During a career spanning more than four decades at the University of Arizona, Biosphere 2 director Joaquin Ruiz assumed numerous leadership positions and garnered many accolades, most recently a National Order of Merit appointment by the French government. When he reflects on those 42 years of accomplishments, he comes to one word – luck.

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“I’ve just been lucky. I believe in luck,” said Ruiz, who is also executive director of the France-Arizona Institute for Global Grand Challenges. “Some people would argue that you need to be prepared for what luck brings you. Well, that may be true but if that is the case, you must be fearless in what you try. You need to have a vision of what things could be. You just go after it.”

Ruiz points out three moments where he says luck presented him opportunities, and he threw his all into the roles.

The first came in 1983, when he accepted an assistant professor appointment at the U of A College of Science Department of Geosciences. The second came in 2000, when he became dean of the College of Science, a position he held until 2019. And the third occurred in 2013, when he was named director of Biosphere 2.

Ruiz says his role at Biosphere 2 is one of the most exciting he’s ever had, and he credits that to the facility and his team members.

“I’ve worked at the university for a long time, and I’ve never worked with a team that is more committed to the vision of and mission of what we’re doing here,” Ruiz said. “What we strive to do is educate the public about the environment, climate and food security. We have the most extraordinary tool for environmental research.”

The chevalier appointment in the National Order of Merit – a French equivalent of a British knighthood reserved for non-citizens who made considerable contributions – appears to be a crowning moment in an impressive career. 

This National Order of Merit isn’t the first time Ruiz has received international acclaim. A member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences, he was named a national researcher by the Mexican government in 2010 in recognition of outstanding scientific contributions and efforts to enhance Mexico’s scientific and technological capacity through collaborations with the U of A.

Ruiz says he places the National Order of Merit honor alongside the National Researcher distinction as the awards he is most grateful for.

“I was honored to even be considered for this award,” Ruiz said. “It really points out to me that people take note of my efforts to make things better for all of us.”