Michael Abels wins Chancellor’s Cornerstone Award
April 23, 2021
Michael Abels has been named the 2021 winner of the Chancellor’s Cornerstone Award. Abels is the Toolik Field Station associate director for the Institute of Arctic Biology at UAF.
The Chancellor’s Cornerstone Award recognizes UAF staff for sustained outstanding contributions toward accomplishing and enhancing the UAF mission and strategic plan.
Abels has served the Institute of Arctic Biology Toolik Field Station for the last 45 years, starting as a student science support technician and working his way up to manager positions. From ensuring safety compliance and certifications to handling technical logistics for meetings, Abels keeps Toolik Field Station running smoothly, and he is often the first point of contact for researchers interested in working at Toolik.
As one supporter wrote in a nomination letter, “When Toolik did not have an EMT, Mike on his own initiative completed EMT training so he could provide first responder support when acting as camp manager.”
Abels strives to support UAF’s goal to embrace and grow a culture of respect, diversity, inclusion, and caring. The nomination packet for Abels highlighted his efforts to reinforce Title IX, as well as his work drafting policies and plans, including the UAF Field Firearms Policy, Alcohol and Intoxicants-Field Policy, and the first protection of minors site-specific plan for Toolik Field Station.
He is also known for his work with Roosevent Paneak to draft an Inupiaq dictionary for common birds, plants, and animals in the Toolik area, and he has designed an interactive web map displaying local Inupiaq names for prominent locations around Toolik.
As a team member, Abels has taken part in presenting to multiple organizations and groups, including to the U.S. House of Representatives Science and Technology Committee in Washington, D.C., and at the international ICARP conference in Denmark. In addition, he is the co-principal investigator of four NSF Toolik Field Station base funding awards from 2000 to 2021 amounting to $50.8 million dollars. When Toolik needed a winter facility, he worked with IAB leadership to design and write a proposal to NSF FSML that resulted in funding for an Arctic Winter Residence Facility $198K with UAF match.
“Mike has been the heart of our Toolik Field Station since the late 1970s and will retire this 30 May, 2021," one supporter wrote. "He has been pivotal to its growth from a tent camp to an international flagship Arctic observatory and field station through round-the-clock and -calendar support. He knows everyone, nationally and internationally from several hundred institutions, who goes or went there and has been dedicated to their success.”
“Mike is always available, open door policy, to answer questions or help with daily operations," another supporter wrote. "One day as a senior manager, he was outside unloading the camp laundry delivery in the rain.”
Abels will receive his award at the longevity and Cornerstone awards ceremony during the 2021 Staff Recognition and Development Day on Friday, May 7. The ceremony begins at 9 a.m. and will be livestreamed.