The Alaska Innovators Hall of Fame class of 2020 includes:
Alutiiq/Sugpiaq Angyaq: Crafted for Kodiak’s notoriously rough waters, these historic, skin-covered, open
boats were used in Alutiiq society for harvesting and traveling more than 400 years
ago. The boat’s bulbous bow decreases the amount of force needed to propel the boat
forward and ensures stability, a design that is now considered the standard in ship
building worldwide.Althoughthe construction of angyat was set aside after the Russian conquest of Kodiak, anthropologist
Dr. Sven Haakanson Jr., in collaboration with the community of Akhiok and Burke Museum,
is leading the effort to reawakening the art of angyaq building.
Dr. Robert “Trey” Coker:After a debilitating ATV accident left him bedridden for about a month, Dr. Coker
started thinking about what could be done about to prevent physical decline in older
adults. Now, his company, Essential Blends, LLC, is testing nutritional products that
prevent muscle loss without gaining fat. The company received the first Small Business
Innovations in Research grant from the National Institutes of Health, with a subaward
to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and has filed two patent applications for their
products.
August G. (Augie) Hiebert: Known as the father of Alaska television, Hiebert’s vision laid the foundation for
the evolution of mass communication in the Last Frontier. His greatest and most lasting
contribution to Alaska was his vision to use telecommunication and satellite communication
technology to connect Alaskans throughout the state and to Outside. Hiebert led negotiations
with U.S. Military and Alaska’s congressional delegation to bring live satellite feed
of Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon July 20, 1969 to Alaskan television viewers.
Dr. Ping Lan: A decade ago, Dr. Lan created the Arctic Innovation Competition to stimulate innovative
ideas and bring a pipeline of creative solutions to Alaska, the Circumpolar North,
and the Arctic. The competition has provided more than $240,000 to budding entrepreneurs
of all ages, to build prototypes and encourage their business ventures. Dr. Lan is
a professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Management, where he researches
and teaches mass innovation.
