Welcome back ... here's what you missed
While you were away, we kept busy. From helping to curb biodiversity loss to discovering the faintest distant galaxy, this summer at ASU was one for the books.
Our students from the College of Technology and Innovation found a way to power a dog park in Gilbert with a "not-so-clean" alternative energy: dog waste. CTI also led solar energy training sessions on the island of Aruba to support the island's efforts in converting to clean energy.
We were named a 2012 Climate Leader and received a visit from U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, who spent an afternoon at ASU not talking, but listening to how we are advancing President Obama's agenda to invest in clean energy, reduce dependence on foreign oil, and address the global climate crisis – all while creating new jobs.
We joined White House talks on figuring out how to make college more affordable for our students, and how to ensure they know exactly what their tuition bill will look like so there aren't any surprises down the road.
We got the thumbs up from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who lauded our partnership with Intel for helping expand economic opportunities in countries such as Vietnam.
And we discovered another reason why bees rock. ASU scientists found that older honey bees can reverse brain aging by taking on different social responsibilities, suggesting that social intervention may be key in treating human age-related dementia.
And what would summer be without camp? Students of all ages from across the Valley came to ASU to learn about acting, rocket science, and the Chinese language, and play basketball under ASU head coach Charli Turner-Thorne and football under head coach Todd Graham, who geared for summer camp himself.
While Sun Devils may have been missed on campus, their work reached us back home. We read in the Washington Post about ASU senior Yvonne Gonzalez, the incoming editor-in-chief of the State Press, who was selected to cover campaign issues in U.S. swing states. We watched a special on "Dateline" NBC about ASU student Yvette Johnson, who co-produced a documentary about her family's activism during the 1960s civil rights movement.
We went to the Olympics. Sixteen Sun Devils competed in London, and two brought home gold medals: Amy LePeilbet, of the U.S. women's soccer team, and James Harden, of the U.S. men's basketball team. Journalism students from ASU also traveled to London to cover the action.
Our athletes at home won some events of their own. Jordan Clarke defended his NCAA shot put title. The women's softball team went to the Women’s College World Series. And our student-athletes averaged ASU’s highest ever Academic Progress Rate recorded by the NCAA, placing ASU among the top three schools for academic performance in the Pac-12. How's that for winning?
Our student innovators competed off the field and in the market. Their innovations were featured in a Best Buy commercial and at the Microsoft Imagine Cup, and received major funding support. With opportunities like these, it's no wonder a greater number of students from our neighbor state of California are choosing ASU.
Best of all, we turned some heads in recognition for what we're trying to do here at ASU. Our excellent faculty, talented students, and 21st-century academics and research – all focused on changing the world for the better – led to our top 100 university ranking worldwide.
Oh, and one last thing: We went to Mars. Several professors and researchers from ASU, as well as alumni, are involved in the Mars mission. So, welcome – and welcome back. It's a new year, and we've got work to do.