Institute of Northern Engineering

The Institute of Northern Engineering, now the research branch of the College of Engineering and Mines, was established in 1981 to provide engineering faculty and students with research opportunities and facilities. INE's mission is to engineer solutions for the world's cold regions. In the past 20 years, INE has expanded its focus to include research conducted in civil, electrical, environmental and mechanical engineering; chemistry; computing science; wireless sensor networks; prototype automotive design; Alaskan ores, geology and mineral deposits; petroleum and natural gas resources; energy management for remote areas; nano-scale materials; and water resources. INE provides resources and opportunities for faculty and students to study such unique areas as arctic hydrology, renewable energy sources for rural areas, ground water contamination, environmental remote sensing, robotics, ecological engineering, cold regions infrastructure, materials technology, mining-related problems in permafrost regions, feasibility studies on mineral deposits and environmental studies related to mining.

The institute includes the Arctic Energy Technology Development Laboratory; the Mineral Industry Research Laboratory; the Petroleum Development Laboratory; the Transportation Research Center; and the Water and Environmental Research Center, home of the Alaska Stable Isotope Facility.

Many INE projects focus on cold regions engineering and water-related problems that occur in Alaska and other circumpolar areas. Programs are regional, national or international in scope. INE is a member of the Automotive Research Center, a U.S. Army National Center of Excellence in modeling and simulation of ground vehicles, and of the FAA-sponsored Center for General Aviation Research. Through the Water and Environmental Research Center, INE has become a leader in the international Northern Research Basins Water Balance Consortium. INE researchers publish and maintain a variety of research materials which are available through our website at www.uaf.edu/ine/.

External grant and research support for INE programs approaches $12 million annually. Most of INE's approximately 60 researchers are full-time faculty in undergraduate and graduate programs, allowing the results of their research to reach the classroom quickly to benefit all Alaskans. INE has formed a diverse interdisciplinary team in cooperation with other research groups to tackle many varied problems. This environment provides graduate students with extensive hands-on experience, making them particularly valuable as future employees. For more information, visit www.uaf.edu/ine/ or call 907-474-7728.