ARID is the University of New Mexico’s Category III center for Accelerating Resilience Innovations in Drylands.

Mission

ARID enhances the resilience of communities, ecosystems, and the economy to climate change through inclusive and equitable research, education and collaborative partnerships in New Mexico and drylands worldwide.

Vision

To foster resilience innovations that sustain clean water, energy, ecosystems, and community health in drylands.

Goals

1. Build capacity for novel transdisciplinary research to increase climate resilience. This goal leverages UNM’s outstanding expertise in water, energy, policy, natural sciences, economics, education, health science, computer science, mathematics, entrepreneurship, and community engagement.  Transdisciplinary and translational research will accelerate climate resilience in drylands in four integral areas: Sustainable Water, Adaptive Infrastructures, Healthy Ecosystems, and Community Health & Vitality. 
2. Inclusively and equitably train and educate a diverse next generation.  We will develop two-way training that embraces transdisciplinary research to solve STEM workforce needs and reduce unemployment and that promotes Indigenous ecological knowledge in decision-making to benefit a sustainable world seven generations into the future.

Resilience Research

Sustainable Water

Innovations to improve water quality, quantity, and water use-efficiency

Adaptive Infrastructures

Engineering & biological designs and materials to lessen the impacts of climate change

Healthy Ecosystems

Strategies to protect the biodiversity and ecosystem services that support economic, cultural, and ecological functions of drylands

Community Health & Vitality

Solutions for insecurity and inequity in water,  energy, and exposure to environmental pollutants