The alaska parte (program for arctic research, training and education) serves to greatly assist the research-based education internship programs that exist within the university of alaskas (UA),…

The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) has been awarded a $999,912 Cooperative Agreement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate under the Scientific Leadership Awards (CFDA 97.062) program. The funding supports the Alaska PARTE (Program for Arctic Research, Training and Education) initiative, which serves to enhance research-based education and internship programs within UAA's Arctic Domain Awareness Center (ADAC) and Applied Environmental Research Center (AERC).

Through this Cooperative Agreement, the Alaska PARTE initiative will provide opportunities for students to assist the DHS and Department of Defense (DOD) missions by engaging them in research projects related to data analysis, environmental challenges, communications, community resilience, emergency response, maritime security, and other areas. The program aims to support educationally disadvantaged, underrepresented, and minority students through associate, bachelor's, and advanced degree pathways. The award period runs from July 2023 to July 2028.

The alaska parte (program for arctic research, training and education) serves to greatly assist the research-based education internship programs that exist within the university of alaskas (UA), arctic domain awareness center (adac) and applied environmental research center (aerc). These centers share a mission that encompass programs designated for career development opportunities and directly engage with UA community campuses and career and technical education programs. Additionally, the expectation for students includes filling essential roles in research projects that support the department of homeland security (DHS) and department of defense (DOD) missions while engaging students in stem related activities and related disciplines. In 2022, the university of alaska anchorage, applied environmental research center (aerc) and arctic domain awareness center (adac) integrated their student fellowship programs to enhance educational opportunities and serve a greater number of students including targeting underrepresented classes. While both aerc and adac are housed at the university of alaska anchorage, they support the entire university of alaska (UA) system. The aerc operates one of the first federally authorized registered apprenticeship training programs for researchers approved by the US department of labor. Merging this student success initiative with adacs workforce development, fellowship and arctic summer internship program provides a centralized unit under the university of alaska system designated to support our federal partners and significantly contribute to the universitys mission of transforming lives through teaching, research, community engagement and creative expression in a diverse and inclusive environment. Alaskas parte will provide opportunities for students to assist the DHS and DOD missions by actively engaging students in research projects associated with: advanced data analysis and visualization environmental challenges associated with climate change communications and interoperability community (to include alaska native and rural problems and concerns) commerce infrastructure resilience emergency preparedness and response maritime and port security natural disasters and related geophysical studies search and rescue arctic domain awareness border security and decision sciences. The aerc adac has been proactive at assisting educationally disadvantaged and underrepresented populations in postsecondary education as well as minority students with associate, bachelors and or advanced degrees for almost a decade. Both of the centers were established in 2014, the arctic domain awareness center (adac) is recognized as a center of excellence (COE) in maritime research by DHS and brings a wealth of knowledge to support student success initiatives. The aerc consists of a diverse network of arctic science and technology academics and currently has more than a dozen projects funded by the united states army corps of engineers and provides pathways for students to participate in numerous DOD funded projects pertaining to environmental conservation and climate change related research. Both centers host strong organizational and fiscal leaders and administrators that serve to create enriching opportunities for students while building the next generation of government leaders and scientists.