The University of Arizona has a well-earned reputation for its ability to defy gravity.
Long before the hit musical “Wicked” entered the public consciousness, U of A research paved the way for several of the most impactful NASA space missions – mapping the moon, photographing Mars, collecting the potential building blocks of life from the dust from an asteroid – while the university’s men’s basketball team rode the high-flying dunks that became commonplace during the Lute Olson era to the 1997 National Championship, along with several deep NCAA Tournament runs and multiple future NBA draft picks.
(From left) Patricia Prelock, provost and chief academic officer, Marcia Rieke, Regents Professor of astronomy, President Suresh Garimella and R. Ken Coit Director of Athletics Desireé Reed-Francois took part in the launch of Galaxy Slam, a weeklong celebration of the University of Arizona’s legacy in space from Feb. 14-21.
Mike Christy/Arizona Athletics
Those two worlds are set to collide in a weeklong celebration of the U of A’s legacy of space and hoops in the first Arizona Galaxy Slam, Feb. 14-21.
“This is an exciting moment for the University of Arizona because it reflects a fundamental truth. We are a university where excellence is not confined to one arena. Whether in a laboratory, a classroom, a studio or on a court, we pursue the same ideals: discipline, teamwork, perseverance and discovery,” said University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella.
“We are so excited to have this opportunity to celebrate the University of Arizona’s excellence in athletics and astronomy,” said Provost and Chief Academic Officer Patricia Prelock. “We believe it is important to showcase our university’s biggest stars in creative and innovative ways to help advance our student success mission. Galaxy Slam is a wonderful example of the unique ways a Wildcat can pursue greatness.”
Continuing to soar
The U of A continues to lead the way in both realms, with the recent launch of Pandora, which will help scientists untangle the signals from the atmospheres of exoplanets, and the men’s basketball team’s hot start to the 2025-26 season.
“Galaxy Slam reflects our belief that athletics and academics are strongest when they reinforce one another,” said R. Ken Coit Director of Athletics Desireé Reed-Francois. “When we elevate scholars alongside our teams, we show what it truly means to be a Wildcat: competitive, curious and committed to excellence in every arena.”
The shared excellence in each of these areas showcases the U of A’s legacy of determination and the definition of what it means to be a Wildcat.
“The inaugural Galaxy Slam is about more than a basketball game; it is about building a culture where our athletic pride and our research excellence are celebrated with equal fervor,” said Tomás Díaz de la Rubia, senior vice president for research and partnerships. “Galaxy Slam leverages the massive platform of Arizona Athletics to create a gateway for people to learn about our groundbreaking work in space sciences, from mapping the moon and Mars to sampling distant asteroids and leading deep-space explorations to search for life on other planets. This is an opportunity to showcase the exceptional work our faculty and staff are doing – in labs, classrooms and museums like the Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium – to an audience that may not realize they are part of a world-class research hub.”
A star on two fronts
Few exemplify this union between sports and science better than Marcia Rieke, a Regents Professor in the University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory and this year’s Big 12 Faculty of the Year honoree from the U of A.
“Before I had my career in astronomy, I was a college basketball player, and that experience shaped me in lasting ways,” said Rieke. “Being part of a team taught me discipline, resilience and the importance of showing up every day prepared to do your best. Those lessons stayed with me as I moved into science and research.“
Limited edition Galaxy Slam merchandise will be available at the Galaxy Slam basketball game and on the Campus Store website.
Rieke will be honored at the upcoming Galaxy Slam Basketball Game on Feb. 18, where she will be recognized for her contributions to astronomical research and education. Her work has made a lasting impact on our understanding of the universe, pushing the boundaries of what we know about the cosmos.
In addition, Galaxy Slam will highlight several of the world’s top experts in space science – Rieke, Carlos Vargas, Daewook Kim, Daniel Apai, Vishnu Reddy, Dante Lauretta, Dani DellaGiustina and Krishna Muralidharan – with their own signature line of trading cards at upcoming campus events, which include:
Feb. 14: “Love is Universal,“ a Valentine’s Day event at Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium
Share the wonders of the universe with an educationally romantic planetarium show or a laser light music “mix tape” in the Eos Foundation Planetarium Theater. More information about events at the Eos Foundation Planetarium Theater during Galaxy Slam can be found at the Flandrau website.