URSA announces 2025 Summer Student Project Award recipients
April 28, 2025
The Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Activity congratulates the following individuals who received an URSA 2025 Summer Student Project Award.
URSA Student Project Awards are available for fall, spring, and summer terms. These awards support undergraduates (individual and group applicants) of all majors and located at all associated rural campuses to pursue research and creative activity projects at UAF. Applications for fall 2025 projects will be accepted April 14 - June 8, 2025. Please see the Student Project Award webpage for more information and to apply.
Pirada Anderson
Major: Biological Science
Mentor: Don Larson
Project Title: Investigating the Effects of Rising Temperatures on Sporocyst Production in Snails
I aim to test climate change's effects on Arctic parasites. I will determine the high temperature threshold for sporocyst production in snails. The parasite Trichobilharzia alaskensis causes swimmer鈥檚 itch. It resides in snails, ducks, and occasionally humans. The parasite causes a pustulous, painful rash.
Leanne Bulger
Major: Biological Sciences
Mentor: Go Iwahana
Project Title: Sink to source: investigating the origin of high CO2 emissions in soil cavities
This study will investigate the isotopic characteristics of CO2 emissions coming from soil cavities in a local boreal forest, and provide a census of microbial communities in the cavity that may be contributing to high CO2 concentrations.
Rory Claussen
Major: Fisheries and Marine Sciences
Mentors: Jessica Glass and Josie Wickstrom
Project Title: Using Genetic Analysis to Construct Phylogenetic Trees of Arctic Fish Species
The goal of this project is to analyze evolutionary relationships among Arctic fish species by constructing phylogenetic trees. This will be done using DNA extraction, PCR amplification, sequencing, and data analysis. Understanding phylogenetic relationships is important because characterizing biodiversity and evolutionary patterns across the tree of life helps conservation efforts.
Ellie Kanz
Major: Geoscience
Mentor: Marisa Acosta
Project Title: Evaluating the importance of crystal orientation on Al-Si site disorder signals in
Raman spectra of K-feldspar polymorphs
There are three types of K-feldspar: microcline, orthoclase, and sanidine. These minerals share the same chemical composition (KAlSi3O8) but differ in atomic structure. I will compare Raman spectra with other data to determine if it can be used to reliably differentiate between these chemically identical but structurally unique minerals.
Michael Maloy
Major: Wildlife Biology and Conservation
Mentor: Simon Zwieback
Project Title: Using Satellite Imagery to Map Spruce Beetle Impact
Via satellite imagery, I will map the extent of Spruce Beetle outbreaks in the Southern 91视频 Range, between Cantwell and Healy. Such data will allow an understanding of the dynamics of these outbreaks and develop strategies to mitigate the beetle鈥檚 impact on 91视频n ecosystems, and promote effective forest management.
Natalie Milburn
Major: Psychology
Mentor: Kevin Walters
Project Title: Democracy at Work: A Qualitative Study of Organizational Culture in Worker Cooperatives
Worker co-operatives are a rising form of organization which are employee-owned and democratically run. Despite this, research on these organizations is minimal. We plan to use Hofstede鈥檚 Cultural Dimensions Model as a framework to conduct semi-structured interviews and research the organizational culture within worker co-operatives.
Nanieezh Peter
Major: Film and Performing Arts, 91视频 Native Languages
Mentors: Samuel Alexander and Lisa Strecker
Project Title: The Gwich'in Ethnobotany, Documenting Traditional Names and Usage of Plants for Language
and Cultural Revitalization
This project documents Gwich鈥檌n language around plants, harvesting/gathering plants, and plant uses within Gwich'in culture. The project will create an herbarium specimen collection and videos that will be shared with community to inspire language and culture practices.
Ainsley Sauer
Major: Chemistry
Mentor: Sarah Ellen Johnston
Project Title: Iron Export from Permafrost Influenced Streams in The Fairbanks Area
Due to increasing temperatures, Arctic bodies of water experience changes in their water quality. Permafrost thaw is causing 鈥渞usting rivers鈥 in the Interior, which is researched more often in the Arctic. My research will focus on creating a baseline of the correlation between iron concentration and various water parameters.
Teegan Silva
Major: Geoscience
Mentor: Amy Jenson
Project Title: Breaking the Ice: How Do Seasonal Changes in Terminus Position Influence Ice Velocity
at Sermeq Kujalleq?
I will analyze open-source satellite imagery data to investigate how seasonal changes in terminus position and glacier velocity interact at Sermeq Kujalleq, one of Greenland鈥檚 fastest-flowing tidewater glaciers. Understanding these dynamics will improve predictions of future ice loss and sea level rise from the Greenland Ice Sheet.
Jacob Starkey
Major: Geoscience
Mentor: Amy Jenson
Project Title: Tidewater Glacier Special Exhibit - Seasonal Glacial Mechanics and Tidewater Glacier
Cycle
This initiative aims to enhance the upcoming Tidewater Glacier Special Exhibit at the Museum of the North by developing the educational science section. It will feature educational explorations of glacial processes, seasonal variations, the tidewater glacial cycle, and other relevant topics.
Group Award
Students: Mariana Beks (Music), Olivia Buzby (Music Education), Alexia Devine (Music Education),
Grace Farrell (Music Performance), Jack Helmericks (Anthropology), and Kevin Clark
(Music Performance)
Mentor: Jaunelle Celaire
Project Title: UAF Music Opera Workshop: Costa Rica May 2025
Members of the Celaire voice studio have been invited to the University of Costa Rica to perform in May 2025. UAF faculty, Drs. Martin and Celaire will offer master classes in their respective disciplines to students of the University of Costa Rica campus.
Contact the URSA office for more information on how to get involved: uaf-ursa@alaska.edu | 907-450-8772.