The R.G. White Large Animal Research Station, or LARS, collected 1,797 pounds of food for the Fairbanks Community Food Bank during its annual Locals Day on Saturday, Sept. 12.The event invited Fairbanks-area residents to visit the 130-acre facility north of Fairbanks to learn about the reindeer, muskoxen and wood bison herds.Instead of an admission feel, LARS asked visitors to bring three nonperishable food items to support local food security efforts.
A $300,000 grant to the University of Alaska Museum of the North will pay for exhibits centered on the abandoned bus made famous by the “Into the Wild” book and movie.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks and Eielson Air Force Base have signed a housing agreement to utilize unused housing on campus to solve a shortage on base. As the recent growth on base has outpaced infrastructure, the Air Force has been searching for a medium to long-term solution to house its members.
Collective bargaining has begun between university leadership and CAUSE-UAW, or the Coalition of Alaska University Staff for Equity. The union is working in partnership with the University of Alaska to secure higher wages, better healthcare, and holiday and sick leave.
The safest outdoor adventures always begin with preparation, especially in Alaska. Wildlife, from squirrels to bears, can be thrilling to see, but it is important to be prudent about how you interact with these animals.
A common sight on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus is the moose. The key to coexisting with moose is to give them plenty of space.
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?
In getting ready to welcome Rosh Hashanah, the start of the Jewish New Year, I am also excited to celebrate a personal anniversary of a very meaningful professional milestone: twenty years since the completion of my BFA degree at UAF. Shortly after the onset of the current millennium, I felt like the luckiest person on Earth to be a Painting and Printmaking student at the UAF Art Department, living in Alaska as a newly confirmed US citizen – then a recent asylum-granted refugee, having experienced firsthand the mandatory service in the Soviet Army and the collapse of the country that enforced that mandate.
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.
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.
After working as the Professor of Photography and the Chair of the Department of Science and Environmental Journalism at the University of Alaska Fairbanks for 36 years, Charles Mason said it’s time to retire.
The spring semester of 2026 has been slowly coming to an end, and with finals approaching everyone is anticipating their summer break. We asked students around campus what their summer plans are.
Last week, veteran journalist and current Snedden Endowed Chair of Journalism Paula Dobbyn, who holds more than three decades of experience, lectured on the power of local journalism and the state of the industry today.
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!
There will be mud! Last Sunday, new student orientation leaders in collaboration with Nanook Recreation hosted a mud volleyball tournament in the Tanana parking lot. Eight teams of students faced off in a battle for the winning title. The tournament also had a complimentary barbecue and other field games such as spikeball for students to enjoy.
Twenty-one students in UAF’s Emerging Scholars program traveled to Denali National Park on Aug. 14, where they hiked near the Savage River and watched a dog mushing demonstration before boarding the Alaska Railroad for a four-hour trip back to Fairbanks.
As the plane descended through the clouds over the Bering Sea, the city of Nome slowly appeared below. I had heard about Nome my entire life, but seeing the remote Alaskan town from the air was different.
Peonies may be one of Alaska’s most successful specialty crops, and the Georgeson Botanical garden celebrated that legacy during its annual Wine and Peonies fundraiser.
During their last meeting of the school year the Associated Students of the University of Alaska Fairbanks resolved previously presented bills and discussed the future of the Senate.
At their second-to-last meeting of the academic year, the Associated Students of the University of Alaska Fairbanks updated bills, bylaw sections and discussed the budget for fiscal year 2027.
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.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks women’s and men’s basketball teams hosted the Montana State University Billings Yellowjackets and the Seattle Pacific University Falcons for a pair of GNAC matchups on January 22 and 24.
The Alaska Nanooks competed at home for the last time this season, hosting Westmont College on Friday and Saturday, January 16 and 17, for a two day heated rivalry. The Nanooks secured a 100-86 victory over the Westmont Warriors on Friday, but fell short 91-95 in a close battle on Saturday.
