Exploring the Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill
Dr. Elise Gornish, Director of Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill.
Tucson 13 News
It’s been a gathering spot for decades, and a hub of scientific discovery for more than a century.
The Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill is where researchers are blending ancient history with modern technology to unlock the secrets of the Sonoran Desert.
As one of the longest continuously inhabited places in North America, Tumamoc Hill has drawn scientists for over 120 years in search of answers. Founded by the Carnegie Institution in 1903, the Desert Laboratory was Andrew Carnegie’s brainchild to study how desert plants survive.
“Right now, we support research and outreach on natural and cultural resources of the Sonoran Desert. So, we are still really interested in desert plants and how they survive, but we’re also interested in the animals and the soils and the people who used to live here and currently live here,” says Desert Laboratory Director Elise Gornish. “Today, the lab looks for ways to use new technology to explore questions, such as using A-I to scan century-old documents, extracting the data to send to researchers, or helping students with local studies.”
“We’re really accessible, and that’s important because students don’t necessarily have a lot of money or time to deploy experiments,” says Gornish.
But the lab isn’t just for researchers; it’s for the community. Like the “Resilience Garden” at the bottom of the hill, which is being revitalized to teach visitors about native plants they might miss on the trail.
They have a lot of plans for that resilience garden, including having tai chi and yoga, as well as an expanded youth program so that kids can develop a better understanding of sustainability in native plants at home.
Gornish says they’re also expanding outreach through art.
“Art is something that expands people’s minds, and often people connect with that a little easier than basic science. We try to make something for everyone, whether you’re into art or books, or science or food... we’re trying to provide something for you.”
They’re open 364 days a year, the only exception being July 4th.
For more on this, you can sign up for their newsletter by contacting the lab at: tumamoc-hill@arizona.edu
You can sign up for their mailing list here.