Photo by Pat Neel
Jane Gold and Pat Neel
Pat Neel and Bonnie Hyra led a special two-in-one University of Arizona campus visit. A group of 11 visited the U of A’s Laboratory for Tree Ring Research (LTRR), beginning with a streetcar ride from the Mercado to the U of A. The LTRR is the birthplace and leading international center for using tree rings to study the past and the future of the earth’s climate, ecosystems, and societies. The docent-led tour was exciting and informative. Following a short talk about the history of the lab, the group participated in a classroom experience counting rings and discussing the meaning. Also visited were several labs that demonstrated the interrelatedness of tree ring study—hydrology and archeology. The big takeaway was that researching age, climate, or other questions always involves counting rings.
The On-the-Go group also visited the Museum of Art to view the recently recovered picture Women-Ochre, by Willem de Kooning. This extraordinary work of art was stolen 37 years ago from the university and was recently rediscovered. It was restored at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles and returned to the university with much fanfare and security.
The group had lunch at Cactus Grill, a fun food court with tasty selections, at the U of A Student Union.