University
AlaskaAnchorage
Anchorage
University of
of Alaska
Graduate Studies and Research Summit
Graduate Studies and Research Summit
April
8, 2011
April 8, 2011
Conoco Philips
Integrated
Science
Sponsored
by
Building
UAA Graduate
Student Association
And The Union of Students (USUAA)
by
InSponsored
Partnership with
UAA Graduate
Student
Association
UAA’s Environment
and Natural
Resources
Institute (ENRI)
& The Union of Students (USUAA)
In Partnership with
UAA’s Environmental and Natural Resources Institute (ENRI)
About the Graduate Student Association
What is GSA?
The Graduate Student Association (GSA) is an association for the organization and
advocacy of graduate students at UAA. Student members are currently sitting on
numerous university advisory boards. The GSA hosts social gatherings to encourage
graduate student communication and organization. The GSA also offers research and
professional funding opportunities each semester.
Who can get involved with GSA?
Membership in the GSA is open to all students.
How to get involved:
 Register to the GSA listserve (gsa@lists.uaa.alaska.edu)
 Attend GSA meetings
 Present your research by participating in the graduate student summit
 Apply for funding opportunities
 Become member of a campus committee
 Discuss and advocate graduate student issues
 Plan and attend GSA organized activities
When does GSA meet?
Meeting times and locations are announced through the mailing list
(gsa@lists.uaa.alaska.edu) by the Coordinator. Meetings will occur at least three times
per semester. Any member may raise a topic for discussion.
How to know when the meetings are happening:
To receive meeting information, prospective members need to register for the GSA
listserve by completing the form at http://lists.uaa.alaska.edu/mailman/listinfo/gsa.
Current members can contact all other registered members by simply emailing
gsa@lists.uaa.alaska.edu.
How to apply for GSA funding:
GSA requests proposals for awards to assist advanced level studies and
research. Request for proposals usually happen once a semester, however, that may be
funding dependent. Awards are available per currently enrolled UAA student or per
research project (in the case that more than one applicant requests funding for the same
project).
How the GSA funding can be used:
GSA funds can be awarded for supplies necessary to conduct research, travel for business
related to education goals, professional society memberships and anything else that
enhances a student’s program of study.
For more information visit: http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/gsa/ or
http://uaa.collegiatelink.net/organization/gsa
2
Acknowledgements
The accomplishments of the UAA Graduate Student Association and
the Graduate Studies and Research Summit would not have happened
without the hard work, dedication, and vision of great students, faculty,
and administrators.
Students
Becky Sawyer –coordinator
Lisa Ebbs –treasurer
Emily Lescak –secretary
Leah Kenney and Elizabeth Sharp – ENRI liaisons
Erin Trimble and Kim Jochum - Graduate Council representatives
Rachel Boschma-Wynn - Technology chair
Dawn Copell - USUAA representative
Lynda Hernandez - MPH representative
Lauren Caruso - biology graduate student representative
Cody Chipp – co-organizer for Applying to Graduate School workshop, previous
coordinator
Scholarship Reviewers
Summit Volunteers
All the graduate students who attended the meetings and gave their insight and creative
ideas to help us achieve success
Faculty
Dr. Jeffery Welker – Professor and Director of ENRI
The GSA would like to thank Dr. Welker for his vision and inspiration in partnering
ENRI with UAA’s Graduate Student Association, as well as supporting graduate
education at UAA.
Poster session judges
Panelists for the Applying to Graduate School workshop
Administration
Anita Bradbury – Administrative Assistant for USUAA
Paula Uturbey-Fish - Assistant director of student leadership
For their guidance and assistance with the scholarship
Kathy Boeckman - Administrative Assistant to the Director of ENRI
For assistance with event advertising
Elisa Mattison – Director of UAA Graduate School
For her dedication to and support of graduate students
Robert White – Former Dean of UAA Graduate School & Vice Provost for Research
David Yesner – Associate Dean of the Graduate School
For their advocacy for graduate students, participation in events, and support for
graduate education at UAA
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Door Prize Donors
Moose’s Tooth
Gemmes du Terre
UAA General Support Services
UAA Music Department
UAA Bookstore
Cinemark
Campus Map
Oral presentations will take place at the Allied Health Sciences (AHS) Building. The
poster session and mixer will be held at EBL.
4
5
Schedule
Time
Presentations in AHS 106
9:00
Introductions/Welcome
AHS 106
CO2 exchanges in High Arctic
A survey of blood parasites from
ecosystems: responses to multiple
southern Alaskan brown and black
levels of warming and increases in
bears using microscopic and
summer precipitation, NW
molecular techniques
Greenland
Becky Sawyer
Department of Biological Sciences
Elizabeth Sharp
Department of Biological Sciences
Habitat-specific foraging drives
Testing the conservation of the
mercury concentrations in benthic
mammalian WINAC and B-WICH
and limnetic morphotypes of
ATP-dependent remodeling
stickleback in Benka Lake, Alaska
complexes in Xenopus laevis
James Willacker
Nicole Stopa
Department of Biological Sciences
Department of Biological Sciences
To reproduce or not: NutritionAn evaluation of the current
hormonal influence on reproductive methods of monitoring annual
decisions in seasonally synchronous
production of Midcontinent Greater
breeders
White-fronted Geese (Anser
Cory Stantorf
albifrons) that breed in Interior and
Department of Biological Sciences
Northwest Alaska
Wade Schock
Department of Biological Sciences
9:30
9:50
10:10
10:30
11:00
11:20
11:40
Presentations in AHS 147
Coffee Break and Door Prizes
Behavioral health aide manual ethics Partitioning ecosystem respiration in
Matthew R Sena
arctic tussock tundra to more
Department of Clinical-Community
accurately forecast changes in the
Psychology
carbon cycle
Aliza Segal
Department of Biological Sciences
Measuring resilience among Somali
Water sources of evergreen and
refugees living in the United States
deciduous species depend upon
Rebecca Volino Robinson
season, ecosystem type and
Program in Clinical-Community
snowpack depth in arctic tundra
Psychology
near Toolik Lake, Alaska
Lisa Ebbs
Department of Biological Sciences
Trauma in schizophrenia disorders: Genomics underlying rapid
Asking the question
phenotypic change in threespine
Ann K. Yates
stickleback populations from Prince
Program in Clinical-Community
William Sound and the Gulf of
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Psychology
12:00
12:30
1:30
1:50
2:10
2:30
3:00
3:30
4:00
5:007:00
Alaska
Emily Lescak
Department of Biological Sciences
Plenary Speaker – Paula Donson
AHS 106
Lunch Break
Life meaning among rural Alaska
Confronting bear management in
Native and American Indian college the changing North – future foci for
students
efficient sustainable adaptive
Tonie Quaintance
management strategies
Program in Clinical-Community
Kim Jochum
Psychology
RAM Group, Biological Sciences,
University of Alaska Anchorage
Barriers and facilitators to self-care Recent phenotypic and molecular
in graduate students
evolution of trophic polymorphism
Karin Sandberg and Rebecca Volino in a species pair of kokanee
Robinson
(Oncorhynchus nerka) in southwest
Program in Clinical-Community
Alaska
Psychology
Kyle Shedd
Department of Biological Sciences
Health-related behaviors of firstUnderstanding moose foraging
year university students
behavior in response to variations in
Cody Chipp
patch architecture and spatial motifs
Center for Behavioral Health Research Lauren Caruso
and Services
Department of Biological Sciences
Coffee Break and Door Prizes
A Hidden Impact of Climate Change
on Women’s Health: A Literature
Review Linking Violence against
Women and Climate Change
Jennifer Jones
Department of Health Sciences
Plenary Speaker – Stephanie McAfee
AHS 106
Plenary Speaker - David Yesner
AHS 106
Graduate Student Mixer and Poster Session in EBL
7
Posters
Increasing NDVI values in northern Alaska: studies that mix shrub density, spectral
and CO2 exchange measurements
Andy Anderson-Smith
Department of Biological Sciences
Water sources of evergreen and deciduous species depend upon season, ecosystem
type and snowpack depth in arctic tundra near Toolik Lake, Alaska
Lisa Ebbs
Department of Biological Sciences
Why ask about firesetting? A review of the clinical literature on firesetting behavior
Valerie Hewell
Program in Clinical-Community Psychology
Total Hg concentration in freshwater fish at Adak, Island, Aleutian Archipelago,
Alaska
Leah Kenney
Department of Biological Sciences
Distribution and ecology of zooplankton and juvenile salmon in the Copper River
Plume
Laurel McFadden
Department of Biological Sciences
The Role of Histone H2A in DNA MisMatch Repair
David Robinson
Department of Biological Sciences
Impacts of Melilotus alba on pollinator services, diversity and abundance in the
boreal forest of interior Alaska
Laura Schneller
Department of Biological Sciences
Stable isotope (δ13C, δ15N) analysis and satellite telemetry depict the complexity of
gray wolf (Canis lupus) diets in Southwest Alaska
Ashley Stanek
Department of Biological Sciences
The effects of hibernation on the gut microbial community of the Arctic Ground
Squirrel
Tim Stevenson
Department of Biological Sciences
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Abstracts
(Listed alphabetically by author’s last name)
Increasing NDVI values in northern Alaska: studies that mix shrub density, spectral
and CO2 exchange measurements
Andy Anderson-Smith1*, Amber Lewis1, Paddy Sullivan1, Jeffrey M. Welker1,2
1
University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Biological Sciences
2
University of Alaska Anchorage, Environment and Natural Resources Institute
*andersonsmith@gci.net
Delineating the mechanisms and consequences of changes in tundra landscapes is
central to predicting the functional ecology of Alaska in the 21st Century. Evidence has
been mounting during the last decade that shrub communities are expanding in the Arctic
and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values which measure surface
greenness are rising. Several studies have suggested that NDVI increases are being driven
by increases in shrub abundance. While it is clear that NDVI has increased across
vegetation types, it is not clear that NDVI values are increasing in moist acidic tundra
(MAT), the most extensive vegetation type in arctic Alaska and the one most likely to be
changed by global warming. The MAT is important to large mammal herbivores such as
caribou which provide subsistence for indigenous people. The focus of this research is to
determine what rising NDVI values actually mean in the MAT. The degree to which
tundra plant community composition affects NDVI is still very poorly understood. In
order to clarify the role of shrub encroachment per se as opposed to other functional
groups in driving increases in NDVI, we measured functional group composition in moist
acidic tundra in conjunction with hand-held measures of NDVI and direct CO2 exchange
measurements to explicitly link spectral properties, shrub, graminoid and bryophyte
density, and trace gas feedbacks to atmospheric chemistry. Point frame data shows a
shrub coverage of Betula nana (Dwarf Birch) and Salix pulchra (Diamond Leaf Willow)
combined of 5% to 35% in MAT. Our results indicate that high shrub density (>30%)
corresponds to peak season NDVI values greater than .75 whereas low shrub density
correspond to values below .65 (R2=.66). Furthermore, NDVI is closely correlated with
canopy leaf area and greater leaf area is associated with higher rates of gross and net
ecosystem CO2 uptake.
Understanding moose foraging behavior in response to variations in patch
architecture and spatial motifs
Lauren Caruso 1*, Don Spalinger 1
1
University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Biological Sciences
*lacaruso@uaa.alaska.edu
Understanding the foraging behavior of herbivores is critical to the analysis of
habitat requirements of a population or species, and hence, their conservation. Foraging
herbivores face a number of decisions in food selection, and the goal of this experiment is
to identify the scale at which herbivores makes these decisions in a diverse landscape.
9
This study will investigate the effects of modifying the distribution of browses and its
impact on the foraging behavior of moose, an important large herbivore in boreal and
arctic ecosystems. We hypothesize that the foraging currency for moose is net rate of
energy intake, and that this rate will be maximized. In using mass intake as a proxy for
energy intake, we will examine whether energy intake drives foraging behavior by
observing how hand-reared moose move within and among simulated patches during a
series of feeding trials, in which two browse species of different preference and
nutritional value are offered in varying “diluted” proportions. From these results, we
should be able to develop functional response curves that mechanistically predict the
point at which a foraging herbivore becomes either search-limited or processing-limited
by the composition and availability of food types.
Health-related behaviors of first-year university students
Cody Chipp 1*, Christiane Brems 1, Mark Johnson 1
1*
University of Alaska Anchorage, Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services
*cchipp@uaa.alaska.edu
Over the past 30 years, obesity in the United States has become a health epidemic,
with a prevalence rate of overweight and obese adults at nearly 68%. Obesity is a public
health concern as it is associated with a higher risk of life threatening chronic illnesses
such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, and cancer. Obesity rates have
been accelerating over the past two decades nationwide and one crucial time period
identified for weight gain is among emerging adults who are starting college. Given that
obesity rates have increased in the US, and the transition from high school to college
appears to be a time of weight gain, this study examined weight gain among freshmen
students based in the context of the psychological constructs of self-efficacy and
motivation as related to nutrition and physical activity. Data collected for the study
consisted of two waves, a baseline data collection phase and a 24-month follow-up.
There were 207 (61% women) respondents at baseline and 89 (43%) completed the
follow-up study. Participants completed a series of questionnaires, including self-efficacy
measures, stage-of-change measures, physical activity measures, and a Brief Food
Frequency Questionnaire. Upon completion of the measures, anthropometric measures
were taken (e.g., height, weight, and body fat percentage). Preliminary results indicate
that 31% of the sample was overweight or obese at baseline and 26% did not meet
physical activity guidelines. Additionally, 30%and 35% of students reported low selfefficacy and low motivation to live a healthyfully, respectively. Further analyses will
explore the relationships between students’ BMI, nutritional intake, physical activity
levels, and their self-efficacy and motivation to live healthfully when entering college
and across time. Using the findings from this study, a series of recommendations will be
offered for researchers, university service and care providers, and academic policymakers
to address the health needs of new and continuing university students.
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Water sources of evergreen and deciduous species depend upon season, ecosystem
type and snowpack depth in arctic tundra near Toolik Lake, Alaska
Lisa Ebbs 1*, Patrick Sullivan1, Andrew Kulmatiski1 and Jeffrey Welker1,2
1
University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Biological Sciences
2
University of Alaska Anchorage, Environment and Natural Resources Institute
*lisaebbs@gmail.com
Arctic ecosystems are experiencing rapid increases in surface air temperatures,
which are altering the hydrological cycle and its components. In the absence of increased
precipitation, these changes will result in surface drying. Recent increases in the
frequency and magnitude of tundra fires provide evidence that this change is already
occurring. As temperature rises, active layers deepen and soils dry, plant-water relations
will become an increasingly important component of the functioning of Arctic
ecosystems (previously viewed as water-abundant). Arctic ecosystems are covered by
snow for approximately 9 months every year, and yet little is known about the
importance of snowmelt as a water source for arctic plants. In this study, we examined
seasonal variation in the water sources of two evergreen and two deciduous species in
two ecosystems (tussock and dry heath tundra) in response to long-term experimental
increases in snow depth. We analyzed δ18O and δD in xylem water and ∆18O, ∆13C and N
concentration in leaf tissue, which reveal differences in water sources and in leaf gas
exchange physiology. Our findings indicate that snowmelt water may ameliorate the
progressive drying of tundra during the summer; however, this is primarily confined to
tussock as opposed to dry tundra. Identifying the importance of snowmelt as a source of
water for arctic plants will improve our ability to predict changes in plant species
composition and ecosystem function in a warmer and drier arctic.
Why ask about firesetting? A review of the clinical literature on firesetting behavior
Valerie Hewell 1*, Danielle Giroux 1
1
University of Alaska Joint PhD Program in Clinical-Community Psychology
*vmhewell@alaska.edu
The recently implemented Alaska Screening Tool 2011 (AST2011) may be used to
inform the mental health screening and assessment process within the state of Alaska.
However, concerns have been raised regarding the utility of including a screening item on
firesetting within the AST2011. What might a question on firesetting be able to tell
clinicians during the screening process and how might this single item be used as an
indicator of other mental health issues and how should it be treated by clinicians if
endorsed? In an attempt to answer this complex question, a systematic review of the
literature pertaining to firesetting was conducted. An exhaustive literature review of five
separate data bases was conducted to find peer-reviewed journal articles published within
the field of psychology between January 2000 and October 2010. This search yielded 58
unique articles which met criteria for inclusion. Findings suggest that there are different
indicators and implications for children, teens and adults in regard to firesetting.
Firesetting is also comorbid with several other diagnoses including substance abuse.
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Finally, gender differences in firesetting behavior may require different diagnostic and
treatment approaches.
Confronting bear management in the changing North – future foci for efficient
sustainable adaptive management strategies
Kim Jochum 1,2*, Lilian Alessa 1, Andrew Kliskey 1, Falk Huettmann 2, Susan Todd 3
1
RAM Group, Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage
² EWHALE lab, Institute of Arctic Biology, Biology and Wildlife Department,
University of Alaska Fairbanks
3
School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks
*kajochum@alaska.edu
Resource development and the expansion of industrial activity contribute to
problems concerning natural resource use. As a result wildlife has to adapt to increasing
rural and urban development. These effects are driven by governmental policies of
economic growth, an increasing human population, and the resulting human footprint. In
northern ecosystems wildlife in general, but especially bear species and humans alike
have tremendous interest in rivers during salmon run season. In some parts of the world
strict regulations have been established to regulate fisheries and to assure salmon
numbers in rivers meet ecosystem needs (e.g. Alaska). In other regions regulations might
exist, however their implementation, the education of local people, and poaching control
are absent (e.g. Russian Far East). Additionally during recent years human-bear conflicts
have increased in the Russian Far East and in Alaska. Whichever factor is the major
trigger - economy, population or ecosystem - such incidences bring into question existing
management strategies. Adams et al. (2010) and Woodroffe et al. (2005), among others,
conclude that adaptive resilient wildlife management has yet to be accomplished. Its
application reveals substantial implementation problems. This study compares the current
state-of-knowledge and problems in relation to human-brown bear conflicts along the
Pacific Rim (Alaska and Sakhalin Island), identifies reasons for failures in the past, and
makes suggestions for improving future brown bear management approaches across
regions. Methods are interdisciplinary, including a social science mixed methods
approach based on interviews and a follow up survey. Further supervised classification of
land use change is used to evaluate historic landscapes and predictive modelling to
evaluate suitable brown bear habitat on Sakhalin island. This PhD project will be carried
out between 2010 - 2013. Interviews and land use classification are currently conducted.
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A hidden impact of climate change on women’s health: A literature review linking
violence against women and climate change
Jennifer Jones
University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Health Sciences
Jjones108@alaska.edu
Violence against women is a health issue endemic to our society. Recent studies
suggest that up to forty percent of Indigenous women will experience violence at some
point in their life. In a northern context, such violence becomes entangled in the
numerous issues that the circumpolar regions and populations are experiencing as a result
of climate change. The purpose of this paper is to use a gendered approach to illuminate
current research on climate change and the impact on health. More specifically, it
illustrates how climate change and its outcomes are contributing factors to violence
perpetrated against Indigenous women in the circumpolar region. The potential factors
that link climate change and violence against women are not simple or linear.
Recognizing the links requires investigation into the complex web of social and economic
changes, and acculturation and health outcomes as result of climate change. This
literature review examined research on climate change and violence against women.
Selection criteria included English language articles and government documents
published 2002 to the present accessible through PubMed using the following key words:
violence, women, and climate change. Twenty-four documents met selection criteria and
were included in this review. There is limited research examining the impact of climate
changes on traditional lifestyle, economic stability and the role of family and the impact
is has on violence experienced by women. Using a gendered approach to investigating
and addressing climate changes may facilitate novel approaches to reducing violence
against women. Further investigation of this issue may contribute to more complete
surveillance of mental health issues, and social and economic stressors, and thus
contribute to better health outcomes for women in Northern regions.
Total Hg concentrations in freshwater fish at Adak Island, Aleutian Archipelago,
Alaska
Leah Kenney1*, Frank von Hippel1, Todd O’Hara2, James Willacker1
1 University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Biological Sciences
2 University of Alaska Fairbanks
*leahkenney@gmail.com
The Aleutian Archipelago is an isolated arc of over 300 volcanic islands
stretching 1600 km across the Bering Sea. Although remote, some Aleutian Islands were
heavily impacted by military activities from World War II until the present and were
exposed to anthropogenic contaminants, including mercury (Hg). Atmospheric and
oceanic transport of Hg in the Aleutian Islands is a concern due to global atmospheric
deposition and prevailing ocean currents. Recent research has documented high levels of
Hg in marine fishes, seabirds, and marine mammals throughout the Aleutian Archipelago,
but Hg contamination of freshwater ecosystems is poorly understood. Total Hg (THg)
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concentrations were measured in threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus)
collected from eight freshwater lakes at Adak Island. Mean THg concentrations for
whole-body homogenates for all lakes ranged from 0.314 to 0.560 mg/kg dry weight and
differed between lakes. Stickleback collected from seabird associated lakes had
significantly higher concentrations of THg compared to non-seabird lakes and lakes with
formerly used defense sites. The δ13C and δ15N stable isotope ratios of stickleback
collected from seabird lakes suggest a marine input of nutrients and contaminants. These
findings indicate that seabirds are transporting marine derived Hg to freshwater lakes via
guano and their tissues, and that the marine environment is a more important contributor
of Hg contamination than the local military sites.
Genomics underlying rapid phenotypic change in threespine stickleback
populations from Prince William Sound and the Gulf of Alaska
Emily Lescak1, 2*, William Cresko3, Frank von Hippel1
1University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Biological Sciences
2University of Alaska Fairbanks, School of Fisheries and Ocean Science
3University of Oregon, Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
*elescak@alaska.edu
The 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake was a colossal geologic event that uplifted
several islands in Prince William Sound and the Gulf of Alaska, leading to the formation
of freshwater ponds in close proximity to the coast. These ponds were subsequently
colonized by oceanic threespine stickleback and, over the last few decades, these
populations have already evolved freshwater phenotypes, such as reductions in body size
and bony armor. I propose the use of high-resolution, broad coverage genotyping (using
the recently developed restriction site-associated DNA genotyping approach) to study the
genomics underlying rapid morphological change in these populations. Using singlenucleotide polymorphism data from the nuclear genome as well as mitochondrial DNA, I
will determine population structure, look for evidence of introgression in freshwater and
oceanic fish found within the same ponds, and identify candidate genomic regions and
genes that may be involved in the initial phenotypic changes that evolve when oceanic
fish colonize freshwater environments.
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Distribution and ecology of zooplankton and juvenile salmon in the Copper River
Plume
Laurel McFadden1*, Rob Campbell2, Douglas Causey1, Jeffery Welker1, 3
1University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Biological Sciences
2Prince William Sound Science Center
3 University of Alaska Anchorage, Environment and Natural Resources Institute
* Lfmcf47@gmail.com
The Copper River is the largest point-source of fresh water to the northern Gulf of
Alaska, and is an important spawning environment for all five species of Pacific salmon
(Oncorhynchus spp.). When entering the marine environment, salmon smolts are known
to subsist on zooplankton, but their location and feeding patterns are little studied in the
region. Preliminary sampling suggests juvenile salmon may use the highly turbid Copper
River plume to evade predation and take advantage of concentrated zooplankton
populations. The influence of the plume biochemistry and physical dynamics can create
a non-homogeneous distribution of zooplankton that may correlate with smolt feeding
behavior. Previous studies on salmon have proposed the critical size and period
hypothesis, which suggests that after smolts enter the marine environment, they must
achieve sufficient size within a certain time to survive their first marine
winter. Fluctuations in marine conditions and changes in zooplankton concentrations and
salmon behavior have been implicated as drivers of salmon year-class strength. This
project will sample the Copper River plume for zooplankton and salmon smolts with
bongo nets and trawling, and make concurrent measurements of salinity, temperature, and
turbidity with an undulating towed vehicle to develop an oceanographic description of the
plume. Further description of the trophic status of fish and zooplankton will be
conducted via isotopic analysis, and salmon growth rates will be estimated from otolith
measurements. We hypothesize that relationships between zooplankton and smolt
concentrations will correlate with plume dynamics in a way that supports optimal
juvenile salmon growth and survival.
Life Meaning among Rural Alaska Native and American Indian college students
Tonie Quaintance
University of Alaska Joint PhD Program in Clinical-Community Psychology
tmquaintance@alaska.edu
Little research exists on how ethnic minority students subjectively define meaning
in life; nor is there a well-accepted definition or explanatory model of meaning in life for
rural Alaska Native/American Indian (AN/AI) students. This study gathers qualitative
data that explores experiences, attitudes, and beliefs rural Native students transitioning to
urban university describe as important in providing reasons and meaning in life. Insight
into what meaning in life is to rural students can inform interventions that can facilitate
adjustment skills and promote sense of purpose for students dealing with this transition.
The participant criteria include: (a) 18-29 years of age; (b) full-or part-time student at
either University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) or University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA);
15
(c) self-identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native and (d) from rural areas of
Alaska. The qualitative interview asks participants to construct a narrative or “story”
about experiences, attitudes, and beliefs they describe as important in providing meaning
and reasons in life. Domains include where students find meaning, what meaning is to
students, and how the process of adapting to urban university shaped their meaning in
life. The study employs an exploratory, inductive research design in which ideas and
themes emerge from the data (grounded theory). Emic concepts from the students on
factors that provide meaning are identifying in the data (interviews). The emerging
themes inform a culturally appropriate meaning in life measure that fits the experiences
and issues rural Native students indentify in transitioning to urban university. This
research broadens the understanding of young Native adults in rural Alaska who are
making a transition to an urban university. The research findings have a potential to
influence many education and social policies related to young adults in Alaska.
The Role of Histone H2A in DNA MisMatch Repair
David Robinson1*, Jocelyn Krebs1
1
University of Alaska Anchorage Department of Biological Sciences
*suprdavr@gmail.com
Chromatin is the combination of DNA and the proteins that help to package and
organize it. The proteins are called histone proteins, and consist of two sets of four
proteins called histones H2A, H2B, H3, and H4. These proteins contain a globular
domain, around which DNA will wind to form a ‘beads-on-a-string’ configuration called
nucleosomes, and a flexible tail region. This tail region protrudes from the globular
domain, and will interact with the nucleosome, as well as mediate interactions between
nucleosomes. Certain amino acids in the tail region are modifiable, meaning the cell can
add a chemical group to the amino acid, changing its properties and the way in interacts
with the DNA. These changes range from adding a group that carries a positive or
negative charge, changing the way the basic amino acids interact with the negative DNA
backbone, or chemical groups that are large and physically alter the DNA protein
interactions. A number of modifications of histone H2A have been shown to be
important for a number of different DNA repair processes in the past. Repair of UV
damage, oxidative damage, chemically induced DNA double-strand breaks, but one area
where the role of Histone H2A has not been thoroughly examined is the process of DNA
Mismatch Repair. This is the system that helps a cell identify and correct areas where a
cell has a single damaged DNA base, or a small group, and thus helps to ensure that
during the DNA duplication process you don’t have an error copying the new strand of
DNA, which would introduce a mutation. My project used a system to identify
differences between the natural mutation rates of normal cells, and those with a mutated
histone H2A, and identify any cells that may have an increased rate of spontaneous
mutation due to a defect in Mismatch Repair.
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Measuring resilience among Somali refugees living in the United States
Rebecca Volino Robinson
University of Alaska Joint PhD Program in Clinical-Community Psychology
rebeccarobinson11@gmail.com
Somalia is a country rife with conflict. The Somali Civil War, which began the
mass migration of hundreds of thousands of Somali men, women, and children out of
Somalia, began in 1991 and continues today. Most, if not all, Somali refugees have
witnessed horrific acts of violence and many are victims of physical and sexual violence
themselves. As a result, Somali refugees are disproportionately affected by mental health
disorders and social problems, such as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, depression,
poverty, difficulty with school, and gang violence. The literature clearly represents the
problems faced by Somali refugees, pre- and post-migration. However, despite the fact
that over 80,000 Somali refugees have survived the civil war, fled Somalia, obtained
refugee status, and resettled in the United States, the literature lacks any empirical data on
Somali refugee resilience. A likely reason why the refugee literature in general, and the
Somali refugee literature in specific, lacks data on resilience is the lack of culturally
relative measures of resilience. Protective factors and positive psychological outcomes
vary depending on the context of the population studied. Based on the literature
reviewed, the best measure of adult resilience was developed in the Western world, based
on Western ideology and worldview. The purpose of this presentation is to describe my
dissertation research, which seeks to develop a measure of Somali refugee resilience from
the ground up. This scale will be the first step to identifying Somali refugee strengths and
protective factors.
Barriers and facilitators to self-care in graduate students
Kari Sandberg1* and Rebecca Volino Robinson1
1
University of Alaska Anchorage, PhD Program in Clinical-Community Psychology
*karinsandberg81@gmail.com
Graduate students are notoriously under high levels of stress from immense
amounts of work and study. It is common for such students to live life somewhat out of
balance and to neglect self-care as a result of the immense amount of personal resources
being dedicated to work and academic obligations. Self-care practices have been shown
to help prevent burnout. Preventing burnout among students and young professionals is
essential to successful completion of academic requirements, early career building, and
overall health. The purpose of our study was to evaluate barriers and facilitators to selfcare among graduate students at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). We
conducted a series of focus groups with graduate students attending UAA in order to
understand the barriers and facilitators to self-care and to inform students and
administrators of programs how best to prevent burnout with this population. The
purpose of this presentation is to disseminate preliminary findings from these data and
discuss future directions for self-care among graduate students attending UAA.
17
A survey of blood parasites from southern Alaskan brown and black bears using
microscopic and molecular techniques
Becky Sawyer
University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Biological Sciences
rebecca.sawyer@sbcglobal.net
Few studies have been performed to catalog the microfaunal parasites carried by the
three species of bears found in America. This is especially true in Alaska, where the
most comprehensive studies of parasites were done over five decades ago. It is important
to establish a baseline for parasite load, particularly in light of studies that have shown
that parasites can change geographic distribution in response to climate change. Using
blood smears and tissue samples collected by ADF&G, brown and black bears were
screened for common blood parasites using both microscopy and PCR. These parasites
include Babesia sp., Trypanosoma sp., Eimeria sp., Toxoplasma gondii and Hepatozoon
sp. The data collected will be compared to genetic features of the host bears, specifically
the major histocompatibility complex, to determine if there is a correlation between
genetic identity and parasite load. Ultimately, this study will help to elucidate how
parasites help to maintenance of variation within the MHC over evolutionary time.
Impacts of Melilotus alba on pollinator services, diversity and abundance in the
boreal forest of interior Alaska
Laura Schneller
University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Biological Sciences
lcschneller@alaska.edu
Pollination is a critical ecosystem service that often is required or greatly increases
fruit set for angiosperms. Pollination services can be disrupted by non-native plant
species that are highly rewarding. This can impact plant-pollinator networks, visitation
rates, and fruit and seed production in co-occurring native plants. Boreal Alaska is
currently experiencing an invasion of a highly rewarding plant, Melilotus alba that is
spreading along floodplains, roadsides and burn areas in Alaska. The questions tested in
this study are 1. whether pollinator abundance and richness is different in communities
with and without M. alba, and 2. whether per flower visitation rates change in
communities with and without M. alba. I sampled pollinator diversity and abundance and
recorded visitation rates in 24 sites in interior Alaska, 13 with and 11 without M. alba.
Initial results indicate an increase in pollinator abundance and richness and a decrease in
pollinator visitation to native plants at sites with M. alba.
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An evaluation of the current methods of monitoring annual production of
Midcontinent Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) that breed in Interior
and Northwest Alaska
Wade Schock
University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Biological Sciences
wschock@uaa.alaska.edu
The population of midcontinent greater white-fronted geese has fluctuated
significantly over the last ten years. One subpopulation, white-fronted geese from
interior and northwest Alaska, has drawn specific attention because of lower annual
survival rates. Wildlife agencies responsible for managing waterfowl harvest and habitat
need better methods of assessing population status and identifying factors that affect
population dynamics of these geese. My aim is to evaluate two assumptions associated
with current methods that measure annual production of white-fronted geese that breed in
interior and northwest Alaska. First, I will test the assumption that current techniques to
monitor production at Delta Junction, Alaska with age-ratio estimation are not biased by
timing of surveys. To test this assumption, I will measure changes in the ratio of adult to
juvenile geese in Delta Junction, Alaska. Specifically, I will conduct group counts daily
during the migration period and use a regression analysis to assess changes in age ratios
over time during the migration season. Second, I will test the assumption that whitefronted geese migrating through the Delta Junction area in the fall are representative of
the entire interior and northwest Alaska subpopulation. To do this, I will compare
isotopic signatures of sample feathers collected from white-fronted geese migrating
through the Delta Junction area with reference sample feathers collected from whitefronted geese on their breeding areas throughout interior and northwest Alaska. I will
obtain sample feathers from birds killed by hunters and destructive sampling. I will then
use mass spectrometry to measure and analyze stable isotopes of hydrogen, carbon,
oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur. A principal components analysis will be used to test
whether there are distinguishable isotopic patterns in the feather samples collected. The
results of this research will enable waterfowl biologists to better assess the status and
identify factors that affect the population dynamics of white-fronted geese from interior
and northwest Alaska so that they can be managed most effectively.
Partitioning ecosystem respiration in arctic tussock tundra to more accurately
forecast changes in the carbon cycle
Aliza Segal1*, Patrick Sullivan1,2
1
University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Biological Sciences
2
Environment and Natural Resources Institute, University of Alaska Anchorage
* segaliza@gmail.com
Many arctic ecosystems that have historically been strong carbon sinks are
becoming carbon sources. Although ecosystem respiration is the largest carbon flux out
of ecosystems, our ability to model respiration lags considerably behind our ability to
model photosynthesis in this ecosystem. Additionally, understanding these fluxes is
19
especially important for an ecosystem which appears to be experiencing the greatest
climate warming and also contains large stores of soil carbon. Partitioning respiration
into its component fluxes is a critical first step towards improving our ability to model
changes in respiration. I aim to partition and model each component, both above and
belowground, into autotrophic and heterotrophic constituents to gain a better
understanding of the biotic and abiotic factors controlling respiration. Partitioning
belowground constituents has proven to be challenging in most ecosystems. Therefore, I
will use three methods to accurately estimate root respiration and bulk soil microbial
respiration. The first involves measuring excised root respiration and scaling these values
to the ecosystem level. The second is an herbicide treatment that eliminates respiration of
all autotrophic species, and the third is an isotopic 13CO2 pulse-chase approach that
results in minimal disturbance of belowground processes. We will measure leaf, wood,
and mosses separately, and scale these values to the ecosystem level as well. I expect
belowground respiration to be a large percent of total ecosystem respiration. This
hypothesis is contrary to the currently accepted model which assumes that minimal
amounts of CO2 originate from the soil. These models will produce more accurate
predictions of ecosystem respiration in future climatic conditions.
Behavioral health aide manual ethics
Matthew Sena
University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Clinical-Community Psychology
Mattsena2003@yahoo.com
This presentation will describe the process and outcome of a community based
participatory project to develop Behavioral Health Aide Manual (BHAM) ethics chapter.
The BHAM is a new practice manual in press, authored by a state-wide committee of
rural indigenous behavioral health aides, supervisors and mental health practitioners,
coordinated by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. The ethics chapter took
approximately three months to develop, blending traditional Alaska Native values with
clinical behavioral health ethics. Qualitative and quantitative data will be presented,
summarizing community feedback on its cultural responsiveness, as well as the final
chapter product.
20
CO2 exchanges in High Arctic ecosystems: responses to multiple levels of warming
and increases in summer precipitation, NW Greenland
Elizabeth Sharp1*, Patrick Sullivan1,2, Claudia Czimczik3, Jeffrey Welker1,2
1
University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Biological Sciences
2
Environment and Natural Resources Institute, University of Alaska Anchorage
3
University of California Irvine, Department of Earth System Sciences
* esharp0369@gmail.com
Greenland’s climate is changing at rates unprecedented across the Arctic and
these are especially acute in the NW region of the island. For the past 9 years we have
been examining how experimental low and high warming, with and without added
summer water will alter CO2 exchanges and soil and vegetation traits as part of the
Biocomplexity and International Tundra Experiment Programs. We found that low levels
of warming with no water addition (T1) resulted in a 60% (2009) and 110% (2010)
increase in net CO2 uptake. High levels of warming with no water addition (T2) resulted
in a 30% (2009) and 60% (2010) reduction in net CO2 uptake. High warming and added
summer water (T2W) appear to stimulate net CO2 fixation the most, increasing net CO2
sequestration by 140% in 2009 and 210% in 2010. These differences are caused by the
strong co-limitation of gross ecosystem photosynthesis by temperature and water. The
higher rates of net CO2 uptake are due primarily to higher rates of gross ecosystem
production (GEP) as opposed to lower rates of ecosystem respiration (ER). Our findings
are consistent between 2009 and 2010 and indicate that the combination of warmer
summers plus increases in rain will have the largest effect on CO2 exchange and thus
carbon cycling in these extreme habitats which in turn may affect vegetation cover and
surface albedo.
Recent phenotypic and molecular evolution of trophic polymorphism in a species
pair of kokanee (Oncorhynchus nerka) in southwest Alaska
Kyle Shedd
University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Biological Sciences
krshedd@alaska.edu
Several morphologically distinct species pairs occur across many freshwater fish
taxa as a result of differences in feeding ecology and trophic life history. Such
distinctions may arise from divergent selection due to food competition and niche
adaptation, providing an example of ecological speciation. Sockeye salmon
(Oncorhynchus nerka) have diverged into anadromous and nonanadromous resident
populations (kokanee) in many lakes throughout western North America. However,
trophic polymorphism within kokanee populations has not previously been documented.
Kokanee are thought to be constrained to a planktivorous diet due to competition from
other limnetic predators. In the present study, I will examine a previously documented
naturally occurring species pair of kokanee in Lake Jo-Jo in southwest Alaska that
appears to have arisen within the past 200-800 years. Both suspected morphotypes appear
to have adopted distinct, non-planktivorous diets; one piscivore morph specializes on
21
threespine stickleback, and one non-piscivore morph appears to specialize on leeches.
Piscivore and non-piscivore morphotypes will be defined using both stomach content
analysis and carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis. Once separated, I will analyze
the two populations for differences in head, body, and gill raker morphology using
geometric-morphometrics and meristic parameters. Additionally, life history parameters
such as population size, age class structure, and fecundity will be assessed for the two
ecotypes. Finally, genetic analysis using fourteen unique tetranucleotide microsatellites
will demonstrate whether any potential divergence in diet, morphology, and life history
among the morphotypes might have led to and be enforced by genetic differentiation.
Such genetic divergence could be indicative of reproductive isolation and the initial
stages of ecological speciation.
Stable isotope (δ13C, δ15N) analysis and satellite telemetry depict the complexity of
Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) diets in Southwest Alaska
Ashley Stanek1*, Dominique Watts2, Brian Cohn1, Page Spencer3, Buck Mangipane3,
Jeffery Welker1
1
Environment and Natural Resources Institute, University of Alaska Anchorage,
Anchorage, AK 99508
2
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Peninsula and Becharof National Wildlife
Refuges, King Salmon, AK
3
National Park Service, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Port Alsworth, AK
99653
*ashleystanek@gmail.com
Throughout Alaska, gray wolves (Canis lupus) are a top predator of large
ungulates. While they primarily rely on ungulates such as moose (Alces alces) and
caribou (Rangifer tarandus), they are opportunistic feeders and also use alternative
resources. The variation and supplemental protein sources in wolf diet has not been
studied extensively on live animals currently using the landscape. With large seasonal
influxes of Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus sp.) into Alaska, terrestrial carnivore use of
marine species is of particular interest. Using stable isotope (δ13C, δ15N) analysis of wolf
guard hair and blood, this study aims to determine the proportion of marine derived
nutrients (MDN) in the diet of wolf packs in southwest Alaska. Satellite telemetry from
the animals sampled facilitates quantification of landscape use patterns in correspondence
with isotopic traits. Wolf pack territories in and around Lake Clark National Park appear
to vary in spatial extent and in availability of MDN, such as salmon. Initial analysis
shows that two packs with smaller home ranges, centrally located around areas with
greater salmon availability, have enriched δ15N values compared to packs that have larger
home ranges not centralized around salmon spawning waters. This pattern of isotopic
enrichment is found in red blood cells, blood serum and hair, representing diets over
different time scales. The enrichment in both blood and hair indicates a sustained use of
MDN over the previous six to nine months. In the Lake Clark region, packs with smaller
home ranges salmon may be a substantial component of their diet. In contrast, packs
with larger home ranges and less access to salmon have stable isotope values
representative of a terrestrial diet.
22
To reproduce or not: Nutrition-hormonal influence on reproductive decisions in
seasonally synchronous breeders
Cory Stantorf
University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Biological Sciences
corystantorf@gmail.com
Changes in forage quality and quantity can affect body condition of herbivores
which, in turn, has consequences for reproductive fitness. To date, few if any studies
have addressed how large herbivores integrate nutritional signals resulting in
reproductive decisions. Understanding the link between nutritional status and the
hormones, leptin and ghrelin in moose may provide a significant improvement in our
ability to assess a bottom up mechanism that modulates an animal’s productivity and
population potential. Furthermore, it will better enable us to understand the current status
and potential of moose populations, regardless of the nature of the limitations present.
The effects of hibernation on the gut microbial community of the Arctic Ground
Squirrel
Tim Stevenson
University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Biological Sciences
tim.stevenson83@gmail.com
Hibernation is both a behavioral and physiological adaptation employed by
endotherms to survive periods of reduced food availability. It is characterized by
protracted episodes of inactivity and profoundly decreased rates of metabolism and body
temperature. The arctic ground squirrel (Urocitellus parryii) is the northern most
hibernator in North America and, as such, has evolved the most extreme hibernation
phenotype, exhibiting the greatest depth, duration and energy savings of hibernation of
any species studied. The impact of hibernation on the gut microbial flora has been little
studied across hibernating species, and of the few studies, all but one was limited to
culture dependent techniques. Host organisms and gut microbes share a mutualistic
relationship. The host depends on microbes for digestion and energy extraction, while
microbes depend on their host for substrate and an environment in which to live. Despite
the positive benefits of the relationship, gut microbes and the host can influence each
other negatively. For example, gut microbes have been implicated in disease, such as,
irritable bowel disease and obesity, although the relationships are not fully understood. I
propose to investigate the effects of hibernation on the microbial flora of arctic ground
squirrels using culture-independent methods. Diversity, composition, enumeration, and
metabolic short chain fatty acid production of the gut microbial community will be
measured at various time-points and phases of the hibernation season: pre-hibernation
fattening, late torpor, late arousal, and post-emergence. Hibernators have been used
extensively as models for studies of human diseases such as diabetes, stroke, ischemia
and reperfusion and obesity. The extreme physiology of the arctic ground squirrel
23
suggests that this species could serve as an excellent model for studies of gut microbialhost interactions, gut microbe-related diseases, and physiology of the gut.
Testing the conservation of the mammalian WINAC and B-WICH ATP-dependent
remodeling complexes in Xenopus laevis
Nicole Stopa1*, Jocelyn Krebs1
1
University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Biological Sciences
*nstopa@gmail.com
The DNA inside our cells is in a highly compacted form termed chromatin. ATPdependent chromatin remodelers utilize the energy of ATP to rearrange chromatin and
are necessary for regulation of gene expression, especially during development. As such,
dysfunction of ATP-dependent chromatin remodelers has been linked to a number of
developmental diseases. One of these diseases is Williams-Beuren Syndrome, in which a
section of chromosome 7 containing approximately 26 genes is deleted. One of these
genes, Williams Syndrome Transcription Factor (WSTF), encodes a protein that is a
component of at least three biochemically identified ATP-dependent chromatin
remodeling complexes in humans: WICH, B-WICH and WINAC. In Xenopus laevis,
however, only WICH has been shown to be present. ATP-dependent chromatin
remodeling complexes are highly conserved, with many specific complexes occurring in
yeast, Drosophila, Xenopus and humans. Therefore, it would be expected that the
WINAC and B-WICH complexes also exist in Xenopus, especially since WSTF is
present and it forms the WICH complex. WINAC is necessary to mediate binding of the
vitamin D receptor (VDR) to VDR-responsive gene promoters. The evidence for the
existence of WINAC is especially strong given the presence of VDR in Xenopus. I
propose to test interaction of WSTF with the WINAC-specific component VDR and the
B-WICH-specific component SAP155 by doing coimmunoprecipitation assays in
Xenopus embryo extracts. If these assays indicate VDR and SAP155 stably interact with
WSTF in vivo it would be indicative of the presence of the WINAC and B-WICH
complexes in Xenopus. This finding will allow more in depth studies of the molecular
pathways that lead to many of the developmental abnormalities seen in William-Beuren
Syndrome, as well as fundamental gene expression and molecular interactions needed for
normal development. If these ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes are not
present in Xenopus, a potentially important difference between mammalian and
amphibian development will be discovered.
24
Habitat-specific foraging drives mercury concentrations in benthic and limnetic
morphotypes of stickleback in Benka Lake, Alaska
James Willacker1,2 *, Frank von Hippel1, Kerri Ackerly3, and Todd O’Hara2
1
University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Biological Sciences
2
University of Alaska Fairbanks, Department of Biology and Wildlife and Institute of
Arctic Biology
3
Adelphi University, Department of Biology
*jjwillac@gmail.com
Mercury (Hg) is a widespread environmental contaminant known for the
neurotoxicity of its methylated form, which biomagnifies in aquatic food webs. The
concentration and biomagnification of Hg is known to vary among species utilizing
different food webs (benthic versus limnetic) within and between systems. We used
stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen to determine if similar differences in total Hg
(THg) concentration and biomagnification could be observed in threespine stickleback
fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus) from Benka Lake Alaska, a population that demonstrates
both benthic and limnetic morphotypes. The average THg concentration in the limnetic
morphotype was nearly twice that of the benthic morphotype and THg concentration was
significantly correlated with the proportion of benthic carbon in the diet of individual
fish. Limnetic fish had a higher average trophic position than benthic fish and calculated
biomagnification factors were greater in the limnetic food web. Additionally, strong sex
effects were observed with female fish of each morphotype having lower THg
concentrations than males. These results indicate that trophic ecology and sex are both
important determinates of Hg contamination even within a single species and lake, and
may have important implications for Hg levels in higher trophic levels.
Trauma in schizophrenia disorders: Asking the question
Ann Yates1*
1 University of Alaska Anchorage, PhD Program in Clinical-Community Psychology
*annkyates@gmail.com
I am creating a research study as part of my project/thesis for my Master’s of
Science in Nursing/Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner program. This qualitative study asks
the following question: what do people with schizophrenia disorders and a history of
trauma experience when asked about past trauma? In research studies, 29-46% of people
with schizophrenia disorders have a history of significant trauma, and yet by chart review
only 3-4% have trauma documented (Muenzenmaier, 2005; Lommen & Restifo, 2009).
Somehow the process of asking questions about trauma is not working well; research
indicates healthcare providers have concerns about the validity of responses and the
possibly negative effect questions may have on clients (Mueser, Bolton, & Rosenberg,
2007). In addition, trauma screening tools that do not involve an open interview may not
be adequate for those with schizophrenia disorders as this population has significant
difficulties with trust and feelings of shame or guilt (Tucker, 2002). Trauma greatly
complicates and worsens the prognosis for this population and leads to a poor quality of
25
life (Duke, Allen, Ross, Strauss, & Schwartz, 2010). My project seeks to further
understand the process of asking about trauma, and therefore diagnosing trauma, in those
with schizophrenia disorders. In this process the clients’ point of view is essential and
yet studies have not specifically focused on this. Therefore, my study revolves around a
series of interviews with people with schizophrenia disorders and a history of trauma.
The more information that is gathered and explored, the more diagnosis and treatment of
schizophrenia and trauma can improve. The more diagnosis and treatment improve, the
better this population can manage their mental and physical health, and flourish in the
community.
26
Plenary Speakers
Paula Donson: Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs for the University of
Alaska System
Paula assists with implementation of the university’s Academic Master Plan, is involved
in Strategic Planning, and oversees the e-learning program. She is adjunct faculty at the
College of Business and Public Policy and College of Engineering’s Project Management
Program (which she helped launch). She has been involved in several Alaskan
businesses, including the Alaska Railroad Corporation, Mactel Incorporated, Alaska
Seafood International, and Alaska USA Federal Credit Union.
Stephanie McAfee: Climate change scientist with The Wilderness Society in Anchorage
Stephanie works on questions about how to use climate change projections for land
management planning. Making her way steadily north, she moved to Anchorage in July
after a PhD at the University of Arizona in Tucson and a year as a National Research
Council postdoc at the NOAA Earth System Research Lab in Boulder.
She will be presenting on:
The Life History of a Climate Projection
Projecting climate change is often thought to be the solely domain of physicists and
computer programmers. However, people with a wide range of specialties are involved in
developing, creating, and using climate projections. As we move toward using climate
projections to shape policy on a number of fronts, it is important to understand the
complete process of developing a climate projection from the socio-economically based
input scenarios, to the mechanics of running a state-of-the-art climate model to the many
ways in which model output is used.
David Yesner: Associate Dean of the UAA Graduate School
David’s primary research interests are environmental archaeology, ecological
anthropology, and hunting and gathering societies. His research has taken him all over
North America, as well as Cyprus, but his main interests lie in circumpolar areas, such as
Alaska, Russia, and southern South America. He has recently participated in a number of
archaeological excavations in these three regions.
27