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Rasmuson Fisheries Expansion

Recruiting Alaskans into Fisheries

A major component of the fisheries expansion is the increased recruitment and retention of Alaska Natives and rural Alaskans into fisheries and marine sciences in Alaska.

A significant effort will be made to recruit Alaska Natives and rural Alaskans into our program. Our Marine Advisory Program faculty have recently completed a study to determine the barriers that have prevented more Alaska Natives from pursuing fisheries academic programs. The report by Paula Cullenberg and Dolly Garza will be published in September 2006. Their work is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) who has committed to working to provide ocean-related educational opportunities to minorities. The five recommendations included in Cullenberg and Garza's draft report are:

  1. Stakeholders, universities and colleges, and employers should work together to support K-12 outreach programs and opportunities which encourage students to consider fisheries or marine science careers.
  2. Training programs for fisheries technicians should be available statewide and recognized and encouraged by employers as a means to support recruitment into jobs. A one year certificate and two year associate's program in fisheries/marine sciences should be available statewide. Course work should be offered through a mix of distance education classes, and hands-on lab and field work and should be linked both to employment as technicians and to related B.S. degrees.
  3. The School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (SFOS) at UAF should partner with existing internship/college preparation programs and/or other internship/scholarship models which provide pre-college programs, high school-to-university bridging programs, scholarships, tutoring, mentoring, and internships. Other University of Alaska and college programs that support Alaska Natives and rural Alaskans in science and math should be used by SFOS as recruiting opportunities.
  4. Natural resource agencies, Alaska Native organizations, tribal groups and other potential employers should target Alaska Native and rural Alaskan students by developing paid summer internships, funding scholarships and when possible, mentoring secondary and university students.
  5. Outreach and information about opportunities should be developed and shared by all those interested in increasing the number of Alaska Natives and rural Alaskans in fisheries and marine science.

A new website, Future Alaskans in Fisheries and Marine Science, was recently developed by SFOS to serve as a portal and information source for rural Alaskan and Alaska Native students at http://www.sfos.uaf.edu/future.

For more information about the Rasmuson Fisheries Expansion, please contact Dr. Trent Sutton, Undergraduate Fisheries Coordinator, e-mail: tsutton@sfos.uaf.edu, (907) 474-7285.

If you are a student interested in studying at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, please contact Katie Murra, Recruitment and Retention Coordinator, e-mail murra@sfos.uaf.edu or 907-474-6786.