URSA announces 2023-24 Climate Change Project Award recipients

The Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Activity congratulates the following individuals who received an URSA 2023-24 Climate Change Project Award.

Logan Niemann
Fisheries & Fire Science
Project Title: Microplastics in Stomach Contents and Tissues of Subsistence Harvested Bowhead Whales
Bowheads are of critical importance to Native subsistence communities in Alaska. Microplastics have raised several human health concerns, but their presence and potential health effects to species of subsistence importance remain largely unknown. Logan's project, mentored by Lara Horstmann, will process and analyze bowhead whale stomach contents and tissues in order to identify the abundance and types of microplastics present to establish crucial baseline data for future studies.

 

Jessie Skalisky
Wildlife Biology & Conservation
Project Title: Invasive Plant Seedbank Development after Wildfire in Alaska’s Boreal Forest
Wildfire and invasive species are increasing across Alaska as the climate changes. Jessie's study, mentored by Katie Spellman, focuses on the development of an invasive species seedbank in soils from burns in Interior Alaska. What species of seeds are there and what does this mean for the vulnerability of Alaska in the future?

 

URSA Climate Change Project Awards offer funding up to $5,000 each fall for undergraduate research and creative activity projects focused on climate change themes. This grant opportunity is open to all undergraduate students who are interested in conducting scholarly work on various aspects of climate change, including but not limited to climate science, climate policy, visual or written communication of climate issues, and climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. We encourage interdisciplinary projects.

Contact the URSA Office for more information on how to get involved: uaf-ursa@alaska.edu | 907-450-8772.