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

Mission

ARID maximizes the resilience of drylands to climate change: we foster transdisciplinary research, co-create innovations with community and industry partners, and equitably train the next generation to improve economic, human, and ecosystem health in New Mexico and beyond.

Vision

To foster resilience innovations that enable New Mexico residents, businesses and organisms to thrive despite the impacts of climate change on water, energy, ecosystems, and community health.

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: 
   • Innovate strategies for sustainable water with solutions to increase water quantity, water quality, and water use-efficiency.
   • Sustain healthy ecosystems that protect biodiversity and maintain services that support the economic, cultural, and ecological functions of drylands.
   • Improve community health through the mitigation of water & energy insecurity and inequities in exposure to environmental harms.
   • Grow a diverse, inclusive, and vibrant economy in clean energy.
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

Developing new technical, environmental, and policy innovations to monitor water resources, and reduce water insecurity for future generations.

Adaptive Infrastructures

Working to develop new materials, engineering, and biological solutions that will enhance resilience to the observed and predicted changes in climate - in concert with effective public policy and community organization. 

Healthy Ecosystems

Quantifying how much water our critical dryland ecosystems require and which ecosystems and organisms are the most vulnerable to environmental change, thereby developing the knowledge and tools to effectively support and manage New Mexico's natural and managed landscapes.

Community Health & Vitality

Integrating research, education, and collaborative partnerships to enhance long-term prosperity and well-being across our geographically and culturally diverse state. Our researchers are cross-collaborating between health sciences, sustainable development, indigenous planning, environmental arts, sustainable business, resource economics, and environmental justice.