A forest of ponderosa pine trees at the base of Mount Trumbull.

Seeing the bigger picture: 5,200-acre ERI study explores long-term impacts of ponderosa pine restoration treatment

Matthew Ford, his wife and two sons standing in a valley with a snow-covered mountain behind them.

Humans of NAU: Matthew Ford

The first time Matthew Ford went to physical therapy changed his life forever. Sure, he got better and went back to playing baseball, but that set him on a path to make a career out of PT. Now interim dean of the College of Health and Human Services, he talks about what to know about PT and an experience that confirmed the power of music in his practice.

Ishmael Munene sitting in his office in front of a large bookshelf

Research & Academics

How do African universities approach DEI?

NAU professor Ishmael Munene is headed to Kenya this fall to find out. Thanks to support from a prestigious Fulbright Scholar Award, Munene will spend the whole school year studying how universities in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania think differently about diversity, equity and inclusion than their American peers.

Campus & Community

Resilience in the face of trauma fuels a future-focused gift

The son of two Holocaust survivors, an author and a nonprofit director, Mitchell Raff has established two planned gifts totaling $1.5 million to support Northern Arizona University’s Martin Springer Institute (MSI), which raises awareness of human rights through Holocaust remembrance and education. Raff established a $1 million endowment in memory of Holocaust survivors Sally and Issa Springer, who were relatives of the MSI founders and played a formative role in Raff’s life.

Research & Academics

A forest of ponderosa pine trees at the base of Mount Trumbull.

Seeing the bigger picture: 5,200-acre ERI study explores long-term impacts of ponderosa pine restoration treatment

Members of NAU's Ecological Research Institute joined the Bureau of Land Management to complete a 21-year-long study analyzing the impacts of prescribed burns and mechanical tree thinning on dry ponderosa pine forests. After successfully decreasing tree density and wildfire vulnerability on their 5,224-acre research site, the ERI members published their findings in the academic journal Restoration Ecology.

Ishmael Munene sitting in his office in front of a large bookshelf

How do African universities approach DEI?

NAU professor Ishmael Munene is headed to Kenya this fall to find out. Thanks to support from a prestigious Fulbright Scholar Award, Munene will spend the whole school year studying how universities in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania think differently about diversity, equity and inclusion than their American peers.

ancient Polynesian statues on the coast of Rapa Nui with a tall ship in the background

NAU ecologist joins Darwin-inspired expedition in Polynesia

Conservation ecologist Jut Wynne will spend a month aboard a tall ship that’s retracing much of Charles Darwin’s famous HMS Beagle voyage 200 years ago. While on board, Wynne will study insects unique to eastern Polynesia in hopes of confirming that some of these animals were brought there by ancient Polynesians via voyaging canoe.

Campus & Community

Voters lining up to vote at a polling location with a flag in the background.

Interested in being an election worker?

The Coconino County Elections Office is looking for workers for the Nov. 5 election. Jobs could be at polling locations at Flagstaff or throughout the county and include polling location inspector, ballot judge, marshal and more.

Donation box sits on table while person adds items

Declutter AND do good!

There is never a bad time of year to go through your closet, attic or pantry and whittle down your possessions. National Give Something Away Day on July 15 provides the perfect excuse to do some summer cleaning. And, when you’re not sure what to do with the pile of goods that needs a new home, consider donating to these on- and off-campus places to benefit students and the local community.

Linda Robyn giving a presentation on violence against Native women in a classroom

Free summer seminar series untangles complex social issues

This year’s series showcases NAU’s diversity of scholarly expertise by exploring complex topics such as water conservation, traditional foodways and music’s potential to connect communities.

Lumberjack Features

Matthew Ford, his wife and two sons standing in a valley with a snow-covered mountain behind them.

Humans of NAU: Matthew Ford

The first time Matthew Ford went to physical therapy changed his life forever. Sure, he got better and went back to playing baseball, but that set him on a path to make a career out of PT. Now interim dean of the College of Health and Human Services, he talks about what to know about PT and an experience that confirmed the power of music in his practice.

Humans of NAU: Zane Jacobs

Zane Jacobs has always wanted a career that helped people. That desire has driven him not only to his job as a senior administrative services assistant at ITEP but also to his work with the Northern Arizona Pride Association, of which he is now president. Learn about how his identities intersect, what he's proud of and how you can participate in Pride in the Pines.

Brandon Piestewa with his mother when he was young.

What Memorial Day means to me

For Brandon Piestewa, whose mother was taken prisoner and later killed during the Iraq War, Memorial Day has a different importance. It's a time to remember and pass on the legacies of soldiers and their sacrifices.