University of Alaska selects Col. Russell Vander Lugt, Ph.D., to serve as next University of Alaska Fairbanks chancellor

May 27, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 27, 2026

University of Alaska selects Col. Russell Vander Lugt, Ph.D., to serve as next University of Alaska Fairbanks chancellor

Aviation Brigade Commander at Ft. Wainwright, long-time Alaskan brings executive leadership, academic, Arctic expertise to America's Arctic University

(FAIRBANKS) - The University of Alaska (UA) today announced that Colonel Russell "Russ" Vander Lugt, Ph.D., has been selected to serve as the next permanent chancellor of the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), the nation's premier Arctic research institution. President Emeritus Pat Pitney selected Col. Vander Lugt in consultation with the Board of Regents, President-Designee Matt Cooper, and Interim President Rizk. All are confident he is the right leader for UAF. A 20-year Alaska resident, Col. Vander Lugt is also a UAF alumnus, with an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Arctic and Northern History.

Col. Vander Lugt currently serves as Commander of the 11th Airborne Division's Arctic Aviation Command at Fort Wainwright and will join UAF on September 8, 2026. Dr. Larry Hinzman, former UAF vice chancellor of research and current director of the UA Arctic Leadership Initiative, will serve as interim chancellor to bridge the transition between Ambassador Sfraga's last day as interim chancellor on May 30, 2026, and Col. Vander Lugt's first day.

"Col. Vander Lugt's experience in academia, the military, and the Arctic reflects the unique position that UAF holds in our state, and we are pleased that he's willing to serve as the next chancellor of America's Arctic University," Interim President Rizk said. "As an alumnus, he understands the quality and value of a UA education and the critical role that UAF plays in research and national security. We're confident that his wide-ranging expertise and commitment to student success will serve UAF well. Please join me in welcoming Col. Vander Lugt as the next chancellor of the University of Alaska Fairbanks."

About the Search Process

Col. Vander Lugt was selected following a national search that launched in September 2025 and drew a strong field of applicants. The UAF Chancellor Search Committee, co-chaired by UAF Faculty Senate President Dr. Leah Berman and UAF Board of Advisors and UA Foundation Board member Jason Gootee, identified four finalists who each visited the UAF campus earlier this month for two days of meetings, open forums, and community engagement.

"I'm humbled to be selected to lead the University of Alaska Fairbanks during this pivotal time, and I thank Presidents Pitney, Cooper, and Rizk, the search committee, and the UAF community for their trust and confidence," Col. Vander Lugt said. "I look forward to leading through trust, transparency, and teamwork as we see Alaska and the Arctic transformed through education, research, and public service. I'm committed to building on the strong foundation Chancellors Sfraga and White have established, and working closely with university leadership and governance to support and advance UAF's mission."

Col. Vander Lugt will begin transitioning and onboarding over the summer and will be on campus beginning August 19 to welcome students, staff, and faculty back to UAF for the start of the academic year.

Col. Vander Lugt's Background

Col. Vander Lugt is a senior military officer and Arctic scholar with 26 years of executive leadership experience in complex organizations. He previously served as director of strategy, plans, and programs for Alaskan Command, advising senior defense leaders on Arctic strategy and coordinating joint military activities in Alaska. He also served as assistant professor of history at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and as department chair at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona. In these roles, he taught courses in history and leadership, mentored undergraduate students, and participated in faculty governance. Col. Vander Lugt is also a Goodpaster Scholar, having completed a 10-year advanced strategic planning and policy program created by the Army initiative to develop strategic thinkers and senior leaders with Ph.D.s.

In addition to his Ph.D., Col. Vander Lugt holds a master's degree in Arctic and Northern studies from UAF, a master's degree in management science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and a bachelor's degree in music and historical theology from Wheaton College. His research draws on Arctic history, security, anthropology and Indigenous knowledge systems and reflects a longstanding commitment to collaboration with Alaska Native communities.

Col. Vander Lugt's base salary will be $309,000. His compensation is in line with previous UAF chancellors and the chancellors at UAA and UAS, and is commensurate with the salary expected for a chancellor of a top-tier research university.

Leadership Transition Details

Interim Chancellor Ambassador Mike Sfraga (ret.), Ph.D., has led UAF since July 2025, and will be immediately succeeded by Dr. Hinzman as interim. The UA community is deeply grateful for Ambassador Sfraga's exceptional leadership and dedication to UAF's mission during the transition. His final day will be May 30, 2026. Ambassador Sfraga will continue to support UA and UAF even after his departure.

"Mike has led UAF with integrity, honesty, and dedication over the last year, and we're grateful he was willing to return, albeit briefly, and serve the university system," Interim President Rizk remarked. "Having the first U.S. Arctic Ambassador helm America's Arctic University has made the world even more aware of what UAF and UA have to offer, and he'll be dearly missed. Please join me in thanking him for his service, and thanking Dr. Hinzman for his willingness to serve as interim chancellor as we make this transition over the summer."

The University of Alaska inspires learning, and advances and disseminates knowledge through teaching, research, and public service, emphasizing the North and its diverse peoples. A land-, sea- and space-grant system of higher education established in 1917, the UA system's three universities (UAA, UAF, and UAS) are separately accredited institutions with community campusesand extended learning centers across the state of Alaska.

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For more information, contact Jonathon Taylor, UA director of public affairs, at 907-201-2436 (cell) or [email protected].