Alaska Forum

Alaska Forum Virtual Technical Session: Ocean Acidification: A discussion on current and future monitoring for Alaska
2024-10-16 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Anchorage) | Alaska Forum Virtual Attendee Hub
Ocean acidification is a growing topic of interest and concern for Alaskans. Alaska has been identified as a hotspot, and direct and indirect effects of ocean acidification could have serious implications for fisheries, food security, and the economy. Researchers with the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration monitor ocean acidification in coastal waters around Alaska. In recent years, other groups including Tribes and coastal communities have joined the monitoring effort. The Alaska Ocean Acidification Network brings scientists and a diversity of stakeholders together to expand the understanding of ocean acidification processes and consequences in Alaska, as well as explore potential adaptation and mitigation strategies. This presentation will include a refresher on ocean acidification, the primary information needs voiced by Alaskans, and what we’ve learned from recent research and monitoring to address those needs. Identifying ‘actionable information’ continues to be a challenge and opportunity as we seek to better understand the responses of important species and the conditions they are experiencing now and may experience in the future. In addition to sharing information, this session will solicit input from participants on sharing and communicating useful information.
Speakers:
Darcy Dugan, Alaska Ocean Acidification Network
Natalie Monacci, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Alaska Forum Virtual Technical Session: Remote Sensing and Forest Health: An Open Forum for Ideas and Insights
2024-11-13 11:00 - 12:00 | Alaska Forum Virtual Attendee Hub
This session will discuss forest health monitoring in Alaska using remote sensing technologies, including satellite, drone, and other aerial imagery. We will showcase different open access tools and remote sensing based products to assess forest health and vegetation conditions. The session will also include a wider audience discussion where we will solicit input from participants to identify existing knowledge gaps and research needs in the area of forest health specific to their own contexts, to increase the collective understanding of the forest health issues and remote sensing opportunities in Alaska.
Speakers:
Sumana Sahoo, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Anushree Bandola, University of Alaska Fairbanks,
Santosh Panda, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Karen Hutten, USDA

Alaska Forum Virtual Technical Session: What Lies Below - Using Geophysics for Contaminated Site Investigations
2024-12-11 11:00 - 12:00 | Alaska Forum Virtual Attendee Hub
Geophysical methods can provide insight into conditions and objects below the surface while reducing or eliminating the need for invasive, and expensive, drilling or excavating. These methods can locate buried objects, define subsurface geology, delineate voids, and detect contaminating. Esther Babcock, geophysicist at Logic Geophysics & Analytics, will discuss ground-penetrating radar, seismic, and resistivity their capabilities as related to Alaskan projects and conditions.
Dr. Esther Babcock received her M.Sc. in Environmental Science from the University of Arizona and her Ph.D. in geophysics from Boise State University. Her geophysical experience focuses on near-surface investigations for geotechnical and environmental applications.
Dr. Babcock’s geophysical field experience spans the globe, from Africa, to the Canadian and Alaskan Arctic, to Antarctica. She currently owns and operates Logic Geophysics & Analytics LLC, based in Anchorage, Alaska, and conducts geophysical field work across the state, from the North Slope to the Aleutians.
Presenter: Dr. Esther Babcock, Logic Geophysics & Analytics LLC

Flight: AS 767 from TUS to SEA
2025-01-30 05:44 - 09:15 | Tucson International Airport 7250 S Tucson Blvd, 6501 S Tucson Blvd, Summit, AZ, United States
Reservation Number: CGSUEI

Flight: AS 222 from SEA to ANC
2025-01-30 11:20 - 15:18 | Seattle-Tacoma International Airport 17801 International Blvd, Seattle, WA, United States
Reservation Number: AVWSZU

Flight: AS 108 from ANC to SEA
2025-02-09 11:05 - 14:37 | Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport 5000 W International Airport Rd Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, United States
Reservation Number: GSZQKO

Flight: AS 224 from SEA to TUS
2025-02-09 18:50 - 21:49 | Seattle-Tacoma International Airport 17801 International Blvd, Seattle, WA, United States

Alaska Forum Virtual Technical Session: EPA Environmental Justice Grant Information Session
2025-02-19 11:00 - 12:00

Alaska Forum Virtual Technical Session: Salmon Science & Stewardship in Tikahtnu/Cook Inlet Watersheds
2025-02-26 11:00 - 12:00
Healthy salmon populations support communities in Southcentral Alaska, and salmon rely on healthy watersheds to support juvenile growth and successful adult returns. This session will present research on salmon watersheds in the Tikahtnu/Cook Inlet region as well as current tools and resources to support salmon in Cook Inlet and beyond. We will discuss the long history of watershed research and education at the Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, the ongoing aquatic ecology program at the Alaska Center for Conservation Science, and new tools, such as the AKTEMP freshwater temperature database, that can facilitate increased collaboration around monitoring and stewardship of the watersheds that support salmon. We are currently preparing for a Tikahtnu/Cook Inlet-wide Salmon Symposium in April 2025, in Anchorage, and welcome input and conversation around topics that the community would like to see discussed at that forum.
Speakers
Erin Larson, UAA Alaska Center for Conservation Science, Lead Aquatic Ecologist and Assistant Director,
Katherine Schake, UAA Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve,
Rosie Masui, UAA Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Coastal Training Program Specialist,
Syverine Bentz, UAA Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Coastal Training Program Coordinator,
Coowe Walker (deceased), UAA Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, former Manager
Moderator
Megan Marie, Habitat Biologist, Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game,

Virtual Technical Session: Foundations for Tribal Environmental Programs
2025-06-11 11:00 - 12:00

AF Technical Session: Trick or Squeak - Bats in Alaska!
2025-10-15 11:00 - 12:00
Do we have bats in Alaska? How do they survive in the North and what makes them so unique? Join us October 15 to learn about Alaska’s only flying mammals!
Presenter: Arin Underwood, Alaska Department of Fish and Game

AF Technical Session: Biomass Project Lessons
2025-12-10 11:00 - 12:00

AF26 Virtual Technical Session: Lead toxicity: Using Birds of Prey to Connect Community and Environmental Health
2026-02-25 11:00 - 12:00 | Alaska Forum Virtual Attendee Hub
This session will provide an update on the statewide Alaska Copper Ammo Challenge. Team members will discuss public reception, ongoing efforts, and new collaborations. Additionally, information presented will include lead sources, including locally relevant sources such as ammunition and Alaska-specific household sources. Health effects, including from acute and chronic low-dose exposure will be covered. This is a collaborative presentation between AK Department of Fish and Game, AK Department of Health, and Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. Multiple viewpoints will be represented, including those of hunters alongside public health practitioners.

Alaska Forum Virtual Technical Session: Mariculture in Valdez: Integrating Community-Led Research into the NNA REU Experience
2026-04-08 11:00 - 12:00 | Alaska Forum Virtual Attendee Hub
Mariculture in Alaska (marine culture of macroalgae and shellfish) has received significant attention and investment in recent years. The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council invested more than $30 million (USD) in Alaskan mariculture-related projects and infrastructure in October 2021. The US Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded $49 million to the “Alaska Mariculture Cluster” under its Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC) program in 2022. That same year, the Alaska Legislature allocated $7 million to the University of Alaska to support mariculture research and development throughout the state. On a more local scale, The City of Valdez has promoted mariculture development in its community and region (Prince William Sound) in a variety of ways since 2021, including supporting the integration of mariculture programming into the local (K–12) school district, and supporting post-secondary and university collaborations, including those at Prince William Sound College (PWSC) and Alaska Blue Economy Center (ABEC).
This presentation will feature a unique effort where students accepted into the Navigating the New Arctic Research Experience for Undergraduates (NNA REU) Program delved into previous work by PWSC and ABEC to support mariculture farm site development in the vicinity of Valdez. As part of their NNA REU experience, three University of Alaska undergraduate students conducted research into how, why and where such a farm site could be located, based on data collected by PWSC faculty, staff, and students from 2023 through 2024. The students further explored how such efforts could be developed with Indigenous interests and perspectives at the forefront of these considerations, drawing from best practices and local connections. And, the students explored how resulting production could be integrated into construction materials research taking place at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Automated and Construction and Advanced Materials Laboratory (ACAM). With the assistance of mentors from ABEC, PWSC, and ACAM these students presented on their work and findings at the 2026 Alaska Forum in Anchorage, and will share their experiences as part of the April 8 Alaska Forum Technical Virtual Session.
Lead presenter: Tommy Sheridan, Director, Alaska Blue Economy Center
Student presenters: Hannah Bogdan, Naomi Krause, and Sabrina Dunphrey

Alaska Forum Virtual Technical Session: Braiding Water Balance Models and Traditional Science to Predict Salmon Habitat Suitability in Southeast Alaska
2026-04-29 11:00 - 12:00
Climate models are powerful, but they often miss what people on the ground see every day. This presentation explores a new method for integrating local and Indigenous knowledge directly into climate models, allowing lived observations, such as shifting river patterns, changing ice conditions, and ecosystem signals, to inform and refine model outputs. By combining these knowledge systems, we can reduce blind spots in traditional datasets and produce results that better reflect real-world conditions. The goal is not just more accurate models, but more useful ones that directly support infrastructure planning, risk management, and decision-making in high-risk, rapidly changing regions.
Presenter:
Jaimlyn Sypniewski – Two Bears Environmental Consulting
Moderator: Jeanette Alas, Alaska Department of Fish &
Game

Alaska Forum Virtual Technical Session: The Request for Proposal (RFP) Lifecycle: Owner/Grantee and Consultant Perspectives for Successful Procurement
2026-05-06 11:00 - 12:00
This presentation explores the full lifecycle of the Request for Proposal (RFP) process, offering practical guidance from both the owner’s and consultant’s viewpoints. Attendees will learn how to define project needs, structure and write an effective RFP, and navigate the evaluation and selection process to achieve better project outcomes. Key topics include:
•What an RFP is and its role in professional services procurement •Typical RFP structure and content
•Best practices for drafting and evaluating RFPs
•Understanding how consultants interpret and respond to RFPs
The session will walk through the essential steps of the RFP process: identifying stakeholders, collecting requirements, drafting the RFP, evaluating responses, selecting a vendor, and finalizing the contract. Emphasis will be placed on creating clear, comprehensive documents and maintaining transparency throughout the selection process. This presentation is ideal for community leaders, utility managers, and public agency staff involved in procuring professional services for infrastructure and development projects.
Presenter: Greg Magee, Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC)
