Research by esteemed faculty continues to bring international acclaim to the college as well as opportunities for students to understand the dynamics of and participate in meaningful scientific projects. Academic departments are creating 21st century learning centers, expanding teaching facilities and partnering with industry to provide students with the knowledge and technology savvy so they can succeed now and well into the future. Click on the link for each brief to read the full story.
Data Tool Created by Geology Faculty Niccole Cerveny Employed Globally
Red Mountain geology professor Dr. Niccole Cerveny traveled to the Wadi Rum Protected Area of Jordan this past summer to participate in a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Project. Researchers working on the project used the Rock Art Stability Index (RASI), which was created by Dr. Cerveny. Originally designed for the desert Southwest, RASI is an easy-to-train, low-cost analysis of rock art degradation. Site managers use the information to identify the cultural resources most in danger of decay or loss.
Rattlesnake Study Provides Students with Undergraduate Research Opportunities
MCC Red Mountain Campus faculty Dr. Andrew Holycross received a $50,000 grant from the Coronado National Forest (U.S Forest Service) to continue his renowned studies of the threatened New Mexico Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake. Although the venomous nature of the snakes precludes students from participating in the onsite tracking, the project offers them a valuable opportunity to work on a government grant, see the elements of a project successfully funded as well as learn to manage data, create graphs and compile the required reports. For those looking toward a career in wildlife resources, contact with all the government agencies involved is great for networking.
Life Science Professor Contributes to International Fish Directory
Dr. Alex Cheroske, life sciences professor, spent part of this past summer at Friday Harbor Laboratories near Seattle to work with University of Washington professor Adam Summers in the quest to complete computerized tomography (CT) scans of all known species of fish. The 3-D images are available online in one of the growing, internationally shared academic knowledge sites known as Open Educational Resources (OER). Cheroske said it was an opportunity to learn the CT scan techniques and to create detailed X-ray images of the fish collection at MCC Red Mountain to add to the repository and use in his marine biology classes.
Adobe Contributes to New Media Lab Experience
Enhanced with software contributed by Adobe Systems Inc., Mesa Community College has created the New Media Lab Experience (NMLE) for students to use the latest multimedia technologies and contemporary filmmaking tools to present their research. The endeavors instill the new media skills in demand by journalism, business, marketing, public relations, video production and emerging industries. The NMLE was inspired by an English course taught by Dr. Eddie Webb, an English faculty member and American Indian scholar at MCC. He began developing an Adobe-based curriculum for the lab five years ago, after receiving a Tribal grant.
In response to an increasing demand for paramedics, Mesa Community College invested in new equipment and expanded the learning space of its acclaimed Emergency Medical Services Paramedic Program. MCC offers an Associate Degree of Applied Science and a Certificate of Completion Programs in Paramedicine. Upon completion, students are eligible to sit for their National Registry certification cognitive and psychomotor examinations. The college’s 10-year, first-time paramedic exam pass rate is 97 percent.
Fitness Testing Offered by Human Performance Lab
Whether you are a professional athlete, student sports participant, fitness aficionado or just trying to get in shape, now you can track your fitness and health levels at MCC’s Human Performance Lab. These affordably priced, state-of-the-art testing technologies provide a personalized profile that skillfully integrates health, fitness and performance status. The Human Performance Laboratory is located in the Health and Wellness Building (HW8) on the college's Southern and Dobson campus.
France and Italy Added to Study Abroad Programs
MCC has two new Study Abroad programs offering students and community members an affordable and skillfully arranged opportunity to study in Nice, France as well as Florence, Rome and Venice, Italy. Each program features academic study, language immersion and cultural excursions. Options for further explorations are also included. Scholarships are available.
Subaru-U integrated into MCC Automotive Performance Program
MCC has partnered with Subaru of America to train the next generation of auto technicians. By integrating Subaru's Web-Based Training (WBT) into MCC’s existing curriculum, students can take most of the entry-level training that is required of Subaru technicians. Students may opt to take a Subaru Level 2 Instructor-Led Training Test-Out to advance their training even further. Subaru’s WBTs are offered at no additional charge to the student or the college. The partnership also includes donated vehicles. MCC is the third Arizona community college to partner with Subaru and the only one in Maricopa County.
Students Raising Giant Prawns in Desert
Mesa Community College students are raising giant freshwater prawns in the college’s Center for Urban Agriculture using high-tech methods to improve crop yields, reduce costs and employ sustainable practices to find new ways to efficiently feed our growing global population. The prawns are being raised in an aquaponics environment with plants and tilapia fish. MCC is one of the first community colleges in the nation to offer a for-credit course in aquaponics.
New partnership with GCU brings Bachelor of Science degrees to MCC campuses
Mesa Community College and Grand Canyon University partner to offer pathways to high-demand science and technology bachelor’s degrees on MCC campuses.
Individuals who have earned or are pursuing an associate’s degree at MCC, or any of the Maricopa Community Colleges, may seamlessly transfer credits to GCU to pursue a bachelor’s degree in one of five STEM-related areas (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).