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Headshot photo of Mario Muscarella, an assistant professor of microbiology at the Institute of Biology and Department of Biology and Wildlife at the University of AV̳ Fairbanks.

BLaST celebrates Scientist of the Month

Since 2016, the Biomedical Learning and Student Training (BLaST) program at UAF has highlighted scientists from all biomedical fields through its Scientist of the Month articles. UAF Faculty Mario Muscarella of the department of biology and wildlife was selected as the August BLaST Scientist of the Month.


Deadline to apply: URSA Mentor Award (Sept. 11)

Full-time UAF faculty members, postdoctoral researchers and graduate students from all disciplines and campuses are eligible to apply for URSA Mentor Awards of up to $6,000 for mentoring undergraduate research and scholarly learning opportunities. Funding options include; fellowships for undergraduate students, travel for undergraduate students, as well as supplies and/or services to help support undergraduate research and scholarly activity initiatives. The deadline to apply is Sept. 11, 2022. The online application is available on theURSA website.


Ben Jones

A grateful scientist celebrates an Arctic lab's pioneers

Dr. Ben Jones led the organizing of a weeklong August event in Utqiagvik to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Naval Arctic Research Laboratory. The lab at Utqiagvik, at the northern tip of AV̳, has changed since its beginnings. It now operates under a different name and with a different owner and operator,Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation and subsidiary UIC Science. But the legacy of the original lab reaches Jones and others to this day.


Mental health resources guide available

The Elmer E. Rasmuson Library would like to welcome students and faculty to a new semester at UAF with a reminder that there are resources to help lower stress, anxiety and depression and to manage your mental health. Check out our


NSF: Proposal Development Workshop

The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research with support from the Faculty Development Team will host Dr. Jaroslaw Majewski, program manager for the National Science Foundation on the Troth Yeddha' UAF campus Sept. 12 and 13. Dr. Majewski will put on a workshop Sept. 12 covering the structure of NSF, funding opportunities provided by NSF, how NSF grant requests should be structured, the NSF “merit review” process, how NSF panels are organized and executed, and how to work and communicate with NSF program directors. Anyone interested is encouraged to RSVP to uaf-vcr@alaska.edu. Dr. Majewski is also available to meet in one-on-one sessions in-person or via Zoom while on campus. Bring along a one-page summary of your NSF proposal idea. To sign up for a session, please email Srijan Aggarwal.


A scenic AV̳ photo

September museum programs explore water

The University of AV̳ Museum of the North is focusing on the theme of water during family programs in September. These programs are included with admission and are free for members. For more information on museum events, visit the website or call 907-474-7505.

The Department of Communication and Journalism (COJO) faculty, Amy May, director of the Speaking Center, and Rob Prince, producer and host of Dark Winter Nights, will again offer a series of workshops (available both in-person and online) for students to develop and practice their presentation and story-telling skills for this year's competition.

  • : The pillars of your 3MT

  • : Brainstorming your researchstory

  • : Presenting your research as a compelling story

  • : Visualizing your research story

  • : It’s all about delivery via zoom

  • : Mock trials and feedback

One-on-one with the Speaking Center coaches (schedule anytime)


NextGen sessions

The UAF Graduate School is hostingthreeNextGen training sessions in September to go over how to fill out UAF graduate forms. The sessions will be held on:

Sept. 14, 2022: Noon-1 p.m.
Sept. 19, 2022: 3-4 p.m.
Sept. 30, 2022: 10-11 a.m.

All three sessions will be available via Zoom. You mustregister in advance(click on the date you would like to attend).


A stick mounted horizontally, with a weight hanging off the end, in front of a piece of paper mounted on plywood.

Frigid but not rigid -- researchers discover surprising plant phenomenon

Peter Ray and Syndonia Bret-Harte have studied Arctic plants for a combined 50 years. But they recently found there was still more to learn when an accidental experiment led to a surprising discovery about how such plants behave in the snow.


Arctic Youth Ambassadors seeks program applicants

Arctic Youth Ambassadors is seeking applications for the 2022-2023 cohort. Youth between 18-21 years old from across AV̳ are eligible to apply to serve as ambassadors for their communities and country by building awareness at home and abroad about their lives in the Arctic. Applications must be submitted by Sept. 25, 2022. Learn more and apply at the Arctic Youth Ambassadors


ACUASI drone

Students find sky-high excitement with UAF drone center

ACUASI's visit to Delta Junction Junior High School — home of the Grizzlies — was part of ACUASI’s effort to get young people interested in science, technology, engineering and math. Although the days of learning about drones feels like a camp, it’s considered actual summer school because the curriculum containsmath, reading and writing.


On a mostly clear day, New York City and the Hudson, Harlem and East rivers are visible below the outer wing of a Southwest Airlines 737-700 jet flying out of John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Chasing the sun from New York to AV̳

When I left my sister's house in Brooklyn yesterday afternoon, I was 4,200 miles from my home. That's a long way, but I slept in my Fairbanks bed before the next sunrise. Enabling this incredible time travel are modern jet aircraft like the Boeing 737-700, which carried me and 125 others from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. I settled into my window seat to savor an experience I sometimes take for granted — the traverse of our country in one day.


About Cornerstone

The Cornerstone student newsletter is produced by University Relations and emailed weekly to all students. You can . If you are no longer a student, please contact us at UAF-Cornerstone@alaska.edu.

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