News and Announcements

On Sept 5-6, ISER co-hosted with Rep. Mary Peltola, the Alaska Federation of Natives, and the First Alaskans Institute a statewide convening on outmigration issues in Alaska.

The Vic Fischer Undergraduate Research Award provides $2500 to an exemplary UAA undergraduate in the social sciences or other applicable fields interested in researching public policy issues in Alaska or the Arctic in Spring 2025.

The student awardee will participate in ongoing research projects and contribute analyses to publications under the guidance of researchers at ISER.

Brock Wilson Ph.D.

Biography
• Ph.D., Economics, University of Oregon
• M.S., Economics, University of Oregon
• B.S., Economics and Mathematics, University of Oregon

ISER faculty Dr. Katie Cueva attended the ExploraVision Awards in Washington DC in June 2024 as a keynote speaker, where she reflected on her experiences as a past award winner and her current work. The following article describes the K-12 science competition and this year's winners, as well as summarizes Dr. Cueva's remarks.

Across the Arctic, schools struggle to meet the needs of all students, especially Indigenous students and those who have learning disabilities. Education systems are needed that allow students to study in institutions grounded in their own cultures and languages, regardless of whether they are newcomers or Indigenous, and that prepare them to succeed regardless of learning differences.

Originally published April 4, 2024.

APPLICATIONS DUE APRIL 1, 2024

The Vic Fischer Undergraduate Research Award provides $2500 to an exemplary UAA undergraduate in the social sciences or other applicable fields interested in researching public policy issues in Alaska or the Arctic in Fall 2024.

In this new ISER report (https://scholarworks.alaska.edu/handle/11122/14906), ISER economist Matthew Berman and CAEPR director Dayna DeFeo explore how Alaska teacher salaries compare to the national average, adjusted for cost of living differences. They also examined trends in salaries of Alaska and US teachers adjusted for inflation over the past several decades, and how the salary differentials have changed over time.

The public is invited to an education policy forum titled: “Funding Education in Alaska: Lessons and Insights from Local and National Research” on February 8, 2024, at 5:00 pm in the Egan Lecture Hall room 112 on the UAS campus in Juneau. This free event, co-sponsored by the UAS School of Education and the UAA Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER), features Dr.

Unalaska Island, Alaska, served as a US military base during World War II. The military installed bases on Unalaska and nearby islands, many of which were built adjacent to Unangan communities. The military used toxic compounds in its operations and left a legacy of pollution that may pose health risks to residents and local wildlife.