FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Over 40 Alaska Native middle and high school students, elders and teachers from the rural villages of Galena, Kivalina, and Shungnak will visit the UAF Geophysical Institute on April 29 to participate in the Science and Math Enrichment Program. The program is designed to improve students’ science and math skills, and increase student awareness of how these skills are utilized.

For Immediate Release

Thirty-six rural students will visit the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus for a two-day intensive program meant to polish their science and math skills. Middle school students from Chalkyitsik, Beaver, Kaltag and Unalakleet will learn the basics of rocket science, climate and the water cycle as part of the Science &Math Enrichment Program (SMEP).

For Immediate Release

At times, auroral activity occurring in the northern hemisphere is mirrored in the southern hemisphere. The swirls and ripples of auroral rays will occur in unison in each hemisphere. This phenomenon is known as the conjugacy of the aurora. For years, scientists at the Geophyscial Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks have studied this effect of the aurora. Although studies are shedding more light on the issue, there isn't a clear-cut formula for when, this mirroring occurs.

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For more than a decade, the Science for Alaska Lecture Series has provided Anchorage residents the opportunity to learn about scientific research conducted at the University of Alaska. This annual series, sponsored and coordinated by the Geophysical Institute, features a handful of scientists from the University of Alaska, along with experts from state and federal agencies. These experts share their research with the general public in lectures that are full of animations and visuals that appeal to all ages.

For Immediate Release

For more than a decade, the Science for Alaska Lecture Series has provided Anchorage residents the latest findings in scientific research relevant to all Alaskans. Traditionally, the lectures are offered during January and February, and serve as an educational and entertaining option for all ages on cold winter nights.

For Immediate Release

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is one of the most widely recognized mushing events in the world; employing hundreds of canine athletes. For veterinarians, the unique nature of the race presents opportunities for studies that have led to improvements to sled dog care. Stuart Nelson, Jr., chief veterinarian of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, will present his work with Iditarod-related research in a free one-hour lecture on Jan. 22.

For Immediate Release

No doubt about it, Fairbanks is a community of mushers, dog racing enthusiasts and all-around dog lovers. With the start of the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race on Feb. 10, the timing is right for a lecture about the science behind sled dog racing. Veterinarians Margaret Eastman and Denali Lovely will present on the physiology of sled dogs and their experiences working on one of the most challenging sled dog races in the world.

For Immediate Release

Global climate change is amplified in the Earth’s polar regions. As a result, Alaska’s land and waterscapes are rapidly transforming, affecting people and industry of the Far North. Much of our state’s transformation is related to alterations in the hydrological cycle. Freshwater in the Arctic is in flux, and this will affect the way people live, both physically and socially.

For Immediate Release

The expertise of Alaska Native beluga hunters and their local knowledge has contributed to scientists’ understanding of Alaska’s white whale. Beluga hunters know where to find belugas and how to get close to them. Samples collected by the hunters from harvested belugas also provide information on the whales’ diet and health. A presentation on Tuesday by Lori Quakenbush, a wildlife biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, will share some of those findings.

For Immediate Release

The 2007 Science for Alaska lecture series, which takes place in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Juneau and Seward throughout January and February, draws to a close this week in Anchorage. Barbara Mahoney, a biologist with NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service’s Anchorage field office, will give an overview of Alaska’s beluga whales.