University of Arizona
Institutional Storytelling
MY ROLE
Producing · Writing · Editing
Universities often talk about research in numbers: dollars invested, grants awarded, discoveries made. What interests me more is what those numbers can mean for a student. It’s the chance to work alongside researchers and contribute to something that matters beyond the university.
Arizona Research in Action grew out of an op-ed from University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella and Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation Tomás Díaz de la Rubia about the role research plays in Arizona. The scope was enormous, spanning everything from cancer detection and water conservation to space science, artificial intelligence and new sources of energy.
For the film, that larger story became much more personal. The focus turned to students working alongside researchers and experiencing what it means to contribute to real research while they’re still in school.
What I like about this story is the idea that research doesn’t have to be something students encounter from a distance. They can be part of it. Sometimes the first step toward solving a very big problem is simply being given the chance to work on one.