Short takes: people and programs at UAF

Submitted by Marmian Grimes
Phone: (907) 474-7902
06/14/07

UAF psychology student wins national recognition
Sargent J. Shriver, a 2007 Honors Program graduate from the UAF philosophy department, was recently recognized for his undergraduate research project. His bachelor’s of arts thesis work was noted as an outstanding oral presentation at the L. Starling Reid Undergraduate Psychology Conference at the University of Virginia in April.

Campus journalists excel in state contest
Student and professional journalists at the University of Alaska Fairbanks recently won multiple awards in the 2006 Alaska Press Club journalism contest. The Sun Star received seven awards. The student newspaper picked up first place finishes in the page layout and design, portrait photo and feature photo categories. Journalists at the paper took second place in the sports feature and profile categories and third place in government reporting and health and science reporting. Photojournalism student and recent graduate John Wagner also received five awards for photography in several publications. KUAC television picked up first place in the television documentary category and KUAC radio correspondent Libby Casey was one of two local journalists who shared the Public Service Award. In addition, Casey won first place in the sports category and third place in the business category. KUAC reporter Sarah Neal took first place in the crime and courts category and third place in the single story category.

Engineering student wins national contest
Brendon Bruns, a junior in electrical engineering, placed first at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers northwest-area student paper contest for his paper "Design of a High-Performance Hybrid-Electric Snowmachine."? UAF has placed first or second in the contest for the last 12 out of 14 years. Bruns received $500 for winning the competition and will go on to represent the Northwest in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Region 6 student paper contest in August. For information, visit www.uaf.edu/ece/news.

Student robotics team tops competition
The UAF MicroMouse team won the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers North Area MicroMouse competition in Boise, Idaho April 14. A MicroMouse is a small autonomous robot that navigates a previously unseen maze to find its way to the center square. The team consisted of three students, all in the electrical and computer engineering program: David Giessel, Steven Kibler and Devin Boyer. To learn more about the UAF MicroMouse team, visit www.uaf.edu/ece/news.

Professor joins journal editorial board
Anita Hartmann was recruited to join the editorial board of the Journal of Research Administration after having served on the symposium papers review panel for the annual Society of Research Administrators’ international meeting in Quebec City last fall. Hartmann is a research associate professor and director of the research development office in UAF’s College of Liberal Arts.

Grad student wins second in Playboy writing contest
James Harris, a graduate teaching assistant with the English department, won second place in Playboy’s 21st annual College Fiction Contest for his story "Fishing the Punchbowl."? Harris also received a $500 prize.

CONTACT: Marmian Grimes, public information officer, at (907) 474-7902 or e-mail marmian.grimes@uaf.edu for more information.