The UA Board of Regents met in Juneau Feb. 17 – 18. The board approved a new graduate certificate in statistics for UAF. The board also approved two resolutions. One is in support of the creation of an Alaska Native Education and Research Council. The second resolution asks the NCAA to rescind a new rule change for Division II that would prevent Alaska and Hawaii from hosting full, eight-team tournaments.

Poker Flat Research Range launched four NASA rockets Wednesday, Feb. 18 to study turbulence in the upper atmosphere. One more rocket is scheduled during the current launch window that is open until March 3.

AFES will release seed for a new barley variety named Sunshine in time for spring planting. Sunshine, developed by UAF researchers, is an early-maturing, non-waxy, hull-less barley specifically adapted to northern environments.

Cooperative Extension Service has launched a new online publications database, making it easier to find the right Extension publication to answer your questions. The database is searchable by key word, subject and author.

John Olson has been appointed department chair for the CNSM Physics Department. Olson currently holds a joint appointment with CNSM and GI.

Bree Witteveen has joined SFOS as a postdoctoral fellow working on the Gulf Apex Predator-Prey project. Witteveen is a UAF alumna.

Torie Baker, Marine Advisory Program, was re-elected to a fourth three-year term on the Copper River/Prince William Sound Fish and Game Advisory Committee. Baker was also elected as chair for fisheries deliberations.

Summer Sessions 2009 registration begins today, Monday, Feb. 23. Many class fill quickly, so register early. For more information contact Summer Sessions at 474-7021 or summer@uaf.edu.

The UAF Annual Giving program released an electronic appeal featuring an innovative and contemporary flash video aimed at young alumni, with music by Gangly Moose.

UAF safety and crime statistics are available from the UAF Police Department.

The 2009 Science for Alaska Lecture Series’ last Fairbanks event, “Volcano Detectives: Locating, Predicting and Avoiding Ash Clouds” by Peter Webley, ARSC and GI, takes place Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. in the Westmark Gold Room.

CNSM and the Chapman Chair Lecture Series present “The Quest for Basin Scale Estimates of Sea Ice Thickness” by Ron Kwok Thursday, Feb. 26 at 3:30 p.m. in Elvey 214.

The Alaska Quaternary Center presents two lectures: “Extinction, Survival and Sustainability – Thresholds and Conjunctures in the Viking North Atlantic” Thursday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. in the UA Museum of the North auditorium; and “Human Ecodynamics in the North Atlantic – Recent IPY Results” Friday, Feb. 27 at 3:30 p.m. in Eielson 304. Both lectures are by Thomas McGovern of Hunter College, New York.

The UAF Curling Club will host a pre-hockey game spaghetti dinner Friday, Feb. 27 from 5:30 – 9 p.m. at the Fairbanks Curling Club as a fundraiser for the Alaska North Stars 14U girls softball. Dinner is $10.

The Midnight Sun Visiting Writers Series presents Philip Gerard reading from his work Friday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. in the UA Museum of the North. Admission is free. For more information call 474-7193.

The Women and the Power of Negotiation workshop, led by Sara Laschever, takes place Saturday, Feb. 28 from 9 a.m. – 4: 30 p.m. in the Wood Center Carol Brown Ballroom. Registration is $30 is by Feb. 23, late registration is $40. Cost of the workshop includes lunch and a copy of Laschever’s book. The workshop is sponsored by the Northern Leadership Center, School of Management, Office of Equal Opportunity, the Women’s Center, the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Diversity and private donations.

The Career Woman’s Closet Sale, hosted by the American Association of University Women, takes place Saturday, Feb. 28 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the TVC Center 604 Barnette Street. AAUW is seeking donations of clothing suitable for the business or professional office and volunteers to help with the sale. For more information or to volunteer contact Ritchie Musick at 479-5336 or ritchiemusick@gci.net.

UA Press is hosting a reading and book signing for Wild Moments: Adventures with Animals of the North, edited by Michael Engelhard, including stories by Peggy Shumaker, professor emeritus; Ned Rozell, GI; and Carol Kaynor, Alaska Sea Grant and graduate student, Saturday, Feb. 28 at 2 p.m. at Gulliver’s Books.

The UAF Alumni Association hosts the seventh annual Wine Tasting and Silent Auction Saturday, Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. in the Wood Center Pub. Participants must be 21. Tickets are $25 in advance and available online, at the Wood Center Front Desk or at the Alumni Association office, 201 Constitution Hall. For more information call 474-7081.

The Fairbanks Symphony presents a concert with guest violinist David Kim Sunday, March 1 at 4 p.m. in Davis Concert Hall. Tickets are $30. For more information call 474-5733.

The Provost’s Office, CRCD and Statewide Academic Affairs present the first Northern Geriatric Education Center Summit and the fourth annual Lilly Arctic Institute on Innovations and Excellence. The summit takes place March 3 – 4 and the institute March 4 – 6, both at the Fairbanks Princess Hotel. For more information contact Larry Roberts at 474-1913 or fflnr@uaf.edu.

Cooperative Extension Service hosts the fifth annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference and Organic Growers School Tuesday – Wednesday, March 17 – 18 at the Fairbanks Princess Lodge. For more information call 474-1530.

Check out the UAF Weekly Science Calendar, sponsored by the Center for Global Change and Arctic System Research, for science-related events happening at UAF.

Visit UAF’s online calendar for information on UAF events or to publicize an event.

Nanook hockey faces off against UAA in the final two-game series of the Governor’s Cup Friday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. in the Carlson Center. Game two will take place in Anchorage on Saturday, Feb. 28.

The Alaska Nanook athletic events scores from last week are: Home Games – hockey vs Ferris State, 2-1 and 3-2. Away games – women’s swimming at PSCS Conference Championship, sixth place; women’s basketball vs Northwest Nazarene, 97-53 and vs Seattle Pacific, 97-47; men’s basketball vs Western Washington, 96-80 and vs Seattle Pacific, 96-66.

March 6, 2009: Nominations for 2009 Commencement Student Speaker are due. For more information contact Patti Picha at 474-7596 or fnplp@uaf.edu.

March 6, 2009: Submissions for the English Department writing contest are due. For more information contact Julie at 474-7197 or fnjar@uaf.edu.

March 16, 2009: All late application materials for May 2009 graduation are due. For more information call 474-7523.

Cornerstone banner photo by Todd Paris, UAF Marketing and Communications.