Research at UAF

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America's Arctic research university

UAF is the principal research university for the statewide University of Â黨ÊÓÆµ system.
Our research engages undergraduate and graduate students so they gain skills and knowledge to become tomorrow's leaders.

By the numbers

$246.3 million

in research expenditures for 2024

17,473

published journal articles

Triple crown status

Land, Sea, and Space Grant institution

News

A man in an orange winter coat, snowpants and a fur hat gestures toward a head-high cylinder stuck in the snow on ocean ice. Behind the man stands a group of spectators, as well as another person working on scientific gear in a sled towed by a tracked ATV.

Jun 04

UTQIAÄ VIK, ALASKA -- Colorful sticky notes and creased agendas fluttered to the floor as 40 or so people grabbed phones and rushed to the long series of windows. A polar bear had been spotted checking out a series of empty sled dog cages nearby.

A river delta near the ocean, with a blue, cloudy horizon and polygon-shaped patterns on the ground in the foreground.

Jun 04

An international team of scientists has, for the first time, quantified the total carbon stored in permafrost at the mouth of rivers flowing into the Arctic Ocean.

A New York Air National Guard LC-130 Skibird cargo aircraft sits on a snow runway atop the Greenland Ice Cap under a clear blue sky. The ski-equipped aircraft, operated by the 109th Airlift Wing, is parked on the windswept ice with a small field camp, flags and support structures visible in the distance. The photograph was taken during Exercise Polar Reach in 2019, a training mission that prepares aircrews for operations in polar environments.

Jun 04

The ability to land a military cargo plane on a frozen Arctic lake is becoming less likely as a warming environment reduces the number of subfreezing days. That puts ice thickness below the minimum needed to support heavy aircraft.

Events

Arctic Research Open House participants on UAF's West Ridge outside the Geophysical Institute and International Arctic Research Center
Arctic Research Open House

Thursday, May 14, 2026
UAF West Ridge

Join UAF Research for an inspiring day on West Ridge at Troth Yeddha' for the Arctic Research Open House on Thursday, May 14, from 4–7 p.m. This annual event is hosted by the UAF Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research.

From Fairbanks roots, UAF research branches across science, engineering, and creativity, sprouting new solutions for Â黨ÊÓÆµ and the Arctic. You’ll meet the researchers behind the work and see how UAF research shows up in your community. Each stop gives you something real to engage with, from lab experiments to field campaigns, all rooted in solving problems faced by you and fellow Â黨ÊÓÆµns. To celebrate the Fairbanks community and the work happening across campus, the UAF Vice Chancellor for Research will host a free ice cream social.

Access to events and parking will be FREE across West Ridge. All ages are encouraged for this free event, minors must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, or to make an accommodation request at least five days in advance of this event, , email UAF-Research@alaska.edu or call 907-474-6000.

Research calendar

 

Research enterprise

UAF does high-quality research in a large number of fields. We're one of only a handful of institutions in the country that can claim the triple crown status of Land, Sea and Space Grant Institution. 

Achieving R1 at UAF

With more than $200 million in research activity each year, the University of Â黨ÊÓÆµ Fairbanks is Â黨ÊÓÆµ's research university. We are ready to step up to R1 and join the top 4% of research universities in the United States.