OPINION: UAA elevates solutions for Alaska’s Arctic future

Alaska’s largest university is taking big steps forward in the Arctic. The University of Alaska Anchorage is advancing our role as leaders in strategic solutions, public policy research and training future leaders. We are pleased to share how UAA is becoming North America’s leading institution for Arctic policy and leadership.

Alaska is the center of America’s Arctic frontier and UAA is honored to be an active part of our nation’s security. This month, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security begins an exciting new partnership with our university. UAA will host a new homeland security center of excellence. Our university’s Arctic Domain Awareness Center starts a new chapter as “ADAC-ARCTIC,” one of only nine DHS centers of excellence nationwide. This game-changing   partnership will bring in millions in new funding to UAA for cutting-edge national security research and develop future Arctic and other northern region leaders.

Security in the Arctic can change rapidly, and UAA’s strategic position is an asset for our state. UAA is at the epicenter of economic, military and transportation activity in Alaska due to its location in Southcentral Alaska. ADAC-ARCTIC connects UAA’s expertise with security agencies such as the Coast Guard, FEMA and Customs and Border Patrol. We will work on issues such as cybersecurity, emergency management and maritime security. The center will bridge fundamental science to strategies for preparedness and community resilience. UAA is partnering with America’s best to enhance national security, create solutions for today and prepare leaders for the future.

With the recent arrival of the late U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens papers at their new home in the UAA/APU Consortium Library, this Alaska-sized collection will transform the way we share our state’s history. Much more than just boxed records, the Ted Stevens Collection is a window into policy decisions in every area that helped build our state. These records are a catalyst to inspire future generations of students and Alaska leaders. The Ted Stevens Collection and archives from over 130 other Alaska business, community and political leaders comprise the Alaska Leaders Archive at UAA. The lessons learned, and stories remaining to be told through the Alaska Leaders Archive will further advance UAA as Alaska’s leading center for public service and policy in Alaska, where Alaskan and global leaders of tomorrow benefit from the legacy of Alaska’s past leaders. Together, we will tell Alaska’s story of our state and empower civic engagement and leadership for Alaskans.

Beyond what’s possible with ADAC-ARCTIC and the Alaska Leaders Archive at UAA, our university remains focused on creating solutions for the people of the circumpolar north. Because UAA’s world-class faculty focuses research on real-world, northern region issues and near-term solutions, UAA is a trusted community partner across Alaska and the Arctic. Policymakers and businesses turn to UAA to address the most pressing challenges. From engineering and infrastructure, to health, the economy, education and aviation, UAA is on the cutting edge.

Energy companies partner with UAA to enhance oil and gas production through combating issues such as corrosion. At Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, UAA collaborates with the Ted Stevens Arctic Security Center and helps the military manage its land and resource assets across the Pacific Rim. UAA researchers are helping develop techniques to safely mine rare earth metals needed for numerous uses in our daily lives. Lawmakers call on UAA to synthesize science and data into analysis that shapes law and policy. UAA’s Institute of Social & Economic Research (ISER) has served as Alaska’s think tank for decades.

Our university believes Alaska’s future will be driven and led by our students’ curiosity, passion and belief in a brighter tomorrow. UAA is well on its way to becoming North America’s leading institution for policy solutions that meet the needs of Alaskans and  prepare our world’s future Arctic leaders. UAA is honored to create an ecosystem of opportunity and achievement that advances solutions addressing Alaska’s most pressing challenges. We invite you to join us.

Sean Parnell is chancellor of the University of Alaska Anchorage and served as governor of Alaska from 2009-2014.

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