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Dr. Marie Olson, a third-year pediatric resident in the UA College of Medicine, recently traveled to Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala to volunteer her medical skills and work on her Spanish for a month at Hospitalito Atitlán. Olson believes international work teaches residents valuable life lessons: "Working in another country allows you to question your values and attitudes."

The UA STEM Learning Center will provide the structural organization necessary to unify those engaged in STEM learning and workforce development in Southern Arizona. The center is set to launch April 12 during an event at the UA Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium.

A new UA study in the journal Science challenges the two prevailing theories on how the ancient Maya civilization began, suggesting its origins are more complex than previously thought. The findings are based on seven years of archaeological excavations at the ancient Maya site of Ceibal in Guatamala.

New faculty promotion and tenure guidelines take into account efforts in technology commercialization. The move is a cultural shift that emphasizes developing ideas with the potential to benefit the local and state economy, and beyond.

Dr. Fernando D. Martinez, head of the UA BIO5 Institute, was among the nation's top scientists invited to join President Barack Obama at the White House on April 2 as he unveiled the BRAIN Initiative - a new research effort designed to revolutionize our understanding of the human mind and uncover new ways to treat, prevent and cure brain disorders such as Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, autism, epilepsy and traumatic brain injury.

Tech Launch Arizona, a technology commercialization center at the UA, celebrated its grand opening and new strategic plan during an event on April 1. UA President Ann Weaver Hart said Tech Launch Arizona, which focuses on moving UA knowledge and inventions to market, will play an important role in the University's future.

The UA has established a new School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences that will bring together teaching, research and extension resources from across the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to focus on animal health, growth, nutrition and disease, and human health challenges facing Arizona and the global community. The new school likely will host the proposed Arizona Veterinary Medical Education program.

The Arizona Board of Regents has approved the UA's tuition proposal for 2013-14, sharply reducing overall tuition for law students and modestly increasing base tuition for undergraduate, graduate and medical students. Tuition revenue will support key initiatives including the retention and graduation of students, seeding research and making engagement experiences possible for all students, among other priorities.

A new undergraduate general education course at the UA explores the various aspects of fatherhood across species, cultures and time. It looks at the role of fathers from biological, social and evolutionary perspectives. The class is co-taught by husband-and-wife primate researchers who hope it can serve as a model for other universities around the country.

UA accounting students have spent more than 140 hours so far processing tax refunds for Tucsonans in need through a partnership with the United Way and the IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. The experience offers students the opportunity to build professional skills by working with real clients and navigating complex tax issues.

Camp Wildcat is a student-run UA organization that has, for decades, worked to encourage a college-going culture among Tucson-area youth. With a fundraiser forthcoming, the organization's volunteers hope to gain support to ensure that the program continues to make an impact in the lives of children.

The widely used strategy of endowing crops with redundant toxins to fend off pests rests on flawed assumptions, UA researchers have discovered. Their study helps explain why pests are evolving resistance much faster than predicted and offers solutions for better agricultural management.

With an abundance of sunshine and wide open spaces, Arizona could be the nation's solar energy capital. But not every sun-soaked patch of land is right for a solar farm. If it's too sloped, sandy or remote, investors are not interested. The UA is producing geospatial maps that pinpoint rural sites with the greatest potential.

About 90 years ago, the UA organized its first arts exhibition. Since then, the University's arts core has continued to evolve and grow. Today marks the start of a six-part series exploring the history of the UA School of Art and UA Museum of Art - and the continued importance and public impact of both.

Dr. Mitchell Cordover, a graduate of the UA College of Medicine-Tucson, is working in Antarctica for six months, treating scientists working at a biological research station. The technological capabilities of the site allow for easy and effective telemedicine. Cordover is able to get specialists to help evaluate medical tests, images or video in real time and consultations to assist with treatment decisions within hours.

The University of Arizona Medical Center-University Campus has reactivated its lung and heart-lung transplant programs following the recruitment of Dr. Jesus Gomez-Abraham, who has joined the UA department of surgery. UAMC is one of a handful of medical centers in the nation to offer a comprehensive program of heart, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas, intestine, multivisceral, islet and composite-tissue transplants for adults and children.

Hsinchun Chen, a professor of MIS at the UA Eller College of Management, has been named the new holder of the Thomas R. Brown Chair in Management and Technology. An imminent scholar in data mining and informatics, Chen is director of the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the Eller College.

The No. 6 seed Arizona men's basketball team will open play in the 2013 NCAA West Regional semifinal against No. 2 seed Ohio State on March 28 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. This will mark the second trip to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 under head coach Sean Miller and Arizona's 15th trip to the regional semifinals in program history.

The UA community is relieved that as of late March 22, we have an all-clear and nobody was hurt during an incident on our campus. We wish to thank all our employees and students for their cooperation and we are happy that they are all safe and with family and friends.

As of 9:09 p.m. on March 22, UAPD had cleared the Administration Building. No one was found, and there were no injuries or signs of a shooting. The Student Union is open. No campus restrictions are in effect. All is clear. Click here for additional information.