Source: UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA submitted to NRP
STRENGTHENING ALASKA NATIVE STEWARDSHIP
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1020604
Grant No.
2019-38426-30390
Cumulative Award Amt.
$1,054,029.00
Proposal No.
2019-03438
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2019
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2021
Grant Year
2019
Program Code
[RD]- Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA
(N/A)
FAIRBANKS,AK 99775
Performing Department
College of Rural and Community
Non Technical Summary
Working under the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) College of Rural and Community Development (CRCD), the five Strengthening Alaska Native Stewardship (SANS) project campuses are strategically located to serve rural and Alaska Native residents at the Associate Degree and lower academic levels. The SANS programs reach over 250 villages through place-based and distance education in the FANH sciences. Together, the campuses are exemplars of promoting educational equity to strengthen and sustain development in Alaska Native and Rural Alaskan communities.The Alaska Native population as a whole is experiencing increasing health and economic issues. The areas served by the CRCD campuses have poverty rates that range from 14.3% to 29.6%. This is significantly above the Alaska (9.9%) and national (12.0%) averages (US Census Bureau, QuickFacts, average 2012-2016). These high rates reflect the fact that there are few year-round, well-paying full-time jobs; most opportunities for wage employment are during the summer months with construction, fishing and fish processing. The additional dependence upon refined fossil fuels and skyrocketing energy costs create hardships for rural residents. The ability to have self-sustaining food production, energy security, skilled workforce development, and stewardship in the management of land, game and fisheries is of paramount importance in these rural communities.The activities of the Strengthening Alaska Native Stewardship AN/NH grant addresses viability of rural Alaskan communities 1) by preparing students for place-based employment; 2) by educating community residents on how to increase food security, including subsistence food gathering; and 3) by assisting rural residents to reduce the high cost-of-living through energy savings. The rural campuses in the SANS Collaborative are working to develop a cadre of local expertise and leaders through training, education and research programs built around the subsistence sciences (as defined in Title VII of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) that also find a home in the FANH sciences. SANS programs include Ethnobotany, Environmental Science and Sustainable Energy, Food Security, High Latitude Range Management, and Tribal Stewardship.These CRCD programs have longevity, thanks to USDA NIFA funding, and the word in rural Alaska is spreading about the programs. The number of community members and students who participate in workshops and symposiums continues to increase due to the practical, relevant and timely knowledge they deliver. The outcomes of these programs finds previous participants as local, regional and statewide leaders, contributing ideas and solutions for rural Alaskan issues related to food/energy security and Indigenous ways of knowing. The growth of collaboration between programs has extended into new regions, with community members becoming role models of self-sufficiency by practicing tribal stewardship, sustainable energy and regional food security.
Animal Health Component
75%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
25%
Applied
75%
Developmental
0%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
90360993020100%
Knowledge Area
903 - Communication, Education, and Information Delivery;

Subject Of Investigation
6099 - People and communities, general/other;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education;
Goals / Objectives
The main overarching goal of the Strengthening Alaska Native Stewardship (SANS) project is to collaborate to promote educational equity that strengthens and sustains the development of Alaska Native and Rural Alaskan communities. Objectives are as follows: 1) Enhance capacity for local food and energy security; 2) Increase access to innovative place-based programs in the FANH sciences; and 3) Advance leadership in resource stewardship and civics.
Project Methods
The project will be conducted through formal classroom instruction, distance delivery of labs and courses, laboratory instruction,practicum experiences; development of curriculum including innovative online teaching methodologies; workshops; courseintensives; experiential learning opportunities; extension and outreach.The SANS project will be evaluated by project objective by short, medium and long term measures. In Year 1, the focus will be to monitor the implementation progress and identify methods used to stimulate learner change and action for stewardship. Four program-based faculty teleconferences will be held by program with the evaluator. Each series of teleconferences will result in a formative report on progress, accomplishments and challenges. Given the diversity of context and culture SANS is implemented, what counts as evidence for outcomes and impacts is subjective and socially constructed. Evaluation's purpose is to document what counts as credible evidence from the stakeholder's perspective. In Year 2, evaluation activities focus on two evaluation questions and outcomes of Project objectives using Logic Model measures.Evaluation Question 1: What are the innovative methods of delivery to increase access for Alaska Natives and Rural Alaskans to programs in the FANH sciences?Evaluation Question 2: What are the progressive teaching methods used to stimulate Alaska Native and Rural Alaskan learners to form new meanings and change behavior?The final evaluation product is an e-book on how each program has met the collaborative objectives and to respond to the evaluation questions.

Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/21

Outputs
Target Audience:Alaska Native and rural community members and students are underrepresented populations in the FANH sciences and are the target audience that participated in the SANS programs. Changes/Problems:Drumbeats Alaska Consortium: CANCELLED due to COVID-19: USDA NIFA National Project Director's meeting 2019, converted to online Zoom 2020-21 Bristol Bay Campus ENVI / SE: Due to COVID-19, face-to-face classes were converted into distance delivery. • CANCELLED Sustainability Summit, Fairbanks, AK April 7-8, 2020 • CANCELLED Bering Sea Energy Conference, Anchorage, AK May 5-7, 2020 The ENVI program was discontinued in 2021 due to decreases in funding on the state/university level, while the Sustainable Energy program will continue: Significant decrease in funding to Alaska universities: Alaska Governor decreases State funding to UA system by 40%, all programs are influenced. Source: Inside Higher Education: Huge Budget Cut for the University of Alaska https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2019/06/29/huge-budget-cut-university-alaska Chukchi Campus FSS: 2019-20 workshops and garden visits were limited due to COVID-19 social distancing. The FSS project reduced its plan of operation for native plant walks, garden workshops through harvest, school field trips with K-12, local high school cooking class, and Boys and Girls Club partnership. Community volunteer activities in both the native plant and food gardens were also reduced. Those who did participate were required to use masks and maintain 6 feet of distance outdoors. Improved planning is needed to address staff absence, capacity or contract periods and ensure continuity, consistency, and credibility of the FSS program. Interior Alaska Campus TGS: 2019-20 Tribal Governance & Stewardship Program response to COVID-19 impacts to plan of work/workloads: CANCELLED TM F250 II3: Introduction to the Federal Subsistence Board, CRN 37820, for 2 credits via face to face. NOW OFFERING TM F250 II6: Introduction to the Federal Subsistence Board, CRN 38791, for 1 credit via distance. IN DEVELOPMENT TM 250: Introduction to Chugach Regional Resources Commission Subsistence Resources Management for 1 credit via distance. TM F250 II3: Introduction to the Federal Subsistence Board, CRN 37820, for 2 credits has been cancelled. This was a face course to be held in conjunction with the regular Federal Subsistence Board meeting to be held in April 2020 in Gakona, Alaska. The Federal Subsistence Board moved to a teleconference meeting only. Faculty and PI Carrie Stevens has therefore adapted and in its place offered TM F250 II6: Introduction to the Federal Subsistence Board, CRN 38791, for 1 credit via distance from April 6th - 23rd, 2020. Additionally, Professor Stevens is worked to develop TM 250: Introduction to Chugach Regional Resources Commission Subsistence Resources Management for 1 credit via distance. This course is at the request of tribal partners, and with their approval this course will be offered via distance in April 2020. Kuskokwim Campus EBOT: Due to COVID, Lisa Strecker's EBOT summer collaboration with Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP) was cancelled, in addition to their summer field class. Lisa had been working on a poisonous plants poster and getting students to present at One Health, which was also cancelled due to COVID. Northwest Campus HLRM: During the spring 2020 semester, face-to-face courses and workshops were cancelled or postponed, as remote work was required to ensure protection from COVID-19. HLRM Project Assistant, Katie Herzner cancelled presentations at the Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference and with interested students at Nome-Beltz High School. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?2019-20 CC FSS Program Coordinator (Annabelle Alvite) attended the 4th annual Native American Nutrition Conference (on reservation land near Minneapolis, MN), to increase knowledge and experience in improving the overall health and economy of Native American communities through the revitalization of traditional foods including agriculture, native plants, fish and bison; the growth of food sovereignty; stewardship; and showcasing meals consisting entirely of locally grown and traditional food. NWC HLRM Project Assistant, Katie Herzner attended Project Planning and Development Training. February 2020. Administration for Native Americans. Alaska Region Participants gained a foundation for creating a community-based project and grant writing skills. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?2019-20 Bristol Bay Campus ENVI / Sustainable Energy: • UAF BBC Information booth at the Alaska Forum on the Environment held in Anchorage in Feb 2020. • Media presence: ACEP This Week - Marsik and Holdmann Present at Arctic Circle http://acep.uaf.edu/acep-news/2019/14-october-acep-this-week/marsik-and-holdmann-present-at-arctic-circle.aspx • ACEP This Week - New Reports Illuminate LED Market Assessment http://acep.uaf.edu/acep-news/2019/21-october-acep-this-week/new-reports-illuminate-led-market-assessment.aspx • UAF news - New reports on LED market assessment https://news.uaf.edu/new-reports-on-led-market-assessment/ • ACEP This Week - Dual Hood Heat Recovery Ventilation Idea Wins Innovation Prize http://acep.uaf.edu/acep-news/2019/28-october-acep-this-week/dual-hood-heat-recovery-ventilation-idea-wins-innovation[1]prize.aspx • UAF news - Heat recovery ventilation idea wins innovation prize https://news.uaf.edu/heat-recovery-ventilation-idea-wins-innovation-prize • ACEP This Week - Spring Class Explores Energy Physics http://acep.uaf.edu/acep-news/2019/december-2-acep-this-week/spring-class-explores-energy-physics.aspx • ACEP This Week - Enroll Now - Energy Efficient Building Design and Simulation http://acep.uaf.edu/acep-news/2020/4-may-acep-this-week/enroll-now-energy-efficient-building-design-and-simulation.aspx • Alaska Public Media News - Dillingham council weighs options as rapid erosion threatens city sewer. Nov 11, 2019 https://www.alaskapublic.org/2019/11/11/dillingham-council-weighs-options-as-rapid-erosion-threatens-city-sewer/ • Native Science Report - Alaska Slashes Funding for State University System: A 40 percent cut in state support could disproportionately affect programs serving Alaska Natives. https://nativesciencereport.org/2019/07/alaska-slashes-funding-for[1]state-university-system/ Chukchi Campus FSS: • Chukchi Program 4-H Coordinator / CC Garden Instructor, Annabelle Alvite gave a hands-on presentation on local gardening and food security for the Alaska 21st Century Community Learning Center after school program for grades K-5 at June Nelson Elementary School. Provided outreach to other presenters, teachers, and parents in attendance to inform them about and encourage participation in the Chukchi food garden program. • The instructor maintained an Arctic gardeners email list of about 100 people who received information on gardening in the Arctic. • The instructor reached out to 25+ individuals via email, and one via phone, based on the those who responded to the email invitation to the CC gardening series; those who expressed some interest in gardening or were actively gardening; those who participated in a local tomato seedling plant sale; or who attended any of the CC workshops. • 23 gardeners or potential gardeners responded to instructor outreach. They were invited either to meet the instructor at CC gardens to thin and harvest greens; receive some garden greens; and/or have the instructor provide a home visit to inspect their garden or potential garden site. Interior Alaska Campus TS: The Tribal Stewardship Program was highlighted during the Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) Hunting and Fishing Task Force (HFTF) Summit in Fairbanks in November 2019 with over 47 tribes participating. The Tribal Governance Symposium: Living Tribal Stewardship provided space to highlight all of the Drumbeats programs across Alaska to over 100 participants. Additionally, information dissemination was provided about the program and partnerships during all of the above activities and events. Northwest Campus HLRM: Finstad, G. Research and Instructional Progress Report. Oral report. November 2019. Reindeer Herders Association Annual Meeting, Nome, AK. Finstad, G. Research and Instructional Progress Report. Oral report. November 2019. Alaska Reindeer Council Meeting, Nome, AK. Public dissemination during University of Alaska Research Days open house, Fairbanks AK. May, 2020. Katie Herzner in Dissemination: • Dissemination of information (letter, flier, invitation to students) to each Kawerak, Inc. Reindeer Herders Association Members. December 2019. • Stebbins Outreach Visit. January 2020. Oral Presentation to all Jr. High and High school students in attendance. Meeting with Meriam Mike, President of Stebbins IRA. • Construction Mathematics with Ryan Ford. February 2020. Three HLRM students enrolled in CTT 106, mathematics intensive. This course will be petitioned for the mathematics certificate requirement. • Bering Strait School District's Career and College Fair, Unalakleet. March 2020. Oral Presentation to all participating students at the regional basketball tournament and all attending UNK students, grades 6-12. • Personal Emails/ phone calls/ social media outlets year-round sharing information about the courses with individuals who have sought out the HLRM program. Individuals from regions in the Northwest, Interior, and Matanuska-Susitna. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The Strengthening Alaska Native Stewardship (SANS) award encompassed two years (2019-2021) and delivered six academic/career/community programs through the Drumbeats Alaska Consortium to Alaska Native students and community participants throughout rural Alaska: Ethnobotany (EBOT), Environmental Studies (ENVI), Sustainable Energy (SE), High Latitude Range Management (HLRM), Food Security and Sovereignty (FSS), and Tribal Governance and Stewardship (TGS). While Year 1 (2019-20) provided curricula and community outreach activities, the primary focus of Year 2 (2020-21) was external evaluation services. Based on the activity of SANS Year 1, the external evaluator developed a newsletter/tip sheet to highlight how Drumbeats provides educational equity by delivering curricula founded on the Core Values of Ingeneity. Courses are designed to address student learning styles; to incorporate Indigenous and local ways of knowing; and to include Alaska Native Elders and local experts as guest speakers. Faculty and staff rely upon strong community-based relationships and partnerships to ensure educational experiences that apply to the daily lives of participants. A Core Values of Ingeneity framework was developed to illustrate the four core values of Ingeneity, paraphrased from Drumbeats faculty as the 4 R's for Culturally Responsive Place-Based Learning: Redistribution - Relevance Faculty use responsibility to leverage resources for those that don't have access to them. Students engage in programs because they have a sense of responsibility to their community. Reciprocity - In Relation With Others Faculty have a cyclical obligation and privilege to make the education system work in a community. Drumbeats programs were born out of reciprocity as everyone gives at every level: student, teacher and administrator. Responsibility - Through Participation Faculty have a sharing obligation by providing educational equity through tuition assistance, travel scholarships and place-based courses. Students and participants redistribute the knowledge learned. All want to give back to their community. Relationship - Respect Faculty have a kinship obligation. They invest the time to build relationships and trust so that students can ask for classes that are applicable to them. Faculty then tailors the curriculum to meet their needs. The Drumbeats Alaska Consortium Newsletter for SANS 2019-21 by Dr. Kas Aruskevich can be found at: https://www.uaf.edu/drumbeats/Grant-Evaluations.php SANS goal and objectives were met through Project activities that include faculty service and technical assistance, course delivery and subsequent activities, workshops, publications and conferences. Changes among and benefits to students and community participants are realized differently due to the diversity of content delivered by the six Project programs. Changes are reported across the project year although during SANS project year 1, the COVID pandemic interrupted program activities. Due to COVID restrictions, all courses were moved to online delivery and place-based activities were postponed until 2021. SANS programs differed in the number of courses that were already developed for distance delivery. Some programs had courses ready to deliver and seamlessly began distance delivery. Changing courses to online delivery was noted as being extremely difficult for local adjunct instructors who had delivered subsistence related courses only in-person. The ability to keep delivering other programs already delivered via distance mentioned the need to work with students who were dealing with stress from the pandemic or had the virus. Another faculty worked one-on-one with students who may have inequities or disadvantages and adapted curriculum to different learning styles, so everyone gets the same information even if they get it in different ways. In spite of challenges encountered, faculty identified benefits of continued delivery of the FANH science programs. Following are brief statements of changes by program: Changes in Knowledge: Increasing access to FANH content through Drumbeats programs. There is a generally accepted assumption that if students attend and successfully pass a university course, they will have a change in knowledge. The SANS dataset for fall semester 2019, spring and summer semester 2020 shows 254 unduplicated students (330 duplicated students) took courses during project year 1. Program enrollments are: 8 ENVI; 25 EBOT; and 2 HLRM. Credentials earned are: 6 Occupational Endorsements in SE; 4 Certificates in EBOT. Alaska Native students earned 1 OE and 1 Certificate. Sustainable Energy faculty funded by other sources delivered courses to 94 unduplicated students, many of whom received support from SANS. Dual credit courses were delivered in Sustainable Energy. A Tribal Governance Symposium, Living Tribal Stewardship, had over 100 participants attend from across the state. HLRM faculty held workshops in remote villages for adult residents and made presentations in junior and high school classrooms. In HLRM, the move to Zoom classes saved time and money and increased enrollment. Students in remote villages with access continued via distance and a broader, statewide attendance added younger students. A Tribal Stewardship course transfer to online delivery helped to increase the number of participants at the Federal Subsistence Board meeting and days were added due to increased participation. Gardening was taught one-on-one both at the campus garden and in-person at a residence. The most important fact is that students were able to continue their education on their career pathway and communities continued to build knowledge needed to deal with their energy issues. Changes in Action: Leadership, stewardship & civic activities. During the fall semester, students in EBOT, ENVI, Physics and Sustainable Energy were involved in class presentations. Select students were identified to present at a number of professional conferences in the spring that were cancelled due to the COVID pandemic. Changes in Conditions: Enhancing community capacity in the FANH sciences. The primary changes in conditions occurred for faculty as they developed courses for distance delivery especially using methods that account for low bandwidth. The ability to reach village-based students remotely via low bandwidth is an important change in condition to enhance community capacity via education in the FANH sciences. Quantitative data sets for student and participant outcomes are generated annually by UAF Office of Institutional Research Analysis and Planning. Data sets include aggregated data on student awards and enrollment in programs and courses by Consortium FANH / Science program. Both quantitative and qualitative data to include curricula (as syllabi / resources) are uploaded in Ag Data Commons: https://data.nal.usda.gov/ under Drumbeats Alaska.

Publications

  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Bioff, A., Greenberg, J., & Finstad, G. (2019). Business plan for commercial reindeer meat production on St. Lawrence Island, AK (Revised). Prepared for Savoonga IRA, the village of Savoonga, AK and Kawerak Native Corporation.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Finstad, G. (2020). Low stress handling and herding of reindeer. The ROBA Review. Lake Crystal, MN. pp. 8-9.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2020 Citation: Hrabok-Lepp�jarvi, J. (2020, January 10-14). Climate Change Panelist. Presentation at American Meteorological Society 100th Conference, Boston, MA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Hrabok-Lepp�jarvi, J. (2019, November). Alaska Reindeer Council AGM. Presentation in Nome, AK.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Hrabok-Lepp�jarvi, J. (2019, September). Arctic Forum on Climate Change Panelist. Presentation at University of Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Hrabok-Lepp�jarvi, J. (2019, September). Circumpolar Reindeer Husbandry as a Livelihood. Presentation at BEBO Annual Symposium, Stockholm, Sweden.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2020 Citation: Radenbaugh, T. (2020, February 10-14). Science, Policy, and Political Decision Making: III, What the Future May Hold. Presentation at Alaska Forum on the Environment, Anchorage, AK.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2020 Citation: Radenbaugh, T. (2020, February 10-14). Science, Policy, and Political Decision Making: Part II, The Present. Presentation at Alaska Forum on the Environment, Anchorage, AK.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2020 Citation: Radenbaugh, T. (2020, February 10-14). Science, Policy, and Political Decision Making: Part I, The Past. Presentation at Alaska Forum on the Environment, Anchorage, AK.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Radenbaugh, T. (2019, September 26-29). Local SAGE2YC Workshop in Western Alaska: Growing STEM Programs in Remote Places. Presentation at Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Phoenix, AZ.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Marsik, T., & Stevens, V. (2020). Air Source Heat Pumps in Cold/Arctic Climates, in Proc. of the Thermal Systems in Cold/Arctic Climates Forum. Fairbanks, AK.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2020 Citation: Marsik, T. (2020, April). Supporting NASA's Goals through Asynchronous Energy Education - Part 2. Presentation at Alaska Space Grant Program Symposium (Online).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2020 Citation: Marsik, T., & Stevens, V. (2020, January). Air Source Heat Pumps in Cold/Arctic Climates. Presentation at Thermal Systems in Cold/Arctic Climates Forum, Fairbanks, AK.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Marsik, T., & Wiltse, N. (2019, October). A Low Carbon Arctic Energy System? Challenges, Opportunities, and Trends. Presentation at Arctic Circle Assembly, Reykjav�k, Iceland.


Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/20

Outputs
Target Audience:Alaska Native and rural community members and students are underrepresented populations in the FANH sciences and are the target audience that will participate in the SANS programs. Changes/Problems:Drumbeats Alaska Consortium: CANCELLED due to COVID-19: USDA NIFA National Project Director's meeting Bristol Bay Campus ENVI / Sustainable Energy: Due to COVID-19, face-to-face classes were converted into distance delivery. CANCELLED Sustainability Summit, Fairbanks, AK April 7-8 CANCELLED Bering Sea Energy Conference, Anchorage, AK May 5-7 Significant decrease in funding to Alaska universities: Alaska Governor decreases State funding to UA system by 40%, all programs are influenced. Source:Inside Higher Education: Huge Budget Cut for the University of Alaskahttps://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2019/06/29/huge-budget-cut-university-alaska Chukchi Campus FSS: Workshops and garden visits were limited due to COVID-19 social distancing. The FSS project reduced its plan of operation for native plant walks, garden workshops through harvest, school field trips with K-12, local high school cooking class, and Boys and Girls Club partnership. Community volunteer activities in both the native plant and food gardens were also reduced. Those who did participate were required to use masks and maintain 6 feet of distance outdoors. Improved planning is needed to address staff absence, capacity or contract periods and ensure continuity, consistency, and credibility of the FSS program. Interior Alaska Campus TS: Tribal Stewardship Program response to COVID-19 impacts to plan of work/workloads: CANCELLEDTM F250 II3: Introduction to the Federal Subsistence Board, CRN 37820, for 2 credits via face to face. NOW OFFERINGTM F250 II6: Introduction to the Federal Subsistence Board, CRN 38791, for 1 credit via distance. IN DEVELOPMENT TM 250: Introduction toChugach Regional Resources Commission Subsistence Resources Management for 1 credit via distance. TM F250 II3: Introduction to the Federal Subsistence Board, CRN 37820, for 2 credits has been cancelled. This was a face to face course to be held in conjunction with the regular Federal Subsistence Board meeting to be held in April 2020 in Gakona, Alaska. The Federal Subsistence Board has moved to a teleconference meeting only. Faculty and PI Carrie Stevens has therefore adapted and in its place offering TM F250 II6: Introduction to the Federal Subsistence Board, CRN 38791, for 1 credit via distance from April 6th - 23rd. Additionally, Professor Stevens is working to developTM 250: IntroductiontoChugach Regional Resources Commission Subsistence Resources Management for 1 credit via distance. This course is at the request of tribal partners, and with their approval this course will be offered via distance in April. Kuskokwim Campus EBOT: Due to COVID, Lisa Strecker's EBOT summer collaboration with Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP) was cancelled, in addition to their summer field class. Lisa had been working on a poisonous plants poster and getting students to present at One Health, which was also cancelled due to COVID. Northwest Campus HLRM: During the spring 2020 semester, face-to-face courses and workshops were cancelled or postponed, as remote work was required to ensure protection from COVID-19. HLRM Project Assistant, Katie Herzner cancelled presentations at the Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference and with interested students at Nome-Beltz High School. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?CC FSS Program Coordinator (Annabelle Alvite) attended the 4thannual Native American Nutrition Conference (on reservation land near Minneapolis, MN), toincreaseknowledge and experiencein improving the overall health and economy of Native American communities through the revitalization of traditional foods including agriculture, native plants, fish and bison; the growth of food sovereignty; stewardship; and showcasing meals consisting entirely of locally grown and traditional food. NWC HLRM Project Assistant, Katie Herzner attended Project Planning and Development Training. February 2020. Administration for Native Americans. Alaska Region Participants gained a foundation for creating a community-based project and grant writing skills. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Bristol Bay Campus ENVI / Sustainable Energy: UAF BBC Information booth at the Alaska Forum on the Environment held in Anchorage in Feb 2020. Media presence: ACEP This Week - Marsik and Holdmann Present at Arctic Circle http://acep.uaf.edu/acep-news/2019/14-october-acep-this-week/marsik-and-holdmann-present-at-arctic-circle.aspx ACEP This Week - New Reports Illuminate LED Market Assessment http://acep.uaf.edu/acep-news/2019/21-october-acep-this-week/new-reports-illuminate-led-market-assessment.aspx UAF news - New reports on LED market assessment https://news.uaf.edu/new-reports-on-led-market-assessment/ ACEP This Week - Dual Hood Heat Recovery Ventilation Idea Wins Innovation Prize http://acep.uaf.edu/acep-news/2019/28-october-acep-this-week/dual-hood-heat-recovery-ventilation-idea-wins-innovation-prize.aspx UAF news - Heat recovery ventilation idea wins innovation prize https://news.uaf.edu/heat-recovery-ventilation-idea-wins-innovation-prize ACEP This Week - Spring Class Explores Energy Physics http://acep.uaf.edu/acep-news/2019/december-2-acep-this-week/spring-class-explores-energy-physics.aspx ACEP This Week - Enroll Now - Energy Efficient Building Design and Simulation http://acep.uaf.edu/acep-news/2020/4-may-acep-this-week/enroll-now-energy-efficient-building-design-and-simulation.aspx Alaska Public Media News - Dillingham council weighs options as rapid erosion threatens city sewer. Nov 11, 2019 https://www.alaskapublic.org/2019/11/11/dillingham-council-weighs-options-as-rapid-erosion-threatens-city-sewer/ Native Science Report - Alaska Slashes Funding for State University System: A 40 percent cut in state support could disproportionately affect programs serving Alaska Natives. https://nativesciencereport.org/2019/07/alaska-slashes-funding-for-state-university-system/ Chukchi Campus FSS: Chukchi Program 4-H Coordinator / CC Garden Instructor, Annabelle Alvite gave a hands-on presentation on local gardening and food security for the Alaska 21stCenturyCommunity Learning Center afterschool program for grades K-5 at June Nelson Elementary School. Provided outreach to other presenters, teachers, and parents in attendance to inform them about and encourage participation in the Chukchi food garden program. The instructor maintained an Arctic gardeners email list of about 100 people who received information on gardening in the Arctic. The instructor reached out to 25+ individuals via email, and one via phone, based on the those who responded to the email invitation to the CC gardening series; those who expressed some interest in gardening or were actively gardening; those who participated in a local tomato seedling plant sale; or who attended any of the CC workshops. 23 gardeners or potential gardeners responded to instructor outreach. They were invited either to meet the instructor at CC gardens to thin and harvest greens; receive some garden greens; and/or have the instructor provide a home visit to inspect their garden or potential garden site. Interior Alaska Campus TS: The Tribal Stewardship Program was highlighted during the Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) Hunting and Fishing Task Force (HFTF) Summit in Fairbanks in November 2019 with over 47 tribes participating. The Tribal Governance Symposium: Living Tribal Stewardship provided space to highlight all of the Drumbeats programs across Alaska to over 100 participants. Additionally, information dissemination was provided about the program and partnerships during all of the above activities and events. Northwest Campus HLRM: Finstad, G. Research and Instructional Progress Report. Oral report. November 2019. Reindeer Herders Association Annual Meeting, Nome, AK. Finstad, G. Research and Instructional Progress Report. Oral report. November 2019. Alaska Reindeer Council Meeting, Nome, AK. Public dissemination during University of Alaska Research Days open house, Fairbanks AK. May, 2020. Katie Herzner in Dissemination: Dissemination of information (letter, flier, invitation to students) to each Kawerak, Inc. Reindeer Herders Association Members. December 2019. Stebbins Outreach Visit. January 2020. Oral Presentation to all Jr. High and High school students in attendance. Meeting with Meriam Mike, President of Stebbins IRA. Construction Mathematics with Ryan Ford. February 2020. Three HLRM students enrolled in CTT 106, mathematics intensive. This course will be petitioned for the mathematics certificate requirement. Bering Strait School District's Career and College Fair, Unalakleet. March 2020. Oral Presentation to all participating students at the regional basketball tournament and all attending UNK students, grades 6-12. Personal Emails/ phone calls/ social media outlets year-round sharing information about the courses with individuals who have sought out the HLRM program. Individuals from regions in the Northwest, Interior, and Matanuska-Susitna. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The primary activity in project year 2 is program evaluation and a deeper inquiry into progressive methods of teaching and delivery of the FANH science particularly to Alaska Native students and residents living in remote, rural locations. Project faculty will participate in Zoom meetings on their methods of teaching and delivery. Although through a distance, this activity will help to build collegiality as well as serve as a platform for sharing best practices. The following two evaluation questions will be used to lead off discussion: Evaluation Question 1: What are the innovative methods of delivery to increase access for Alaska Natives and Rural Alaskans to programs in the FANH sciences? Evaluation Question 2: What are the progressive teaching methods used to stimulate Alaska Native and Rural Alaskan learners to form new meanings and change behavior? In addition, as program popularity grows, the reach and enrollment of students is broadening and there is an increase in partner collaboration and support among some programs. Building on the results and findings of the year 1 cost effectiveness evaluation report, project faculty and project directors will continue to track and report on collaborations. The outcomes of the faculty meetings and collaborations will be documented in an evaluation report at the end of project year 2.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? SANS goal and objectives are met through Project activities that include faculty service and technical assistance, course delivery and subsequent activities, workshops, publications and conferences. Changes among and benefits to students and community participants are realized differently due to the diversity of content delivered by the six Project programs. Changes are reported across the project year although during SANS project year 1, the COVID pandemic interrupted program activities. Due to COVID restrictions, all courses were moved to online delivery in mid-March and place-based activities were postponed. SANS programs differed in the number of courses that were already developed for distance delivery. Some programs had courses ready to deliver and seamlessly began distance delivery. Changing courses to online delivery was noted as being extremely difficult for local adjunct instructors who had delivered subsistence related courses only in-person. The ability to keep delivering other programs already delivered via distance mentioned the need to work with students who were dealing with stress from the pandemic or had the virus. Another faculty worked one-on-one with students who may have inequities or disadvantages and adapted curriculum to different learning styles, so everyone gets the same information even if they get it in different ways. In spite of challenges encountered, faculty identified benefits of continued delivery of the FANH science programs. Following are brief statements of changes by program. Changes in Knowledge: Increasing access to FANH content through Drumbeat programs. There is a generally accepted assumption that if students attend and successfully pass a university course, they will have a change in knowledge. The SANS dataset for fall semester 2019, spring and summer semester 2020 shows 254 unduplicated students (330 duplicated students) took courses during project year 1. Program enrollments are: 8 ENVI; 25 EBOT; and 2 HLRM. Credentials earned are: 6 Occupational Endorsements in SE; 4 Certificates in EBOT. Alaska Native students earned 1 OE and 1 Certificate. Sustainable Energy faculty funded by other sources delivered courses to 94 unduplicated students, many of whom received support from SANS. Dual credit courses were delivered in Sustainable Energy. A Tribal Governance Symposium, Living Tribal Stewardship, had over 100 participants attend from across the state. HLRM faculty held workshops in remote villages for adult residents and made presentations in junior and high school classrooms. In HLRM, the move to Zoom classes saved time and money and increased enrollment. Students in remote villages with access continued via distance and a broader, statewide attendance added younger students. A Tribal Stewardship course transfer to online delivery helped to increase the number of participants at the Federal Subsistence Board meeting and days were added due to increase participation. Gardening was taught one-on-one both at the campus garden and in-person at a residence. The most important fact is that students were able to continue their education on their career pathway and communities continued to build knowledge needed to deal with their energy issues. Changes in Action: Leadership, stewardship & civic activities. During the fall semester, students in EBOT, ENVI, Physics and Sustainable Energy were involved in class presentations. Select students were identified to present at a number of professional conferences in the spring that were cancelled due to the COVID pandemic. Changes in Conditions: Enhancing community capacity in the FANH sciences. The primary changes in conditions occurred for faculty as they develop courses for distance delivery especially using methods that account for low bandwidth. The ability to reach village-based students remotely via low bandwidth is an important change in condition to enhance community capacity via education in the FANH sciences. Quantitative data sets for student and participant outcomes are generated annually by UAF Office of Institutional Research Analysis and Planning. Data sets include aggregated data on student awards and enrollment in programs and courses by Consortium FANH / Science program. Both quantitative and qualitative data to include curricula (as syllabi / resources) are uploaded in Ag Data Commons: https://data.nal.usda.gov/ under Drumbeats Alaska.

Publications

  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Bioff, A., Greenberg, J., & Finstad, G. (2019). Business plan for commercial reindeer meat production on St. Lawrence Island, AK (Revised). Prepared for Savoonga IRA, the village of Savoonga, AK and Kawerak Native Corporation.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Hrabok-Leppäjarvi, J. (2019, September). Circumpolar Reindeer Husbandry as a Livelihood. Presentation at BEBO Annual Symposium, Stockholm, Sweden.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Marsik, T., & Stevens, V. (2020). Air Source Heat Pumps in Cold/Arctic Climates, in Proc. of the Thermal Systems in Cold/Arctic Climates Forum. Fairbanks, AK.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Other Year Published: 2020 Citation: Finstad, G. (2020). Low stress handling and herding of reindeer. The ROBA Review. Lake Crystal, MN. pp. 8-9.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2020 Citation: Hrabok-Leppäjarvi, J. (2020, January 10-14). Climate Change Panelist. Presentation at American Meteorological Society 100th Conference, Boston, MA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Hrabok-Leppäjarvi, J. (2019, November). Alaska Reindeer Council AGM. Presentation in Nome, AK.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Hrabok-Leppäjarvi, J. (2019, September). Arctic Forum on Climate Change Panelist. Presentation at University of Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2020 Citation: Marsik, T. (2020, April). Supporting NASAs Goals through Asynchronous Energy Education - Part 2. Presentation at Alaska Space Grant Program Symposium (Online).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2020 Citation: Marsik, T., & Stevens, V. (2020, January). Air Source Heat Pumps in Cold/Arctic Climates. Presentation at Thermal Systems in Cold/Arctic Climates Forum, Fairbanks, AK.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Marsik, T., & Wiltse, N. (2019, October). A Low Carbon Arctic Energy System? Challenges, Opportunities, and Trends. Presentation at Arctic Circle Assembly, Reykjavík, Iceland.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2020 Citation: Radenbaugh, T. (2020, February 10-14). Science, Policy, and Political Decision Making: III, What the Future May Hold. Presentation at Alaska Forum on the Environment, Anchorage, AK.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2020 Citation: Radenbaugh, T. (2020, February 10-14). Science, Policy, and Political Decision Making: Part II, The Present. Presentation at Alaska Forum on the Environment, Anchorage, AK.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2020 Citation: Radenbaugh, T. (2020, February 10-14). Science, Policy, and Political Decision Making: Part I, The Past. Presentation at Alaska Forum on the Environment, Anchorage, AK.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Radenbaugh, T. (2019, September 26-29). Local SAGE2YC Workshop in Western Alaska: Growing STEM Programs in Remote Places. Presentation at Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Phoenix, AZ.