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Biomining for rare-earth elements

A CAS assay test with yellow section indicating microbes binding to rare-earth elements

Rare-earth elements are vital for modern electronics, but mining them can be expensive and pose environmental concerns. D'Lynn Gleason's research shows that microbes from Alaska's glaciers can be used to extract rare-earth elements from ore without these drawbacks.

Researchers examine the role Black barbershops play as health care spaces for men

Amana Mbise

For the past two years, social work assistant professor Amana Mbise, Ph.D., and behavioral sciences research assistant professor Nathan West, Ph.D., conducted community-based research to examine the role Anchorage barbershops play in men’s health, particularly Black men, who have historically been understudied in public health research.

Volcanology for the people

The Copper River at freeze-up with a view of Mount Drum in the Wrangell Mountains outside Glennallen Alaska.

From reducing volcanic risk for the densely populated slopes of Vesuvius to harnessing the energy potential of Alaska volcanoes, Assistant Professor of Geological Sciences Claudia Cannatelli's approach to volcanology is all about helping people.

Diving into the data: UAA grad student analyzes sea otter behavior

A sea otter raft floating on its back

“We are fortunate to know a lot about sea otter behavior, but there’s also a lot that we don’t know,” said Ana Velasquez, a master’s candidate in biological sciences at UAA. For her thesis project, Velasquez used old data to make new discoveries about otters.

Honors College offers first-ever UA class on Filipino American history and culture

Painting hanging outside Alumni Center

Over 12 weeks, students in this online, interdisciplinary class explore topics ranging from immigration and labor history to colonialism, health disparities and cultural expression, featuring guest lectures from national and local Filipino American scholars, writers and artists.

Ice Age cooking? Archaeology at the Carpenter Site

A student archaeologist holding a bone fragment wrapped in tin foil

This summer, a group of UAA students participated in an archaeological excavation at the Carpenter Site. The lowest layers of the site date back to the last “Ice Age" and provide valuable clues about what life was like more than 12,000 years ago.

Are Alaska’s silver salmon at risk? UAA researchers investigate contamination from tires

Juvenile silver salmon in a creek

Recent studies from the Pacific Northwest show that the chemical 6PPD-quinone is lethal to silver salmon. The extent to which the chemical poses a threat to Alaska’s silver salmon remains an open question. Brian DiMento is determined to find out.

Grad student uses drones, AI to locate abandoned oil and gas wells

Hoyt Thomas flies a drone as Caixia Wang observes

Hoyt Thomas aims to locate uncapped and improperly sealed oil and gas wells that can pose risks to the public. In order to identify these hazards and gather the necessary data for future mitigation efforts, Thomas is utilizing cutting-edge technology, including drones and artificial intelligence (AI).

Device developed by UAA students launched into space aboard NASA rocket

NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia

On June 26, a team of UAA students and faculty watched as a Terrier-Orion sounding rocket launched into space from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The rocket’s payload included a device designed by the team that was used to measure the mass of the Earth.

A left-handed stone tool? Archaeology at the Carpenter Site

A hand holding up a stone tool

This summer, a group of UAA students participated in an archaeology dig near Delta Junction. Some of the most exciting finds were complete stone tools, including one that provided a “hands-on” connection to the past — a potential left-handed stone scraper.

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