May 6, 2025

Research, workforce development and economic growth news stories and other feature articles from the University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Alaska Southeast, University of Alaska System Office and the UA Foundation. Compiled by the University of Alaska System Office of Public Affairs.

University of Alaska Anchorage

Second-generation UAA basketball legacy highlights first round of Alaska’s high school senior signings

Marek Hajdukovich held his signing ceremony to commit to joining the men’s basketball team at the University of Alaska Anchorage in late April, and the program officially announced him as a member of its recruiting class on Friday.

The Hajdukovich name has been connected to the Green and Gold for over two decades. His father, Jim Hajdukovich, is a Seawolf Hall of Famer who starred on the men’s team from 1995-99 and his mother, Michelle (Titus) Hajdukovich, was on the women’s team from 1996-99. His sister Jahnna is also a Dimond alum who went on to play for the hometown team from 2018-23, and finished No. 6 on UAA’s career 3-pointers list with 173.

Contact: Katie Bender

Climbing Higher: PWSC Students Prepare for Capstone Expedition to Denali, North America's Highest Peak.

At Prince William Sound College, there’s a unique sense of anticipation in the air—a mix of nerves, ambition, and excitement. A group of students is gearing up for a capstone expedition to Denali, North America's highest peak.

For months, the team has been deeply engaged in meticulous planning and rigorous physical preparation. Leading the expedition is instructor Benjamin Rush, who has been guiding students through weekly meetings since January. 

Contact: Katie Bender

University of Alaska Fairbanks

Arctic sea ice extent hits record low at peak of season

The 2025 sea ice extended 5.5 million square miles, breaking the previous lowest figure recorded in 2017 of 5.8 million square miles.

The results didn’t come as a surprise to scientists, who had been observing that Sea ice extension was at near or record low levels since December of 2024. The temperatures have been higher - up to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, with some “staggering hotspots” that were over 10 degrees warmer than average.

Contact: Marmian Grimes

NASA Invests in Future STEM Workforce Through Space Grant Awards

NASA is awarding up to $870,000 annually to 52 institutions across the United States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico over the next four years. The investments aim to create opportunities for the next generation of innovators by supporting workforce development, science, technology, engineering and math education, and aerospace collaboration nationwide. 

Contact: Marmian Grimes

University of Alaska Southeast

Helping the next generation of hunters and fishermen to have a say

For the past ten years, Heather Bauscher, an adjunct professor at the University of Southeast Alaska, has been working with young people to ensure they know how to make decision-makers hear their voices. It all started when she was a student at UAS, taking the same class she now teaches, as part of her goal of becoming a wildlife biologist.

Contact: Elizabeth Cornejo

UAS professors on the front-lines of glacial outburst flood prediction

A team of researchers, including two professors at the University of Alaska Southeast, were recently awarded a nearly $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation for a project that will help to better map and predict the Suicide Basin glacial lake outburst flood that has devastated Juneau’s Mendenhall Valley over the past two years.

Contact: Elizabeth Cornejo

UA System Office

Did you know the University of Alaska System launched a process improvement program to make operations more efficient and empower employees to lead change?

In October 2024, UA President Pat Pitney announced the launch of the Process Improvement Program. Leadership consulted with the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Continuous Improvement Program, which has supported similar efforts at UAF since 2012. That conversation led to a broader, systemwide initiative intended to benefit employees and departments across UAF, UAS, UAA and the system office.

Contact: Jonathon Taylor

University says visas for people connected to UAA reinstated, ACLU files lawsuit on behalf of former student

The federal government reversed its decision to revoke the visas of some international students, after dozens of lawsuits were filed across the country, including here in Alaska.

Earlier in April, one current UAA student and three recent graduates who are in post-graduation training had their visas revoked.

One of the lawsuits, filed by Nations Law Group and the ACLU of Alaska on behalf of recent UAA graduate Jean Kashikov, claims the Department of Homeland Security violated Kashikov’s right to due process.

Contact: Jonathon Taylor