This $212,156 five-year Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Biological Infrastructure will fund the Alaska Undergraduate Research Experience (AK UNITE) program. AK UNITE aims to enhance recruitment and retention of Alaska students in the biological sciences through culturally responsive undergraduate research opportunities.
Specifically, the University of Alaska Anchorage will use the grant funds to provide mentorship training to Alaska researchers, collaborate with stakeholders to define challenges and identify support for undergraduate researchers, and incentivize faculty to incorporate relevant research into introductory science courses. The goal is to connect undergraduate students, especially those from historically marginalized groups, to place-based biological research through culturally appropriate mentoring. This aligns with the National Science Foundation's Biological Sciences program goals of advancing the biological sciences and strengthening the national scientific enterprise. Progress will be assessed annually through 2027.