Northern Arizona University, founded in 1899, is a public research university in Flagstaff at an elevation of 7,000 feet in the Ponderosa pine forests of northern Arizona. With about 30,000 students, NAU is known for its forestry, environmental science, engineering, and health professions programs. The campus sits near the San Francisco Peaks and offers a distinctive mountain college experience far removed from the desert heat of Phoenix and Tucson.