News and Announcements

Research shows that good teachers are critical for a child’s academic success, as well as their long-term social and economic outcomes. However, high teacher turnover disrupts instructional continuity and hurts student achievement. In Alaska, maintaining a stable educator workforce has been a challenge for nearly three decades. 

Ever wonder what happens inside a glacier? Mark your calendars for Thursday, October 8 for a talk on glacier caves, some of the most dynamic and least documented features of glacier systems. Research shows they can form, evolve, and even disappear within short periods of time! 

Since Anchorage School District (ASD) began rolling out its new school lunch model four years ago, elementary students have been eating 31% more of their entrées and 29% more vegetables, according to data collected by a team based at ISER and the Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services. 

The benefits extend beyond lunchtime: national research indicates school lunch participation improves academic outcomes equal to about two months of additional learning within a school year.

Several ISER members were part of the Alaska delegation at last month's UArctic Congress in the Faroe Islands. This biennial meeting assembles researchers and institutional leaders from across the Arctic Circle to collaborate on shared goals for the region.

ISER Directors Diane Hirshberg (2021-2026), Gunnar Knapp (2013-2016), Steve Colt (2007-2009), Fran Ulmer (2005-2007), and Lee Gorsuch (1976-1994)

The Institute of Social and Economic Research got its start in 1961, just two years after Alaska statehood. ISER has been at the forefront of public policy research ever since. 

ISER will welcome public service researchers from across the country for the 2026 Consortium of University Public Service Organizations (CUPSO) Conference! 🐏

This year’s event, titled “Public Service on the Frontier,” will gather research staff from dozens of universities to share their successes and help shape future public policy. The conference also coincides with the 65th anniversary of ISER, which has been providing non-partisan policy research for Alaska since 1961.

ISER is currently looking for a new director, who will coordinate research activities both within the institute and with other institutions and agencies, and will supervise a multi-disciplinary team consisting of 30 people, including faculty, administrative and research staff and student researchers. ISER’s current director, Diane Hirshberg, has announced that she will step down from the director’s role at the end of June 2026. She has been ISER director since 2022.

Dr. Diane Hirshberg will step down as director of the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) in June 2026. She has led the Institute since October 2021.

The UAA Institute of Social and Economic research is conducting a National Science Foundation-funded project on how historic snowfall seasons (2022-2024) affected Anchorage businesses, particularly their buildings and roofs. They are conducting brief (5-10 minutes) surveys with Anchorage businesses to gather information about: how businesses perceived roof snow load risks, actions businesses took to address roof snow loads, and obstacles that made it difficult to remove snow from roofs.

On March 12, Brock Wilson presented to the House Judiciary Committee on federal employment in Alaska. During the presentation, he discussed key insights related to the economic contributions of federal civilian workers in Alaska, emphasizing the role federal employees play in critical industries and the state's economy. His focus was on analyzing the reliance on federal workers, the impact of potential reductions in federal employment, and how these changes could disproportionately affect Alaskan industries.