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In April, chemistry major Michael Martinez was awarded the 2020 High North Young Entrepreneur Award for his startup Arctic Biotech Oath, which specializes in the green extraction of rare earth elements in circumpolar north countries.

For the last 30 years, Jeff Welker, professor in UAA’s Department of Biological Sciences, has been studying the Arctic, specifically snow and sea ice, and the impacts it has on the plants, animals and people who inhabit the globe’s most northern regions.

UAA geological sciences professor LeeAnn Munk is a lead investigator on a new study commissioned by BMW Group to research how lithium extraction may impact Latin America, where two-thirds of the world’s lithium reserves are located.

“We really feel like we’re building something here,” said Alexander James, associate professor of economics. “We’re a teaching department and also a nationally and internationally recognized research department, and we’re bringing our students with us in some respects. For students that want to do real research, UAA provides an opportunity to discover something and contribute to the existing body of knowledge in economics, and that’s exciting.”

Psychology senior Tucker Sawyer is studying rat laughter for his senior thesis. It’s no joke. In fact, identifying and categorizing the ultrasonic vocalizations of lab rats could change the way we interpret drug research, care for lab animals and understand the origins of our own sense of joy.

As the world continues to navigate this once-in-a-generation pandemic, new scientific breakthroughs are unearthed every day. Accompanying this free flow of information is an increase of damaging misinformation. Working to curb the spread of online misinformation is the Alaska Public Health Information Response Team, a multidisciplinary collaboration between professors and students in UAA’s Department of Journalism and Public Communications and College of Health.

Just before the new year, Dr. Diane Hirshberg of the UAA Institute of Social and Economic Research was named Vice-President Academic of the University of the Arctic, a consortium of over 200 postsecondary and educational institutions that either are located in the circumpolar north or conduct meaningful education and research activities related to the Arctic.

Catch up on UAA’s recent contributions to combating COVID-19, including a community partnership to use the Alaska Airlines Center for critical mitigation efforts and research by faculty, staff and students on the effects of Anchorage’s emergency orders.

As the nation’s only Arctic state, Alaska faces unique challenges and conditions unlike anywhere else in the U.S. Faculty and students at UAA are driving research that tackles Arctic challenges in practical ways.

Multicultural postdoctoral fellow Amana Mbise and assistant professor in clinical-community psychology Sara Buckingham teamed up with the Welcoming Anchorage initiative to research the integration of immigrant and refugee populations in Anchorage, particularly related to employment.