By Kimi Eisele
Lay James Gibson grew up thinking that "stuff" should be useful. Even as a junior high student in San Francisco, he was always drawn to examine the best use of resources and economic systems. Now the director of the Economic Development Research Program in the Office of Arid Lands Studies and a professor in the department of geography and regional development, Gibson has made a career out those early interests.

For the past 30 years he has honed his skills to help communities improve and outline strategies for economic development here and abroad. The University Distinguished Outreach Professor looks for ways to increase the usefulness and value of everything from geography and natural resources to economics and community potential.

Gibson's teaching and research philosophy is rooted in the idea of "education for citizenship," a belief that drives not only his work as a professor, but also his work as a consultant to dozens of communities and clients in Arizona and beyond. "If people are better informed they make better decisions," Gibson says.

Despite the fact that Arizona is one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, it is still a poor state, Gibson says. "Arizona is a heck of a lot better at growing than developing. We're not good at attracting high-quality economic engine jobs that improve the quality of life for people."