Strategic Research: the Technology Research Initiative Fund (TRIF)

The Technology and Research Initiative Fund (TRIF) is a special investment in higher education made possible by the passage of Proposition 301 by Arizona voters in 2000. The TRIF portion of the proceeds from a six-tenths of a cent increase in state sales tax are administered by the Arizona Board of Regents and given to the state's public universities. At the University of Arizona, TRIF funds support creative research efforts in critical high-technology areas, translation of research results to clinical or commercial application, and education of a workforce prepared for the knowledge-based economy of the 21st Century. Funds also support specialized research facilities, enhancement of technology transfer, and distance-learning activities.

Research-intensive TRIF activities fall under three Programs that capitalize on broad research and teaching strengths that meet important community needs:

  • Bioresearch
  • Optical Sciences and Technology
  • Water and Environmental Sustainability

Three additional programs are funded by ABOR’s TRIF Strategic Investments fund:

The UA-ASU Solar Energy initiative funds the Arizona Research Institute for Solar Energy (AzRISE) that connects faculty from science, engineering, optical science, architecture, business and agriculture to pursue development of interdisciplinary programs and public policy for the wide spread utilization of solar energy. 

The Higher Education in Rural Southern Arizona initiative with a primary goal to develop a repertoire of high-demand hybrid and electronic courses and degree programs focuses on regional needs, made available in partnership with community colleges, and supported by a network of highly accessible and technologically savy faculty.

The program Education and Infrastructure, includes the Educator Development Plan, distance education through Anyplace Access for Arizonans, and on-line degree and certificate programs of the College of Nursing.

BIORESEARCH PROGRAM

The Bioresearch Program tackles complex and pressing problems of critical importance to Arizona and the nation. Its initiatives are developing new ways to diagnose, treat and prevent disease; uncovering the biological basis of cognition and developing methods to reduce the negative impact of aging, and improving agriculture to better feed the world while maintaining livable environments. We are building the infrastructure to transfer research breakthroughs into applications that directly benefit society. One key aspect is the training of a new generation of clinical and translational scientists. This requires the creation of statewide structures for clinical and translational research, application of biomedical informatics and enabling technologies, and financial support of teams of clinical and translational investigators. A second key aspect is moving discoveries to market through innovative programs and multiple partnerships with the private sector. A third key aspect is improving science education in K-12 and training the next generation of interdisciplinary scientists.

The Bioresearch Program supports the BIO5 Institute, the McKnight Brain Institute and the Arizona Clinical and Translational Research and Education Consortium (ACTREC).

OPTICAL SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM

The program is multidisciplinary, with the College of Optical Sciences forming the core of the initiative. Through joint faculty appointments, cooperative research initiatives, and multidisciplinary outreach events, the optics college partners with the College of Science, the College of Engineering, and the College of Medicine to develop new technologies that will power the future of nearly every field of science and technology.

The impact of optics on the economy of the State of Arizona and the country as a whole in the coming years is staggering. The market for optics in communication, medical care, heavy industry, sensing and security, and military exceeds $200 billion per year.

Through the development of novel initiatives in optics education, research, workforce development, and industry outreach supported by this program the University will further enhance its international prominence in optics

WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM

Arizona’s natural resources, most critically its water supplies, are crucial to the state’s economy and to the health and well-being of its residents. The most pressing environmental issues of our time are especially apparent in arid and semi-arid regions of the globe where population growth is most rapid and life-supporting resources are most limited. The University of Arizona is uniquely positioned to use its strengths to support university, industry, and government collaborations in research, technology, education, and outreach to resolve water and environmental resource challenges. The mission of this program is to provide science-based technical, economic, legal, and policy expertise necessary for water and environmental sustainability in Arizona and other semi-arid regions facing increasing demands on natural resources and the uncertainties of environmental change. It is anticipated that the knowledge and techniques generated will have state, national, and world-wide applications that will stimulate the economy and produce far-reaching societal benefits.