People

Sarah Clement 

Postdoc, July 2025-present, and PhD Natural Resources and Sustainability, 2020-2025. Sarah's PhD work investigated the impacts of different design features in Arctic community and citizen science programs on youth, educators and scientists. Her postdoc continues this work through the evaluation of co-produced science and the characteristics of community science partnerships. I co-Advised Sarah's PhD with Dr. Pete Fix, and co-advise the postdoc with Dr. Kristin Timm.  PhD Funding: NSF AISL and NSF NNA AON grants. Postdoc funding: Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center, NNA Community Office, and USGS CASC Fresh Eyes on Ice

Natalie Detwiler

MS Biology, 2024-present. Natalie is working on creating species mixtures of coastal plants to reduce erosion rates for the Village of Pilot Point, Alaska.  I co-advise Natalie with Dr. Christa Mulder.  Funding: Contract with Native Village of Pilot Point

Ethan Overton

MS Biology, 2024-present. Ethan is working to develop optimal species and growth media mixtures for restoration of permafrost damage in military training areas.  I am a committee member for Ethan with Dr. Christa Mulder, but worked to secure the connections and funding for the project. Funding: Agreement with Salcha Delta Soil and Water Conservation District and USFWS, TA Ship for my Climate Scholars course NRM/HONR 125.

Soka Vanegas-Farrara

UAF Climate Scholars Undergraduate, Summer 2024 - present. Soka is completing research on the influence of habitat heterogeneity on  the pollination and fruit production of wild and domesticated raspberries. We are co-producing this research with a local farmer at Ice Wedge Farms. Funding: Bonanza Creek LTER NSF REU, URSA Research Award, Garden Club of America, INBRE Student Award

Ezekial Adams

 UAF Climate Scholars Undergraduate, Fall 2024 - present; Ezekiel is investigating the role of different soil variables in the development of non-native plant seed banks after wildfire in interior Alaska. This is a continuation of work started through my US Forest Service funded research on wildfire and invasive plants in boreal Alaska. Funding: URSA Research Award

Cooper Moen

UAF Climate Scholars Undergraduate, May 2025-Present; Cooper is researching insect damage on blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum), a large gap in Alaskan berry research. He is investigating the role of time since wildfire and organic layer thickness on the level of damage and fruit production. Funding: USDA NIFA Hatch Award

Risa Heinrichs

Undergraduate from University of Wisconson-Madison, May 2025-Present; Risa is investigating how have people used, responded to and lived with fire in the boreal forest region in Alaska. She is using social science research approaches, including archival, interview and lit review data collection. Her work aims to inform the topics and methods for Bonanza Creek LTER wildfire research and its application to management decisions. Funding: Bonanza Creek LTER NSF REU 

Mary Torok

UAF Climate Scholars Undergraduate, Jan 2025 - present; Mary assisted with Ezekial's soils lab work and completed research on early season pollinator abundance on native and non-native species along an urban to rural gradient in Fairbanks. Funding: NSF Fresh Eyes on Ice, USDA NIFA Hatch Award

Emily Sousa

Geospatial Education Specialist, Jan 2023 - present. Funding: NASA Science Activation, NSF ACTION project, NASA UNBOUND