The University of Alaska Fairbanks has asked the Alaska Department of Health to help evaluate reports of cancer cases among people who worked in Gruening Building, Chancellor Russ Vander Lugt told The Sun Star on Oct. 5. The university is awaiting the state’s guidance on potential next steps.
Vander Lugt said he was not aware of any environmental hazards identified in the building but that university leadership was taking the concerns seriously.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks is still developing an Artificial Intelligence policy. Guidance on AI has been shaped by individual departments and instructors.
Faculty have faced questions about how to address the technology in their disciplines while the university continues to work through broader questions of attribution, authorship and academic integrity.
University of Alaska President Matt Cooper and University of Alaska Fairbanks Chancellor Russ Vander Lugt outlined priorities for research, enrollment and student success during UAF’s 2026 fall convocation.
Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Fairbanks drew supporters to a rally at Fairbanks International Airport ahead of November’s midterm elections. Several University of Alaska Fairbanks students said they were asked to leave before the speeches began, raising questions about their removal from an event focused on Republican candidates and energy policy.
Speaking to a packed audience in Schaible Auditorium alongside Chancellor Russ Vander Lugt and U.S. Rep. Nick Begich, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman discussed Alaska's growing role in space exploration.
On the 17th of September, The Herald published an article titled “Full list of the 90 Edinburgh University programmes scheduled to close.” Before I even opened the article, I had a feeling that it would look like a huge blow to the humanities—it was. Some of the programs listed in the article include: Religion and Literature (MSc and MTh, full-time and part-time), Law and Celtic (UG), Scottish Ethnology and Scandinavian Studies (UG), German and Russian Studies (UG), Spanish and Classics (UG), Portuguese and Linguistics (UG), Chinese and Economics (UG), Persian and Social Anthropology (UG), Arabic and Ancient Greek (UG). The University of Edinburgh is ranked 35th in the world by the 2027 QS World University Rankings. It is well known for its humanities programs, and thus, it is deeply unsettling to see that these programs in particular were targeted.
Last May, I surprised the hell out of myself. I completed my first year of graduate school. So? Well, I’m 76 years old and hadn’t been in a college degree program for 50 years. So, when I started grad school one year ago, I wasn’t sure I could hack the modern college environment. I was an old dog wanting to learn new tricks. Would I embarrass myself in front of young, sharp, up-to-date classmates? Could I navigate the tech-heavy administrative protocols? Would my professors take a septuagenarian student seriously? And the big one: could I afford it?
The Pitt, streaming on Max, might be just what you’re looking for. Set in the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center, The Pitt follows an ensemble cast of health care workers navigating an overcrowded, high-pressure emergency department. The show’s real-time format makes the emergency department feel unrelenting.
Everyone has a movie they’ll defend like til death (okay, that’s a bit extreme, but…) The one they rewatch when they’re sick, quote with friends or insist is a “total classic that everyone needs to see!” For our first round of movie recommendations, we asked around the newsroom.
For Sigrid Miller, an interest in engineering began in an unlikely place — the engine room of an Alaska ferry.
Right after high school, she moved from Fairbanks to the southeast community of Ketchikan, where she spent a couple of years working aboard commercial vessels for the Alaska Marine Highway System, a state-run ferry service.
The University of Alaska Museum of the North underwent a $42 million expansion in 2005, nearly doubling the facility’s size to 83,000 square feet.
Last week, the UAF community brought a piece of Germany to campus for this year’s Oktoberfest celebration. Now in its third year, the celebration featured panel discussions on German history and culture, along with food and games. Local vendors and a wide array of UAF student organizations participated this year. Helga Wagenleiter, the faculty advisor for the UAF German Club, said that this spirit of collaboration was the goal from the very start.
As winter approaches in Fairbanks, it is essential to prepare your camera for Alaska’s climate and capture flawless photos. Whether you are a casual photographer or a professional, preparation is important for handling the cold months ahead.
Grief has no single language, yet no two people speak it quite the same. One summer morning, I experienced grief when my beloved cat was put down.
My name is Lu. I am a student here at UAF studying art and sociology. This is my fourth year studying here, so I am used to the welcome-back routine with friends, classmates and teachers. But this year, when people ask me how my summer was, I get to make a choice. Do I say, “Overall, pretty good! A few rough patches”? Or do I say, “My boat suddenly sank in the middle of the night, my parents and I had to escape and make it to shore, where we spent seven hours until we were rescued”? Or do I just tell them to read this?
On Aug. 23, 2026, it was a particularly windy day at the Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge. I visited for the first time, interested both in the beautiful sandhill cranes and in the book fair that was happening from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day. As a poet and MFA student here at UAF, I knew what I needed to do, I shot toward the poetry.
Local artist Ree Nancarrow celebrated the opening of her newest exhibit, “Observations: Two Decades of Change,” at the University of Alaska Museum of the North on Aug. 14. The exhibit features a collection of handmade quilts that often center around the theme of environmental change.
Not everyone gets to watch a traffic stop from the passenger seat of a police car. For University Police Officer Jake Spencer, it is one of many responsibilities that comes with working in law enforcement. Spending a few hours with Spencer, however, revealed less about emergencies and arrests than about what police work looks like when nothing is going wrong. That afternoon brought two traffic stops and one emergency call. Most of the patrol, however, was spent talking about the other parts of his job.
Twenty-six years ago, Russell Vander Lugt first set foot in Alaska as a newly commissioned second lieutenant, during his honeymoon with his wife, Rebekah. Today, he is retiring from active duty to become the next Chancellor of the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
While this transition might seem abrupt, Vander Lugt sees the role as a different way of serving both the state and nation, hoping to shape the growth and future of the 49 th state. To Vander Lugt, this opportunity comes at a timely moment as Alaska sits at the dawn of what he calls “Arctic Century,” a moment in which UAF needs to capitalize on growth, opportunities, and ever-increasing geopolitical importance.
When you enter, you walk into a space with walls covered in bookshelves and a dark and moody, yet cozy vibe. A small fireplace is on the left wall, warming up the space during the winter months and velvet green couches offer comfortable places to sit and lounge in while you shop. The big front store window brings in light and bathes the entire store in sunshine. This is the experience of stepping into the Wildfire Bookstore.
From century-old journals to hard drives full of digital data, the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Archives is on a mission to preserve the diverse history of the Polar North and make it accessible to the world. Located on the second floor of the Elmer E. Rasmuson Library, the archive serves global researchers while navigating the modern challenges of space limits and digital decay.
UAA’s Army Reserves Officer Training Corps, or Army ROTC, began its college program in partnership with UAF in 2009. UAA’s unit of Cadre and Cadets is commonly known as the Seawolf.
The ROTC trains cadets to become commissioned officers by providing them with field experience and classes to further their knowledge of the military.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks celebrated Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Oct. 12, bringing students and community members together to honor Alaska Native cultures through storytelling, traditional arts, dance and games.
Individuals can make positive, lasting impacts on their community through one simple action: voting. In 2024, 63.7% of eligible Alaskan voters cast a ballot in the general federal election. Voting strengthens democracy and gives voters the opportunity to voice their opinions on decisions that affect their lives.
The 2026 growing season has been testing Interior farmers with a late spring thaw, sudden frosts, recent bouts of rain and high energy and fuel costs. Yet they embody Alaska's resilient spirit and forge ahead to feed our community. As Farmers’ Markets pass their peak summer attendance days, there are other ways to keep the vibes fresh! Just 20 minutes from campus/UAF, Calypso Farm welcomed more than a thousand visitors to their hillside agri-scape.
This September, Nanook Traditions hosted UAF’s 103rd Starvation Gulch, a campus tradition dating back to 1923. The annual festival has undergone many changes over the years, beginning as a student-built bonfire designed to resemble a frontier town. Since then, Starvation Gulch has served as an outlet for celebration and rebellion alike.
It wasn’t exactly what I had imagined when I signed up for mammalogy class. Mammalogy is the study of mammals, a group that includes much of Alaska’s most characteristic wildlife. We had brought a stuffed animal and a Bluetooth speaker into the August snowstorm.
Food was eaten, fun was had, and memories were made. Despite the rainy weather, I found plenty to enjoy at the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ fourth annual Alaska Nanooks Food Truck Rally. The event took place in the Patty Center parking lot on Saturday, Sept. 6, and the turnout did not disappoint.
Rainy weather didn’t deter a crowd from gathering at Ester Community Park for the fifth annual Fairbanks Fungi Festival, a day filled with mushrooms, food, costumes and family-friendly activities.
Many of the newer Nanooks are looking forward to experiencing campus life and can’t wait to see what awaits them throughout the upcoming school year. Party in the Park heightened this excitement as the University of Alaska Fairbanks welcomed students back to campus Aug. 27 with its annual celebration of Party in the Park celebration at Constitution Park!
As new senators settle into their roles, the senate body focused on reporting committee actions and discussing and passing legislation at the ASUAF meeting on Sept. 28.
As the first month of classes passed and Interior Alaska’s short autumn reached its peak, the Associated Students of the University of Alaska Fairbanks student government began filling vacant seats and planning events for the 2026-27 school year.
On Oct. 17, the University of Alaska Fairbanks women's volleyball team fell 3–2 to Northwest Nazarene University. Coming off a loss in their previous match, the Nanooks started strong, taking the first two sets and putting themselves in position to secure a win.
On Oct. 15, the University of Alaska Fairbanks women's volleyball team fell to Central Washington University 3–2 in a hard-fought five-set match. The opening set proved challenging, with the Nanooks struggling to establish a consistent lead. Both teams battled through close sets, keeping the outcome uncertain throughout the night.
The Nanooks kicked off their hockey season on Sept. 19 with their first scrimmage of the year. Held at the Patty Center, the event included a race between pairs of players and a speed-shooting competition.
The Alaska Nanooks women’s volleyball team made its home debut at the Patty Center over the weekend in the Ice-Block Challenge. The Nooks started strong with a 3-0 win against the Tiffin University Dragons on Thursday, then collected another win in the five-set thriller against Minnesota State on Friday, but fell short against No. 9-ranked Fresno Pacific, 0-3.
Over the weekend, athletes from the University of Alaska Fairbanks ski, rifle and swim teams took part in the NCAA Championships. With four All-Americans and two individual titles, the Nanooks presented a successful end of the NCAA season.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks’ hockey team ended the 2025-26 season winning the first edition of the United Collegiate Hockey Cup 4-3 against Lindenwood. The Nanooks took home the tournament trophy after a tight final game ending in overtime on March 7. This is their second title of 2026 after the Alaska Airlines Governor’s Cup win against Anchorage.
In February UAF’s Nordic skier Rosie Fordham competed at the XXV Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina. She took part in 5 out of the 6 events dedicated to nordic skiing for the Australian team. Fordham sat down with The Sun Star to reflect on her training process, Fairbanks’ upsides and downsides, and offered insights on ways UAF could support the development of its endurance athletes.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks basketball teams celebrated their seniors during the last home game held Feb. 28 at the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium. The women's team fell 73-58 to Western Oregon while the men's team won 82-74 against Western Oregon. Before the games began, each senior was honored in a celebratory ceremony, surrounded by their families, friends and loved ones. Names, stats, a brief bio and heartfelt words from the coaches were shared with the crowd.
The Nanooks secured a 6-2 victory against the UAA Seawolves last Saturday in Anchorage, winning the team the Governor’s Cup title for the 15th consecutive year. With UAF already having the title secured, the teams faced off in two final homecourt games in the Carlson Center this Friday and Saturday.
Junior Dorka Dancsok set a new program record for the University of Alaska Fairbanks. On Thursday, Feb. 12, winning the 400-yard individual medley at the Pacific Collegiate Swim Conference, or PCSC, Championships. Dancsok, a junior, finished in 4 minutes and 23.31 seconds, the fastest time ever recorded by a UAF swimmer in the event; she improved on her own record from December by more than a second.
Will you be my Valentine, Nook? Over Valentine’s weekend UAF women’s basketball hosted Simon Fraser University and Western Washington University on February 12 and 14. With the season coming to a close at the end of the month, the Nanooks are hungry for a win in their remaining six games. The Nanooks lost 54-92 to Simon Fraser; they lost 28-60 against Western Washington.
Five current or former athletes from the University of Alaska Fairbanks will represent their home countries at the Winter Olympics starting next week in Milano, Italy.
