News and Press Releases 2021
December 17, 2021
Coeur Alaska Kensington Mine Donates $300,000 to UAS Student Scholarships
The gift will significantly increase support for UAS Environmental Science and Marine Biology students.
December 8, 2021
As glaciers retreat in Alaska and British Columbia, thousands of miles of new Pacific salmon habitat may open up by 2100
Newly exposed streams can be colonized relatively rapidly by opportunistic Pacific salmon.
December 6, 2021
Season finale of UAS Evening at Egan features presentation on Lingít Language Revitalization in a Musical Context, December 10
The team has focused on bringing Lingít tundatáani—the Lingít thought world—into the pedagogy, which is transforming the way music is being taught at Sítʼ Eetí Shaanáx̱ (Glacier Valley Elementary)November 30, 2021
UAS Evening at Egan features presentation on efforts to strengthen Northwest Coast Arts programming and degree tracks in higher education, December 3
A portion of the session will include a condensed sample introduction to formline-design presented by award winning artist and IAIA/UAS Adjunct instructor Robert Mills.
November 19, 2021
UAS Sitka Whale Lab Offers Opportunity to Experience a 4-D Whale Necropsy from the Comfort of Your Computer
Through the use of 3-D scanning technology over time (hence 4-D), the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) Whalelab has developed a free virtual portal that allows broader access to this experience.November 15, 2021
UAS Evening at Egan Speaker Renee Tl'aagunk Culp to present “I too yei yatee - It is within you: Generational Trauma & Resiliency,” November 19
"Generational trauma is a well-known concept within trauma-informed care, a lesser-known concept, generational resilience is an important topic to add to the discussion."
November 9, 2021
UAS Evening at Egan Speakers Dr. Pearl Brower and Ronalda Cadiente Brown to present on the Alaska Native Success Initiative, November 12
This project seeks to improve the participation and success of Alaska Natives through educational achievement statewide
November 5, 2021
UAS scholar Dr. Tom Thornton’s and colleagues’ Indigenous Environmental Knowledge handbook chosen as 2021 Best Geoscience Research Resource Work Award
This volume provides an overview of key themes in Indigenous Environmental Knowledge (IEK) and anchors them with brief but well-grounded empirical case studies of relevance for each of these themes
November 2, 2021
UAS Evening at Egan Speaker Jason Gootee to present “Health Insurance in Alaska,” November 5
Gootee will provide a look at the 2022 environment for health insurance in Alaska
October 26, 2021
UAS and NEA Big Read to host “A Most Powerful Song: Elevating Indigenous Voices” on November 4
Indigenous poets Vivian Faith Prescott, Marie Tozier and X̱'unei Lance Twitchell will read from their work and discuss poetic lineage
October 28, 2021
UAS reaccredited for AAS-Health Information Management program
UAS' HIM program is the only Alaska program accredited by CAHIIM
October 26, 2021
The ‘Real’ World, from One Mathematician’s Point of View
UAS Evening at Egan Speaker Dr. Megan Buzby to present “The ‘Real’ World, from One Mathematician’s Point of View, October 29
October 19, 2021
Fisheries, Aquaculture and Mariculture in Southeast Alaska
UAS Evening at Egan Speaker Joel Markis to Present “Fisheries, Aquaculture and Mariculture in Southeast Alaska,” October 22
October 11, 2021
The Interrelationships Between Tribes, Corporations, and City, State and Federal Governments
UAS Evening at Egan Speaker Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson to present “The Interrelationships between Tribes, Corporations, and City, State and Federal Governments,” October 15
October 6, 2021
Indigenous Peoples’ Day at UAS to Feature Panel Discussion on the Future of Indigenous Language Revitalization
The University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) will recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day with a conversation event titled “Ḵaa Tukax̱saké Héende – Towards the River That Untangles a Personʼs Mind.”October 4, 2021
UAS Evening at Egan Speaker Xáadas Wendy Smythe, Ph.D. to present “The Science in Our Stories: Connection to Place, Belonging, and Security For Native Students In STEM Education,” October 8
“Science curriculum and western-based pedagogies within mainstream education systems do not reflect the true nature of Indigenous knowledge systems nor the deep connections Traditional knowledge systems have developed over thousands of years."
September 30, 2021
UAS Faculty Emerita Ernestine Hayes honored by the Rasmuson Foundation and Juneau-Douglas City Museum
Ernestine Saankalaxt Hayes has recently been honored with two awards. A former Alaska State Writer Laureate, she was chosen to receive the Rasmuson Foundation Distinguished Artist award as well as the Juneau-Douglas City Museum’s first ever Marie Darlin Prize.
September 27, 2021
Entomologist Dr. Elizabeth Graham to present on Western Blackheaded Budworms October 1
Western blackheaded budworms are a natural part of the forests in Southeast Alaska. Typically their populations are low and damage is negligible, but every 30 to 40 years their numbers build up and they become the most significant disturbance agent in the forest.
September 23, 2021
UAS Named Hidden Gem in the Far West US Rankings for 2022
The University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) has been named one of the Hidden Gem Colleges in the Far West US 2022 Rankings by website College RaptorSeptember 21, 2021
UAS Evening at Egan Speaker Ben Reilly to present on Ranked Choice Voting September 24
"Ranked choice voting: what is it, how does it work, and will it change Alaskan politics?"
September 17, 2021
UAS Celebrates PITAAS scholar Melissa Brooks-Johnson, Named Interim Superintendent for the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District
UAS congratulates Melissa Brooks-Johnson on her recent appointment as Superintendent and for setting a great example of the value of earning an advanced degree to increase the impact one makes on student learning.
September 14, 2021
UAS Evening at Egan Speaker Mischa Jackson to Present “Alaska Native Education: The Power of Acknowledgment,” September 17
The annual fall lecture series Evening at Egan continues this Friday, September 17 at 7 pm with a virtual presentation by Mischa Jackson - Chookangee Tláa, Assistant Professor of Secondary Education at UAS.
September 14, 2021
UAS Welcomes New Leaders in Alaska Native Studies, Equity & Compliance, and Education
The University of Alaska Southeast is pleased to welcome three new leaders this year.September 9, 2021
Evening at Egan Fall Lecture Series Begins this Friday, September 10 with marine biologist Heidi Pearson
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic all 2021 Evening at Egan events will be offered virtually using Zoom
August 27, 2021
UAS Celebrates 2021 Faculty Excellence, Promotions & Tenure
It is with great pride that the University of Alaska Southeast announces the recent promotions of our esteemed faculty, as well as the 2021 Faculty Excellence Awards. Please join UAS as we congratulate them.
August 18, 2021
6th Annual UAS Author’s Celebration Honors Faculty Published in 2020
The event, held by Zoom this year, is sponsored by Friends of the Egan Library (FOEL), UAS Alumni & Friends Network.
August 13, 2021
UA Hires Dr. Pearl K. Brower to Lead Alaska Native Success, Diversity and Inclusion Efforts
In a major step toward improving the success of Alaska Native students, staff, and faculty at the University of Alaska, Interim President Pat Pitney announced today that Dr. Pearl Brower will lead the development and implementation of diversity and inclusion strategies at the university.August 13, 2021
UAS Awarded USDA NIFA Grant to Address Underrepresentation of Alaska Natives and American Indians in STEM Fields
The University of Alaska Southeast has been awarded $515,073 for its project “Alaska Native Knowledge: Experiences in Resources and Science” (ANKERS).
August 11, 2021
UAS Welcomes Ironman in August 2022
The Ironman Group, the international swim/bike/run organization, has selected Juneau as an official host for Ironman race events beginning in 2022. The University of Alaska Southeast will serve as the venue for the race start, the Ironman Village, all transition points, and the race finish.
August 4, 2021
UAS pays tribute to professor emeritus and educational equity champion Dr. Lawrence Lee Oldaker
Dr. Oldaker was a life-long champion of educational equity.
July 16, 2021
UAS Names Carin Silkaitis as Dean of Arts and Sciences
As dean, Silkatis will provide leadership for the school and its four departments: Business and Public Administration, Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences.
July 2, 2021
UAS student Petrea Ashmore receives scholarship from the American Association of Medical Assistants
Petrea has demonstrated multiple instances of extreme professionalism and highly effective communication skills when interacting with other students. She is a role model for her classmates.
July 2, 2021
University of Alaska Southeast Named Winner of 2021 Assessment & Impact Awards in Housing and Residence Life
The award, given by Skyfactor Benchworks, a Macmillan Learning company, recognized UAS for its ongoing commitment to creating a positive residence life experience for students through use of data-driven programs.
June 18, 2021
UAS Chemist Konrad Meister lands NSF Award to Study How Fungi Make Ice
The National Science Foundation has awarded UAS professor Dr. Konrad Meister with a three-year, $243,688 award to study the structure and working mechanisms of fungal ice nucleators.
June 16, 2021
UAS Outdoor Studies Students Complete Capstones on Juneau Icefield and Above Gilkey River
Concluding a challenging 15 months of COVID-19 modified programming, University of Alaska Southeast Outdoor Studies students completed two capstone field courses this spring. In the first, ten students and one instructor established a base camp approximately 2000 feet above the Gilkey River and backcountry skied in the area from May 5-15th.
June 8, 2021
From Streambed to Glacial Ice, Students Lead Research at the Alaska Coastal Rainforest Center
On the banks of Juneau’s Montana Creek, Claire Delbecq leans over a small metal strainer, sorting through the plant matter, insects, and sediment that have been collected from the water column of the nearby stream. The contents of this sample can tell us about where and when salmon are getting their food, and how altered patterns of stream flow due to climate change might affect their growth.
June 7, 2021
UAS Celebrates Student Success Chancellor’s and Dean’s Lists – Spring 2021 Semester
UAS Chancellor Karen Carey, Interim Dean Paula Martin of the School of Arts & Sciences, Dean Pete Traxler of the School of Career and Technical Education, and Executive Dean Steve Atwater of the Alaska College of Education are proud to recognize students for their scholarly achievements.June 4, 2021
UAS Ketchikan Maritime Training Facility Included in Consortium Designated as 2021 Center of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education
The UAS Ketchikan Maritime Training Center is one of six members of the Alaska Maritime Education Consortium, working to address the maritime workforce needs across the state of Alaska.
June 1, 2021
Dr. Heidi Pearson of UAS collaborates with international colleagues on marine biology and climate change research
The paper, published in the science journal One Earth this month, is a collaboration between Ms. Angela Martin at the Centre for Coastal Research at the University of Agder in Norway, Dr. Heidi Pearson at UAS, Dr. Esben Moland Olsen at the Institute of Marine Research in Norway, and Dr. Grace Saba at Rutgers University.
May 27, 2021
Icebergs Push Back - New study: Slushy iceberg aggregates control calving timing on Greenland’s Jakobshavn Isbræ
Shortly before Jakobshavn Isbræ, a tidewater glacier in Greenland, calves massive chunks of ice into the ocean, there’s a sudden change in the slushy collection of icebergs floating along the glacier’s terminus, according to a new paper led by authors at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, Emory University, and University of Alaska Southeast.
May 13, 2021
UAS Congratulates Bob McClory, Ketchikan High School Counselor, for Recent Award
The University of Alaska Southeast would like to acknowledge Bob McClory of Ketchikan High School for his recent honor receiving the Sister Shawn Marie Barry Distinguished Service to Youth Award from the Pacific Northwest Association for College Admission Counseling (PNACAC).
May 25, 2021
Konar named Alaska NSF EPSCoR lead
Dr. Brenda Konar named as the new Principal Investigator and Project Director of its “Fire & Ice” research project.
April 26, 2021
UAS Celebrates the Class of 2021 with Virtual Commencement Ceremonies this Weekend
On the weekend of April 30 to May 2, the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) will celebrate student achievement and success at commencement activities on its three campuses in Sitka, Ketchikan, and Juneau, with over 400 graduates.
April 16, 2021
UAS Honors Pauline Kookesh Duncan with Honorary Doctorate of Education at 2021 Commencement Ceremony
Pauline has created an invaluable legacy of teaching materials that merge Tlingit culture and language with Alaska educational standards.
April 15, 2021
UAS awarded National Society of Leadership and Success First Year Grant
The University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) has been selected as a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS).April 7, 2021
UAS Honors Elizabeth Nelson of Ketchikan with Meritorious Service Award
Elizabeth’s leadership is guided above all by inclusivity and is fueled by an unwavering drive to bring new people into the fold
April 5, 2021
UAS Honors Gordon Jackson at 2021 Virtual Commencement Ceremony, April 30
This year UAS will honor Kaheenaak Gordon L. Jackson with a Meritorious Service Award, presented during the Juneau campus ceremony on Friday, April 30, for his contributions to rural education, health services, and economic development for Alaska Natives, particularly in his home region of Southeast Alaska.
April 5, 2021
Adopted by Tlingit, Descended from Mohawk: How Learning Lingít Helped UBC Student Discover Her History and Strive for a Future of Reciprocal, Respectful Research
When the Tlingit community adopted UBC student Éedaa Heather Burge, she was brought in from the cold.
April 1, 2021
Southeast High School Students to Showcase Ocean-based Research with UAS RASOR Program
Seven students from Metlakatla, Craig, Petersburg, Sitka and Mt. Edgecumbe are finalizing the results their year-long ocean research projects.
March 26, 2021
A Skier’s Perspective on the 2021 Iditarod Trail Invitational
Skiing the Invitational is not an affair rich in sleep
March 19, 2021
Team from UAS leads local volunteers in whale necropsy effort near Sitka
The group spent about five and a half hours ... performing a necropsy, with a main goal to determine cause of death
March 16, 2021
Melting glaciers could speed up carbon emissions into the atmosphere
The loss of glaciers worldwide enhances the breakdown of complex carbon molecules in rivers, potentially contributing further to climate change.
March 2, 2021
UAS Native & Rural Student Center Hosts 19th Annual Oratory Showcase
The theme of this year’s event was Haa kusteeyi guganeix, or “Our way of life will heal.”February 22, 2021
Educators Rising Alaska Leadership Conference February 28th – March 1st
The theme for this year’s conference is “Rising Above Adversity”.
February 9, 2021
Determining Dissolved Organic Carbon Flows into the Gulf of Alaska
A new model determines freshwater and dissolved organic carbon discharge to the Gulf of Alaska from one of the most geographically diverse but understudied regions on the planet
February 10, 2021
Climate Change Alters Coastal Processes in North America’s Largest Temperate Rainforest
In North America’s largest remaining temperate rainforest, coastal marine environments are intrinsically linked with the land through the delivery of nutrients that drive ocean productivity.
January 26, 2021
Alaska Airlines Student Concert Series at UAS Presents: Drive-In Concert with Pamyua
On Friday, February 5th at 7:00 p.m., the University of Alaska Southeast is hosting an Alaska Airlines Student Concert Series event, Pamyua. The concert is FREE and open to the public.
January 22, 2021
Alaska Coastal Rainforest Center Names New Director Tom Thornton
ACRC is pleased to announce the appointment of Tom Thornton as ACRC Director as of April 11, 2021.
January 20, 2021
UAS Celebrates Student Success Chancellor’s and Dean’s Lists - Fall 2020 Semester
UAS Chancellor Karen Carey, Interim Dean Paula Martin of the School of Arts & Sciences, Dean Pete Traxler of the School of Career and Technical Education, and Executive Dean Steve Atwater of the Alaska College of Education are proud to recognize students for their scholarly achievements.January 15, 2021
Sealaska Corporation Supports Scholarships for Alaska Native Language Student Enrollment
The University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) announces a tuition scholarship offered in support from Sealaska Corporation for students enrolled in Spring 2021 Alaska Native Language courses.January 6, 2021
Student Workshops Go Remote at Virtual Sitka Whalefest Science Festival
This year, students weren’t able to travel to Sitka but that doesn’t mean they didn’t get their (gloved) hands dirty.
January 5, 2021
UAS RASOR Program and Tribal Mentors Guide High School Students in Community-based Research and Prepare Them for College Success
The Rural Alaska Students in One-Health Research (RASOR) program started its second year ready to tackle new challenges. Ten Southeast Alaska students from Metlakatla, Petersburg, Sitka, and Craig and three Mt. Edgecumbe students from Unalakleet, Huslia, and Tyonek joined this year.