Current Doctoral Student Research
Alec Bennett
Primary interest: Future Climate Based Risk
Adviser: Brandon Boylan
Entered program: 2020
Hometown: Palmer, Alaska
Education:
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Master of Security & Disaster Management, 2018
University of Alaska Southeast
B.S. Information Systems, 2005
Research interests: Climate Change, Scenario Planning, Computational Modeling, Natural Disasters, Human Security, Resilient Infrastructure, Science Communication, Science Informed Policy & Decision Making
Angela Linn
Primary interest: Museology
Adviser: Mary Ehrlander
Entered program: 2014
Hometown: Solon, Iowa
Education:
George Washington University
Distance Delivery Pilot Graduate Certificate Museum Studies, 2006
University of Alaska Fairbanks
M.A. Anthropology, 1999
University of Iowa
B.A. Anthropology 1994
Research interests: Museology, Decolonization of Museums, Democratization of Museums, Ethnography, Alaska History, Material Culture, Historical Archeology, Ethnohistory
Maureen Long
Primary interest: Literature of the Canadian North and Alaska
Adviser: Eric Heyne
Entered program: 2018
Hometown: Whitehorse, Yukon
Education:
University of Alaska Fairbanks
M.A. Northern Studies, 2003
University of Saskatchewan
Bachelor of Education, 1992
University of Saskatchewan
B.A. Honours English, 1991
Research interests: Margaret Atwood and the Canadian North, North and Canadian Identity, Animal Studies
and Ecocriticism, Literature of Alaska and the Yukon, Environmental History of Northern
North America
Nick Parlato
Primary interest: Political Geography
Adviser: Amy Lovecraft
Entered program: 2020
Hometown: Baltimore, MD
Education:
University of Northern British Columbia
M.A. Interdisciplinary Studies, 2019
Oberlin College
B.A. Russian and East European Studies, 2012
Research interests: Peace and conflict studies, decolonial theory, post-Soviet Russia, Indigenous legal
orders, Arctic politics, centre-periphery relations
Jody Simpson
Primary interest: Social Capital in Alaska
Adviser: Amy Lovecraft
Entered program: INDS Program, Spring 2019; ACNS Program, Fall, 2020
Hometown: Big Lake, Alaska
Education:
University od Alaska Anchorage
B.A. English Literature,1985
University of Alaska Southeast
Masters of Public Administration, 2016
Research interests: Social capital, economic and community development; subjective well-being; circumpolar
issues; Alaskan policy issues.
Kristine Swain
Primary Interest: History of Canadian-American military cooperation in Alaska through the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)
Adviser: Dr. Philip Wight
Entered Program: 2021
Hometown: Eagle River, Alaska
Education:
University of Kansas
M.A. Soviet and East European Studies, 1992
United States Air Force Academy
B.S. Russian History, 1991
Research Interests: History of Canadian-American military relations in Alaska, US and Canadian Arctic
security strategy and policy, environmental, economic, societal and political impact
of military operations in Alaska, Cold War History, Russian and Soviet History
Alex Taitt
Primary interest: Digital Heritage Preservation
Advisers: Brandon Boylan & Medeia Csoba DeHass
Entered program: 2021
Hometown: Anchorage, AK | Dena’ina Ełnena
Education:
University of Alaska Anchorage
M.A. Anthropology, 2017
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
B.A. Anthropology, 2015
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
B.A. Computer Science, 2015
Research interests: Digital heritage preservation, 3D cultural heritage preservation, 3D modeling of
Arctic and sub-Arctic cultural heritage, ethics and practice of 3D modeling, co-production
of knowledge with Indigenous communities, decolonizing museums, STEAM education
Forest Wagner
Primary interest: Place Identity
Advisers: David Koester, Mary Ehrlander
Entered program: 2019
Hometown: Fairbanks, AK
Education:
University of Alaska Southeast
B.L.A. Interdisciplinary Studies, 2005
University of Alaska Fairbanks
M.A. Arctic and Northern Studies, 2017
Research interests: Affective and narrative dimensions of climate change on the lived experience of high
latitude peoples
Leanna Williams
Primary interest: Northern History
Advisers: Brandon Boylan & Mary Ehrlander
Entered program: 2020
Hometown: Fairbanks, Alaska
Education:
University of Alaska Fairbanks
M.A. Northern Studies/Northern History, 2019
Linfield College
B.A. Mass Communication, 2004
Research Interests: Arctic & Polar Aviation History, Infrastructure Development, Soviet Aviation, Alaska
History, Northern Identity and Literature, Museum Studies