Tech Parks Arizona has won the Metropolitan Education Commission’s (MEC) Crystal Apple Award for its efforts to encourage local youth to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

On April 16, Tech Launch Arizona and Startup Tucson held a networking meetup to bring UA faculty and researchers together with local small business entrepreneurs. The event – a kickoff for a new initiative called SBIR Tucson – was held to grow a vibrant startup ecosystem of companies, entrepreneurs and talent in Tucson.

Tech Launch Arizona presented its first Catapult Awards on Monday, March 24, honoring efforts that directly affect the quality of life for people in Tucson, across Arizona and around the world through research, collaboration and innovation – key elements in the University’s land-grant mission.

New Tech Launch Arizona Ambassadors program encourages local commercialization activities with a primary focus on making staying in Tucson the top choice for UA graduates wishing to pursue career and entrepreneurial opportunities.

The UA has launched a new Defense and Security Research Institute that aims to expand the University's strengths in those areas while helping the UA to reach its goal of doubling research expenditures from $600 million to $1.2 billion by 2023. The interdisciplinary institute will help pave the way for new, mutually beneficial partnerships between the UA and industry, which is one of the key goals of the University's Never Settle plan.