U Of A Can Help U.S. Prepare For Battles In Space

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The New University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella talks to community at press event. Caleb Simmons, director of Arizona Online and a member of the presidential search advisory committee, also talks to press about the new president and the search process. Video by Ellie Wolfe / Arizona⁘

Battles in the future will be fought in space — not at the speed of missiles, but at the speed of light, says the University of Arizona's new senior vice president for research and innovation, adding that the UA can help the U.S. prepare.

The UA has "unique strengths" in space science, quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, machine learning, photonics and microelectronics, where solutions to the world's current challenges lie, Tomás Díaz de la Rubia told the Arizona Board of Regents at its Nov. 21 meeting.

Collaborating with the U.S. Defense Department and Arizona's military installations for national security purposes is "a key imperative" for the UA, Díaz de la Rubia said. "I believe strongly that state universities in this country have an imperative and a duty to help solve the great challenges we face in this very dangerous world we live in today," he said.

"We live in a dangerous neighborhood, there's no question about it. And to support our freedoms, our liberties that we so dearly care about, we need all of us to contribute to the solutions that are going to keep us safe and secure from our adversaries," said Díaz de la Rubia, who was brought to UA by new President Suresh Garimella and began his role on Nov. 11.

He spoke as ABOR discussed an initiative underlying the board's commitment to "strengthening the long-standing partnership between Arizona's public universities and defense agencies, advancing both state and national security priorities."

"To be able to develop those new technologies, to translate those new technologies, that will help our soldiers, our sailors, our airmen, our Marines, our coasts and our guardians is really truly an imperative for us," Díaz de la Rubia said.