Over the past few weeks, Arizona State University has made major moves to protect its students, faculty and staff from COVID-19 and help the community at large combat the virus. Here are a selection of actions ASU has taken to stop the spread:
- Starting March 11, ASU transitioned in-person classes to online instruction. ASU has conducted more than 136,000 remote teaching sessions for full-immersion on-campus students (nearly 75,000 learners) via Zoom since March 16.
- ASU sustainability scientists are submitting proposals to NSF’s Rapid Response Research (RAPID) funding mechanism to contribute to the response to the COVID-19 crisis. So far, one sustainability scientist has been notified of an award (announcement forthcoming).
- ASU received $2 million from the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust to boost coronavirus rapid research response. Grants will support critical workforce testing, swab test kits assembling and PPE manufacturing.
- With the help of the ASU Biodesign Institute, ASU has started testing students for COVID-19 using a robot-based, high-speed testing unit. The university plans to expand this service to healthcare professionals and first responders.
- Sustainability scientists and scholars from across the university have written thoughtful analyses of the crisis and how we can best move forward. Responses include “COVID-19: The Ultimate Stress Test for Our Global Futures” by Global Futures Laboratory thought leaders and “Rethinking Sustainable Cities in a World of Social Distancing” by Mark Roseland.
- Drawing on its excellent infrastructure for digital learning, ASU is now offering a wide variety of learning resources called ASU for You.
Through all of the major changes during these difficult times, the ASU community has shown its resilience and commitment to the ASU charter. ASU is truly the New American University.