SHORT TAKES

Founders of an accounting firm, a well-known Alaskan civil engineer, a Fairbanks tourism maven, a big-time Nanook fan and an assistant borough attorney will be honored as outstanding University of Alaska Fairbanks alumni during Grass Roots 2000, the annual reunion set for July 19-21. Awards will be presented during a luncheon July 21 beginning at 11:30 a.m.

Walsh, Kelliher and Sharp, APC will be recognized with this year's Distinguished Alumnus Award. The Fairbanks firm was founded three decades ago by alum Dick Stock and is today owned by alumni Mike Kelliher, Kevin Walsh, Therese Sharp, E.M. Cox and Dianne Sandberg. Known for their work as mentors for student interns, firm members will receive the award for meritorious service to the university, accomplishment in professional life and distinguished contribution to the community.

John Horn, former director of the Alaska Department of Transportation's Central Region who spent 30 years working on Alaskan projects including the Whittier tunnel and Johansen Expressway, will receive the Alumni Achievement Award for Professional Excellence. Debbie Tilsworth, executive vice president of the Riverboat Discovery and active volunteer with the United Way, will receive the Alumni Achievement Award for Community Service. Alan Head, a volunteer UAF mentor and ardent athletics booster, will receive the Alumni Achievement Award for University Support.

Assistant Borough Attorney Cynthia Klepaski will also be recognized for service to UAF, the alumni association and the community. Klepaski will receive the William R. Cashen Award during the luncheon.

Contact: Executive Director Cindy Branley, UAF Alumni Association,(907) 474-7081.

Editor Sue Keller with the Alaska Sea Grant College Program has received the Award of Excellence by the Publications Special Interest Group in the Agricultural Communicators in Education professional organization. The award is given for substantial and creative contributions to the communications and information technology profession, and Keller's leadership in ACE over many years, according to ACE officials. Keller will receive her award during the annual ACE meeting on July 25 in Washington, D.C.

Contact: Editor Sue Keller, Alaska Sea Grant College Program, at (907) 474-6703.

The history of Alaska's geological features is a mystery hidden beneath layers of earth millions of years old. With a little determination and spiritual guidance, Ron Mancil is working hard to unlock those mysteries.

His work was featured this spring in "Winds of Change," a national publication of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. Mancil, an Inupiat student working towards a master's degree in archeology at UAF, discovered a major paleontological find near the Colville River on Alaska's North Slope which has lead scientists to re-examine current theories about Arctic dinosaurs.

As researchers gather more data from the site, Mancil hopes that someday it will be officially recognized as the Kikak-Tegoseak site on Bureau of Land Management maps and literature, in honor of his grandparents, Edith and Rueben Tegoseak.

Contact: Ron Mancil, Alaska Native Studies, at (907) 474-3727.

A distance education advisory group with UAF's College of Rural Alaska has reviewed and awarded 11 grants totaling more than $51,000 during its first round of Proposals to Advance Distance Education. The PADE grants provide funding to professionals throughout the University of Alaska system for distance learning initiatives related to research, development, delivery and outreach.

Prior to awarding the PADE grants, the group, known as the Center Faculty, met for its annual conference in Fairbanks this spring to address issues related to distance learning in the UA system. The conference covered using technology to serve developmental students, the role of UAF's Center for Distance Education and supporting faculty and students in a distance environment. Demonstrations and hands-on communications sessions included web delivery of courses, use of synchronous communications tools, and multimedia content development.

Contact: Director Carone Sturm, Center for Distance Education and Independent Learning, (907)474-5197.

Continuing a six-year, seven-figure commitment of support for UAF programs and the University of Alaska Museum, Usibelli Coal Mine President Joe Usibelli Jr. presented $200,000 to the UA Board of Regents during a special committee meeting in June.

Three-fourths of the donation will go to the UA Museum of the North as the latest installment on a $1 million pledge made in 1996 by the company, which includes multiple generations of UAF graduates. The Alaska Sea Life Center and the UAF Honors Program each received $25,000 from the funds.

Contact: Executive Director Pamela Davis, UAF Office of Development, at (907) 474-6402.