Alaska Advisory Board

The Alaska NSF EPSCoR Alaska Advisory Board (AAB) has the mission to connect Fire & Ice research with Alaskans outside of academia and to expand the overall economic impact of the project. The goals of the board are a) to establish a closer relationship between Fire & Ice research with Alaskans including industry, agencies and community partners in Alaska; b) to determine methods and strategies by which Fire & Ice can enter into mutually beneficial relationships with Alaskans; and c) to advise on the development of agreements to implement these methods and strategies.

The board meets at least twice a year with Fire & Ice project leads to receive updates on the project and to make recommendations. Where appropriate, members also work to facilitate specific collaborations between Fire & Ice researchers and Alaska community partners. A number of recommendations of the board have been implemented, chief among them being Fire & Ice's sponsorship of the Arctic Innovation Competition.

 

Current members of the board include:

• Mark Myers (chair), a former head of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources as well as former UAF Vice-Chancellor for Research
• Brian Holst, Director of the Juneau Economic Development Corporation
• Hitomi Marsh, a Ketchikan fishing captain and board member of OceansAlaska, which promotes Alaskan shellfishing, mariculture and wild stock enhancement
• Skye Steritz, Owner, Noble Ocean Farms, Cordova, AK
• Justina Starzynski Hotch, Klukwan School, Tribal Representative, Haines, AK
• Stephen Payton, Seldovia Village Tribe, Seldovia Village, AK