Arizona is home to some smart cookies.
Tempe and Tucson have both been named as some of the smartest cities in the world. The Arizona cities have each snagged a Smart 50 Award, which identifies cities that have innovative and influential projects with current or future municipal-scale impacts.
Tempe was recognized for its innovation in advancing community health and fighting Covid-19 through its wastewater science program that measures the signal of Covid-19 in community wastewater.
According to the Smart 50 Award panelists, “Tempe’s program serves to influence and encourage other cities by being a model for creating an early warning signal program for protecting community wellness, driving decision-making with data, communicating with transparency, and cultivating community trust. This is all accomplished with compassion, unparalleled service and science.”
Tucson’s Project Aeolus aimed to provide in-home internet access to underserved and unserved families with school-age children who have had to transition to remote learning due to the pandemic.
See the full list of all 50 winning cities and projects here.
