Published Jul 14, 2023 by Laila Murdock

The University of Alaska Fairbanks hosted a graduation for rural students on Thursday, July 13, through the Rural Alaska Honors Institute (RAHI) program.

Each year people from across Alaska apply to the program as a chance to learn skills and earn college credits. This year, 47 students graduated from the program.

Since 1982, RAHI alongside the University of Alaska Fairbanks has given students in rural communities an opportunity to earn college credits and prepare for college over the summer.

Published Jul 14, 2023 by Office of Senator Murkowski

Thursday, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, scored wins for Alaska in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) and Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Bills, which were approved by the committee, and now will advance to the full Senate for consideration. In the CJS bill, Murkowski secured wins for Alaska’s public safety, fisheries and oceans research, and victim services. In the FSGG bill, she secured wins for Native-owned businesses, illegal drug prevention, and Alaskan taxpayers. 

• Statewide: $2.8 million for the University of Alaska System to research the impacts of environmental stressors on freshwater and marine aquatic life in Alaska.
• Anchorage: $106,000 for the University of Alaska System to research alternative methods of energy consumption reduction in kelp and seaweed drying processes.

Senator Murkowski’s funded FY24 CDS Requests to support Alaska small businesses and entrepreneurs include:

• Statewide: $1 million for the University of Alaska System’s Alaska Native Entrepreneurship Program.

Senator Murkowski funded FY24 CDS Requests that support both the arts and the humanities in Alaska include:

• Statewide: $1.5 million for the University of Alaska System to preserve rare and unique films with historical footage of Alaska and oral histories.
• Statewide: $10 million to the Alaska Leaders Archive, Inc. to Create an archive of the collections of Alaskan leaders who helped shape our state and to develop a research and academic center leading the study and discourse on leadership in business and public policy.
• Statewide: 1.5 million to the University of Alaska Anchorage to install shelving and enhance space for federal and other records related to Alaska lands and resource development.

Senator Murkowski’s funded FY24 CDS Requests to support and improve healthcare in Alaska include: 

• Statewide: $2 million to University of Alaska System for Alaska Healthcare Innovation.

Published Jul 14, 2023 by Red Bradley

I read Pat Pitney’s commentary the other day regarding the University of Alaska system and what a great deal it was for Alaskans. It was a great spin piece with numerous omissions and some bending of the facts.

Published Jul 14, 2023

The projects that comprise ARPA-E’s Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel Energy Resources (MARINER) program seek to develop the critical tools to allow the United States to grow into a world leader in the production of marine biomass. Presently, macroalgae, or seaweed, is primarily used directly as food for human consumption, but there is a growing opportunity for the production of seaweed for use as fuel, chemical feedstock, and animal feed.

MARINER project teams will develop technologies capable of providing economically viable, renewable biomass for energy applications that does not compete for valuable dry land.

University of Alaska Fairbanks – Fairbanks, AK

Development of Scalable Coastal & Offshore Macroalgal Farming – $500,000

The University of Alaska Fairbanks team will develop replicable scale model farms capable of the cost-effective production of sugar kelp, a type of seaweed. The UAF project aims to reduce capital cost using purpose-built designs while simplifying installation and production to lower operational expenses. The team seeks to integrate the entire farming process, including seed production, outplanting, grow-out, harvest, and re-seeding. A particular emphasis will be on the development of cost-effective harvesting methods based on technologies applied in the commercial fishing industry. Test deployments for the integrated system are planned for locations in Alaska and New England.

Published Jul 14, 2023

The Alaska SBDC is excited to partner with the Anchorage Community Development Authority to provide new funding opportunities for Anchorage businesses through our State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) program.

We feel that this partnership is an excellent example of the University of Alaska Anchorage’s commitment to supporting the state’s economic growth through workforce development and business focused partnerships.

“ACDA and UAA’s Small Business Development Center are very pleased to offer this loan program to business and property owners in Muldoon and downtown Anchorage,” notes Robbins. “From urban design and enhancement to disability-accessible upgrades, our communities and neighborhoods will become safer and more attractive for residents, consumers, tourists, and property owners, which ultimately is of great benefit for the entire Municipality.”

Published Jul 14, 2023 by Georgina Fernandez

“Dividends are something that Alaskans have relied on for decades, and it helps draw out tens of thousands of Alaskans out of poverty,” Wielechowski said.

An Institute of Social and Economic Research at the University of Alaska Anchorage report titled “Permanent Fund Dividends and Poverty in Alaska” shows the Permanent Fund dividend has a direct impact on decreasing poverty in the state — especially in rural areas.

“Our estimates reveal that the PFD has reduced Alaska poverty rates by 2.3 percentage points on average over the past five years; about 25 percent more people would have fallen below the poverty threshold without the PFD,” the report said. “PFD has remained much more important in reducing poverty in rural Alaska than in the urban areas of the state. Without the PFD, more than one in five rural Alaskans would be pushed below the poverty threshold.”

Published Jul 14, 2023 by Rhonda McBride

Since the US Supreme Court struck down affirmative action practices at public and private universities, Alaskans on the forefront of diversity initiatives have been assessing the impacts.

On June 29, the Supreme Court ruled that Harvard and the University of North Carolina’s admission policies are unconstitutional, because they violate the 14^th Amendment’s equal protection clause.

The decision, though, doesn’t affect the University of Alaska system, because of its open admissions policy, in which almost everyone who applies gets accepted.

Published Jul 13, 2023 by U.S. Department

The Department of the Interior and the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) today announced a new partnership that will increase employment opportunities for Alaska Native youth across the Department’s offices and bureaus. Today’s announcement is part of the Biden-Harris administration’s continued work to build a more diverse, equitable and inclusive federal workforce.

The agreement will allow the Interior Department to exercise direct hire authority -- authorized by the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act -- for ANSEP students and recent graduates, allowing for placement for positions in any bureau or office and significantly streamlining the often-cumbersome process required to get federal work or internship experience.

“This new partnership exemplifies the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to removing barriers and advancing equity across the federal government,” said Secretary Deb Haaland, who met with ANSEP scholars interning in Washington this week. “We must continue to mobilize an all-of-government approach to ensure that historically underrepresented communities are brought into federal service.”

Published Jul 13, 2023 by Staff Reports

The Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre’s (FST) summer show Romeo & Juliet will run every Thursday through Sunday, ending July 30, at the University of Alaska’s Jack Townshend Point (with parking close to the UFA Museum of the North). The director is Courtland Weaver and stage manager is Nolan Turner.

Tickets are available at the FST web site. All Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Sunday performances begin at 2 p.m.