Alaska's rural and multi-cultural environment calls for multidisciplinary approaches
to defining health problems and identifying appropriate solutions. The Institute for
Circumpolar Health Studies (ICHS) was established by the Alaska Legislature in 1988 to improve the health of peoples
of Alaska and other circumpolar areas through instruction, information services, and
basic and applied research in health and medicine.
Our applied research focus supports public health planning and provides opportunities
for students to gain research experience. Our faculty and staff have expertise in epidemiologic study design, quantitative and
qualitative analysis, geographic information systems (GIS), community engagement,
evaluation, and facilitation.
This summer, high school students in the Della Keats Program, administered by UAA’s WWAMI School of Medical Education, spent four immersive weeks at UAA's Anchorage campus, engaging in health science coursework and experiencing residential life.
The Della Keats program introduces students from all parts of Alaska to college courses, dorm life and big-city educational opportunities specific to health-science.
Students at the statewide HOSA - Future Health Professionals Leadership Conference participated in competitions showcasing their instructional knowledge in physical therapy, dental science, nurse assistant, sports medicine, forensics, vet science, and phlebotomy.
UAA alumna and associate professor Holly Martinson hopes the new Biomed U-RISE program "lights a fire" in Alaska's research community by empowering undergraduate students with lab experience, mentorship and financial assistance. Martinson and co-PI, Professor Tracey Burke, welcomed the first cohort this academic year and will soon open applications for cohort two.