Joaquin Ruiz, geoscience professor and Dean of Science at UA, calls for investing more, not less in science during the current economic crisis, to diversify the Arizona economy away from the burst housing bubble. His opinion piece is printed in today's Arizona Republic.
Among other programs, he notes that "Arizona's astronomy and space-related research industries alone already generate $250 million annually in direct economic activity and 3300 jobs."
Joaquin warns, that "the tendency will be to cut back on science funding and the economic development activities that it represents. But that will only mean passing up opportunities that should be ours."