The NAU Review — ASA space laser answers mystery, health equity for Indigenous people, NAU volunteers and student wins Boren scholarship

July 19, 2023

We know less about the rainforest canopy, where most of the world’s species live than we do about the surface of Mars or the bottom of the ocean. However, that is about to change thanks to GEDI—a laser aboard the International Space Station that has provided a detailed structure of the world’s rainforests for the first time. Christopher Doughty and researchers throughout the world are using the 3D map to understand the amounts of biomass and carbon forests store and how much they lose when disturbed—vital information for understanding Earth’s carbon cycle and how it is changing.

Randell York, a double major in accounting and comparative cultural studies with a minor in Mandarin, is off to East Asia for a year-long immersion in Taiwan. He has been awarded the prestigious Boren Scholarship to pursue his passions in what will surely be the trip of a lifetime. With a desire for broad knowledge, practical skills and to someday work in government, York believes this experience will not only enrich his personal growth but also open doors to potential government positions related to China or Taiwan.