The seven-institution team, led by Jennifer Schmidt of the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) at the University of Alaska Anchorage, includes land managers, economists and ecologists from the Center for Ecosystem Science and Society and The W. A. Franke College of Business at NAU, the University of Colorado, Tanana Chiefs Conference and the USFS Wildfire Research Center (WiRē). Using this interdisciplinary approach, the “Socio-ecological considerations for sustainAble Fuel treatments to Reduce wildfire Risk (SAFRR)” team will work with residents to design fuel treatments that can help protect their homes from wildfire. 

For the past 13 years, pharmacy students at the University of Alaska Anchorage — along with local licensed pharmacists and nurses who volunteer their time to supervise the students — have devoted a couple Saturdays in October to visit assisted living homes around the city, administering flu shots to hundreds of seniors like West.

Especially in Alaska, the more people who know how to keep airplanes in the air the better. However, it’s a big state and there are mechanics in rural locations that don’t have the same accessibility to classes to excel their knowledge. From the University of Alaska Anchorage, the Mechanical Helper Education Program seeks to offer knowledge to anyone who wants to learn.