UA Hosts U.S. Representative Ann Kirkpatrick
Federal Relations welcomed Representative Ann Kirkpatrick back to campus on September 5, returning to her alma mater for a Mirror Lab tour and discussions with UA administrators and Tech Launch Arizona leadership. She was impressed by the Lab’s overall mission and conversations with our Steward Observatory faculty on a breadth of topics. Representative Kirkpatrick appreciated the opportunity to meet with our new Senior Vice President of Research and Innovation, Betsy Cantwell.
As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Representative Kirkpatrick has an important role in funding that benefits research projects at the University of Arizona.
Representative Kirkpatrick was also very excited to get a better understanding of the Tech Launch Arizona and an update on some of the latest startup businesses that are beginning to take off. Congresswoman Kirkpatrick returns to Washington this week to continue championing a number of UA priorities for fiscal year 2020.
UA Researchers Receive 2020 Breakthrough Prize
The Federal Relations team was pleased to share the news in DC last week that UA researchers were named as awardees for the 2020 Breakthrough Prize in fundamental physics. In collaboration with 347 scientists from all over the globe, our researchers captured the first image of a black hole. The historic image was publicly released in April 2019 and UA researchers participated in events around the nation.
Now in its eighth year, the Breakthrough Prize, known as the “Oscars of Science,” annually recognizes achievements in the Life Sciences, Fundamental Physics and Mathematics, disciplines that ask the biggest questions and seek the deepest explanations.