ASU's year in review 2017
By
—
There was no shortage of changes for the nation and Arizona State University in 2017. In a year that celebrated the 15th anniversary of the New American University, the faculty, staff and students have made advancements in many fields of research, formed new partnerships and found innovative ways to help the communities they serve.
Related: Photos of the year from Charlie Leight and Deanna Dent and top 2017 video stories from Ken Fagan.
Here are some of the top stories of 2017:
Discoveries
ASU researchers and scientists were busy this year, with new findings in many fields, including tuberculosis testing, the effects of divorce and autism treatment. Not to mention a thumbs-up on a NASA mission.
Solutions
From the 15th anniversary of the New American University to a startup idea for easier parking around campus, the faculty, staff and students at ASU sought out ways to better their world.
Creativity
The creative juices were flowing for ASU in 2017: 3-D printing classes, a film production employing students on the Tempe campus and a movie star's ceramics show are just a sampling.
Entrepreneurship
ASU's entrepreneurial spirit got a shot in the arm in 2017 from some big-name campus visitors, high-profile appearances for Arizona-based inventors and a heck of a lot of patents.
Global Engagement
Partnerships with China, work in developing countries and a slew of international scholars — both home and abroad — led ASU's contributions to the world stage in 2017.
Arizona Impact
Students, faculty and administrators were deeply entrenched in Arizona-centric projects this year, including launching a program to shore up numbers of Arizona K-12 teachers, designing a shadier bus stop shelter for Valley Metro and optimizing the use of the Salt River bed.
Sun Devil Life
It was an eventful 2017 for past and present Sun Devils alike: an innovative new residence hall opened its doors, a magazine for Native American students launched and ASU football mourned one legend and enshrined another.
ASU News
ASU was in the headlines this year for some grade-A excitement: a record number of incoming Arizona freshmen, a global partnership with adidas, another school making its way downtown, and a threepeat in innovation rankings.