Alaska

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Connecting Alaskans: A New Book Traces History of Telecommunications in Alaska

A new book by Heather Hudson, an ISER fellow and former director, documents the history of telecommunications in Alaska over a century, from the beginnings of telegraph communications through the spread of broadband today. Dr. Hudson describes the considerable challenges of bringing reliable telecommunications to a huge state with hundreds of small isolated communities, difficult terrain, and harsh weather. The 380-page book is available in both printed and electronic versions from the publisher, the University of Alaska Press.

For ordering information, please visit Connecting Alaskans.

Professor Hudson can be reached at hehudson@uaa.alaska.edu.

  • 15 Sep 2015

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After Broadband: A Study of Organizational Use of Broadband in Southwest Alaska

A new study by ISER researchers Heather Hudson, Suzanne Sharp, and Alexandra Hill describes how businesses, government agencies, and schools are using broadband that is now available in much of southwest Alaska. The results are based on a telephone survey of private and public organizations in the region.

Download the report (PDF, 643.8KB). If you have questions, get in touch with Dr. Heather Hudson at hehudson@uaa.alaska.edu.

  • 25 Jun 2015

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June 17 Talk from 12 to 1 at ISER: Exploring Diverse Perspectives on Risks and Benefits of Oil and Gas Development in Alaska, Greenland, and Norway

Siri Veland, an assistant professor of environmental studies at Brown University in Rhode Island, will talk about her work on a new project examining diverse cultural perspectives on risks and benefits of offshore oil and gas developments in Alaska, Greenland, and Northern Norway. Dr. Veland previously studied environmental change and risk in Northern Australia, and she'll discuss possible overlaps with key issues in the Arctic.

When: June 17, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: 1901 Bragaw Street, Third Floor, Suite 301

Please join us, but remember that ISER has moved to 1901 Bragaw Street, Third Floor, Suite 301. The new location is between Northern Lights Blvd. and DeBarr Road. Enter through Reka Drive, and drive all the way south to the front parking area. If you need more directions, call 907-786-7710. Parking is still free. Download the full announcement (PDF, 204KB).

Note: Those who can’t attend in person can join us remotely over the web or call (907) 786-6755, Conference ID: 475905.

By request, a recording was not made of this presentation.

  • 16 Jun 2015

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ISER Director Addresses Conference on Alaska's Fiscal Future

Gunnar Knapp, ISER's director, was the opening speaker at Governor Walker's conference, "Building a Sustainable Future: Conversation with Alaskans," held June 5 to 7 at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Two former ISER directors, Vic Fischer and Scott Goldsmith, also took part in the conference, which brought together Alaskans from around the state to discuss Alaska's fiscal future. The conference was held at a time when a sudden drop in oil prices has slashed state oil revenues and left the budget for the coming year several billion dollars in the red.

Oil revenues have largely funded state government for more than 30 years. Dr. Knapp's presentation to the conference, An Introduction to Alaska Fiscal Facts and Choices, summarizes the fundamental fiscal problem the state government faces over time: "Alaska oil production is falling and our population is rising. It is hard for falling oil production to support most of state government for a growing population."

The presentation goes on to describe the fiscal choices for Alaskans, unless oil prices rise dramatically and unexpectedly: adjust our spending or how we pay for it. The state government has several practical options—cut spending more, raise new revenues, or use earnings of the Permanent Fund. As Dr. Knapp points out, "None of these options are easy or popular."

Download the update presentation (PDF, 2.1MB) or watch a video recording.  If you have questions, get in touch with Gunnar Knapp at Gunnar.Knapp@uaa.alaska.edu. ISER publications are solely the work of individual authors and should be attributed to them, not to ISER, the University of Alaska Anchorage, or the research sponsors.

  • 09 Jun 2015

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The Most Important Things to Understand About Alaska’s Fiscal Situation

The fall in oil prices has led to growing concern among Alaskans about the state's fiscal situation. To help Alaskans better understand this critical issue, Gunnar Knapp, ISER's director and a professor of economics, has been making a presentation to organizations around Alaska.

Download the full presentation (pdf, 1.7MB) or a summary (pdf, 467.7KB), The Most Important Things to Understand About Alaska's Fiscal Situation, by Gunnar Knapp. The presentation will be updated over time. If you have questions, get in touch with Gunnar Knapp at 907-786-7717 or Gunnar.Knapp@uaa.alaska.edu.

ISER publications are solely the work of individual authors and should be attributed to them, not to ISER, the University of Alaska Anchorage, or the research sponsors.

  • 30 Jan 2015

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January 7 talk at ISER. Challenges and Choices: Understanding Alaska's Fiscal Future

Falling oil prices over the past several months have added to the fiscal challenge Alaska’s state government already faced: North Slope oil production, which has largely paid for government operations since the 1970s, is less than a third of what it once was. Gunnar Knapp, ISER’s director, and Cliff Groh, the chair of Alaska Common Ground, are planning a series of presentations to help Alaskans understand the state’s fiscal situation. Their presentations at ISER are the first in that series, and they encourage the audience to ask questions and offer suggestions for improvement. Gunnar Knapp describes the fiscal situation, providing an overview of the state’s revenues, expenditures, and savings. Cliff Groh discusses the challenges that situation poses and outline the options for dealing with them. They do not advocate for any specific option or course of action, but rather they hope to help set the stage for an informed discussion among Alaskans.
  • 30 Dec 2014

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Research Matters No. 86. UAA Graduates: How Many Stay and Work in Alaska?

More and more people have been graduating from the University of Alaska Anchorage in the past decade. Do they stay in Alaska? What kinds of jobs do they have? How much do they earn?  A new analysis by ISER researchers Alexandra Hill, Gunnar Knapp, and Blake Steenhoven looks at those questions. They found that most graduates stay in Alaska at least five years after they graduate, they work throughout the economy, and by five years after they graduate their average earnings double. Around one-quarter of graduates do leave within a few years, but it looks as if they are no more likely than other Alaskans to leave the state. ISER researchers did this work in cooperation with UAA's Office of Institutional Research and the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Download the report, UAA Graduates: How Many Stay and Work in Alaska? by Alexandra Hill, Gunnar Knapp, and Blake Steenhoven. If you have questions, get in touch with Gunnar Knapp at 907-786-7717 (gunnar.knapp@uaa.alaska.edu) or Alexandra Hill at 907-786-5436 (lexi.hill@gmail.com).
  • 11 Dec 2014

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A Free Public Forum, October 4: Less Money and Higher Costs

Alaska Common Ground and ISER recently sponsored a non-partisan public forum, with analysts from government, the University of Alaska, and private industry discussing choices the state government will likely face as pressure on the state budget increases. Oil from Alaska’s North Slope has supported the state’s government and economy for decades. But oil production has been dropping—at the same time population and state spending have been growing and the government’s debt obligations, pension liabilities, and other costs have been increasing. Now you can watch panel discussions from the October 4 forum on Alaska Common Ground's website.
  • 24 Sep 2014

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Incentives and Assumptions: Comparing Alaska's Oil Production Taxes

Alaskans will soon vote on whether to keep the state's new oil production tax, known as SB 21, that went into effect this year, or to go back to the previous tax, called Alaska's Clear and Equitable Share (ACES). A new analysis by Matthew Berman, professor of economics at ISER, looks broadly at how the new tax compares with the tax it replaced, examining not only how future state revenues might differ under the two systems, but also other differences—how the two compare with older production tax regimes and how government-industry relationships vary under the two systems. He finds that SB 21 has a number of drawbacks, compared with earlier systems, including its administrative complexity and its low effective tax rate for new oil—which means that the state's percentage share of the value of the oil is likely to decline over time. He identifies the one major problem with ACES as its high effective tax rates, which could hamper new investment. Overall, Dr. Berman concludes that the tax system in place before ACES—the Petroleum Profits Tax, replaced by ACES in 2007—is arguably a better fit for Alaska, because it had neither the high tax rates of ACES nor the administrative complexity of SB 21. Download the full analysis, Comparing Alaska's Oil Production Taxes: Incentives and Assumptions (PDF, 684KB). If you have questions, get in touch with Gunnar Knapp, ISER's director, at gpknapp@uaa.alaska.edu or 907-786-7717.
  • 07 Aug 2014

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Current and Future Medical Costs of Childhood Obesity in Alaska

Treating medical problems related to obesity among the current group of children and teenagers in Alaska will cost about $624 million (in today's dollars) over the next 20 years, according to a new analysis by Mouhcine Guettabi, assistant professor of economics at ISER. That includes costs for the 15% who are obese now, and will likely remain so as adults, as well as another 20% who aren't obese now but will become obese as adults.  These are the first estimates of the medical costs associated with obesity among those ages 2 through 19 in Alaska today. The study, Current and Future Medical Costs of Obesity in Alaska (pdf, 372.5KB), was done for the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. If you have questions, get in touch with Mouhcine Guettabi at mguettabi@alaska.edu.
  • 30 May 2014
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