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“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.

The UA Center for Economic Development is sharing its findings from the Failure Resilience Project, including a short film featuring candid stories from Alaska entrepreneurs about the highs and lows of starting a business.

In early November, the American Society of Civil Engineers honored UAA Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Aaron Dotson with the 2020 Can-Am Civil Engineering Amity Award, commemorating an exemplary academic and research career.

Researchers from UAA, in collaboration with UAF and the Alaska Departments of Environmental Conservation and Health and Social Services, have developed an in-state capability to detect COVID-19 in wastewater in Alaska.