March 30, 2011
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Hanover, N.H. — An educational outreach program, Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP), established by the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) and supported by ERDC's Human Capital Initiative, has provided a unique hands-on intern experience for an Alaska Native student.
Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) ANSEP Intern Austin Stewart, along with researchers Beth Astley and Ann Staples from CRREL's Alaska Projects Office, attended the ANSEP annual awards banquet Jan. 28, where Stewart received an award for maintaining an above 3.0 grade point average in UAA's mechanical engineering program.
Students selected for UAA's ANSEP receive financial support, special programs, and a community support system from middle school through graduate degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
College-level ANSEP students are provided internships relating to their area of interest and are mentored by CRREL scientists and engineers. CRREL has sponsored an intern for the past three years in Alaska.
In 2009, CRREL entered into a formal agreement with the university to host ANSEP students with Stewart as CRREL's first intern. He has assisted researchers in the Biogeochemical Sciences Branch and the Force Projection and Sustainment Branch in Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska. This year marks his third year with CRREL.
"Involvement with the ANSEP program has been a win-win situation for our office," said Beth Astley, a physical scientist. "Austin has assisted with research including geophysical field work on Fort Wainwright, sample collection and engineering activities at Eagle River Flats on Fort Richardson, and processing sediment samples from the Port of Anchorage. These projects have given him valuable experiences, while providing crucial support to CRREL research."
ANSEP not only benefits the student by providing unique, hands-on research and engineering experiences, but the sponsoring organization benefits by mentoring future researchers who can bring a fresh outlook to current research and future initiatives.
"The UAA ANSEP program provides us a means to develop talented native Alaska S&E's [scientists and engineers] for future ERDC positions. At the same time, we learn a lot from their perspectives as native Alaskans on engineering and environmental issues confronting ERDC and USACE," said Susan Koh, CRREL's strategic workforce planner and CRREL STEM Educational Outreach manager.