UA Newswire July 1, 2025

newswire

July 1, 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

Move over NASA, Here Comes Mat-Su College!

Mat-Su College students and the University of Alaska Anchorage have developed a method that will be used by NASA to train future astronauts and rocket scientists. The method is to figure out how big something is if it is the size of a planet.

Contact: Nick McDermott

A large brown sign saying "Mat-Su College" in front of some bushes in a parking lot The team, made up of Justice Darby, Kenny Sparks, Walter Nagle, and advised by Dr. Dan Nichols, Associate Professor of Physics at Mat-Su College, created an experiment that was launched into space.

Track and field state champions staying close to home highlight second round of Alaska’s high school senior signings

The University of Alaska Anchorage has become a popular destination for some of the state’s top track and field talent over the past two years. Many of them opted to become Seawolves instead of venturing out of state to continue their athletic careers.

Contact: Katie Bender

UAA’s College of Health empowers Alaska’s future, one nurse at a time

As Alaska’s flagship institution for health education, UAA’s College of Health is not only preparing students for high-demand careers — it is transforming lives and strengthening communities across the state. Between 2013 and 2023, the School of Nursing educated more than 2,750 graduates, with greater than 85% of them employed in Alaska within their first year of graduation.

Contact: Katie Bender

University of Alaska Fairbanks

Unlocking Earth’s Secrets: The Role of the Alaska Satellite Facility

The Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) plays a big part in how we understand our planet. It’s not just about Alaska; it’s a key resource for scientists and researchers all over the world. ASF helps us see Earth in new ways, providing data that’s used for all sorts of important work.

Contact: Marmian Grimes

Drone photo above a brown campus building overlooking a summer scene and blue sky The ASF is a key resource for scientists and researchers all over the world. (UAF photo by Brian Sevald)

Space Might Be A Byproduct Of Three-Dimensional Time

Plenty of effort has gone into explaining why time only flows one way, but some physicists have even greater ambitions, promoting more exotic hypotheses such as string theory, where there are 11 dimensions, of which space and time are just four. The work of Dr Gunther Kletetschka of the University of Alaska Fairbanks is the latest multi-dimensional alternative. Kletetschka claims that if we could move in all three dimensions of time, instead of just one, we could experience multiple versions of the same reality, like the multiverse idea science fiction writers love to play with.

Contact: Marmian Grimes

Orcas Find New Prey in the Arctic

In a recent study of acoustic signals from killer whales, Kimber and colleagues found not only a rise in the abundance of orcas in the Alaskan Arctic but also a shift in when they were arriving. As sea ice retreats, orcas are coming north up to 50 days earlier. That puts them in the bowhead calving grounds during or soon after the birthing season, when both calves and adults are at their most vulnerable.

Contact: Marmian Grimes

University of Alaska Southeast

X̱’unei Lance Twitchell receives legislative citation

Alaska Native language expert X̱’unei Lance Twitchell was honored with a legislative citation at the Alaska State Capitol on Saturday.

The award recognizes his work on revitalizing Alaska Native languages and various creative endeavors.

Contact: Abi Spofford

Lance Twitchell standing on stage at the Emmy awards, holding an Emmy, wrapped in an Indegenous garb of yellow and black Twitchell recently earned a Children's and Family Emmy award for his work on PBS's Molly of Denali

Helping the Next Generation of Hunters and Fishermen To Have a Say

The Alaska Federal Subsistence Board Policy and Procedures class is a unique program that trains young Alaskans to speak up for their fish, wildlife, and subsistence rights. With hands-on experience in public meetings and mentorship from experts, the course builds real-world advocacy skills rooted in local knowledge.

Contact: Abi Spofford

Did you know you can now support all three UA universities with an Alaska license plate?

The UAS design, released this June, was created by Tlingit and Athabascan artist Crystal Worl. It features a whale fluke dipping into Southeast waters, framed by the familiar coastal mountains.

UAS Creative Director Alison Krein collaborated with Worl to adapt the design for the DMV and incorporate the university’s logo.

Contact: Abi Spofford

UA System Office

Small sawmills can now certify their lumber through a University of Alaska program

Up until now, locally milled lumber in Alaska couldn’t be used in residential building projects. That wasn’t because of quality, but because building codes typically require a grade stamp from a national agency, something too expensive and inaccessible for many small operators in Alaska.

Contact: Jonathon Taylor

three men hover over a long piece of lumber and speak to each other Matt Labrenz works with students in Sitka. (Photo by Lione St. Clare)

A HENRY aiming to save $100,000 for his kids' futures hasn't had to contribute any of his income — because he lives in Alaska

Beckstead puts Alaska's yearly dividend checks directly into the state's 529 accounts. These are state-sponsored investment accounts that allow money to grow tax-free and can be used to cover education expenses. Alaska offers one of the top 529 plans due to its low expense ratio and benefits for future University of Alaska students.

Contact: Jonathon Taylor

Natural changes are only part of Alaska’s climate change story

Larry Hinzman, coordinator of UA's Arctic Leadership Initiative is featured in the recent Alaska Science Forum series. “Yes, ‘the relative strength of the sun, giant volcanic eruptions, the wobble of the Earth on its axis, and the natural seesawing of large-scale weather patterns have affected Alaska and the rest of the planet forever.’ But, today’s changes in the climate and the environmental responses are the first caused by humans," Hinzman writes.

Contact: Jonathon Taylor

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The University of Alaska is an equal opportunity/equal access employer and educational institution. The university is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination against individuals on the basis of any legally protected status.