Biomaterials Lab
Plastic insulation like Styrofoam is commonplace in seafood packaging and buildings. But plastics never completely disappear, instead they break up into ever smaller particles or microplastic. These tiny particles are harmful to the soils, marine environment and wildlife, and may affect human health.
Researchers with the Biomaterials Lab seek to better understand the effects of these stray plastic bits. The team is working to solve the global plastic pollution problem by developing insulation that is recyclable, reusable, and biodegradable. Researchers combine design-thinking, microbiology, and physics to dream-up scalable biological materials that store carbon and provide a sustainable vital barrier from the elements.
Their key ingredients to de-carbonizing industries include beetle-kill spruce trees and renewable cellulose that is literally grown in a lab. The Biomaterials Lab is an active innovation platform for new bio-based materials and circular bio-economy solutions in the Circumpolar North. The lab uses norm-critical design thinking as a framework to tackle some of the most pressing environmental and public health problems facing the Arctic today.
NEWS & Stories
Tara Schmidt is an alumna of the Division of Population Health Sciences Master of Public Health program. In this spotlight, she reflects on how her time at UAA shaped her career path—from the relationships that opened doors and guided her forward to the unexpected milestones.
Human Services alumna Billie Slaikeu knows a thing or two about what it means to start over. A retired certified nursing assistant, Billie returned to school in her sixties after being inspired by her daughter’s experience with mental illness. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in 2025.
Human Services alumna Billie Slaikeu knows a thing or two about what it means to start over. A retired certified nursing assistant, Billie returned to school in her sixties after being inspired by her daughter’s experience with mental illness. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in 2025.
A College of Health alumna and current employee of the Alaska Justice Information Center, Rus’sel Sampson has had a rich educational and professional journey. Her story exemplifies how a sense of curiosity in higher education can open unexpected doors that lead to meaningful careers.
School of Nursing alumna Kristen Alcorn turned clinical expertise into entrepreneurial success. In this spotlight, Kristen shares a few of the experiences that shaped her journey in nursing, the things she loves about her job, and how her education at UAA helped her achieve her goals.
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Phone: 907-786-6574
Email: nbbeckage@alaska.edu
