Student Project Awards

Undergraduate students planning to pursue creative projects or conduct research are invited to apply for Student Project Funding.

  • Fall & Spring Terms: Up to $3,000 for individuals and up to $6,000 for group applicants.
  • Summer Term: Up to $6,000 for individual and group applicants.

2023-2024  Application Schedule

2024 Fall Flyer

 

Collage of two images: one of a student painting and a field photo of a sketch and art supplies in the grass,

Tehya McLeod, Fall 2022 Awardee
Interdisciplinary Studies: Drafting and Design
Mentor: Mary Beth Leigh

"This project was an opportunity for collaboration between art and science and for engaging the community. I  worked to creatively share information about the landscape around us through my artwork in the form of an exhibit. I believe it is important to the ongoing relationship between people and the environment that our understanding of our landscapes continues to grow."

CEM Group Project, Fall 2022 Awardees
Seth Thomas, Ethan Hoover, Micah Vanderhart, Casey Lambries, Mechanical Engineering
Mentor: Michael Hatfield

"Working on this project has helped club members gain experience working on a hands-on engineering project. It’s a good way to provide engineering experience outside of the classroom, where students have control of all aspects of the project, such as design, manufacturing, writing proposals, and reports. "

 

A student standing in a field of peony buds.

Luke Martin, Summer 2022 Awardee
Mathematics
Mentor: Patricia Holloway

"[Peonies] are a successful domestic and export product for Alaska. A problem with harvesting peonies as cut flowers is predicting precise harvest times for each bud. Each plant yields tens of flowers that must be individually tested to harvest. A well-trained grower can put their thumb on the top of the bud, press down, and tell by the firmness of the bud if it is ready to be harvested. This test is inefficient, requires a lot of training, and isn’t always accurate. The cost to growers in time, especially training seasonal workers, and rejected buds, can be substantial.

"I will collect data on peonies and their growing process. In this data I will include points such as the color of a peony flower, density, and rate of bloom. With the information I gather I will create several regression models that tells farmers when to harvest their peonies."

Student in a red coat kneeling next to a sled dog in a harness.

Abigail Jensen, Fall 2022 Project Awardee
Biological Sciences
Mentor: Kriya Dunlap

Title: Boosted Anti-Inflammatory Profile of Alaskan Sled Dogs After Consumption of Acute Doses of Wild Alaskan Blueberries

"[This project gave me] the opportunity to pursue structured research outside a traditional laboratory setting. I recently applied to several different Veterinary Medicine programs, and research time is highly recommended. The award I received helped me financially create my own project that counted towards my required Biology Capstone project and also gave me the opportunity to connect more with Alaskan culture. Alaska would not be Alaska without sled dogs and the connection they have with people."