University of Alaska Anchorage sponsors public seminars

The University of Alaska Anchorage began a new seminar series on environmental management last week. The series, sponsored by the Environmental Studies Program at UAA, encompasses strategies, tactics and methods used by agencies, industry, organizations and citizens to effectively communicate goals and objectives, legal or scientific concepts or agendas to set or modify public policy.

The program began Friday and will include 11 more weekly seminars with a cross section of governmental agencies, nongovernmental organizations and citizen advocates.

The seminars began Friday and will be offered for the next 11 weeks. Seminars meet in the UAA Commons conference room from noon to 1:15 p.m. each Friday. They are free and open to the public.

This week, Dorothy Childers of the Alaska Marine Conservation Council will host a seminar titled, "Sustainable Fisheries and Communities: The Role of Science and Advocacy in Marine Conservation."

On Sept. 20, Trevor McCabe, of the At-Sea Processors Association, will lead "An Industry-Initiated Approach to Advocating Sustainable Fisheries Management."

Steve Hennig of the U.S. Forest Service will lead a seminar titled, "Planning the Chugach National Forest: Encouraging Citizen Participation, Balancing Competing Interests, Protecting Resources," on Sept. 27.

Topics for October and November seminars are yet to be announced, but speakers have been arranged.

Pam Miller of the Alaska Community Action on Toxics Forest Management will speak Oct. 11. Michael Finkelstein of the Alaska Rainforest Campaign Wildlife Management will speak Oct. 18. Paul Joslin of the Alaska Wildlife Alliance will lead the Oct. 25 seminar.

November speakers will include Bruce Bartley of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation, Nov. 1; Bob Shavelson of Cook Inlet Keeper, Nov. 8; Ron Klein of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Nov. 15; and Jim Sykes, citizen advocate, Nov. 22.

For more information on the seminar series, contact John DiBari, UAA term assistant professor of biological sciences, by phone at (907) 786-7749 or by e-mail at jdibari@uaa.alaska.edu.

UAA also will host the first statewide conference on Alaska women interested in higher education administration Sept. 13 and 14.

"Alaska Women in Higher Education Conference: Leadership for the New Millennium," is sponsored by the Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence and the University of Alaska Fairbanks Office of Faculty Development, in conjunction with the University of Alaska Statewide.

Friday's events are for university faculty only, however, Saturday's events are open to all women and men in education administration.

Saturday will begin with check in and networking from 9 to 9:30 a.m. Plenary sessions on career pathways for women in higher education administration will be offered from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m., followed by a 15-minute networking time.

From 11 a.m. to noon, sessions will be offered on "Overcoming Barriers to Women's Advancement in Careers in Higher Education" and "Resources and Networks for University Staff to Pursue Careers in Administration in Higher Education."

There will be more networking from noon to 12:15 p.m., then Margaret Wheatley, president of the Berkana Institute, a nonprofit educational and scientific research foundation, will present a keynote speech during lunch from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m.

The afternoon will include a panel discussion on educating women for leadership, more networking and sessions on developing and supporting women's leadership.

The seminar will close with comments and discussion on future conferences, support strategies for women in administration in higher education and community leadership.

The conference is free. To register, visit www.alaska.edu/heac.

In other UAA news, the university and its industry partners celebrated the first graduation of the new Global Supply Chain Management master's degree program Sunday.

Seventeen Alaska industry professional -- including students from military branches, FedEx, Alaska Airlines, Phillips Alaska Inc., Lynden Transport, Matanuska Maid Dairy, the Anchorage Ecomonic Development Corporation and Air Cargo Transport Inc. -- completed the program.