NAU and SRP launch strategic partnership
Northern Arizona University (NAU) and Salt River Project (SRP) are formalizing a collaborative research and engagement partnership focused on addressing some of Arizona’s most urgent environmental, social, and workforce challenges. A recent visioning workshop marked the official kick–off, gathering stakeholders from both institutions to map out a shared path forward.
The workshop was designed to lay the groundwork for collaboration, bring key voices together, and define early priorities. The morning set the stage with presentations and context; in the afternoon, breakout sessions focused on four primary areas of partnership: water and watersheds, energy and sustainability, workforce development, and tribal partnerships & thriving communities.
Guided by a newly formed steering committee, participants explored potential collaborative models, discussed funding proposals, and explored where NAU’s strengths in research, curriculum development, and outreach could align with SRP’s expertise and community mission. An important point emphasized was the scope of the initial workshop — while not everyone working in these areas could be included, this gathering is the first of many, with broader stakeholder involvement planned over time.
Looking ahead, NAU and SRP plan to maintain momentum with focus-area meetings on a monthly or quarterly basis, and annual meetings for the overall partnership. SRP has committed to large investments in research with Arizona’s universities: over the coming academic year more than $2.9 million will be invested in research and development at ASU, NAU and the University of Arizona.
For SRP, the partnership fits squarely within its long-standing commitment to water conservation, sustainability, and community engagement. SRP has set ambitious goals — for example, working to conserve 5 billion gallons of water by 2035 — and already works with academic institutions, municipalities, and tribal communities to drive water efficiency and environmental resiliency.
NAU brings to the table a multidisciplinary mix of strengths: engineering, environmental science, remote sensing, sustainability centers, and more. One key goal of the partnership is to create applied research opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students, connect them with potential employers, and adapt curriculum to meet emerging needs, like energy systems that support AI infrastructure. Such collaborations are expected to reinforce NAU’s mission of 100% career readiness, expand educational opportunity, and serve the state.
Already, NAU and SRP have produced tangible work together: protecting watersheds via ecological restoration and modeling wildfire behavior; assessing electric vehicle charging demands and grid load; and restoring ecosystems to protect water quality. These kinds of projects illustrate how combining university research capacity with SRP’s operational resources produces outcomes neither could achieve alone.
Overall, the visioning workshop underscores a shared belief: that by bringing together communities of engagement, technical excellence, and institutional will, NAU and SRP can jointly address complex challenges across water, energy, tribal well-being, and workforce development. This partnership promises not just research outputs, but a stronger, more resilient Arizona.