Graduate Studentships
Who this program is for
University of Alaska system prospective or current graduate students and postdocs with an interest in using the product of their research to build scaled and long lasting initiatives that benefit individuals and communities.
RISE-UP Fellow Commitments and Flow
RISE-UP is entrepreneurial training for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. Fellows learn how to take a research project and turn it into something greater, such as a product, a venture, or a service that reaches the people who need it. You get mentorship, training, and a stipend, then work toward concrete milestones that move your project from the lab toward real-world use.
What RISE-UP Fellows commit to
- Meet weekly with program leads and mentors to:
- Report on project advancement
- Receive feedback and help when stuck
- Broaden your professional network
- Select and complete a project-building milestone by the end of the semester
- Complete and deliver a final report, orally and in writing
Read the application package, then submit your application using the form.
What RISE-UP Fellows receive
Fall and spring
- 20-hour stipend
- Full healthcare costs
- Full tuition
Can be combined with a ½ TA-ship.
Summer
- 40-hour stipend
- Full healthcare costs
Can be combined with an internship.
RISE-UP Mentors
Fellows meet weekly with program leads and mentors who have built innovation programs, incubators, and startups, and who can open doors to their networks.
Magali Eaton
LinkedIn Profile →Director of Innovation and Ventures, Montana State University
Attorney with deep intellectual property expertise and years of experience designing innovation training for startups and executives, including building and scaling an NSF I-Corps program.
Uly Rivera
LinkedIn Profile →Vice President Life Science, Lincoln Property Company; Executive Director, CoLabs
Runs a Seattle biotech incubator and previously supported early-stage life science startups at UW CoMotion Labs. Mentors first-time founders and helps build Alaska's innovation cluster.
Michael Martins
LinkedIn Profile →Program Manager, UAF Center for Innovation
Manages the RISE-UP program for fellows. A UAF mathematics graduate and former Innovation Fellow with field experience on NASA and Naval Research Laboratory sounding rocket missions.
RISE-UP Fellows
Logan Borger
LinkedIn Profile →PhD Student, Earth System Science
Advisor: Erin Trochim
Affiliation: Institute of Northern Engineering
Using drone imagery to assess river turbulence for rural Alaskan infrastructure, mapping power systems, and analyzing coastal erosion.
Barrett Flynn
PhD Student, Earth System Sciences
Advisor: Erin Trochim
Affiliation: Institute of Northern Engineering
Enhancing Arctic decision-making by deploying interpretable AI bathymetry (water depth mapping) to model coastal sediment transport.
Michael Martinez
LinkedIn Profile →PhD Student, Chemistry
Advisor: Brandon Briggs
Affiliation: Geomicrobiology and Applied Microbiology Lab
Developing a neutral-pH biomining process using microbes to extract critical rare earth elements (like Thorium and Uranium) from US-sourced coal.
Vy Nguyen
LinkedIn Profile →STEM MBA Student
Advisors: Kelly Drew
Affiliation: Center for Transformative Research in Metabolism
Leveraging background in neurogenesis research on Arctic Ground Squirrels (AGS) to commercialize existing idle research tools & space into a revenue-generating tourism services.
Ethan Overton
Master's Student, Biological Sciences
Advisors: Katie Spellman, Christa Mulder
Affiliation: Institute of Arctic Biology
Researching the optimal combination of plant species and growth media mixtures to restore permafrost damage in military training zones.
David Sauter
LinkedIn Profile →MBA Student, Business Analytics
Advisor: Kimberly McGinnis
Affiliation: Automated Construction and Advanced Materials Lab
Evaluating and testing affordable, durable housing alternatives using locally sourced substitutes for concrete.
Past Fellows
Danielle Wrenn
LinkedIn Profile →Created a deployable DNA-sequencing toolbox and algorithmic pipeline to detect antibiotic-resistant pathogens in remote fields.
Noah Emerson
LinkedIn Profile →Developed standard testing procedures to evaluate pharmaceutical concentrations in Arctic-grown Rhodiola rosea. Built agricultural resources to help local Alaskan farmers successfully access the global medical supply market.
Su Chung
LinkedIn Profile →Tested new 3D-printed technologies for aquatic environmental DNA (eDNA) collection across lab and field spaces. Managed an interdisciplinary genetic and engineering initiative with the Department of Fisheries and Institute of Northern Engineering.
Josie Haag
LinkedIn Profile →Engineered an economical carbon dioxide and radon environmental sensor to replace discontinued tracking gear. Researched the ecological role of ocean-farmed kelp networks in counteracting coastal acidification risks.
Amelia Jansen
Curated an extensive digital imaging archive of rare mammalian historical specimens. Designed the open library tool to solve veterinary research issues and assist scientific documentary filmmakers.
Anne Moore
LinkedIn Profile →Directed regional outreach frameworks emphasizing inclusive health communication strategies. Focused on creating targeted resource campaigns to support and empower Indigenous women and girls across Alaska.
Jakki Padilla
LinkedIn Profile →Addressed modern operational gaps throughout the public school landscape. Researched and designed community development solutions targeting transitional hurdles faced by graduating high schoolers.