Indigenizing the universities
Author:
Joaqlin Estus
The University of Alaska Anchorage is picking a new chancellor during a time of nearly overwhelming challenges. Pearl Kiyawn Nageak Brower, former president of the tribal college Ilisagvik in Utqiagvik is one of eight finalists for the post.
Over the past year, the president of the University of Alaska resigned, as did the chancellor of the Anchorage campus. The University has said it will announce its choice to fill the chancellor position in early May.
Bryan Brayboy, Lumbee, is vice president of social advancement at Arizona State University in Phoenix, and a President’s Professor, a designation given to faculty for outstanding contributions to students.
The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska announced the hire of Courtney Lewis as the child welfare attorney for the Tribe’s new Seattle-based office. As the child welfare attorney, Lewis will provide legal representation to children crime victims with the local courts of jurisdiction within the Washington area, track appellate level Indian Children
Credit James Evans / University of Alaska Anchorage
A Yup’ik college student has won an international award for finding a way to extract rare earth metals without hurting the environment. Michael Martinez is a University of Alaska Anchorage science student, whose mother’s family hails from Kotlik. Martinez discovered a way to use microbes to extract rare earth metals while not creating toxic byproducts, and created the company Arctic Biotech Oath to develop and market the technology. The High North Dialogue Conference, meeting in Norway, has given Martinez the High North Young Entrepreneur Award.
“This is a Yup’ik and indigenous people’s win up here in Alaska,” said Martinez. “This not only shows we’re capable of doing the basic research, but this shows that we can impact a great sector. Not only of upcoming technology, but something people are looking forward to in the future.”
Four Petersburg residents earn nursing degrees through program at local hospital
Posted by Angela Denning | May 5, 2021
The four nursing graduates and their three Petersburg Medical Center instructors pose for the camera at the pinning ceremony, May 1. (From L-R) Kimberly Robson, Ruby Shumway, Kelly Bieber, Jennifer Bryner, Emma Gates, Nichole Mattingly, Lauren Thain. (Photo by Don Bieber)
Four Petersburg residents graduated from a two-year nursing program run through the Petersburg Medical Center in conjunction with the University of Alaska Anchorage. A pinning ceremony was held May 1 in the Lutheran Church’s parish hall and was streamed online. KFSK’s Angela Denning reports:
These foster youths say the state of Alaska pocketed thousands of dollars that belonged to them Nationwide, government agencies take money owed to foster children with disabilities or a deceased parent, The Marshall Project and NPR found. And most kids never know it’s gone. Author: Eli Hager, The Marshall Project with Joseph Shapiro, NPR Published 2 hours ago
Print article Tristen Hunter was 16 and preparing to leave foster care in Juneau, when a social worker mentioned that the state agency responsible for protecting him had been taking his money for years. Tristen Hunter, 21, outside the skate park he says he ’grew up at. ’ Photographed April 12 in Juneau. (Ash Adams for The Marshall Project and NPR)