UArctic Student Wkshop grp 2010
Students from nine UArctic member institutions in Canada, Finland, Norway, and the USA took part in a workshop entitled:

“The Role of Institutions of Higher Education in Addressing Community Change and Challenges in the North”.

Prior to the start of the workshop, participating students surveyed local leaders about how universities could best serve their communities.





Organized by four graduate students in the Resilience and Adaptation Program at UAF, the workshop began with results of the survey being presented and examined by the students, followed by thorough analysis and insightful discussions guided by the following workshop panellists:

James Basinger          Rector, University of Saskatchewan
Rich Boone                   Associate Professor of Ecosystem Ecology, UAF
F. Stuart Chapin III       Professor, UAF
Luke Hopkins              Mayor, Fairbanks
Bernice Joseph           Vice Chancellor for Rural, Community and Native Education, UAF
Elena Sparrow             IARC Education Outreach Director / Research Professor, UAF
Sarah Trainor               Assistant Professor / SNAP Stakeholder Liaison, UAF

Following a panel discussion on how universities could help communities deal with the challenges they face, the students then join the UArctic Rectors Forum plenary sessions, and present their workshop recommendations to the rectors.

University presidents, chancellors and other leaders attending the UArctic Rectors Forum welcome the graduate student recommendations, and are appreciative of their role and creative input, and are receptive to the idea to see continued student involvement in future UArctic Rectors Forums.

Workshop student participants:

From Canada

Chandelle King, Yukon College
Tracey N. Loewen, University of Manitoba

From Finland
Mika Flojt, University of Lapland
Johanna Heffernan, Kemi-Tornio University of Applied Sciences
Janne Pietila, Rovaniemi University of Applied Sciences

From Norway
Eeva-Maarit Aikio, Sami University College

From USA
Rachel Boschma-Wynn, University of Alaska Anchorage
Allison Butler, University of Alaska Fairbanks 
Matthew Druckenmiller, University of Alaska Fairbanks 
Cindy Fabbri, University of Alaska Fairbanks 
Tracey Rogers, University of Alaska Fairbanks 
Alan Sorum, University of Alaska Fairbanks 
Becky Warren, University of Alaska Fairbanks 
Eleanor Wirts, University of Alaska Fairbanks