ASU News - Community + Community

Students design projects for vacant Phoenix lots

chughes3 — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:50:59 -0700

Low-cost ideas, including the construction of planter boxes, to transform vacant lots in downtown Phoenix for temporary use until their development, will be presented at 11 a.m. Dec. 8 on the Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix campus.

The multimedia presentation of research models was developed by university students in an urban design practice class taught by Nan Ellin, an associate professor and director of the planning program in the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning in ASU's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She also is an affiliate faculty member with ASU's School of Sustainability.

"In 2000, the Phoenix metropolitan area contained 42.6 percent vacant land, significantly higher than most American cities," said Pei Zhai, a doctoral student in sustainability.

"To address this vexing challenge, the office of the mayor requested that ASU students develop a model for the temporary use of publicly-owned vacant lots," explained Ellin.

"In response, students developed the Desert TULIP - Temporary Urban Laboratory Infill Project - a low-cost strategy to transform vacant lots until their development," Ellin said.

The students were asked to focus specifically on lots south of Garfield between 3rd and 6th Streets, an area designated to become part of the Phoenix Biomedical Campus.

Undergraduate and graduate students, of various backgrounds and majors, searched worldwide for city vacant lot strategies, Ellin said.

"In Phoenix, they spoke with citizens, community organizations, local businesses and city officials for input on the project. High-resolution 3-D models of Phoenix were employed to envision Desert TULIP projects; and a collaborative project constructing planter boxes was undertaken as a first step toward turning Phoenix's vacant lots into urban amenities," Ellin said.

The multimedia presentation with results from the class research, including the introduction of the demonstration planter box project, will be followed by a panel discussion that includes representatives from the city of Phoenix, the Phoenix Community Alliance, and Roosevelt Row. The presentation is scheduled from 11 a.m. to noon in the Phoenix Urban Research Laboratory, located on the 8th floor of the Security Building, southwest corner of Van Buren Street and Central Avenue.

For more information about Desert TULIP, contact Ellin at nan.ellin@asu.edu, 480-965-6160.

Liberal Arts and Sciences fills Thanksgiving baskets for Valley families

chughes3 — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:22:03 -0700

Food baskets stuffed with ingredients for a Thanksgiving meal were assembled by staff, faculty members and students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences again this year for the St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance.

The annual community outreach project, which started in the dean's office, now has a number of academic units and research centers participating. This year, students from CLAS Hall, the Liberal Arts and Sciences residential college located in Hassayampa Academic Village, also filled a basket.

"We are very happy to be able to provide baskets for Valley families to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal," says Rebecca Albrecht, director of special events for Liberal Arts and Sciences. "We had an outstanding response again this year from staff in the dean's office and across our academic units and St. Mary's Food Bank is thrilled about our baskets."

Some 23 baskets were delivered in time for the families to shop and prepare their dinners, according to Albrecht.

"We learned that our baskets will go directly to students in their Community Kitchen program," Albrecht adds, explaining that the 15-week program trains low-income adults for employment in the food service industry. In addition to culinary instruction on food safety, cooking principles and methods, students receive life skills coaching in interpersonal development, decision making, money management, ethics and teamwork.

Because there was a wide range of items going into the baskets, participants could contribute at a variety of levels, from a single can of vegetables, to a $10 gift card or a board game, according to Albrecht.

Also participating in this year's service project, in addition to the dean's office and CLAS Hall, were: the School of Social and Family Dynamics, Hugh Downs School of Human Communication, School of Life Sciences, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, School of International Letters and Cultures, and the new School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences; several departments and programs including chemistry and biochemistry, physics, military science, American Indian studies, and film and media studies; and the American Indian Policy Institute; Melikian Center for Russian, Eurasian and East European Studies; and Consortium for Science, Policy, and Outcomes.

Start-ups use ASU Technopolis as path to Invest Southwest

jabrewe — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:38:07 -0700

For early stage companies in Arizona, the opportunity to present at the Invest Southwest Capital Conference is as prestigious as it is potentially lucrative.

This year’s lucky group of 13 start-ups includes five local firms that utilized the services and programming available through ASU Technopolis to prepare themselves for the very competitive process of snagging a coveted spot at Invest Southwest, which will be held Dec. 9-11. ASU Technopolis is an integral component of SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center.

Securing the opportunity to present at Invest Southwest involves a very competitive process that tests the preparedness of young companies. At stake is the chance to showcase their company in front of hundreds of investors, venture capitalists and industry experts, and potentially earn thousands – maybe even millions – of dollars in funding. Four of the 13 presenters from the 2008 conference have already received funding – and ASU Technopolis is there to help with mentoring, business plan development, entrepreneurship training and much more.

“The amount of expertise and mentoring that I personally received from Technopolis is invaluable,” said Kent Dicks, CEO of MedApps, one of the companies presenting at Invest Southwest. “I am constantly amazed at the dedication and professionalism of Technopolis mentors, and the fact that Technopolis keeps paying off even today, long after I graduated from the program. It was by far the best return on investment for my investors, shareholders and for my personal growth.”

ASU Technopolis offers training, mentoring and networking services for innovation-based early-stage U.S. companies and global companies seeking to enter the U.S. market. Assistance centers on marketing strategy, business plan development and accessing capital.

“We try to bring all of the resources and expertise of the university and the community together to help our companies,” said Terree Wasley, director of innovation and entrepreneurship for ASU and the leader of the ASU Technopolis program. “It’s very gratifying to see these companies grow and secure opportunities like presenting at Invest Southwest.”

Invest Southwest is the premier capital conference for venture capital and angel investors in Arizona and the Southwest. Since 1992, this event has featured the region’s most promising ventures that have collectively raised more than a quarter billion in investment dollars.

“ASU Technopolis has done an outstanding job helping companies develop business plans, grow their business and become better strategically positioned for success,” said Brian Smith, chair of the Invest Southwest selection panel and a partner at Peninsula Ventures, a local venture capital firm. “This has contributed to a number of them being selected for Invest Southwest.”

Time will tell whether these companies hit the jackpot of capital funding, but just having the opportunity is a critical part of the battle – a battle for which ASU Technopolis has helped them prepare.

ASU Technopolis Companies Presenting at Invest Southwest:

Invoy Technologies

Invoy’s patented, hand-held human breath sensors are positioned to diagnose and manage certain diseases (e.g., asthma, obesity, diabetes). Invoy utilized ASU Technopolis’ mentoring program to accelerate its business development.

MedApps

A graduate of ASU Technopolis Launch Pad program, MedApps uses mobile wireless technology to connect patients with their healthcare provider to improve quality of care and reduce cost.

Synbuild

Synbuild utilized ASU Technopolis mentors and coaches, and is engaged in custom gene synthesis using patent-pending technology.

SIO2

A nanotech research and development company that also used ASU Technopolis mentors and coaches, SIO2 develops and licenses intellectual property to participants in the Intraocular Lens (IOL) and other silicon-based markets.

ASU, ALRE release major study on Ariz.'s Latino population

icsea — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:07:29 -0700

While people of Mexican origin have been a vital part of Arizona’s development since pre-statehood days, their history and accomplishments have been largely overlooked. A major new study on Latino issues in Arizona sheds light on the past and present, completed by the Arizona Latino Research Enterprise and Arizona State University.

“The State of Latino Arizona” highlights challenges and issues faced by the Latino community in areas such as economics, education, health, politics and the arts, and it suggests policy implications for the future. The study is among the most in-depth and comprehensive examinations ever done of the issues facing Latinos in Arizona.

It will be unveiled Nov. 13 at ALRE’s 2009 Latino Town Hall, at the Wyndham Downtown Phoenix Hotel, 50 E. Adams St. Presentations from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. will spotlight the study results and offer a critical discussion of how to address the issues.

More than a dozen ASU faculty, staff and student researchers, as well as writers and researchers from the community, worked on the study over the course of the past year.

“It has been a privilege and an honor for us to work with ASU in developing this important study,” says Sal Rivera, chairman of ALRE, a non-profit organization formed to establish partnerships and solutions to problems in the Latino community.

“The findings of the study cast an important light on some of the most important issues being faced in our community today, and pave the way for finding ways to solve some of our most significant and lingering problems.”

Carlos Velez-Ibanez, chair of the ASU Department of Transborder Chicano/a and Latina/o Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences who spearheaded the research effort, says it was a “labor of love.” He and his colleagues studied a population that has been key in providing the necessary human and cultural capital for the territory and then the state to flourish, but faces major challenges in income, education and political clout.

Some of the key findings:

• Demographics: The Latino population in Arizona is young and mostly of Mexican origin, with more than one-third under 18 years of age and three-quarters of whom were born in the United States or are naturalized U.S. citizens.

• Politics: While the political influence of the Latino population has grown significantly in the past 40 years, the community’s ability to shape elections and public opinion lags behind its numbers, suggesting the need to focus on voter registration and turnout.

• Education: Latino students struggle to achieve academic success relative to their Anglo and Asian peers, regardless of grade, subject matter or income level. They attained only 13 percent of bachelor’s degrees awarded by the state universities in 2007, while representing about a third of the population.

• Economics: Latinos are a cornerstone of the economic dynamism that defines Arizona as a gateway border state, and Latino-owned businesses are rapidly growing. But education is the key variable in ensuring that economic rewards are equitably earned and distributed.

• Health: Latinos are disproportionately exposed to health hazards and affected by a set of conditions and diseases that include diabetes, obesity, heart disease, violence and injury at the workplace, accentuated by lack of health insurance.

• Arts: Mexican origin populations have a strong tradition in literature, theater, music, painting and sculpture, and now in film. A current explosion of arts reflects the needs and aspirations of the Latino population.

Among the ASU participants in the study are Carlos G. Velez-Ibanez, Arturo Rosales, Christine Marin, Eileen Diaz McConnell, Amanda Skeen, Lisa Magana, Miguel Montiel, Eugene Garcia, Mehmet Dali Ozturk, J. Luke Wood, Barbara Robles, Loui Olivas, Hilda Garcia-Perez, Seline Szkupinski-Quiroga, Michelle J. Martinez, Paul Espinosa and Marta E. Sanchez. Paul J. Luna, president of Helios Education Foundation, and journalist and playwright James E. Garcia also were contributors.

The study is posted online at http://www.asu.edu/asuforaz.

Professors receive awards for Hispanic cultural contribution

chughes3 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:30:18 -0700

Carlos Vélez-Ibáñez and Paul Espinosa, professors in ASU's Department of Transborder Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, are recipients of awards from the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education. The awards recognize energy, expertise and remarkable contributions to the Hispanic community.

Vélez-Ibáñez is the recipient of the Outstanding Support of Hispanic Issues in Higher Education Award. The award distinguishes someone who demonstrates exceptional accomplishment in the academic community and support of Hispanic issues.

Vélez-Ibáñez, who chairs the Department of Transborder Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies, conducts transnational field research in two rural valleys in California and New Mexico and their sending communities in Mexico. His area of study focuses on applied anthropology, complex social organizations, culture and education, ethno-class relations in complex social systems, migration and adaptation of human populations, political ecology, qualitative methodology and urban anthropology. Vélez-Ibáñez has written five books, three of which are based in original field research.

Espinosa is the recipient of the Outstanding Latino/a Cultural Award in Fine or Performing Arts Award. The award recognizes Latinos/as who have contributed significantly to understanding of the Hispanic community and culture through a medium in the arts.

Espinosa is the winner of seven Emmy awards. He has written, directed and produced numerous dramatic and documentary films focused on the U.S.-Mexico border region. His work includes "Taco Shop Poets" (2002), "The Border" (1999), "... And the Earth Did Not Swallow Him" (1996) and "The Hunt for Pancho Villa" (1993).

Vélez-Ibáñez and Espinosa will be honored in March at the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education National Conference, "Raíces y Alas/Roots and Wings: A Mal Tiempo/Buena Cara."

The association each year honors people in six categories concerning the improvement of the conditions of Latinos/as pursuing a degree in higher education. The recipients are selected from open nominations by a subcommittee of the association.

Written by Danielle Kuffler (dkuffler@asu.edu).

MEDIA CONTACT
Carol Hughes, carol.hughes@asu.edu
(480) 965-6375

Camp Darfur exhibit to focus on humanitarian crisis

mattcrum — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:31:56 -0700

An interactive exhibit that brings attention to the ongoing genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan will make an appearance at Arizona State University’s West campus, Wednesday, Nov. 18, and Thursday, Nov. 19. The Camp Darfur exhibit is free and open to the public. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day on the Fletcher Library Lawn at the West campus, 4701 W. Thunderbird Road in Phoenix.

Camp Darfur is designed to educate attendees about the humanitarian crisis in Darfur and give individuals the opportunity to discover their own power to make a difference. The mock refugee camp puts the Darfur situation into context with other historical examples of genocide including the Holocaust, Armenia, Cambodia and Rwanda.

The West campus is hosting Camp Darfur as part of ASU’s Four Realms of Discovery initiative, which presents events on all four ASU campuses to provoke intellectual discourse and empower citizens to make a difference. “Camp Darfur will help to educate the ASU and Valley communities about the critical situation in Darfur and give them opportunities to take action,” says Katie Fischer, coordinator in the Office of Student Engagement on the West campus.

The traveling Camp Darfur exhibit is a project of Stop Genocide Now and i-ACT (interactive-activism), a grassroots team that seeks to change the way the world responds to genocide. Stop Genocide Now also sends teams to the refugee camps on the Chad-Sudan border. Visit www.stopgenocidenow.org or www.iactivism.org for more information.

For details about Camp Darfur’s upcoming visit to ASU’s West campus, contact Student Engagement on the West campus at (602) 543-8200 or campdarfur@asu.edu.

'Canalscape Exhibition' unveils bold plans for Valley's canal system

chughes3 — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:18:39 -0700

As builders, designers and architects from around the world arrive in Phoenix for the 2009 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, the Arizona State University Art Museum is unveiling a radical rethinking of the Valley's canal system. The Sonoran Desert metropolis, better known for freeways and mountain ranges, is also home to 181 miles of canals.

Beginning Nov. 9, visitors to the ASU Art Museum in Tempe can discover a host of ideas intended to transform underutilized pathways alongside the ribbons of water stretching across the city. The "Canalscape Exhibition" showcases ideas from students and professionals to create park space, community gardens, bike paths, public art and prime spots for mixed-use development including housing, shops, cafés and other businesses.

Canalscape is a project developed by the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning in ASU's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. It focuses on creating vital urban hubs where canals meet major streets throughout the Phoenix metropolitan region. Each hub will be unique, responding to the needs of surrounding neighborhoods, while forming part of a larger network along the canals that adds to metro Phoenix's quality of life. The goal is to transform canals into amenities, making Phoenix a more interesting and sustainable city, according to Nan Ellin, associate professor and planning program director in the school.

Phoenix's vast network of canals, initially constructed by American Indians almost two millennia ago, attracted the first settlers to the area and inspired the name Phoenix. These canals are the Valley's lifeline, supporting agriculture and providing drinking water.

"Canalscape builds on this legacy by envisioning the canals as shady linear parks, corridors for biking and running, vital urban hubs and an opportunity for alternative-energy generation," Ellin says.

The "Canalscape Exhibition" is at the ASU Art Museum from Nov. 9-Dec. 1, with an opening event on Nov. 10 from 6-8 p.m. The ASU Art Museum is located in the Nelson Fine Arts Center, Tempe campus, on the southeast corner of Mill Avenue and 10th Street. For hours and additional information, visit http://asuartmuseum.asu.edu. For more information about Canalscape, visit http://canalscape.asu.edu or contact Ellin at (480) 965-6160, nan.ellin@asu.edu.

Report addresses Arizona’s public mental health system

nhaas — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:51:01 -0700

Arizona’s billion-dollar public behavioral health system, which serves 150,000 ill residents and their families, is inadequately staffed and struggling under budget cuts and the demands of a 28-year-old class-action law suit.

These were among the opinions recounted in a new report, “Arizona’s Public Behavioral Health Care System: Critical Issues in Critical Times,” which summarizes the views of a panel of leading behavioral health professionals. The report’s release comes just weeks after Gov. Jan Brewer’s call for a major reorganization of the statewide system.

The report was prepared jointly by Arizona State University’s Center for Applied Behavior Health Policy (CABHP) and Morrison Institute for Public Policy. It draws from a discussion among policy experts held at the July Summer Institute conference hosted annually by CABHP, and offers insights into key system strengths, vulnerabilities and potential solutions

The panelists, all professionals in behavioral mental health policy, agreed that Arizona’s system has a commitment to community-based care that keeps most patients out of institutions. They also applauded the system’s commitment to patient recovery. Among the vulnerabilities cited by some panelists were:

• 35 percent of Arizona adults with serious mental illness do not qualify for AHCCCS/Medicaid, primarily because they are working poor and uninsured, and thus are at risk for inadequate treatment

• Funds for housing and food to support patients’ recovery are essential, yet are not provided to even patients covered by AHCCCS/Medicaid because they are not considered "medically necessary."

• Budget pressures put Arizonans at risk through cuts to crisis services, which not only avert suicides and drug overdoses, but provide vital assistance to local hospitals and local law enforcement officials.

The report concludes by calling attention to what most panelists said is a fundamental misalignment between Arizona’s behavioral health statutes, its executive decision-making and its state funding – particularly for non-Medicaid/AHCCCS-eligible individuals and families. Positive system change is unlikely without a resolution to the decades-old Arnold v. Sarn lawsuit, panelists said, but it is vital to preserve funding levels for mentally troubled Arizonans in order to avert a human and fiscal crisis of major proportions.

Read the report and comment on its findings at morrisoninstitute.asu.edu.

ASU's West campus hosts traditional pow-wow

mattcrum — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:55:52 -0700

The Fletcher Library Lawn at Arizona State University’s West campus will come alive with the sights and sounds of Native drummers and dancers on Nov. 14, during the campus’s annual Veterans Day Weekend Traditional Pow-Wow. The event, from noon to 10 p.m. at 4701 W. Thunderbird Road in Phoenix, is free and open to the public.

In addition to dance and drum performances, the pow-wow will feature grand entries at noon and 7 p.m., Native arts and crafts, and food booths offering fry bread and more.

“The event’s theme is ‘A Celebration of Native Veterans,’ and American Indian veterans are especially encouraged to attend,” says Heidi Maxwell, West campus events manager. “At 6:30 p.m. they will be welcomed and thanked for their service to our country.”

The day’s schedule is:

• Noon – Grand entry

• 4 p.m. – Dinner break/Performance by Redtail Hawk Singers and Dancers

• 5 p.m. – Gourd dancing

• 6:30 p.m. – Welcome and acknowledgement of veterans

• 7 p.m. – Grand entry

• 10 p.m. – Closing

Participants include Announcer Chuck Benson, Arena Director Donald Sabori, Head Man Dancer Joel Shopteese, Head Woman Dancer Sue Sixkiller, Head Boy Dancer Avery Moore, Head Girl Dancer Christa Lynn Carter, Northern Drum Saste Takoja, and Southern Drum Panther Creek Singers. Performers include the Redtail Hawk Singers and Dancers, Colorado River Group.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs. (Limited seating will be provided for tribal elders.)

The pow-wow is sponsored by several groups and offices at ASU’s West campus, including the Native American Events Committee, Native American Student Organization, Public Affairs Office, Black Student Union, and MEChA.

For more information, call (602) 543-5306.

Barrett Lecture Series presents former ASU President Lattie Coor

mgterril — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:44:43 -0600

Former ASU President Lattie Coor will be appearing at the Downtown Phoenix campus as part of Barrett Honors Lecture Series, to drum up support for a new state initiative.

Open to the public, Coor’s presentation “The Arizona We Want”, starts at 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 10 in the Cronkite Theater at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, 555 N. Central Ave., Phoenix.

Initially implemented in 2004, the Barrett Honor Lecture Series brings a wide variety of intellectually stimulating scholarly work and issues to Barrett students and the ASU community. The series highlights both the faculty at ASU and scholars in all fields from across the nation.

Coor is heading up a new initiative “The Arizona We Want”, to help build a citizen’s agenda that reflects what Arizonans are thinking about and identifies a set of clear, measurable goals that describes what want the state to be and how they intend to get there.

“I welcome the opportunity to present this report as part of the Barrett Honors Lecture Series, and to share with those present the findings of the Gallup Arizona Poll from which the report has derived a citizen’s agenda for Arizona,” Coor said. “I will be asking all in attendance to personally take the poll at www.thearizonawewant.org, and to learn how their views match up with those found by Gallup.”

The survey, released Oct. 2, 2009 by Gallup Inc., asked 3,600 residents statewide for their perceptions of Arizona’s economy and quality of life. Respondents said the most important issues facing Arizona include the economy, jobs, housing market, transportation, immigration, crime, water, environment, schools, drugs, growth and prejudice.