SFOS Newsletter
Spring 2009
Princess Tours gives $100,000
to UAF Marine Advisory Program
Princess Cruises & Tours has donated $100,000 to the University of Alaska Fairbanks for the support of the Marine Advisory Program. The gift will provide salary and administrative support for MAP agents in several Alaska coastal communities over the course of three years.
MAP is a statewide marine extension service comprised of advisory agents who live and work in nine coastal communities across Alaska. MAP agents help coastal residents use, conserve and manage the ocean resources that often provide the economic backbone of Alaska's coastal towns and villages.
SFOS Dean Denis Wiesenburg and Princess Tours' vice president Bruce Bustamante celebrate Princess' gift at a reception held in February in Anchorage. Photo by Carin Stephens.
"This outstanding gift highlights Princess Cruises & Tours' commitment as stewards of our ocean environment," said UAF Chancellor Brian Rogers. "With their high-profile presence in Alaska waters, Princess Cruises & Tours is a strong leader and a prime example of a private company teaming up with the university and Alaska communities to help preserve the things that makes this great state so unique."
Because MAP agents are dependent on external funding for a portion of their salaries, this support from Princess will allow MAP agents to continue working in their communities, despite the current economic climate. MAP agents are currently located in Petersburg, Ketchikan, Juneau, Unalaska, Cordova, Anchorage, Bethel, Kodiak and Nome. In each community, the local MAP agent works to bolster local economies, conserve marine resources and market fisheries and marine businesses.
Princess first approached UAF last year to find a way to support and promote marine conservation in Alaska. When informed about MAP, they decided it was the best way for Princess to directly improve the lives of everyday coastal Alaskans.
"Princess is dedicated to environmental stewardship worldwide - it is the right thing to do and our visitors expect us to protect the land and sea we share with them," said Bruce Bustamante, vice president of community and public affairs for Princess Tours. "Marine and coastal areas are especially important to us. This investment in Alaska simply reflects how important protecting marine waters is to our company."
The donation builds on the company's long tradition of generosity and support for Alaska's university system. Princess Tours supports UAF athletic teams, the University of Alaska Anchorage Culinary Arts Program and other programs.
Click on the image to download the Spring 2009 newsletter (3 MB PDF).
Greetings from the Dean
During the last year, our faculty and staff considered future directions for our school by establishing a new SFOS strategic plan. This plan will allow us to build on our existing strengths and chart a new course for the next decade.
Princess Tours gives $100,000
to UAF Marine Advisory Program
Princess Cruises & Tours has donated $100,000 to the University of Alaska Fairbanks for the support of the Marine Advisory Program.
SFOS scientists make headlines with Census of Marine Life findings
According to a Census of Marine Life press release in February, the waters of the Arctic and Antarctic share 235 marine species. CoML also documented the existence of 5,500 marine species in the Arctic and 7,500 in the Antarctic.
SFOS scientists key to Bering Sea studies
One of the richest and most productive marine ecosystems in the world, the Bering Sea region
provides more than half of the U.S. seafood catch and is home to dozens of marine mammal
species. It is also the source of ...
Juneau high school students do it again
For the third year in a row, high school students from Juneau have won first and second place in the Tsunami Bowl, Alaska's regional version of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl...
COSEE Alaska established; Sigman hired
Marilyn Sigman, a respected marine science educator from Homer, has been named education specialist for the new Alaska Center for Ocean Science Education Excellence in Anchorage.
SFOS dedicates Lena Point Fisheries Building
SFOS dedicated the new Lena Point Fisheries Building in Juneau on April 28. Governor Sarah Palin spoke at the ceremony and congratulated UAF on its contributions to fisheries science.
Other speakers included UA President Mark Hamilton, Representative Beth Kerttula and UAF Chancellor Brian Rogers.
Optimism during an economic recession
History shows that during tough economic times, more people decide to go to college. That's good news for SFOS, and good news for our state.
Standouts - Faculty and Staff News
Featured Faculty: Brenda Konar
Brenda Konar is an associate professor of marine biology who specializes in marine invertebrates and plants. She was raised in California, but she loves the chill and darkness of Fairbanks winters.
Spotlight on the Coastal Marine Institute
by Sharice Walker, CMI Technical Editor
The University of Alaska Coastal Marine Institute was created in June 1993 by a cooperative agreement between the University of Alaska and the U. S. Department of the Interior Minerals Management Service Alaska Region.
Featured Student: Megan Murphy
Megan Murphy already knows she wants to live and work in Homer,
Alaska, and is pursuing a graduate degree in biological oceanography at
UAF to help her achieve this goal. She is studying the oceanographic effects
on crab larval transport in Kachemak Bay.
Standouts - Student News
Other Student News
Featured photo
Mayumi Arimitsu, a master's degree student in fisheries, conducting her thesis research in Kenai
Fjords National Park.