Category: Research

Sikuliaq to embark on limited research cruise in May

Photo by Sarah Spanos The research vessel Sikuliaq, here in Seward, Alaska, will depart May 4.

Scientific operations will resume on the research vessel Sikuliaq for one week beginning May 4, preserving an unbroken string of 22 years of ecological data collection.

Special permission has been granted for a small team of researchers from the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences at the University of Alaska Fairbanks to collect water samples in the northern Gulf of Alaska.

This will mark the first time a vessel in the U.S. Academic Research Fleet has been allowed to engage in research activities since COVID-19 grounded the fleet, which is coordinated by the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System.

The scientists self-quarantined for two weeks prior to boarding the vessel, and are adhering to health mandates while conducting their research.

Rose Dufour, ship operations program director at the National Science Foundation, said, “NSF recognizes the difficult decision to move forward with science operations in these uncertain times, but we feel UAF has done an excellent job in assessing and mitigating the risks.”

UAF operates the Sikuliaq on behalf of NSF, which owns the vessel.

Source: Sikuliaq to embark on limited research cruise in May – UAF Cornerstone

Building community, contribution and care in the time of COVID

Jim Johnsen

The University of Alaska has demonstrated resilience and resolve over many years and across many challenging issues. Alaskans support the university in helping our students, employing our graduates, providing generous contributions, and offering their time and expertise on advisory and governing boards. This partnership with our state is highlighted by how the university is giving back to help our communities and our state during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I continue to be impressed by how our faculty, students, and staff collaborate, support one another, and conduct innovative and meaningful work. I am proud to be a part of a university system that serves our communities and our state as we work daily to build a stronger, more resilient Alaska. I believe it is UA’s responsibility to examine both current and far-reaching impacts of the current crisis and to help identify solutions.

Read the full article here.

Source: Building community, contribution and care in the time of COVID – Anchorage Press

Alaska January Economic Trends

In January Trends: Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development’s first issue of 2020 is their annual jobs forecast, detailing this year’s economic outlook for Alaska overall and for Anchorage, the Fairbanks area, and Southeast.

Source: Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development

UA System in Top 15 percent of Georgetown ROI Study

Sculpture at the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. (Wikimedia Commons)

Alaska’s state university system is delivering some of the best bargains in the nation in terms of Alaskans’ earnings after graduation compared with what they pay for their college degrees or certificates.

A new Georgetown University study of 4,529 U.S. universities and colleges, including vocational and career institutions, put the University of Alaska system near the top the heap.

University of Alaska Anchorage ranked in the top 15 percent of the nationwide sample group in terms of the long-term, 40-year earnings from a four-year college degree. University of Alaska Fairbanks and University of Alaska Southeast weren’t far behind.

“What’s important about this is that is shows that students in Alaska’s universities are getting a very good return for their investment. UAA shows up as having particularly good value but UAF and UAS aren’t far behind,” said Erin Holmes, in UAA’s Institutional Research Group.

UAA graduates carried an average of $9,597 in debt, the Georgetown survey showed. After 40 years, UAA graduates had earned $963,000 in Net Present Value, according to the survey. With that, UAA ranked 696th out of 4,529 institutions of higher learning in the study. UAF graduates carried $9,500 in debt, on average, and earned $827,000 after 40 years, in Net Present Value. At University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau graduates carried an average debt load of $9,152 and earned $765,999 after 40 year, again in Net Present Value.

Alaska’s state university system is delivering some of the best bargains in the nation in terms of Alaskans’ earnings after graduation compared with what they pay for their college degrees

Read the full article here.

Source: UA system in top 15 percent of Georgetown ROI study – Press, Tim Bradner