University of Alaska Fairbanks spearheads $13.9 million study on climate change’s impact on Western Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - The University of Alaska Fairbanks is spearheading a study that will look into climate change’s impact on Western Alaska.

“It’s a really big project. It actually includes four universities,” said Dr. Chris Maio, an associate professor of coastal geography at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. “And the University of Alaska Fairbanks is kind of the umbrella organization that will be running it.”

Thanks to a $13.9 million grant from the National Science Foundation recently awarded to the Alaska Coastal Cooperative for Co-producing Transformative Ideas and Opportunities in the North, also known as AC³TION, UAF will be able to work with other universities and the eight Western Alaskan communities to help address some of the environmental issues that each community is facing.

“Given the complexity of the issues and impacts to communities, we really sought to align, you know, some of the world’s best experts in these fields,” Maio said. “And so that’s why we brought in other universities, other state and federal agencies, as well as private industry.”

Communities impacted by Typhoon Merbok and the Mendenhall Glacier coastal communities in Alaska have experienced increased flooding and coastal erosion on top of permafrost thaw and sea ice loss. While Maio says this project aims to help communities find solutions, whether relocating or building sea walls, the team is excited to work on this project with the community.

”We’re really excited on this project because the communities have been involved from the start,” Maio said. “We have eight total communities, and they really spread an amazing kind of geographic area. And they’re all very unique. And that’s one of the things that we’re acknowledging.”

According to Maio, for years, western scientists have practiced a form of extract science. Scientists would go into an area, get data, then take off and never communicate with the community again.

The AC³TION project aims to enhance communication, advance applied science that addresses local community priorities, and enhance workforce development and education opportunities.

“And that’s been the standard for decades,” Maio said. “And so now, this project actually is trying to work and build trust and relationships with the community so that we fully understand their priorities and their needs.”

Another difference with this project is that each community has its budget, a funded community research lead (a co-investigator), and advisory boards tightly networked into AC³TION. This grant will provide the co-investigator, a chosen member from the eight tribal communities, with an award of $2.2 million.

Here is a list of the communities that will be taking part in this project:

• Chignik Intertribal Coalition
• Nelson Lagoon
• Atka
• St. Paul Island
• Hooper Bay
• Gambell
• Point Lay
• Tuktoyaktuk (Canada)

The project is expected to start on Nov. 15. The grant has enough funding to support the study for four years.

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