Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey was in Tucson last week to tour the Arizona supersonic wind tunnel with UArizona President Bobby Robbins, Raytheon Missiles and Defense President Wes Kremer, and several members of the university鈥檚 Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering program. The governor also participated in a roundtable on workforce development.

Visiting southern Arizona for the 93rd time since taking office in January 2015, Ducey stressed the importance of the state鈥檚 robust university system and innovative job creators in forging a competitive economy.

鈥淓ducators and workforce leaders across the state do incredible work to help Arizonans find meaningful work and ensure our small businesses can succeed,鈥� Ducey .

UArizona鈥檚 supersonic wind tunnel project is set to benefit from a $3.5 million investment in the fiscal year 2022 state budget proposal, improving wind tunnel infrastructure and expanding the ability of students to interact with and work on the wind tunnel.

鈥淚 would think not only what we’re seeing is critical to the future of our economy, it’s critical to the future of our national defense,鈥� Ducey .

The supersonic wind tunnel is to test 鈥渉ow hypersonic technologies respond under specific conditions, such as speeds and attacks.鈥�

UArizona is working with Raytheon to advance the project.

Following his tour of UArizona鈥檚 campus, Gov. Ducey led a roundtable on workforce development alongside key stakeholders. In addition to Robbins and Kremer, attendees included:

• Dr. David Hahn, Craig M. Berge Dean, UArizona鈥檚 College of Engineering;
• Ted Maxwell, President of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council; 
• Kathy Prather, Superintendent and CEO of Pima JTED; 
• Lee Lambert, Chancellor of Pima Community College; 
• Steve Holmes, Superintendent of Sunnyside Unified School District;
• Kate Hoffman, Founder and CEO of Earn to Learn.

The group discussed how the state government, local governments, public-private partnerships, universities, and the private sector could collaborate to expand career opportunities in the state. Gov. Ducey made supporting small businesses a priority.

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Arizona鈥檚 three public universities made a promise to citizens a year ago to raise the state鈥檚 competitive standing and per capita income through an ambitious initiative called the 鈥淣ew Economy Initiative: Enhancing Arizona鈥檚 Competitiveness.鈥�

Though Arizona has seen incredible population growth and industry growth in certain sectors, the state lags behind the nation when it comes to personal income and discretionary spending, said Michael Crow, president of the state鈥檚 largest university, Arizona State University (ASU).

鈥淎rizona is seeing economic growth, does have a stable economy, is attracting a lot of things to the state,鈥� Crow said during Morning Scoop with the Arizona Capitol Times last week. 鈥淏ut on a per capita basis we鈥檙e creating mostly low wage jobs and they are difficult to build economic wealth around.鈥� 

ASU sponsored the virtual event to speak with the business community audience about the technology-centered initiative and what鈥檚 ahead. The three main objectives are to: 

• Create a skilled workforce that stays in Arizona
• Attract major research funding to bring new industry here
• Close achievement gaps to better prepare Arizona students for higher skilled, technology-based jobs 

Arizona lags behind states like Texas, Colorado, Utah and Washington

The ultimate goal is to position Arizona alongside western states like Texas, Colorado, Utah and Washington that have made vast investments in the new technology-based economy. 

In turn, they have benefited 鈥渢housandfold,鈥� Crow said. They are all outperforming Arizona and the nation in per capita income and GDP. 

Colorado, for instance, has a 25 percent higher per capita income. That generates more revenue for the state to invest in things like low-income communities and public infrastructure. 

Texas, which does not have a state income tax, has invested billions of dollars in education, research and infrastructure to . Today, it is one of the most competitive states in the U.S, Crow said. It鈥檚 $1.6 trillion economy is roughly the same size as the economy of Russia. 

Expanding ASU engineering school into leading talent powerhouse 

Crow detailed some of the efforts ASU is engaging in to achieve the initiative鈥檚 goal to create workforce pipelines for fast growing sectors like advanced manufacturing, information technology, health care, business services, and energy that are education-intensive and demand both knowledge-based and applied skills.

To that end, ASU is embarking on a major expansion of its nationally renowned . The expansion includes the construction of five Science and Technology Centers (STC) that will bring together faculty and industry leaders to identify specific workforce needs, develop training programs and create long-term partnerships. They will also be research hubs for industry to work with faculty and students to grow ideas from bench to market.

鈥淲e鈥檙e already seeing companies coming, staying, being built here and born here,鈥� Crow said. 鈥淲hat we want to do is accelerate that around these specific areas with a focus on engineering.鈥� 

Each will focus on a different industry:

Energy and Materials STC will be a national research resource for advancing new energy materials and device technologies to market, growing industry engagement and workforce training.

Human Performance STC will capitalize on regional strength and technology opportunities to enhance physical and cognitive performance, medical prevention and intervention and drive research from discovery to marketplace.

Extreme Environments STC will focus on management and technology opportunities associated with growing population centers; research outcomes to engineer resiliency into the energy, water, materials and transportation systems in the built environment of future cities and regions.

Advanced Manufacturing STC for the development of new technologies aimed at transforming manufacturing through 3D printing, robotics and automation, and new materials with strong links to private industry support in aerospace, defense and space systems.

Future Communication Technologies STC will drive ASU and the region to the forefront of physical information systems as the 鈥渋nternet of things鈥� continues to develop, and as users increasingly desire greater access, information, reliability, and communications diversity. 

These centers will add to Arizona鈥檚 existing two applied research centers focused on industry-led research 鈥� one for WearTech, the other for Blockchain. 

This expansion will position Phoenix and Arizona as one of the leading global engineering centers in the world, Crow said.

Universities requesting $165 million with emphasis on workforce development 

The Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR), is asking the state Legislature to commit $165 million for the initiative. About $65 million would be for hiring and training more teachers, increasing student enrollment, expanding programs and degrees in different regions, and attracting more research funding. 

The bulk of the money — $100 million — would be for workforce development. Of that, $46 million would be 鈥渟eed money鈥� for the of the Ira A. Fulton engineering schools. Private investment would pay for the rest. 

The addition of the five new Science and Technology Centers are projected to attract more than 250 new industrial partners and empower global projection capabilities to drive engineering linkages around the world.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a catalyst investment. It’s a small investment in the overall scheme of things,鈥� said Crow, who鈥檚 entrepreneurial approach brought in $671 million in research dollars to the university in 2019.  

The University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University will similarly leverage the New Economy initiative to expand and enhance areas of expertise at those schools to produce graduates in areas of high demand. NAU will place special focus on the healthcare field and bolstering the state鈥檚 talent pipeline, while UArizona will focus on space and defense, health sciences and mining.

Widespread support from business, economic development groups 

There is widespread support for the initiative from economic development and business groups including the Arizona 小红帽直播app of Commerce & Industry, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, and the East Valley Partnership as well as Governor Doug Ducey and other state leaders.

Arizona 小红帽直播app President and CEO Glenn Hamer praised the universities for their futuristic vision in creating a sound business plan for the state.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty in today’s world. What is certain is that if we get The New Economy Initiative funded, Arizona’s GDP will increase considerably over what would be the case if this initiative did not exist,鈥� Hamer said. 鈥淲e know education attainment is directly tied to a state鈥檚 economic health and we would strongly urge our Legislature to seriously consider this initiative.鈥� 

Read more about the initiative at:

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In a first-of-its-kind test, Boeing and the University of Arizona determined that airlines鈥� current cleaning solutions and technologies effectively destroy the virus that causes COVID-19.  

An analysis of more than 1 billion passengers also shows that it鈥檚 almost impossible to catch the virus on an airplane if precautions are taken such as masking, HEPA air filtering, and regular sanitizing with cleaning technologies, Boeing officials said.  

鈥淪ince the pandemic began, about 1.3 billion people have flown somewhere within the commercial air transportation system. We can track and verify less than 50 cases of coronavirus transmission during those journeys,鈥� Boeing鈥檚 director of marketing, Tom Sanderson, said Wednesday at a virtual press conference. 鈥淲e know the data tells us that people are not contracting the coronvirus at any significant rate throughout the travel journey.鈥�

First live-virus testing on a passenger plane

The testing and analysis is part of the aerospace company鈥檚 Confident Travel Initiative (CTI) to enhance the safety and well-being of passengers, flight staff and ground crews during the pandemic.

鈥淲e want to help restore confidence to passengers and the flight crew,鈥� Sanderson said. 

Boeing, which has major operations throughout Arizona including Tucson and Mesa, partnered with the university鈥檚 Department of Environmental Sciences to test cleaning technologies for the first time on a live virus on an unboarded plane. 

鈥淲hile these cleaning solutions had been tested in other environments, an airplane behaves differently. It was critical for us to evaluate and confirm the chemicals and techniques we recommend for our customers鈥� use are effective and battle-tested,鈥� said Mike Delaney, who leads Boeing’s CTI efforts. 鈥淏y working with the University of Arizona, we were able to employ their world-renowned expertise in virology to do exactly that.鈥�

Several technologies proved effective 

To carry out the test, a live virus called MS2 was applied to more than 230 high-touch surfaces including seat tray tables, arm rests, seat cushions, stowage bins, and lavatory and galley surfaces. MS2 is harmless to humans but more resistant than COVID-19, also known as SARS-CoV-2. 

Technicians then disinfected the plane through several technologies. Chemical disinfectants were applied through two means: manual wiping and with an electrostatic sprayer that sprays liquid disinfectant. Ultra violet wands that destroy germs and antimicrobial coatings that halt the growth of disease also were used. 

All proved to be effective. 

鈥淲e confirmed that the probability of getting infected is close to zero using these techniques,鈥� said UArizona Professor Charles Gerba, widely known as 鈥淒r. Germ,鈥� one of the world’s leading microbiologists and experts on infectious diseases. 

鈥淭his study allowed us to test and validate, for the first time, that disinfecting solutions kill SARS-CoV-2 on an airplane,鈥� Gerba said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to recognize we鈥檙e not only talking about SARS-CoV-2, but also other viruses and microorganisms.鈥� 

HEPA air filters and air flow protect passengers, too

In addition to the disinfectant cleaning, current airplane filtering systems also protect passengers from disease, Sanderson said. 

HEPA air filters remove particles the size of the COVID-19 virus. Airflow within the cabin forces air downward instead of sideways or fore-and-aft and the air exchange rate is high, rolling over every two or three minutes. 

Boeing engineers and the UofArizona researchers said they are continuing to test recommended cleaning methods and technologies to protect travelers and crew including thermal disinfectant, touchless technologies and a self-cleaning lavatory. 

Getting travelers back to the skies safely is the ultimate goal, Sanderson said. 

Boeing is world鈥檚 largest aerospace company 

Boeing is the world鈥檚 largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As the top U.S. exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries and leverages the talents of a global supplier base.

For more information about the company, go to: .  

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Arizona is positioned for a faster economic recovery than the rest of the nation, and with some strategic moves on the part of state policymakers and citizens, it should jump back to a leading spot within next year or so, according to local economists.  

鈥淲e have the chance for this to be one of the best decades ever, but it鈥檚 going to take more work to be in the top five again in terms of economic activity,鈥� said Jim Rounds, president of Rounds Consulting Group, Inc. that advises both public and private sector entities on matters of policy and economics. 

Rounds recently spoke to 小红帽直播app about why the state economy is outshining the nation and what is needed to keep that momentum going.  

University of Arizona economist George Hammond, featured in a recent Arizona 小红帽直播app of Commerce & Industry , says the most important step moving forward is for Arizonans to stay masked, socially distanced and sanitized. Hammond directs the university鈥檚 Economic and Business Research Center at the Eller College of Management. 

鈥淚f we can avoid a significant surge in the outbreak as we go through the fall and winter months, I think we鈥檒l continue on a gradual recovery trajectory like a Nike Swoosh type recovery, getting us back to where we were before the pandemic by mid 2021 or in the second half,鈥� he said. 

Tough lessons from Great Recession

Prior to the pandemic, Arizona ranked in the top five in the nation for personal income growth, job growth, population growth and overall economic activity. Much of that growth was due to policy decisions made after Arizona鈥檚 economy tanked during the Great  Recession of 2008, both economists said. 

In clawing its way back, the state put several economic pillars in place. One was Governor Doug Ducey鈥檚 $1 billion rainy day fund that has proven its worth during the pandemic.  

The state鈥檚 competitive tax rates, business-friendly regulatory environment and investment in workforce training and education also have helped put Arizona in a better position than other states, Rounds said.  

Arizona jobs鈥� picture better than nation

Currently, Arizona is No. 3 in the country in terms of jobs growth. 

Arizona鈥檚 healthier data is in part due to it being one of the fastest growing states before COVID-19 hit. Industries like construction and remote retail have stayed strong. Gov. Ducey鈥檚 early and gradual reopening of the economy also contributed to jobs and economic growth, Hammond said. 

Personal income bolstered by federal lifelines 

Personal income also got a boost from the bipartisan CARES Act passed by the U.S. Congress in late March to help keep Americans and businesses afloat during the coronavirus shutdowns. 

These lifeline programs have helped families pay their bills and put food on the table, Hammond said. 

In the first few months of the pandemic, CARES Act programs pumped more than $17 billion into the state鈥檚 economy including:

• Increased unemployment benefits: Unemployment compensation recipients in Arizona received an extra $600 tacked on to their weekly benefit of $240 for up to two months. That injected about $8.2 billion into the state, amounting to about 2.4 percent of the state鈥檚 total personal income last year.  
• The federal Paycheck Protection Program: The program, which provides grants to small businesses to keep employees on the payroll and pay company operating expenses, injected $7 billion into the economy early in the pandemic, representing about 2.1 percent of personal income in 2019. 
• Recovery rebates:  Rebates provided another $2 billion to citizens in the state.
• 鈥淪o somewhere north of 5 percent of Arizona鈥檚 personal income last year was injected into Arizona鈥檚 personal income in just a couple of months,鈥� Hammond said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 had a significant impact in our ability to deal with the pandemic so far.鈥�

Strategy for moving forward 

A state economic jobs package would be a good step forward to help reskill society, Rounds said. 

鈥淲e need to focus on high wage job creation and high tech and make sure universities are supported because they are going to be a supplier of this high wage workforce,鈥� he said. 

Another measure that could stimulate recovery would be state assistance for the tourism industry, the hardest hit large sector, Rounds said.  

Currently, the tourism industry is down about 45,000 jobs. Additional state funding of $10 million a year could do a lot to stop other states from 鈥渟tealing that pent up demand for tourism activity from under us,鈥� Rounds said.

Meanwhile, state policymakers will have to work 鈥渧ery hard鈥� to pull Arizona out of this downturn, Rounds said.  

鈥淭he concern now is, can we continue the momentum into the recovery? I think we can. People forget, we always outperform the U.S.

鈥淲hen times are good we do better than the U.S. When times are bad, we鈥檙e even better.鈥�

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Rocking the retro NASA 鈥溾�� logo and a SpaceX emblem, astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken’s state-of-the-art spacecraft sits on the launchpad at Kennedy Space Flight Center in southern Florida. Passengers and pilots of the Dragon capsule, designed and produced by Elon Musk鈥檚 SpaceX, the two astronauts will be the first Americans to launch into orbit (and dock with the International Space Station) from American soil since the termination of the Space Shuttle program in 2011.

This marks the first crewed spaceflight to be completed by SpaceX. But, as Musk and NASA will remind you, this is far from the last. This launch will serve as the 鈥渓ighting of the candle鈥� for a new age of American space dominance, spearheaded by robust public-private partnerships and a renewed public interest in space exploration.

Jim Bridenstine, the current administrator of NASA, that these sorts of endeavors can bring people together. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not going to just unite Republicans and Democrats, it鈥檚 going to unite the world.鈥�

Beyond the morale-boosting impact of a reinvigorated space program and launches such as Saturday鈥檚, the new era of American space ascendancy will massively contribute to the U.S. economy. With the promise of incorporating private enterprises such as SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, Boeing, and more into this grand undertaking, the positive economic impact will extend far beyond federal subsidy.

Economic impact

Investments in NASA and private ventures related to the space domain stimulate growth and .

As and Congress allocates larger amounts to NASA and the newly founded United States Space Force, the impacts will go a lot further than the multiplier effect. Following President Kennedy鈥檚 declaration that 鈥渨e shall go to the moon,鈥� the United States led the world with unparalleled ingenuity in innovation and technological prowess. Today, despite still being on top of the world, nations such as China are beginning to catch up. Now, we have an opportunity to lift ourselves up once again and accelerate stagnating growth and productivity through forward-looking approaches to the world of tomorrow.

The CEO of Space Angels, a New York investment firm, that private space companies 鈥渁re graduating and going from concept to scale.鈥� Federal and state leaders have taken notice, and the bureaucracy is reacting beneficially to an insurgent market demand for big ideas and bold approaches.

Evidenced by Saturday鈥檚 historic launch, time will tell if our leaders use this as a springboard or let the opportunity pass. For Musk, current NASA leadership, scientists, economists, and foreign policy junkies the world-across, there is no question 鈥� Saturday is the day that we 鈥渓ight the candle.鈥�

Arizona鈥檚 role

Though not an ideal location for space launches, the Grand Canyon State has a key role to play in shaping the economy of the future. Prior to Apollo 11, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong took their first steps on a slightly less foreign surface : Cinder Lake Crater Field right here in Arizona.

Mining companies such as Freeport McMoran provide key minerals and metals needed to build everything from spaceships to launchpads. Aerospace companies like Honeywell, Boeing, and Raytheon have already started to adapt and expand into the final frontier with innovative designs. Every single industry has a place in this new economy, and the pie can only grow larger.

Arizona State University鈥檚 School of Earth and Space Exploration has taken the lead on NASA鈥檚 which aims to launch in 2022 from the Kennedy Space Center and send an orbiter to a 鈥渦nique metal asteroid鈥� which appears to be 鈥渢he exposed nickel-iron core of an early planet.鈥� It will also fly by Mars along the way.

The University of Arizona has found an interest in the final frontier with its Space Observation, Exploration, and Innovation within the Office for Research, Discovery, and Innovation. In 2007, the Phoenix Mars Mission launched with the guidance of UArizona, and more recently they have been working on the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) which discovered water on Mars in 2015.

Northern Arizona University is home to a world-renowned Astronomy and Planetary Science department. They study everything from spacecraft missions, to planetary materials, to planetary formation, to astrobiology.

Arizona is at the forefront of innovation. As Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken launch into orbit from American soil Saturday, the significance of this moment cannot be lost on us. Our state has an integral role to play in the era of American space ascendancy to come, and it’s on leaders in the public and private sector to lead the charge.

Looking forward

A state founded by cowboys, mavericks, trailblazers, and pioneers; Arizona is uniquely prepared for the next age of exploration. Clear leadership from government and industry will come first, and that will be accomplished through legislators working to pass innovative and friendly regulatory reforms that boost investment in the state and lure private businesses that bring consumers and government contracts along with them.

Furthermore, the Governor and other statewide elected officials must send the message that 鈥淎rizona is open for business,鈥� and that it will be for decades to come. Thankfully, Governor Ducey has been a champion of business-friendly policies and pro-growth rhetoric.

The private industry, on the other hand, need not require guidance from politicians or pundits. Evidenced by the wild success of SpaceX and other innovative enterprises, it is abundantly clear that when government works with and not against American ingenuity, we witness extraordinarily positive outcomes.

Industry-specific policies spanning tax reform, licensing reform, subsidies, and more should also be on the table, but these remedies will come naturally as the economy booms and voters take notice.

President Kennedy reminded us all that we set goals, as Americans, 鈥渘ot because they are easy, but because they are hard.鈥� Commanding the next era of human space flight is no small task, but it is one that Americans up for.

The late and great Senator John McCain remarked that, 鈥淸Americans] never hide from history. We make history.鈥� Beginning this Saturday, we will embark on the mission of a generation: to carve out our legacy among the stars.

You can learn more about Saturday’s historic launch .

Joe Pitts is a government affairs intern for the Arizona 小红帽直播app of Commerce & Industry and a student at Arizona State University.

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Dr. Cecilia Rosales wears many hats at the University of Arizona: Professor of public health, interim associate dean of community engagement and outreach, and associate dean of Phoenix programs at the Phoenix Biomedical Campus.

Rosales also serves as co-chair of the Arizona-Mexico Commission鈥檚 Health Services Committee, offering her deep expertise in public health infrastructure on both sides of the border to help solve health disparities, educate students and develop a network of support for public health for Arizonans and Sonorans alike. Rosales sat down with 小红帽直播app to discuss the cross-border relationship and her role at the Arizona-Mexico Commission.

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The University of Arizona is addressing Arizona鈥檚 significant lack of primary care physicians, as well as the growing burden of student loan debt, by offering free tuition to medical students who agree to practice primary care.

To qualify for the scholarship, UArizona College of Medicine students in Tucson and Phoenix must agree to serve in a primary care role in a federally designated underserved community in Arizona for at least two continuous years, starting within six months of completing their residency.

Arizona only has enough primary care physicians to meet the needs of about 40 percent of its residents, and underserved areas are hit the hardest, according to UArizona.

鈥淓nsuring every Arizona resident, whether in rural communities or urban cities, has access to quality health care is a top priority for Arizona,鈥� said Gov. Doug Ducey.

The United States will face a shortage of nearly 122,000 physicians by 2032, according to the governor鈥檚 office.

鈥淭he University of Arizona Primary Care Physician Scholarship is another example of the innovative steps the state is taking to address this critical workforce shortage facing Arizona and the entire nation. My thanks to the University of Arizona as well as health care leaders and medical professionals across the state who continuously demonstrate their commitment to Arizona鈥檚 health care industry.鈥�

In May, the Arizona Legislature appropriated $8 million in annual tuition funding to UArizona鈥檚 two med schools 鈥� enough to cover about 100 students, or about 10 percent of the student body, according to the university.

鈥淎rizona needs nearly 600 primary care physicians today, and the number is expected to grow to more than 1,900 by 2030,鈥� said Dr. Michael Dake, senior vice president of UArizona Health Sciences. 鈥淎s the state鈥檚 only two designated medical schools, the College of Medicine – Tucson and the College of Medicine – Phoenix are taking full advantage of the public investment approved by our state legislators, who recognize the time to address this shortage is now.鈥�

Any remaining funding will be used to expand the med school class size in Phoenix.

鈥淚n addition to the dire need for more primary care physicians in the state, the issue of student debt is a major roadblock for many people who have the potential to be great doctors,鈥� Dake said. 鈥淚t keeps many individuals from even applying to medical school.鈥�

UArizona鈥檚 guidelines state that a primary care physician in this case is 鈥渟omeone who successfully has completed medical school at UArizona and completed residency or fellowship training in one of the following specialties: family medicine, general internal medicine, geriatric medicine, general pediatrics, psychiatry, or obstetrics and gynecology,鈥� according to a statement.

Eligible applicants must be Arizona residents and current full-time med students at one of the UArizona Colleges of Medicine. The program is already accepting applicants for the spring 2020 semester.

鈥淪tudents who graduate from the University of Arizona want to tackle important issues and meet big challenges in society,鈥� said UArizona president Dr. Robert Robbins. 鈥淭he physician shortage is a major issue facing the state and nation, and I am excited that the University of Arizona will provide scholarships for qualified medical students and get more primary care physicians into underserved areas across the state.鈥�

State Reps. Gina Cobb, R-Kingman, and Tim Dunn, R-Yuma, released a statement praising UArizona for waiving students鈥� tuition in a way that helps address the primary care physician shortage.

鈥淣ot only does UArizona鈥檚 primary care tuition waiver program provide an opportunity for medical students to graduate without crippling student loan debt, but it will get primary care physicians to the areas of the state that badly need them,鈥� Cobb said.

She said she was proud the Legislature made this issue a priority.

鈥淎rizona ranks 44^th among states in active primary care physicians per capita, and rural Arizona is bearing the brunt,鈥� Dunn said. 鈥淧atients shouldn鈥檛 have to wait weeks or even months to get an appointment with a primary care physician, but that鈥檚 the situation many of my constituents face. UArizona鈥檚 tuition waiver program will begin to address this critical doctor shortage, and I thank my colleagues in the Legislature for recognizing the problem and funding this program.鈥�

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A professor emeritus at the University of Arizona is hoping to improve the lives of young children with spastic cerebral palsy through a National Institutes of Health clinical trial, inspired by Chinese medical practices.

About 20 years ago, Dr. Burris 鈥淒uke鈥� Duncan was in the Anhui province of China, west of Shanghai, in a large children鈥檚 hospital.

Duncan, the only Westerner there, said he was surprised to see the Chinese medical professionals smiling 鈥� 鈥渁lmost laughing鈥� 鈥� when he described how American doctors treat children with cerebral palsy.

, he told them, there is a program called Child Find, which seeks out children with developmental problems and refers them to the state Division of Developmental Disabilities. Duncan said the process to address cases can be slow, with files often sitting 鈥渙n someone鈥檚 desk for a while.鈥�

鈥淪omeone then finds it and sends a person out to the home to evaluate the child,鈥� Duncan said. 鈥淚f it looks like a motor problem, a physical therapist would go out and evaluate the child, and if they find it to be cerebral palsy, they will set up a series of therapies.鈥�

That series of therapies is usually only one occupational therapy or physical therapy session every other week, he said.

鈥淲ith this type of therapy, I didn鈥檛 see much change,鈥� Duncan said. 鈥淭he kids were still getting their; they were still; they just weren鈥檛 getting much better.鈥�

Things are, though. The doctors in Anhui told Duncan that Chinese studies showed their practices were more effective than the American model; Duncan had not seen the studies because they were only available in Chinese and not confirmed by Western research.

鈥淭hey marched me down this huge hallway in this hospital, and out of the room comes this child 鈥� must have been 4 or 5 years of age,鈥� Duncan recalled. 鈥淗e was pushing a walker, kind of bent over a bit, flexed knees; looked up at me, big smile on his face, but he was able to walk with this walker.鈥�

When Duncan asked the doctors what they did differently, they replied, 鈥渉erbs and acupuncture,鈥� Duncan said. He needed to know more.

鈥淚 talked with the president of the Chinese Pediatric Society, and she invited me to Beijing Children鈥檚 Hospital,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 went there and found out more than what I was told; that their standard of care鈥� is: as soon as a diagnosis is made, the child and the mother are admitted to the hospital.鈥�

Five days a week for 12 weeks, the child receives physical therapy, occupational therapy, hydrotherapy, herbal baths, deep massage and acupuncture. Duncan, intrigued, obtained a research grant to see which of these treatments made the most difference.

鈥淲e evaluated it, and it turned out 鈥� from our statistics, at least 鈥� that acupuncture wasn鈥檛 that effective,鈥� Duncan said. 鈥淗owever, I looked at it again and said, 鈥楳aybe it鈥檚 not the acupuncture; maybe it鈥檚 the intensity.鈥欌��

Taking a fresh look at the data, Duncan and his team discovered that the intensity of the treatment, particularly the physical and occupational therapy, made the biggest difference between the two standards of care.

Duncan is now in the fifth year of his NIH-funded clinical study focused on intensity, with another year and a half to go. Duncan said he planned to enroll 110 children between the ages of 12 and 36 months who had been diagnosed with spastic cerebral palsy.

The children participate for 48 weeks: the first group gets 12 weeks of intensive therapy, then 36 weeks of once-a-week treatment; the other group gets the same treatments but in reverse.

Duncan hypothesized that more intensive therapy is better than the existing standard of care, but it is still too early to speculate about the results of the study.

He said he was sure he would not find enough children for the study at Tucson Medical Center 鈥� his home base 鈥� so he reached out to Phoenix Children鈥檚 Hospital, who agreed to help. But PCH also fell short, so Duncan reached out to , which ended up being the fourth location for his study.

UCP is an international nonprofit agency that uses a network of affiliates in different cities to deliver medical services, research and advocacy for children with developmental disabilities including cerebral palsy.

Duncan works closely with Valerie Pieraccini, occupational therapist and director of the Early Learning Center and clinic and home-based therapy programs at UCP of Central Arizona.

鈥淥ur commitment as an agency is to look for best practices, not only in the way that we provide services to children, but to participate also with others who are looking for best practices and high standards for care for children,鈥� Pieraccini said.

Duncan said UCP plays a critical role in the advancement of treatments for disabled children, because the organization offers a model for others, and the central Arizona affiliate in particular influences UCP best practices in other cities.

Should his hypothesis ring true, Duncan said he hopes UCP will help spread the word.

鈥淭he likelihood of this getting propagated quicker is dependent upon what UCP can do, and I鈥檓 grateful for them to be a part of [the study],鈥� he said, adding that if he were to do the study again he would have called UCP much sooner.

鈥淗ad it [not] been for UCP stepping up and saying, 鈥榗ount us in,鈥� I don鈥檛 know what would have happened,鈥� Duncan said. 鈥淲e may have had to abandon the whole thing.鈥�

Pieraccini said a focal point of the study is the concept of neuroplasticity 鈥� known colloquially as brain plasticity 鈥� which says the brain is able to 鈥渞estructure itself, rewire itself鈥� before the age of three.

鈥淭hat is also actually part of the premise of this study鈥� that they get those really intense services while the brain can rewire itself,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou may have a child that will,, need half the services that they would have if they just get the standard of care.鈥�

Ultimately, Duncan and Pieraccini hope to see intensive therapy allow patients with cerebral palsy to move and function better.

鈥淚f they are able to move better or easier, then they鈥檙e able to, maybe, feed themselves, dress themselves, be able to walk, those types of things,鈥� Pieraccini said. 鈥淪pastic CP is pretty significant. It鈥檚 very impactful on a person鈥檚 ability.鈥�

The more research that shows the value of intensive therapy, the sooner it will become common practice, Duncan said.

鈥淭his is just one study, and it takes a long time for people to change,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t takes a long time for therapists to change. It takes even longer for insurance companies to change. And so, it鈥檚 going to be an uphill battle, but you鈥檝e gotta start somewhere. A thousand-mile trip started with one step, and you have to take that step.鈥�

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The University of Arizona鈥檚 business college is being recognized as one of the top in the nation for enrolling minority students. But the college is not only bringing underrepresented students in the door, it鈥檚 taking them on to graduation and careers in the Tucson area as well, university officials said.聽

The Eller College of Management recently received a for minority enrollment in Poets & Quants 2019 ranking of colleges and universities.聽

Thirty-nine percent of the incoming freshmen who sign up for a pre-business major are underrepresented students, said Pam Perry, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs at the college.聽

To push those numbers even higher, the college is launching a We are Eller campaign to attract underrepresented students, she said.聽

鈥淲e are trying to bust the myth that only business people are white men.鈥澛犅犅�

Mirroring corporate America聽

The high numbers are partially a reflection of the university鈥檚 commitment to mirror what corporate America expects and wants in a global society, Perry said. As a federally designated Hispanic-Specialty Institution (HSI), the college is focused more on student success and less on entrance exams.聽

鈥淢any of the top business schools are so exclusive and their universities are so exclusive, that everyone has to work very, very hard to try and get equity,鈥� Perry said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e more of a transformational university. We really change people’s lives. It鈥檚 the old adage, 鈥業t鈥檚 not the quality of input, it鈥檚 the quality of output.鈥欌�澛�

As proof, virtually all students – 99 percent – who are accepted into Eller鈥檚 upper-division course program go on to receive an undergraduate degree, Perry said.聽聽

鈥淥nce students get into the business school, they graduate from the business school.鈥澛犅�

Ninety percent of all grads from the undergraduate program are snatched up by employers within 60 days of commencement, according to the university numbers.聽

Last year, 48 of the minority students who graduated took jobs in Tucson, Perry said. Seven accepted positions at Raytheon, six at the university, and seven at accounting firms.聽

More than one in five incoming business students Latino聽聽

Minority has grown steadily year after year in the past 15 years. Contributing factors are Arizona鈥檚 large Hispanic population and the university鈥檚 HSI designation that provides funding for support programs to help students succeed.聽

Of the incoming pre-business majors, Hispanics make up the largest chunk at 22 percent, followed by 8 percent African American, 6 percent Asian, 2 percent Native American, and 1 percent Pacific Islander.聽聽

Eller College also reaches out to minority middle and high school students with a number of programs including summer and live-in camps like the technology program and the (BCAP) accounting program.聽

For incoming freshmen, programs like (Leadership, Academic Success and Professional Development), funded by corporate donations, offer tutoring and mentoring.

This year, the college is also rolling out a new mentor program through one of its African American student clubs to help increase enrollment and graduation rates.聽

鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to model much of the behavior of excellent corporate American companies that embrace inclusion,鈥� Perry said. 鈥淭hat inclusion is very important to us whether its economically disadvantaged, ethnic minority or LBGT, where everybody feels like they belong and they can succeed.鈥澛�

Corporate America wants a workforce that looks like its customers, she said.聽

鈥淒iversity is really important because as national data demonstrates, innovations and solutions are improved with diversity,鈥� Perry said. 鈥淲hen people come with very different ways of solving problems. It really does matter.鈥�

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The University of Arizona is working to open the state鈥檚 first public and wants to start enrolling students by fall 2020.

鈥�Arizona has a real need to have a college of veterinary medicine,鈥� Julie Funk, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine said. 鈥淢ost Arizona residents have to go out of state to get their veterinary education.鈥�

UA has been working to open a veterinary medicine program for years but has yet to receive accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Association鈥檚 Council on Education.

In 2014, UA applied for approval from the American Veterinary Medical Association but failed to receive the 鈥渓etter of reasonable assurance,鈥� which is the first step towards receiving accreditation because the association had over the program.

Since then the school has hired Dean Funk, along with Mark Cushing, a consultant who has helped other universities successfully receive accreditation.

UA reapplied in 2017 and will find out if they receive the letter of reasonable assurance in September.

鈥淲e submit a self-study regarding the different standards that we have to meet for accreditation, and we did that in the middle of March, then the [association] sends a team to do an onsite visit with us,鈥� Funk said. 鈥淭he biggest challenge for us is a patience issue, the committee that votes on giving us the letter of reasonable assurance only meets twice a year鈥o we have to wait until September to find out the official vote. Once we find that, we can start to accept student applications to the college.鈥�

According to Funk, opening a veterinary school in Arizona would help in multiple ways by providing an affordable option to study animal-medicine and addressing the veterinary shortage.

鈥淭he state of Arizona, along with most of the nation, has a real shortage of veterinarians,鈥� Funk said. 鈥淭here’s a lot of open positions right now that just can’t be filled. [Our school] will fill a real need. Also, there are some underserved areas of veterinary medicine, particularly in rural areas. We’re helping to serve those communities as well.鈥�

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, there are four veterinarian shortage areas in Arizona, three of which are in rural areas.

Funk said that to help address the shortage, the school will give its students a distributive clinical year where they will work in private practices across the state. She thinks it will go towards helping the shortage by simplifying the post-graduation recruitment process.

鈥淲e think that’s going to help a lot because it’s going to give Arizona practices the ability to really vet prospective employees and recruit them into their practices,鈥� Funk said. 鈥淚t’s incredibly exciting to think about having the first class of students join us.鈥�

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