UAF announces 32nd annual Science for Alaska series

Free public talks in the next few weeks will explore Mount Edgecumbe volcano, the peaking sun cycle’s boost to aurora viewing, Alaska’s role in new satellite observations of Earth, and a program bridging Indigenous and Western fisheries science. 

For over 30 years, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute has hosted the Science for Alaska talk series as one of its largest public outreach efforts. The series brings information about current research to Alaskans from scientists with expertise across the state.

To celebrate the start of the series, Science for Alaska is offering a free K-12 planetarium event and a fun evening of flashtalk-style science at The Pub at UAF.

• Tuesday, Jan. 30: An Afternoon of Family Science, 3:30-5:30 p.m., Nordale Education Center, 397 Hamilton Ave., Fairbanks

Want to stargaze inside a planetarium and learn about Alaska science research? Fairbanks BEST Homeschool joins the Geophysical Institute for exploration and hands-on activities at this free, all-ages event. Bring your family and friends!

• Thursday, Feb. 1: Science for Alaska Kickoff, 7-8:30 p.m., The Pub at UAF

Enjoy a storytelling evening of six short, engaging science talks covering aurora chasing, spruce beetle infestation, glaciers, the relationship between wildfires and moose hunting, and more. Due to location, attendees must be age 21 or over.

The traditional 2024 Science for Alaska lecture series begins Tuesday, Feb. 6, and runs every Tuesday through Feb. 27. Talks start at 7 p.m. on campus in the Schaible Auditorium and will be streamed live to Zoom and the UAF and Geophysical Institute Facebook pages. On-campus parking is always free after 5 p.m. Presenters will answer questions after each talk.

Register here to watch on Zoom.

Here are the 2024 Tuesday lectures and dates:

• Feb. 6: Mount Edgecumbe: Exploring a Reawakened Volcano, Claire Puleio, Ph.D. student, UAF College of Natural Science and Mathematics

• Feb. 13: Launching NISAR: NASA’s Biggest Earth Observation Mission, Franz Meyer, professor, Geophysical Institute and chief scientist, Alaska Satellite Facility

• Feb. 20: Here Comes the Sun: Solar Maximum and the Aurora, Alex Young, associate director for science, Heliophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

• Feb. 27: Tamamta — All of Us: Bridging Indigenous and Western Fisheries Science, Jessica Black, associate vice chancellor, UAF College of Rural and Community Development, and Courtney Carothers, professor, UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences

Lectures can be viewed on the Science for Alaska website or the Geophysical Institute YouTube channel in March after the series concludes. They also will be available on DVDs through the Alaska library system.

For more about the lectures and videos of past talks, visit www.gi.alaska.edu/scienceforalaska or the Geophysical Institute Facebook page @UAF.GI. 

Download the 2024 event series flyer.

The 2024 Science for Alaska events are sponsored by the Triplehorn family, Lifewater Engineering Co., the Alaska Estab­lished Program to Stim­u­late Com­pet­i­tive Research, the Geophysical Institute and UAF.