low-income residents, people in housing projects and “all kinds of people out there who have no computers, or have them and connectivity but don’t really know how to use them,” he says. “A lot of people still think it’s just getting kids and schools connected. It’s much broader.”

Also needing support are businesses that have been limited to foot traffic in the past. “Many local businesses—particularly in Arizona’s rural communities—have not gone through the digital transformation process,” Peters says. “So many of

them don’t know about social media. They don’t have websites. They don’t know how to market online, and don’t take orders.”

The point is there is much still to do, especially when it comes to protection. “If we’re going to connect all these people, we also have to talk about cybersecurity,” he says.

Looking ahead, Peters says AZBSN’s leadership team already is starting to plan how to serve the state of Arizona beyond a task force created to respond to the pandemic. Sobotka already knows ACA will continue to be part of the conversation as everyone moves forward. “AZBSN will continue to be a key partner for the ACA as we roll out webinars to publicize the federal broadband funding available in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and other federal funding programs in 2022,” he says.

One of those programs already looking for applicants is the result of funding through the American Rescue Plan Act. The Arizona Broadband Development Grant Program in tandem with ABSN aims to advance broadband for all Arizona residents.

More information can be found online at: https://www.azcommerce.com/broadband/arizonabroadband-development-grant-program. n Don Rodriguez is the editor of TechConnect Magazine for the Arizona Technology Council.

TechConnect | WINTER 2022 | 09

FASTER, FASTER

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Freefall 5G antenna system picks up pace of data sharing

BY ALEX RODRIGUEZ Imagine a world in which blazing-fast 5G networks are truly ubiquitous.

People in rural areas and other broadband dead zones have the same access to the internet that their urban neighbors have long taken for granted. The capability of 5G has redefined mobile communications, benefiting users requiring true mobility, regardless of the environment or location.

That world is what many predict will become a reality over the next decade. Wall Street analysts estimate a $13 trillion global economic seismic shift will happen as we enter the bold new real-time, data-sharing economy at frequencies that nearly fully remove latency in data transmission.

Members of Arizona’s technology ecosystem inherently understand that data, along with its transmission and utilization, is the new gold rush. The infrastructure to enable that gold rush can be likened to the next railroad in the global data economy.

Transforming the transmission of data using today’s state-of-the-art infrastructure to make tomorrow’s global economic seismic shift possible is the mission of Tucson-based FreeFall 5G.

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FreeFall 5G was formed to commercialize the unique antenna innovations developed by Electronic Design and Development Corporation and FreeFall Aerospace.

Combined, these two entities developed a new low cost, low power, extremely low latency 360-degree high bandwidth solution branded as the FreeStar5G mmWave Advanced Antenna System.

Designed for high volume manufacturing, the unit contains no moving parts and delivers ultra-low latency. The system represents unique operating expense and capital expense opportunities for the wireless network.

The FreeStar5G mmWave Advanced Antenna System is simple to install and provides omni-directional beam-pointing in nanoseconds to support numerous use case requirements ranging from commercial 5G cellular networks to defense.

The small, lightweight, powerful and omni-directional mmWave antenna is only 23 inches tall, 27 inches in diameter and weighs less than 30 pounds with a range of more than 5,000 meters in every direction.

The 5G industry coalesced around phased-array technology years before any applications actually were tested in the field because the silicon providers were way out front. But once field deployments started being tested, it became dramatically clear that existing

solutions are complicated, power hungry, expensive and difficult to manage.

The FreeStar5G mmWave Advanced Antenna System will simplify and accelerate 5G mmWave deployments given that the solution is easier to build, easier to deploy, less expensive, less power hungry and extremely flexible.

After several years of research, development and investment, FreeFall 5G recently earned certification of the FreeStar5G antenna system by the Federal Communications Commission. With public safety standards in mind, the unit passed all Part 30 FCC standards through independent testing conducted by renowned wireless testing company Cetecom.

It’s rather ironic that an Arizona-based company took Arizona intellectual property, an Arizona designed prototype and its know-how to Silicon Valley, where Cetecom’s EMC labs are based. It’s living proof that game-changing technical advancements are being developed here in Arizona! n Alex Rodriguez is president and CEO of FreeFall 5G Inc. See the company’s 5G antenna system in action at www.FreeFall5G.com.

TechConnect | WINTER 2022 | 11

BANKING ON BROADBAND

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Efforts underway to build rural Arizona’s information superhighway

Across the country, a 21st century divide separates those with high-speed internet from those without.

The pandemic highlighted this divide and its serious consequences.

Remote learning isn’t possible without reliable internet access, and many families found themselves abandoned and isolated as public services shut down. A recent McKinsey report shows a widening learning gap among disadvantaged students, with concerns about mental health support and absenteeism on the rise.

For Arizona, leaders have made bridging the broadband divide a top priority, even before COVID. Now, those efforts are being redoubled.

In November 2021, Gov. Doug Ducey announced a $100 million investment to expand high-speed broadband to unserved or underserved areas of the state. “Today’s historic investment will build on the progress of recent years to get even more schools, businesses, tribal communities and homes connected, opening up more opportunities for services like telemedicine and digital learning,” Ducey stated.

The funding represents one of the single largest broadband investments in state history.

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“These investments will be a game changer for our state, accelerating economic growth and improving the lives of thousands who lack access to reliable internet,” says Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA).

The $100 million initiative is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act and will be distributed through the Arizona Broadband Development Grant Program.

Broadband service providers, local governments, Native American tribes, schools, libraries and more in rural and urban Arizona are eligible to apply.

“This investment provides educational and economic development opportunities students and communities deserve,” says Wes Brownfield, executive director of the Arizona Rural Schools Association and board member of The Final Mile Project.

The expansive initiative represents just the latest effort to expand broadband access in Arizona. In 2019, the ACA established a statewide Broadband Office to facilitate the deployment of broadband infrastructure, coordinate grant applications and broker partnerships between communities and providers.

Arizona also allocated $3 million in 2019 to improve rural internet access, establishing the Rural Broadband Development Grant Program. Projects funded

In today’s fast-paced world, the internet is part of everyday life. Working remotely, attending virtual classes, reading the news or purchasing something online are all made possible because of access to reliable internet. For many Americans, however, those modern amenities remain out of reach.

included enabling the construction of a new commercial broadband line to Payson, partnering with Mohave Electric Cooperative to extend fiber to 35,000 members in Mohave County and funding the installation of 15 miles of broadband fiber in Page.

State government has adopted an all-hands-on-deck approach to connecting rural communities. The Arizona State Land Department streamlined the process for issuing permits to install broadband fiber on trust lands. Likewise, the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is building out “Smart Highway Corridors,” an initiative announced by the governor in his 2019 State of the State address.

The program envisions building broadband conduit along rural Arizona interstates, with ADOT installing the first tranche in October 2021 along a 46-mile stretch of Interstate 17 from Flagstaff to Sedona. The enhanced conduit helps accelerate “middle-mile” connectivity, enabling providers to step in and deliver fiber-optic cables connecting urban hubs and rural communities.

The governor also worked with lawmakers in 2021 on the passage of legislation requiring state-regulated health insurance plans to cover telehealth services.

The bill makes permanent the provisions of an

executive order issued during the height of the pandemic—and illustrates the need to provide robust broadband service to all corners of the state.

“Connectivity is key, especially as more people work from home and rely on quality broadband,” says state Rep. Regina Cobb of Kingman, the bill’s sponsor.

Millions of Arizonans already enjoy the benefits that broadband delivers, from being able to stream movies around the clock to meeting with a health care provider on short notice. Arizona’s proactive broadband initiatives are designed to ensure all residents of the Grand Canyon State share in these benefits.

“Reliable, high-speed internet is crucial for business, health care, public safety, education and economic development,” Ducey says. “The broadband investments from our budget will decrease the cost of commercial broadband development and accelerate high-speed connectivity to our rural communities.

This ensures that more Arizonans can connect to the digital tools that have become so essential.”

Increasingly, reliable internet is becoming as essential as amenities like electricity or water. Arizona’s innovative broadband policies demonstrate how states can lead proactively to close the digital divide for good. n

TechConnect | WINTER 2022 | 13

now, that’s an roi

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TGen’s annual economic impact exceeds a half-billion dollars

BY STEVE YOZWIAK Reflecting the most substantial growth since its launch nearly two decades ago, a new report shows the total annual economic impact on Arizona by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) now exceeds a half-billion dollars.

TGen’s 2020 operational research activities alone provided a total annual economic impact on Arizona of $426 million—a more than 300% increase from 2017. Including TGen’s business spinoffs and commercialization of its research technologies brings that total to $658 million.

Pittsburgh-based international consulting firm Tripp Umbach produced the report “Promises Realized: The Economic and Social Impact of TGen on the State of Arizona.” The firm produced similar reports for TGen in 2006, 2009, 2011, 2015 and 2018 but noted that TGen’s growth in this most recent report was among the greatest it has seen in three decades of measuring economic impact nationally.

“TGen has seen extraordinary growth in recent years, leading to the betterment and diversity of the Arizona economy, which was one of the original goals TGen set out to achieve,” says Paul Umbach, founder and president of Tripp Umbach. “Given TGen’s consistent and accelerating trajectory upward, we see no reason why TGen wouldn’t continue to improve going forward.”

He adds: “TGen’s growth is among the greatest increases we have witnessed over 1,000 projects spanning 30 years of measuring economic impact.”

Dr. Jeffrey Trent, TGen’s president and research director, put the findings of the report in perspective: “TGen plays an important role in the local and state economy but our progress is more importantly reflected in the precision-medicine-driven research that benefits patients, especially those in Arizona.”

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The study revealed that for every $1 invested by Arizona, TGen research operations returned $85.20 to the state. The addition of spin-off businesses and commercialization of its research technologies brings that total to $131.54 for every $1 invested. In terms of employment, full-time, highly compensated, knowledge-based jobs generated directly and indirectly

by TGen totaled 2,179, a 167% increase from 2017.

“TGen’s impact helps create jobs, support local and statewide businesses, and drive growth across the research and medical space, most recently in the areas of epidemiology and precision medicine,” says Tess Burleson, TGen’s chief operating officer and president of TGen Accelerators, which is responsible for commercializing TGen’s technologies.

The Tripp Umbach report, which covers economic and social impacts from July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021, also included these key findings:

Dr. Jeffrey Trent is president and research director of the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) . t • Full-time, highly compensated, knowledge-based jobs generated directly and indirectly by TGen totaled 2,179, more than 2½ times the 816 in 2017 and nearly 10 times the 220 in 2006.

• Including business spin-offs and research commercialization, the full-time equivalent jobs created by TGen were 4,073, nearly 2½ times the 1,635 in 2017 and nearly 19 times the 220 in 2006.

• Total annual tax revenue paid to the state’s general fund, including spin-off companies and research commercialization, was $33.1 million, more than tripling the $10 million in 2017 and more than 17 times the $1.9 million in 2006.

• Total direct and indirect annual economic impact of TGen operations, including spin-offs and research commercialization, totaled $657.7, more than triple the $199.2 million in 2017 and more than 30 times the $21.7 million in 2006.

Steve Yozwiak is the senior science writer for TGen. Get Connected at www.tgen.org.

TechConnect | WINTER 2022 | 15

BRIDGING THE DIVIDE

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BY KERRY BENNETT

Funded through a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the team is working with Pueblo communities in northern New Mexico to develop new platforms extending resources and internet connectivity.

NAU broadband solutions address digital Most Americans have 24/7 access to fast, easy and affordable internet connectivity—access that most of us take for granted.

Because internet providers haven’t invested in the infrastructure required to provide access in remote, rural regions, however, internet connectivity for thousands of Indigenous people living on tribal lands often is slow, unreliable or even nonexistent.

As a result, these populations are still on the wrong side of the so-called digital divide, resulting in their missing out on a wide range of educational, cultural and economic opportunities widely available to the rest of the country.

Through her research, assistant professor Morgan Vigil-Hayes of Northern Arizona University’s School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems has established a reputation for working with underrepresented populations to solve problems related to disparities in internet access and the resulting digital inequalities.

“The invisible ‘digital divide’ is persistent and acute,” says Vigil-Hayes. “Fewer than 40% of residents in rural tribal areas in the U.S. have access to fixed or mobile broadband. While the digital divide in these communities has existed since the introduction of telecommunications infrastructure, the consequences and rate of disenfranchisement increases as web technology becomes more advanced.”

Using her expertise in network analysis, Vigil-Hayes is designing and implementing community-centric networked systems that can operate in such resource-limited environments.

One of her most significant projects has been a three-year collaboration with computer scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

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More recently, with the pandemic adding another layer of complexity to the educational landscape for Indigenous communities in northern Arizona, she focused on expanding access to educational web content to students in the region through the NSF-funded CIVIC Innovation Challenge.

Partnering with the STAR School near Leupp, Vigil-Hayes developed software that enables students to engage with digital learning content at home even when connectivity is slow, intermittent or non-existent.

The Digital Backpack, or DigiPack, enables students’ mobile devices to automatically upload completed work or download new assignments while students have temporary access to the internet—for example, while visiting Wi-Fi hotspot locations—so they can focus on attending their remote classes or participating in interactive online activities with the limited bandwidth available at home.

“We’re trying to improve the remote-learning experience for these students,” she said.

Beyond the pandemic, she notes that students will still need to access take-home assignments, after-school learning activities and opportunities to mitigate learning loss over school breaks. She will continue to collaborate with partners and colleagues from NAU and other institutions to further develop the DigiPack solution.

What’s next? Vigil-Hayes’ newest project, funded through another NSF grant, will introduce Indigenous students in elementary schools to the positive social impact of computer science research. Along with Flagstaff Unified School District experts, Vigil-Hayes will design, implement and evaluate computer science curriculum for K-5 classrooms with significant Native student populations. n Kerry Bennett is a science writer for Northern Arizona University.

inequities in rural tribal communities

t

Morgan Vigil-Hayes of NAU’s School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems has established a reputation for working with underrepresented populations to solve problems related to disparities in internet access and the resulting digital inequalities.

TechConnect | WINTER 2022 | 17

WIDER WORLD OF WIRELESS Award enables research to develop next-generation technologies

BY JOE KULLMAN

In the early centuries of sailing the open seas, often the only navigation tool was the human eye. Ships’ crews found their way by coordinating their paths based on observing the positions of the constellations of stars and planets in the sky.

Communications back then were equally old school.

If ships were too far apart for crews to shout at each other, they would wave flags in specific patterns to convey simple messages.

Today, navigation, communications, ranging and nearly all operations of both seagoing vessels and airborne transportation are performed with advanced technologies that could scarcely be imagined only several generations ago.

Now some of the most advanced communication, sensing, detection, signaling, course-setting and safety and emergency backup systems—all fully automated and computerized—are standard equipment. Still, the demands of the modern world continue to generate new applications to provide even more enhanced capabilities for our high-tech modes of connectivity and security.

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That’s why there is keen interest in the research being conducted in facilities such as the MTP Lab at Arizona State University directed by Saeed Zeinolabedinzadeh, an electrical and computer engineer and assistant professor in Arizona State University’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering.

His lab’s name is an acronym for millimeter-wave, terahertz and photonic integrated circuits. The lab is where researchers focus on designing high-speed integrated circuits (semiconductor chips) and systems operating at various electromagnetic frequency bands ranging from millimeter-wave frequencies to optical frequencies.

Chips that are only a few millimeters in size and less than 1 gram in weight can perform high-speed communication and high-accuracy sensing and ranging with the precision required for today’s high-tech applications such as 5G communications, vehicle-to-vehicle communications, autonomous vehicles, wireless imaging and space missions.

t

Zeinolabedinzadeh’s research focuses on the development of advanced microchip radio frequency, millimeter-wave and terahertz high-speed integrated circuits.

Photographer: Erika Gronek/ASU “Our goal in this project is to realize cooperative arrays of radio transceivers with electronic beamforming capability with enhanced operation range, improved spatial coverage, enhanced real time awareness and resilience to interference while significantly reducing the cost and weight by utilizing microelectronics technologies.”

Zeinolabedinzadeh’s range of expertise and progress in these critical areas of research has most recently earned him a prestigious Young Investigator Award from the Office of Naval Research (ONR).

SAEED ZEINOLABEDINZADEH Professor at ASU’s School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering

The program’s primary objective is spurring innovation in fundamental science for navigation and communications technologies to produce the next generation of highly reliable systems with enhanced precision and reduced size.

The world we live in, Zeinolabedinzadeh says, is equipped with advanced technologies from the Internet of Things to communications and autonomous vehicles, all utilizing wireless transceiver systems with semiconductor chips built at the heart of those systems.

Other circuits and systems produced by the MTP Lab are designed for use in harsh environments such as space, where there can be high radiation intensity and wide temperature variation. The lab is currently developing advanced terahertz spectrometer technology for use by NASA.

The award will provide $510,000 to support his lab’s research in areas with the potential to advance the goals of the ONR’s Precision Navigation and Timekeeping program.

“The proposed systems can mitigate the effects of interferers, jammers and blockers that can otherwise interrupt the operation of communication systems,” he says.

His lab’s earlier projects have yielded notable breakthroughs in developing fully integrated millimeter wave and terahertz transceiver and transceiver array systems with robust transmission and electronic beamforming capability with extremely reduced size, weight and power consumption critical for portable applications.

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The microelectronic integrated circuits involved in that process are small chips capable of speedily transmitting many gigabytes of data—an advancement that enabled wireless technologies that have brought us today’s powerful 5G and WiFi telecommunications technologies, Zeinolabedinzadeh says.

He and his lab team are delving into these same areas in their efforts for the ONR, as well as into ways to improve high-precision time transfer for communication and ranging devices in research that is supported by a Young Faculty Award Zeinolabedinzadeh received in 2020 from the U.S. Department of Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, which is better known as DARPA.

The Young Investigator Award will fund efforts to pursue advances that enhance the capabilities of communications, sensing, ranging and navigation systems and networks critical for modern connected systems and national security.

For the ONR project, the end product will be an array of chip-scale transceivers working together for improved communication, spatial coverage, real-time awareness and highly reliable, uninterruptible signal communication that overcomes limitations in existing technology while providing a cost-effective solution with reduced size.

The project also will provide opportunities for Fulton Schools graduate students to work on the advanced topics from theorizing, analysis, modeling, design, simulation, implementation and characterization of the high-frequency chips similar to those found in 5G and WiFi systems.

“This award provides unique opportunities to advance our research goals at ASU to achieve breakthrough innovations that can significantly enhance the performance of next-generation wireless systems for improved precision, enhanced security, robustness and faster connectivity,” Zeinolabedinzadeh says. n Joe Kullman is a science writer for the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering.

20 | TechConnect | WINTER 2022

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INNOVATIVE INDIVIDUALS

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3 UArizona faculty named fellows of National Academy of Inventors

BY PAUL TUMARKIN Three University of Arizona inventors have been selected as fellows of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI).

The NAI Fellows Program highlights academic inventors who have demonstrated a spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society.

Election to NAI fellow is the highest professional distinction accorded solely to academic inventors.

The university’s new fellows are Liesl Folks, UArizona’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost; Terry Matsunaga, professor of medical imaging at the College of Medicine in Tucson; and Mark Van Dyke, associate dean of research and professor of biomedical engineering at the College of Engineering.

“Invention, technology transfer and commercialization are a cornerstone of the university’s research enterprise, not in small part because this is one of the most direct ways in which we’re able to have an impact on the lives of real people,” says Elizabeth “Betsy” Cantwell, senior vice president of research and innovation.

“I am thrilled that Drs. Matsunaga, Van Dyke, and Folks have received richly deserved recognition and fellowships from the NAI for their contributions to science and society.”

“Recent years have shown us—maybe more than any other time in recent memory—the immeasurable impact inventors can have on making a better world for all,” says Doug Hockstad, assistant vice president of Tech Launch Arizona, the UArizona office that commercializes inventions stemming from research.

“My wish is that the spirit and drive of these three extraordinary faculty serve as a model for the many, many more innovators in our community whose work has the potential to address the challenges we face.”

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Innovating Miniaturized Magnets

Prior to her academic leadership positions, Liesl Folks had a long and successful career in industry innovation and research leadership. She holds the rank of professor in the university’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering. Building on her 16-year career in research and development working for companies like IBM and Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (HGST), she grew to become an internationally recognized expert in magnetic materials and devices, nanoscale metrology, and spin-electronic devices.

Folks holds 14 U.S. patents and has authored more than 60 peer-reviewed papers. Her patents span technologies ranging from 3D memory arrays to EMR sensors to patterned magnetic recording media and more. Her work contributed to the optimization of miniaturized magnets that are used today in motors, cellphones, headphones, field sensors and more.

She has transitioned from industry and research into her role as a leader in higher education, and as such has been a university champion for innovation, invention, and entrepreneurship while creating and supporting academic programs to encourage students of all levels to problem solve with impact as the goal.

“I am deeply honored to be recognized as a fellow of the NAI, and hope to continue to support others to pursue innovation and entrepreneurship at all stages of their careers,” Folks says. “We urgently need creative and effective approaches to improving the wellbeing of people across the world and securing a healthy environment—tasks that urgently require cross-disciplinary innovations.”

Microbubbles for Heart Problem Diagnosis

Terry Matsunaga is a research professor of radiology, as well as an adjunct professor of biomedical engineering in UArizona’s College of Engineering.

His research focuses on using microbubble technology for cancer imaging and drug and gene delivery.

As an inventor, he developed DefinityTM microbubbles, a 1-5 micron microbubble technology using perfluorocarbons that can be injected during an echocardiogram to help diagnose or find problems in the heart. He was a principal in translating what became known as Perflutren microspheres into Phase I clinical trials, which culminated in the first human studies of the new intravascular ultrasound contrast agent MRX-115.

Matsunaga is listed on 17 patent applications and is an inventor on 23 issued patents. His inventions have been licensed to two startups: Nanosonic Bioreagents, specializing in manufacturing unique chemical analysis mixtures with applications in medical imaging, clinical therapy, chemotherapy and ablation therapy; and Triangle Biotechnology, specializing in developing technologies that enable efficient acoustic processing of biological samples for next-generation sequencing and epigenetic assays.

“It is indeed an honor for myself, my family, my department for supporting me throughout, and all those students and colleagues who were there to turn those ideas into realities,” says Matsunaga. “I am also very thankful to all at The University of Arizona for giving me the opportunity to spawn research creativity that has led to this award. Frankly, it is they who deserve all the credit.”

Solutions for Wound Treatment

With a career spanning both industry and academia, Mark Van Dyke holds a deep commitment to discovery and innovation, as well as a dedication to seeing inventive ideas make their way forward to creating impact. His research has led to significant contributions in tissue engineering and trauma treatment, introducing the use of keratin-based biomaterials as treatments for burns, hemorrhage, bone healing, and peripheral nerve repair.

He has 40 issued U.S. patents, more than 160 scientific publications, and multiple books and chapters that bear his name. He has been honored with multiple awards and fellowships and has co-founded three

LIESL FOLKS

Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost

startups with more than $70 million in annual revenue and more than 50 employees. Of his 40 patents, 30 have been either assigned or licensed, and his innovations have resulted in five impactful products, including novel dressings, gels and creams for wound care.

“I am especially honored to receive this distinction because NAI acknowledges not only the quantity of an inventor’s work but, importantly, the translation and impact,” says Van Dyke. “I look forward to serving in the role of NIA fellow and to helping support the U.S. innovation enterprise.”

The 2021 fellow class hails from 116 different research universities and governmental and non-profit research institutes worldwide. They collectively hold more than 4,800 issued U.S. patents. Among the new class of fellows are 33 members of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, and three Nobel Laureates, as well as other honors and distinctions. Their collective body of research and entrepreneurship covers a broad range of scientific disciplines involved with technology transfer of their inventions for the benefit of society.

This year’s class also reflects NAI’s dedicated efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in its membership, with the addition of three outstanding academic female Black inventors. The 2021 new fellows will be inducted at the Fellows Induction Ceremony at the 11th Annual Meeting of the National Academy of Inventors in June in Phoenix. n Paul Tumarkin is assistant director, marketing and communications at Tech Launch Arizona.

TERRY MATSUNAGA

Professor of Medical Imaging at the College of Medicine

MARK VAN DYKE

Associate Dean of Research, Biomedical Engineering Professor

NEW MEMBERS

To join the Arizona Technology Council, a member-supported group representing the interests of the state’s technology ecosystem, visit www.aztechcouncil.org.

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Its only compensation is a share of the savings identified for clients. schooleymitchell.com/lefernandez Sydor Technologies is a global leader providing complex measurement solutions that generate critical results for the world’s most advanced applications in the defense, energy and ballistics industries. www.sydortechnologies.com Traversant Group solves the government issues that keep you up at night. It figures out the right strategy and message to get you in front of the right people at the right time. traversantgroup.com Vound Software is a leading global vendor of technology used for forensic search, e-discovery and information governance. www.vound-software.com Westwind is a value-added reseller and provider of IT products and services to the federal government and commercial agencies. www.wwcpinc.com Winsor Consulting Group is a leading managed IT and cybersecurity services provider offering support for organizations in the Midwest and Arizona. winsorconsulting.com Zendesk is a service-first CRM company that builds software designed to improve customer relationships. zendesk.com/government

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The Marketing Tech Summit is an opportunity for sharing current advances in implementation of communication technology in development of marketing communications.

MarTech Summit MARCH 9

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