Students recognized for their research posters

Kimberly Diamond explains her project on commuting to Dave Valentine.

Four students and groups affiliated with the School of Natural Resources and Extension earned Dean’s Choice Awards at the UAF Research and Creative Activity Day.

The awards come with recognition and $250. In previous years, only one project per school had been recognized, but deans and academic directors were allowed to award additional prizes this year. Students winning awards included:

David Rhodes, for his project on the T-field exotic tree plantation history, interpretive trail and signage project. Rhodes says the project combined his interests in history and forestry. Rhodes is developing a trail to showcase trees that were planted by the Institute of Northern Forestry, beginning in the 1960s. This includes research trials of trees from Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia. The stand includes a Raviola larch whose genetics can be tracked back to trees developed by Peter the Great (17th century). Rhodes interviewed faculty about the history of the research plots, and he is clearing brush, pruning and developing a trail. He is working with Jan Dawe and hopes the area can be used for outreach with K-12 students.

“I look at it as an outdoor lab,” he said.

David Rhodes stands by his poster on the exotic tree plantation
history, trail and signage.

David Rhodes stands by his poster on the exotic tree plantation
history, trail and signage project.

Roger Ridenour, for his Arctic Biosphere Container. The container is housed in a shipping container, which could be shipped via barge, truck and aircraft from a fabrication site to a final location. The idea is that that vegetables could be produced year-round in the container and would be fresher than vegetables that were shipped in. Power would only be needed during the winter, he said. Ridenour originally developed the concept as part of the Food Security in the Arctic Competition.

Kimberly Diamond, for her bike vs. car commuting survey, which she will conduct this spring. She will survey commuters on the benefits and costs associated with traveling by bicycle or car and identify barriers to commuting.

Max Newton of SNRE and Hannah Gerrish of the Wildlife and Biology Department, Kumi Rattenbury, NRM graduate student Mark Melham and Professor Dave Verbyla, for their project detecting changes in the shrub cover in the Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve since the 1980s and the consequences for Dall sheep. They used high-resolution satellite imagery to develop shrub distribution models. A student crew checked data on the ground in the summer of 2017.

Academic Director Dave Valentine evaluated the projects. Congratulations, all.

Roger Ridenour explains the Arctic Biosphere Container to a visitor.