Patrick E. Marlow (PI), Associate Professor of Linguistics, UAF
Cathy Coulter (Co-I), Associate Professor of Education, UAA
Lisa Richardson (Co-I), Associate Professor of Education, UAS
Sabine Siekmann (Co-I), Professor of Linguistics, UAF

Abstract:
Faculty from UAA, UAS and UAF will align existing graduate certificates/statewide endorsements in Language and Literacy (respectively: Language Education, Reading Specialist, Second Language Acquisition, Literacy and Bilingual Education), identify institution specific expertise and coursework to be shared across all three programs, and establish structures and procedures to maintain collaboration, program alignment, and foster joint research/publication and grant writing to benefit all three programs, Alaska’s schools and their personnel, and most importantly Alaska’s children.
Award $30,000

Dr. Heather Batchelder, Associate Professor, University of Alaska Southeast
Co-Investigator: Dr. Ginger Blackmon, Associate Professor, University of Alaska Anchorage
Co-Investigator: Dr. Krista James, Assistant Professor, University of Alaska Anchorage
Co-Investigator: Tara Maltby, MA.Ed., BCBA, Assistant Professor, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Co-Investigator: Dr. Hilary Seitz, Professor, University of Alaska Anchorage

Abstract:
Project SHINE (Supporting High Impact, Culturally Responsive Instruction within Natural Early Literacy Learning Environments) aims to support the workforce development need for qualified personnel
prepared to provide high impact, culturally responsive, early literacy instruction to Alaska’s emergent readers some of whom may be at-risk for developmental delays, have identified disabilities, and/or have
experienced generational trauma. Increasing the awareness of the importance of culturally responsive early literacy interventions from the district level to the teacher/paraprofessional in the classroom is imperative as the state and nation expand early intervention services for young children. Project SHINE goals include: 1) Increasing the number of qualified personnel prepared to provide high impact, culturally responsive early literacy instruction for Alaska’s emergent readers. 2) The development of a plan for an inter-university course, course sharing and course rotation focused on; culturally responsive literacy instruction in early childhood (university undergraduate level course/professional development course for pre and in-service teachers/school leaders across the state). 3) Dissemination of high impact culturally responsive early literacy interventions statewide.
Award: $30,000

Kristen Gorman, PhD (Principal Investigator). Research Assistant Professor. College of Fisheries and Ocean Science, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Douglas Causey, PhD (co-I). Professor. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska
Anchorage
Veronica Padula, MS (co-I). Research Development and Education Director. Ecosystem Conservation Office, Aleut Community of St. Paul Island, St. Paul, Alaska

Abstract

The support of a Tier I, six-month project to be conducted May through October 2022 that is designed as a pilot investigation into the spatial foraging behavior of two species of seabirds that nest at St. Paul Island,
Alaska. The proposed project would be a first official research collaboration between investigators at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF, Gorman), University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA, Causey), and the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island (ACSPI) Tribal Government (Padula). Further, project funds will support a foundational experience for a UAF undergraduate researcher to assist with fieldwork.
Importantly, the data produced by the project would be a feature component of subsequent proposals to extramural funding opportunities. Our research team is broadly focused on advancing knowledge of Bering Sea seabird response to environmental change by considering new parameters not incorporated in past studies such as detailed spatial foraging information based on GPS- and geolocator-tracking of seabirds, which is critical information for our ACSPI Tribal Government partners who have a strong interest in Indigenous-led management of the marine waters surrounding the Pribilof Islands. The proposed project addresses criteria outlined in the UA FIF RFP regarding 1) inter-university collaborations, 2) scholarly endeavors and student engagement, 3) start-up funds to help develop extramural grant proposals, and 4) community partnership.
Award: $29,700

PI: Dr. Getu Hailu (UAA), Co-PI: Dr. Sunwoo Kim (UAF)

Abstract
The American Lung Association “State of the Air” report found that Alaska has some of the worst air quality in the nation. The situation is expected to worsen. As the Arctic thaws, new economic opportunities, such as tourism, resource exploration and new shipping routes will be created. With increased transportation, increase in emission of air pollutants such as particulate matter and greenhouse gases is expected. As glaciers melt, black carbon is exposed and released to the atmosphere.
Swelling temperatures and increasing amounts of CO2 in the atmosphere create favorable conditions for increased pollen seasons, and increased amount of pollen produced. Frequent wildfires and dust from gravel/dirt roads in Alaska are another source of air polluting particulate matter and gases. Consequently, the air quality in the Alaskan homes will be adversely affected, resulting in poor indoor air quality (IAQ).
Because people spend up to 90% their time indoors, the health and economic concerns associated with poor IAQ are enormous. There is mounting evidence that exposure to poor IAQ is the main cause of allergies, hypersensitivity reactions, airway infections, and even cancer. This project will contribute to the maintenance of good IAQ for Alaskans by determining (a) the fundamental mechanisms of pollutant movement and dispersion in indoor environment; (b) testing appropriate air filtration technologies; (c) testing effective ventilation methods; and (d) developing guiding procedures for maintaining good IAQ.
The project will bring together researchers from UAA and UAF and Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC).
Award $29,950

PI: Yongwon Kim
Eugenie Euskirchen
Masahito Ueyama

Abstract
Boreal forests cover 17% of the planet’s land surface area in a circumpolar belt of the Northern Hemisphere. This region is vulnerable due to rapid climate and environmental change. Boreal black
spruce forests are a significant reservoir of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and play an important role in protecting discontinuous permafrost. Stem respiration of black spruce is a critical, yet poorly
understood, component of forest ecosystem carbon cycle dynamics. It is, therefore, necessary to study variability in stem respiration at different time scales, especially the response of the temporal variation in stem respiration to climatic factors. However, because stem respiration of black spruce is commonly measured only during the growing season, the non-growing season stem respirations do not represent the annual average, and the contribution to the ecosystem respiration (Re) estimated by eddy covariance tower in interior Alaska. Furthermore, considering that abrupt and rapid climate change in Alaska, a year-round measurement of stem respiration would provide crucial information on stem respiration and its contribution to surface carbon budget and ultimately, climate change in Alaska. In order to investigate the phenological characteristics and quantitative assessment of stem respiration, this project will obtain hourly stem respiration measurements using a forced diffusion (FD) system in a boreal black spruce stand in interior Alaska. The research site is located within the footprint of eddy covariance tower operated by
Drs. Euskirchen (IAB, UAF) in Bonanza Creek (BNZ LTER), and Ueyama (Osaka Prefecture University, Japan) within the UAF campus.
Award $24,938

PI: Dr. Mari Hahn (Professor, UAA) and Dr. Jaunelle Celaire (Professor, UAF), Ann Schaefer (Piano Term Instructor, UAF) and Natnaphol Amornkiat (Staff Pianist, UAA)
Abstract:
This inter-university project involves the UAF and UAA Departments of Music. The Principal Investigators will engage in collaborative research, creative activity and professional development that will integrate with student engagement. The goals of course alignment and the expansion of learning networks will be met through the study and performances of selected musical theater excerpts, by UAA
and UAF students. Community outreach and recruitment activities will be possible through ASD, Charter, and North Star Borough school visits. The Supporting Collaborators will assist with the rehearsal process and performances.
Award $7,000

PI: Margaret Keiper (UAF)
Benjamin Rush (Prince William Sound)
Timothy Miller (UAA)
Forest Wagner (UAS)
Mark Oldmixon (UAF)
Paul Twardock (APU)

Abstract
The Alaska Developing Outdoor Leaders Conference (ADOLC) is a proposal focused on supporting the growth of the fall 2022 ADOLC. The goals of this proposal are to alleviate cost related barriers to expand outdoor opportunities for students to attend the fall 2022 ADOLC, increase the profile of Alaska Developing Outdoor Leaders Conference to advance the growth of the outdoor recreation economy in Alaska, and create a fiscally sustainable high-impact platform Alaska students and outdoor professionals to learn outdoor recreation knowledge from each other.
Award: $25,000

PI: Andrew Harnish, Assistant Professor of Writing, UAA Department of Writing
Co-PI: Shane Castle, Assistant Professor of Writing, UAA Department of Writing
Co-I: Carrie Aldrich, Assistant Professor, UAA Department of Writing
Co-I: Martha Amore, Assistant Professor, UAA Department of Writing
Co-I: Jennifer Booz, Chief Diversity Officer of UAA
Co-I: Jacqueline Cason, Professor and Chair of Writing, UAA Department of Writing
Co-I: Jennifer McClung, Adjunct Instructor, UAA Department of Writing
Co-I: Michele Yatchmeneff, Executive Director of Alaska Native Education & Outreach of UAA

Abstract
Writing Studies scholarship indicates that racially and ethnically minoritized students are negatively affected by university writing instruction and assessment when faculty fail to understand and address those students’ dialects, cultures, and literacies. It is imperative that the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) act on this matter in order to mitigate equity gaps for Alaska Native and other racially and ethnically minoritized students. Thirty-seven percent of UAA students identify as ethnic minorities, and White students pass the introductory writing course at higher rates than many minoritized groups, especially Alaska Native and American Indian students. Our project proposes to address this equity gap by offering a series of training sessions led by Dr. Cana Uluak Itchuaqiyaq (Iñupiaq), an expert in Indigenous composition pedagogy at Virginia Tech who focuses on institutional racism. Dr. Itchuaqiyaq has agreed to come to Anchorage in Spring 2022 to lead a two-day workshop for writing instructors,
present a public lecture on antiracist pedagogy, and meet with Alaska Native students. We request a budget of $10,000 in FIF funds to bring Dr. Itchuaqiyaq to Anchorage and provide stipends for UAA Department of Writing adjunct faculty to be compensated for attending the trainings alongside full-time faculty. To promote inter-campus collaboration, Dr. Itchuaqiyaq’s trainings will be recorded and made available live via video link to all First-Year Writing instructors in the UA system. Our team will track the results of Dr. Itchuaqiyaq’s trainings by evaluating UA instructor participation and feedback and by assessing the academic outcomes of Alaska Native and other racially and ethnically minoritized students in courses offered by the UAA Department of Writing. It is our hope that the project will inspire further collaboration, conversation, and action between the UA campuses on culturally responsive writing pedagogy.
Award $10,000
Final Report

Patrick E. Marlow (PI), Associate Professor of Linguistics, UAF
Cathy Coulter (Co-I), Associate Professor of Education, UAA
Lisa Richardson (Co-I), Associate Professor of Education, UAS
Sabine Siekmann (Co-I), Professor of Linguistics, UAF

Abstract:
Faculty from UAA, UAS and UAF will align existing graduate certificates/statewide endorsements in Language and Literacy (respectively: Language Education, Reading Specialist, Second Language Acquisition, Literacy and Bilingual Education), identify institution specific expertise and coursework to be shared across all three programs, and establish structures and procedures to maintain collaboration, program alignment, and foster joint research/publication and grant writing to benefit all three programs, Alaska’s schools and their personnel, and most importantly Alaska’s children.
Award $30,000

PI: Matthew Cuellar
Abstract
This proposal is submitted to the 2022 Faculty Initiative Fund (FIF) for consideration under Tier II for a project period of six months (February 2022 – July 2022). The goal of the proposed project is to develop
an interdisciplinary course that will engage students in service learning from hands-on experience in the juvenile court system in Anchorage. The course will be available for all students at UAA and affiliated
campuses via distance delivery with a particular focus on the intersectionality of social work, child welfare, and criminal justice in youth serving justice systems. To meet this goal, we will implement a
three-phase program that incorporates pedagogical development and research evaluation initiatives. First, we will hire an undergraduate student to assist in strengthening existing collaborative programs and
organizing service learning opportunities in Spring 2022. Second, we will conduct focus groups among faculty in the School of Social Work, Justice, and the Child Welfare Academy to establish a shared course
structure and align areas of study for the class and establish learning outcomes appropriate for all involved disciplines, which will take place in Summer 2022. Finally, in late Summer 2022, we will conduct focus groups with members of the service learning team to identify gaps and challenges in implementing the service learning opportunities when the course is offered. It is anticipated that the class will be offered in Fall 2023. Developing the course will establish local community relationships that result in high impact pedagogical practices while also providing the applicant an opportunity to develop community relationships that will be used to advance research and scholarship on juvenile justice and youth violence in Alaska.
Award $9,996