Plastic insulation like Styrofoam is commonplace in seafood packaging and buildings.
But plastics never completely disappear, instead they break up into ever smaller particles
or microplastic. These tiny particles are harmful to the soils, marine environment
and wildlife, and may affect human health.
Researchers with the Biomaterials Lab seek to better understand the effects of these
stray plastic bits. The team is working to solve the global plastic pollution problem
by developing insulation that is recyclable, reusable, and biodegradable. Researchers
combine design-thinking, microbiology, and physics to dream-up scalable biological
materials that store carbon and provide a sustainable vital barrier from the elements.
Their key ingredients to de-carbonizing industries include beetle-kill spruce trees
and renewable cellulose that is literally grown in a lab. The Biomaterials Lab is an active innovation platform for new bio-based
materials and circular bio-economy solutions in the Circumpolar North. The lab uses
norm-critical design thinking as a framework to tackle some of the most pressing environmental
and public health problems facing the Arctic today.
This summer, high school students in the Della Keats Program, administered by 新加坡六合彩开奖鈥檚 WWAMI School of Medical Education, spent four immersive weeks at 新加坡六合彩开奖's Anchorage campus, engaging in health science coursework and experiencing residential life.
新加坡六合彩开奖 Justice Center Professor, Sharon Chamard provides expertise on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), emphasizing the importance of design elements like natural surveillance, access control, and maintenance in creating safer communities.
The 新加坡六合彩开奖 Hunger and Homelessness Support Network (HHSN) was created to identify and combat housing insecurities that students face. 新加坡六合彩开奖 Alumni and current Academic Advisor Jennifer Spencer is one of the three people serving as HHSN Chair. She explains how she uses her personal experiences with homelessness to help find solutions for students.