David Offer, an award-winning editor and columnist, is the 2009 – 2010 C.W. Snedden Chair of Journalism. Offer will work with UAF journalism students and others in the Fairbanks community through classes and public lectures.

TVC’s paramedic program  is the first and only accredited program in Alaska. The program was granted initial accreditation status by the Commission of Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.

UA has signed a three-year contract with SkillSoft to continue e-learning opportunities for all UA employees. For more information the UAF contact is Jennifer Youngberg at fnjjy@uaf.edu or 474-7557.

Poker Flat Research Range researchers launched the first rocket of the 2009 season. The Ionospheric Science and Inertial Sensing project was successfully launched Saturday, Jan. 10 for the Alaska Student Rocket Project. Seven more rockets are scheduled for launch this season.

UAF has partnered with Denali Workforce Development to sponsor two courses during the spring and summer 2009 semesters to train archaeology technicians. The enrollment deadline for the courses is Friday, Jan. 30. For more information contact Ben Potter at 474-7567 or ben.potter@uaf.edu.

The Gruening Building replica made of LEGO® bricks, built by Ty Keltner, CCHRC and UAF alumnus, is now on permanent display in the Wood Center multilevel lounge. For more information call the Wood Center Information Desk at 474-7034.

Virginia Bedford, ARSC, along with ARSC-affiliated faculty Tarek El-Ghazawi, George Washington University, visited universities and agencies in China in December to investigate possible collaboration and exchange possibilities between ARSC and Chinese researchers.

Alex Hwu was appointed interim director for the Center for Distance Education and Independent Learning.

Gerhard Kramm, GI, co-authored “Similarity Hypotheses for the Atmospheric Surface Layer Expressed by Non-dimensional Characteristic Invariants – A Review,” published in The Open Atmospheric Science Journal.

The National Snow and Ice Data Center has a new educational website, All About Frozen Ground, that provides comprehensive information about the importance of frozen ground.

Staff Council odd-numbered unit elections results are: Unit 1, Rural Campuses under CRCD: Liz Reechia and Roberta Norton, alternate: Susan Baird; Unit 3, SNRAS, CEM, INE and SOM: Kathy Petersen, Jill Dewy-Davidson, alternate: Angel Stacy; Unit 5, GI: Travis Brinzow, Wendy Cloyd; Unit 7, SES and Vice-Chancellor of Student Affairs: Mary Sue Dates, Ashley Munro, alternates: Elissa Bratcher, Cody Rodgers; Unit 9, Chancellor: Heather Leavengood, Katrina Paul, Donna Resnick, Kayt Sunwood, Pips Veazy, althernate: Ann Hovde; Unit 11, Facilities Services: Jenny Day, Marianne Freelong, Deb Hao; Unit 13, Rasmuson and Fairbanks OIT: Jennifer Stutesman, Chris Van Dyck, Walker Wheeler.

The first day of instruction for the spring 2009 semester is Jan. 22. For more information visit the academic calendar.

The 2009 Science for Alaska Lecture Series takes place Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in the Westmark Gold Room. The first lecture “Rockets Into the Aurora,” by Dirk Lummerzheim, GI, takes place Jan. 20 and “Planes Without Pilots: Using Unmanned Aircraft for Research,” by Greg Walker, Poker Flat Research Range, takes place Jan. 27.

Researcher Commercialization, a free webinar series offered by the National Council of Entrepreneurial Tech Transfer and co-hosted by the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, is available Wednesdays at 4 p.m. beginning Jan. 14. Registration is required.

The Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy presents a teleconference presentation by Rick Thoman, National Weather Service, Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 10 a.m. about the difference between climate and weather. For more information call Sarah Trainor at 474-7878.

Staff Council is reintroducing staff tours of the UAF campus. The tours are open to all staff members. The next tour will be of the ARSC Discovery Lab, Thursday, Jan. 22 from noon – 1 p.m. To register for the tour e-mail fnmtr@uaf.edu. Space is limited to 25 people. For more information call Maria Russell at 474-7172.

A retirement celebration honoring Joan Braddock, dean of CNSM, takes place Tuesday, Jan. 27 from 4 – 6 p.m. in Reichardt Building 201.

The UAF Toastmasters Club is holding its initial meeting Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 5:30 p.m. in Wood Center conference rooms E and F. The meeting is free and open to all. For more information contact Jackie Debevec at 474-7596 or Ana Richards at 474-7300.

The Northern Alaska Peace Corps Friends will meet at the UAF Alumni Lounge in Constitution Hall Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 6:30 p.m. Erin Kelly, UAF Peace Corps Masters International student, will report on her two years of Peace Corps service in El Salvador. The meeting is free and open to all. For more information call 457-5737.

The Alaska Center for Energy and Power begins an energy lecture series with “Biomass Energy for Alaska,” Wednesday, Jan. 28 at 6:30 p.m. at the Noel Wien Library. The lecture series will continue on the third Wednesday each month.  

Fairbanks Knowledge Industry Networking meets Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009 at 5:30 p.m. at Los Amigos restaurant to bring together local professionals in a social networking atmosphere. The event is cosponsored by the UAF Alumni Association and the Fairbanks Economic Development Corporation.

KUAC TV’s film Mr. Alaska, Bob Bartlett Goes to Washington will air Thursday, Jan. 29 at 9 p.m. The film explores Bartlett’s life and celebrates his role in the creation of the 49th state.

Theatre UAF is holding auditions for the spring production of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari Saturday, Jan. 31 at 10 a.m. in the Salisbury Theatre.

UAF Alumni Association’s 7th Annual Wine Tasting and Silent Auction takes place Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009, from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Pub.  Tickets are $25 in advance and available online.  Donations for the silent auction are still welcome. Must be 21 to attend. For more information call Val at 474-7081.

The Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival is hosting the Love of the Arts High Tea, a fundraiser for the Festival Legacy Fund, Saturday, Feb. 14 at 11:30 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church on Davis Road. Tickets are $30 each and must be purchased in advance. For more information call 322-8000 or e-mail adelajackson@alaska.net.

The spring 2009 supervisor training calendar is now available at the UAF HR website. Current supervisors should complete the core courses by May 31, and complete the program within two years. New supervisors have two years from the date they assume a supervisory position to complete the training. For more information call 474-7557.

The Office of Information Technology hosts training opportunities throughout the year on various subjects including Banner, Blackboard, Roxen, QMenu, and Microsoft Word and Excel. For more information e-mail sytrain@alaska.edu.

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.

Elena Sparrow, SNRAS, was named the 2008 Emma Walton Distinguished Service Award winner by the Alaska Science Teachers Association. The award recognizes educators who make extraordinary contributions to the advancement of science education.

Michael Krauss, professor emeritus, was named a Linguistics Society of America Fellow for his distinguished contributions to the field of linguistics.

Lawrence Kaplan, ANLC, and Ann Fienup-Riordan co-edited Words of the Real People: Alaska Native Literature in Translation, published by UA Press. The book was chosen as a 2008 Outstanding Academic Title by Choice magazine.

The UA Museum of the North was recently reaccredited by the American Association of Museums. Accreditation is the highest national recognition a museum can receive.
 
Steffi Ickert-Bond, Museum, was invited to speak at the 4th International Conference on Legume Genomics and Genetics in Mexico, Dec. 7 – 12. Her travel was supported by a grant from Alaska EPSCoR.

Nanook women’s basketball takes on Seattle Pacific Thursday, Jan. 22 and Northwest Nazarene, Saturday, Jan. 24. Both games are at 7 p.m. in the Patty Center gym.

The Alaska Nanook athletic events scores from last week are: Home Games – men’s basketball vs UAA, 52-81; hockey vs Nebraska-Omaha, 2-0 and 1-1; women’s basketball vs UAA, 46-76. Away games – women’s basketball vs Montana State-Billings, 71-82; swimming vs Shippensberg, 150-111 and vs Mesa State, 161-150; men’s basketball vs Montana State-Billings, 112-118.

Feb. 6, 2009: Emeriti nominations are due to the UAF Provost's Office. Guidelines and more information are available at the Provost Office website.

Feb. 13, 2009: All application materials for May 2009 graduation are due. For more information call 7523.

Feb. 15, 2009: Applications are due for the Marine Ecosystems Sustainability in the Arctic and Subarctic Ph.D. fellowships. For more information contact Ginny Eckert at 796-5450 or g.eckert@uaf.edu.

Feb. 16, 2009: Applications for the UA Foundation privately funded scholarships are due. Scholarships are available to students attending any UA campus.

Feb. 16, 2009: Entries for the UA IPY Young Researcher’s Network photo and video contest are due.

Feb. 18, 2009: Usibelli Award nominations in the areas of teaching, public service and research are due to the UAF Provost's Office. For guidelines and more information visit the website.

Feb. 20, 2009: Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship applications are due.

March 6, 2009: Proposals for the 2009 Global Change Student Research Grant competition are due. Undergraduate applicants are urged to turn in a pre-proposal by Feb. 16. The guidelines have changed substantially, be sure to review them before submitting your proposal.

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