13109 research outputs found
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Development of scalable coastal and offshore kelp farming for marine biomass production
Full text linkThe US DOE/ARPA-E MARINER program funded a 4-year project to determine an optimal way to grow kelps in large, nearshore and offshore arrays for the eventual purpose of biofuel production with the goal of keeping the cost below 80 USD per dry metric ton of kelp.GreenWave. C. A. Goudey & Associates. UAF Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center. U. S. Department of Energy.Abstract -- Keywords -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Methods -- 3. Results -- 4. Discussion -- 5. Conclusion -- Acknowledgements -- Conflict of interest statement -- Data availability statement -- ORCID -- References -- Supporting informationYe
Providence Alaska Medical Center Research Support Services Roles and Workflows
Full text linkA Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE
in
Project ManagementThis project addresses a critical gap in an oncology research department at a large Alaska healthcare provider by developing a comprehensive guide that documents the roles, responsibilities, and workflows of key positions. The department includes three research nurses, a pediatric Clinical Research Associate (CRA), an adult CRA, a regulatory coordinator, and a manager. Currently, no formal documentation exists to outline the foundational operational workflows of each role, resulting in isolated knowledge and the risk of operational disruptions if staff turnover occurs.
This project aims to safeguard against these risks by thoroughly documenting the core functions, processes, and interdependencies of each position. The resulting guides will serve as an essential resource for onboarding new staff, ensuring the continuity of institutional knowledge, and fostering cross-functional collaboration among team members. Additionally, the guides will enhance the department’s ability to standardize operations, improve efficiency, accountability, and organizational maturity.
Beyond acting as a knowledge base, this resource will provide a structured framework to support departmental growth, enabling it to justify budgetary needs, scale operations effectively, and adapt to future changes. Ultimately, this project will ensure the department’s resilience and sustainability by preserving critical knowledge and aligning team efforts with organizational goals.List of Exhibits / List of Appendices / Background / Scope Description / Organization / Quality Management / Timeline and Milestones / Predicted Versus Actual / Challenges and Solutions / Project Outcomes / Recommendations / Future Projects / Conclusion / Reference
Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) Project
No full textMentor: Dr. Richard Wies, Jr.; This project will address a need for better and faster grid monitoring for circumpolar energy grids (focusing on Alaska) by creating a custom-designed Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU). The project team envisions this PMU providing low-cost and effective real-time monitoring of grids, which will help electrical service providers and crews respond to faults, such as downed power lines, and help prevent those faults from igniting wildfires. Low-cost PMU incorporation will also allow the safe integration of renewable energy sources into the grid, by saving operators and consumers money from inefficient power and wasted power
Cultivating Communi-TEA
Full text linkMentor: Dr. Sarah Stanley; Poster explaining the behind-the-scenes process of planning and executing Tea Time for the English student community
Research design optimization for determining hibernation and spring emergence of Little Brown Bats (Myotis lucifugus)
Full text linkMentor: Dr. Todd Brinkman; Little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) are the only species of bat that has been reported in Interior Alaska and are typically located by ultrasonic monitoring. M. lucifugus emit social calls that are characterized as high intensity frequency modulated (FM) sweeps ranging from 80 kHz down to 40 kHz. This poster aims to focus on study design using ultrasonic monitoring to locate M. lucifugus for future studies by the Wildlife Society
EFFECTS OF TOURISM ON RURAL ROADS & RURAL DELIVERY WITH CAV
Full text linkWhile some congestion is expected at rural attractions such as national parks, theme parks, special sporting events, scenic points and the like, there are locations along the rural highway network that nearby attractions cause substantial congestion and/or unusually elevated traffic safety risk. This paper presents the case of two very popular tourist attractions on the North Shore of the Island of Oahu in the State of Hawaii: Laniakea Beach and Shark’s Cove. These locations are within five miles of each other and are served solely by the 2-lane rural Kamehameha Highway. These two locations have been congestion black spots for over a decade, and local opposition to more development and tourism has been substantial. A team of students in civil engineering at the University of Hawaii at Manoa has been meeting with the local communities and has collected sample data to substantiate the extent of the problem. Several discussions were completed, where mitigation proposals were presented and discussed. This paper summarizes both the history of this problem, and the various data collected such as vehicular and pedestrian volumes, travel times and queue lengths. It also presents a list of proposed mitigations. There is a multitude of problems with most of the proposals including cost, appeal (they are not context sensitive), difficulty with agency jurisdictional bounds, community acceptance and risk from waves and long-term sea level rise
Seasonal patterns in riverine carbon form and export from a temperate forested watershed in Southeast Alaska
Full text linkRiverine export of carbon (C) is an important part of the global C cycle; however, most riverine C budgets focus on individual forms of C and fail to comprehensively measure both organic and inorganic C species in concert. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted high frequency sampling of multiple C forms, including dissolved organic C (DOC), inorganic carbon (as alkalinity), particulate organic C (POC), coarse particulate organic C (CPOC), and invertebrate biomass C across the main run-off season in a predominantly rain-fed watershed in Southeast Alaska. Streamwater concentrations were used to model daily watershed C export from May through October. Concentration and modeled yield data indicated that DOC was the primary form of riverine C export (8708 kg C/km2), except during low flow periods when alkalinity (3125 kg C/km2) was the dominant form of C export. Relative to DOC and alkalinity, export of particulate organic C (POC: 992 kg C/km2; CPOC: 313 kg C/km2) and invertebrates (40 kg C/km2) was small, but these forms of organic matter could disproportionately impact downstream food webs because of their higher quality, assessed via C to nitrogen ratios. These seasonal and flow driven changes to C form and export likely provide subsidies to downstream and nearshore ecosystems such that predicted shifts in regional hydroclimate could substantially impact C transfer and incorporation into aquatic food webs.Alaska Climate Adaptation Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station. National Science Foundation.Abstract -- Introduction -- Methods -- Results -- Discussion -- Conclusions -- Data availability -- References -- Acknowledgements -- Funding -- Author informationYe
Alaska Earthquake Center Quarterly Technical Report July-September 2024
Full text linkThis series of technical quarterly reports from the Alaska Earthquake Center (AEC) includes detailed summaries and updates on Alaska seismicity, the AEC seismic network and stations, fieldwork, our online presence, and lists publications and presentations by AEC staff. Multiple AEC staff members contribute to this report. It is issued within 1-2 months after the completion of each quarter Q1: January-March, Q2: April-June, Q3: July-September, and Q4: October-December. The first report was published for January-March, 2021.1. Introduction 2. Seismicity 3. Alaska Geophysical Network 4. Data quality assurance 4.1 Seismic data 4.2 Environmental data 5. Real-time earthquake detection system 6. Computer systems 6.1 Computer resources 6.2 Waveform storage 6.3 Metadata 6.4 Software development 7. Fieldwork 8. Social media and outreach 8.1 Website 8.2 X 8.3 Facebook 8.4 Instagram 8.5 LinkedIn 28 8.6 K–12 and community outreach 8.7 Workforce development 9. Publications and presentations 9.1 Publications 9.2 Public presentations 9.3 GI Geoscience lunch seminar talks 10. References Appendix A: Data availability for broadband stations from the AK network. Appendix B: Gaps for broadband stations from the AK network
Addressing non-stationary fishery dynamics and demographic complexity in integrated stock assessment models
Full text linkThesis (Ph.D.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2024Integrated stock assessment models are complex non-linear statistical models that fit a variety of fishery-dependent and independent data sources to estimate the status and trends of fish populations, providing recommendations for sustainable harvest levels. Given their complexity, simplifying assumptions are necessary in stock assessment models to balance model parsimony versus complexity, while also considering data limitations. In this dissertation, I investigated considerations for addressing non-stationary fishery dynamics and evaluated the consequences of oversimplified assumptions of fishery dynamics and sex-specific demography in stock assessment models. Using Alaska sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) as a case-study, I developed a generalized framework to standardize fishery-dependent abundance indices, while incorporating various data sources and catch records from multiple gear types to address rapid shifts in fishery fleet structure (Chapter 2). Building on this foundation, I then explored the implications of accounting for, or ignoring, complex temporal changes in fishery fleet structure in stock assessment models by comparing multi-fleet and single-fleet models (Chapter 3). Here, I found that the treatment of fleet structure generally had minimal impacts on quantities of management interest, but selectivity assumptions had large impacts on recommended harvest levels. I then employed a generalized simulation-estimation framework to evaluate the performance of different stock assessment approaches for addressing changes in fleet structure (Chapter 4), which suggested that single-fleet models with time-varying selectivity are adequate for accounting for changes in fleet structure. To understand the consequences of oversimplified assumptions of sex-specific demography in stock assessment models, I developed a simulation estimation framework (Chapter 5), which revealed that such simplifications led to suboptimal management advice. Collectively, this dissertation underscores the various approaches available for addressing non-stationary fishery dynamics, the importance of biologically motivated models that adequately reflect a population's demographic characteristics, and the necessity of expert judgment in stock assessment models given the constraints of data limitations.National Science Foundation, Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies, Alaska Fisheries Science CenterChapter 1: General introduction -- Chapter 2: Standardizing fishery-dependent catch-rate information across gears and data collection programs for Alaska sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) -- Chapter 3: Addressing complex fleet structure in fishery stock assessment models: accounting for a rapidly developing pot fishery for Alaska sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) -- Chapter 4: Confronting transitions in fishery fleet structure and selectivity: practical recommendations for integrated age-structures stock assessments based on simulation analysis -- Chapter 5: Let's talk about sex-structured integrated population models: implications of parameterizing sex-composition likelihoods, sexual dimorphism, and recruitment sex-ratio -- Chapter 6: General conclusions
Creating a digital house of knowledge: ensuring the continuation and integrity of Indigenous knowledge transfers in the digital era
Full text linkThesis (M.A.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2024Traditional Indigenous knowledge transfer systems have contributed to the sustainability of highly advanced Indigenous societies since time immemorial. These systems have been purposefully targeted since European arrival to the Americas in the late 1400s and early 1500s, consequently creating barriers for Indigenous Peoples as they strive to conduct their traditional knowledge transfer processes within their communities. These barriers, paired with the continual rise and use of global technologies, have created circumstances where many Native Elders and Knowledge Keepers experience difficulty reaching their youth and community members to ensure the successful transfer of Indigenous data and knowledge to current and future generations. This research applies Critical Indigenous Research Methodologies (CIRM), Participant Action Research (PAR), and Grounded Theory (GT), along with data generated from twenty-five project participants, to create a model of an Indigenous-made "Digital House of Knowledge" for those who seek to ensure the continuation and integrity of their distinct Indigenous knowledge transfer systems now and into the future. By discussing critical topics such as the security, privacy, and protection of data, processes for gathering, storing, sharing, accessing, and maintaining data, the design and structural components of digital platforms, and the importance and urgency of the application of traditional Indigenous protocols within the digital realm, this research provides a comprehensive overview of critical key points for the successful gathering, storage, protection, and dissemination of Indigenous data and knowledge within the digital realm.Chapter 1: Research overview -- 1.1 Introduction -- 1.2 History & purpose -- 1.3 Research questions -- 1.4 Researcher background -- 1.5 The need for this research. Chapter 2: Literature review -- 2.1 What's out there? -- 2.2 Indigenous data and knowledge management systems -- 2.2.1 The Traditional Knowledge Digital Library - a discussion surrounding the digitization of Indian traditional medicines for the protection of data within the intellectual property realm -- 2.3 Online repositories and cultural resources -- 2.3.1 The Alaska Native Knowledge Network - a discussion surrounding the development of a digital platform dedicated to sharing cultural and educational resources on the unique knowledge systems of Alaska Natives -- 2.4 Interactive websites -- 2.4.1 The Orb - a discussion surrounding an interactive and educational website produced to "celebrate" Tasmanian Aboriginal people "and the interconnections between country, culture, identity, and community." -- 2.5 Digital educational initiatives -- 2.5.1 Native Knowledge 360° - a discussion surrounding a digital educational initiative made to "help change the way American Indian histories, cultures, and contemporary lives are taught in K-12 classrooms." -- 2.6 Museums, libraries, and archives -- 2.6.1 The Mukurtu Wumpurrarni-kari Archive and Mukurtu CMS - a discussion surrounding the creation of a digital content management system built from the social and cultural protocols of a Warumungu Aboriginal community in Central Australia -- 2.7 Summary. Chapter 3: Methodology -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 What is a paradigm? -- 3.3 Working within an indigenous paradigm -- 3.3.1 Critical Indigenous Research Methodologies (CIRM) -- 3.3.2 Participatory Action Research (PAR) -- 3.3.3 Ground Theory (GT) -- 3.3.4 Additional methods -- 3.3.5 Project participants -- 3.4 Summary. Chapter 4: Project timeline, data analysis, and discussion -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.1.1 Project timeline -- 4.1.2 Participants -- 4.1.3 Researcher observations -- 4.2 Patterns with the data collected -- 4.2.1 Security, privacy, and protection of data and participants -- 4.2.1.1 Examples of data generated from experts in this area -- 4.2.2 Processed for gathering, accepting, organizing, storing, maintaining, accessing, using, and sharing data -- 4.2.2.1 Examples of data generated from participants in this area -- 4.2.3 Urgency of the project -- 4.2.3.1 Examples of data generated with participants in this area -- 4.2.4 Digital structure, design, and accessibility -- 4.2.4.1 Examples of data generated with youth in this area -- 4.2.4.2 Examples of data generated with elders, community members, and educators in this area -- 4.2.4.3 Examples of data generated with experts in website design and development in this area -- 4.2.4.4 Examples of discussions regarding relationality of indigenous data -- 4.2.5 Application of traditional indigenous protocols -- 4.2.5.1 Examples of data generated in this area -- 4.3 Participants' topics of interest -- 4.4 Summary. Chapter 5: Creating a model, next steps, and future research -- 5.1 Creating a model -- 5.1.1 Digital house of knowledge mockups -- 5.1.2 Digital house of knowledge "flow of data" models -- 5.1.3 Presenting a new framework -- 5.2 Next steps & future research -- 5.3 Conclusion