49 student projects on display at annual research showcase

As has become tradition near the end of every academic year, on Friday, April 18, the UAA Office of Student Success and the University Honors College hosted the annual Student Research and Creative Scholarship Showcase .

"The showcase is a great opportunity for students to get professional development in the world of professional conferences," said Joe Bruner, director of Student Success initiatives, strategy and assessment. "Even more so, what's really cool is that it brings together students from disciplines who never get to interact with each other academically, and students can really appreciate the breadth of what their friends are accomplishing and studying at UAA."

The showcase celebrates the excellent academic work of UAA's students across an interdisciplinary spectrum, including the arts and humanities, social sciences, business, health, education, applied sciences, engineering and natural sciences.

"Since birth, I've lived with a visual condition called visual snow syndrome, which makes me see rainbow-like static and lingering afterimages everywhere I look. Along with that, I have tinnitus in the form of constant ringing in my ears. So I've never experienced complete darkness because there's always static, and I've never known true silence because of the ringing. This exhibition is a way for me to share a glimpse of how I experience the world - just by existing in its space," said Chelsia Medina. Her individual project, "Dissipating is Our Nature," explores the Japanese concept of ma - which roughly translates to negative space - via a dome installation with projected animations inside.

"I hope this prompts others to pause and ground themselves in the quiet of their own existence amidst the chaos of life," said Medina. "When we gaze at the stars, may we remember that we are looking into the echoes of our past selves, scattered across the sky. We are all made of the same things as stars."

Lining the Skybridge connecting the Student Union and Engineering and Computation Building with detailed posters, students representing 49 unique projects were on hand to present their research to judges and the viewing public. Imagine a science fair, but infinitely more ambitious.

"I have presented my research at various conferences in both poster and oral presentation formats, but never at UAA. Being able to present at my home university is exciting in that a lot of my peers understand the complexity and uniqueness of Alaska and its challenges," said Bella Block. Her group project, "Effectiveness of the 'Area to be Avoided' Policy on Vessel Traffic in the Bering Sea and Strait," examines how public policy can be used to influence marine traffic, which has been increasing in the Arctic due in part to climate change.

"I hope to continue refining and developing my research to investigate how to make maritime activity within the Arctic as safe as possible to protect the unique ecosystem, for the benefit of both the environment and peoples that depend upon it," said Block. "The Arctic is warming at three to four times the pace of the rest of the world, and working to develop innovative solutions to preserve the region is essential for not only Arctic inhabitants but people around the world."

Projects were in competition for one of five awards: the Pioneering Innovation Award, Excellence in Research Award, Impactful Community Contribution Award, Creative Expression Award and Outstanding Presentation Award.

"This event is a way of recognizing the supportive, scholarly relationships developed through research and creative activities," said Ray Ball, Ph.D., vice provost for Student Success and dean of the Honors College. "The showcase gives the university an opportunity to publicly recognize the significant contributions students are making to scholarship and to highlight their academic achievements. It's also a way for us to highlight the dedicated work of faculty in and out of the classroom as mentors."