University of Alaska System

Overview

University of Alaska System

University of Alaska System (UA System) is a system of public universities in Alaska. It was established in 1917 under Article VII of the Alaska State Constitution. The UA system comprises three separately accredited universities: the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), and the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS). UAA is the largest university in the state. Top courses of the university system are ecology, computer science, and engineering.

University of Alaska System Key Statistics

The entire university system has seven areas of study, namely business, accounting and economics, education and teaching, science and engineering, liberal arts and humanities, computers & technology, nursing & healthcare, and workforce programs. It offers 585 unique degrees, certificate or endorsement programs, and 126 elearning programs. Its notable academic departments include the geology department, the atmospheric sciences department, and the wildlife biology department.

The UA System has a population of 26,641 full- and part-time students. The university has 16 campuses, with the main campuses located in Fairbanks, Juneau, and Anchorage.

Its library system includes eight libraries: the Elmer E. Rasmuson Library and Keith B. Mather Library (UAF), the William A. Egan Library, the UAS Egan Library, and the Ketchikan Campus Library (UAS), and the UAA/APU Consortium Library, the Alvin S. Okeson Library, the Carolyn Floyd Library (UAA).

Other University of Alaska System key statistics include the University of Alaska Museum, housed in the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus.

University of Alaska System Research

Research at the UA system is acknowledged for its leading works in arctic research, including the region’s biology, geography, and geophysics. The university system’s researchers are also viewed as authorities on Alaska Native studies, complemented by works in engineering and supercomputing. The system enjoys a research expenditure of $163.2 million, provided by the National Science Foundation, private collaboration, and a substantial $356.3 million endowment.

The top three University of Alaska System research fields are computer science, mathematics, and ecology. Its researchers have been published in publications like the Electronic Journal of Combinatorics, Remote Sensing, and arXiv: Populations and Evolution. Its researchers had been invited to attend and present papers at international conferences, such as the Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, the International Conference in Central Europe on Computer Graphics and Visualization, and the International Conference on Data Technologies and Applications.

The most cited publication from the university system is Foley et al.'s (2005) “Global consequences of land use,” published in Science. It has been cited a total of 11,522 times to date. The second most cited paper is Rockström et al.'s (2009) “A Safe operating space for humanity,” published in Nature. It has received a total of 11,428 citations.

Meanwhile, the university’s third most cited paper is Sala et al.'s (2000) “Global biodiversity scenarios for the year 2100,” published in Science. It has been cited by papers, articles, and other publications around 9,701 times so far.

The research centers of UAF include the Alaska Center for Energy and Power, the Alaska Satellite Facility, the Geophysical Institute, the Institute of Arctic Biology, and the Institute of Marine Science.