Month: December 2012

Hear a replay of the interview with Assistant Professor of Economics, Lance Howe, December 24 at 9am and December 27 at 5pm on KRUA, 88.1, The Edge.

On Thursday, December 6, at 5pm, Assistant Professor of Economics, Lance Howe, spoke on Informania about the Experimental Economics Laboratory at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Professor Howe shared information about the history of economics, starting with Adam Smith, “the father of economics.”

Professor Howe also shared information about the influence of experimental economics by Dr. Vernon Smith, Nobel Prize winner in Economics in 2002.  Vernon Smith (http://economics.gmu.edu/people/vsmithemeritus) has been a great asset in the development of Experimental Economics at the University of Alaska Anchorage.  Dr. Smith was the first Rasmuson Chair of Economics at UAA in 2003.  What a first-rate way to begin a successful experimental economics program!

Lance Howe also shared information about the International Foundation for Research in Experimental Economics (IFREE), inspired by Dr. Vernon Smith and Mary Caslin Ross.  IFREE supports research and education in experimental economics.  IFREE has sponsored experimental economics workshops at UAA.  For more information, go to:  http://www.ifreeweb.org/about/index.php.

Read about Exploring Frontier Economics in Alaska, by IFREE Alumni Kyle Hampton at http://www.ifreeweb.org/WhatWeDo/FrontierEconAlaska.php

For information about the Experimental Economics Lab in the College of Business and Public Policy at the University of Alaska Anchorage, go to:  http://econlab.uaa.alaska.edu/

On December 17, 2012, Jodee Kuden, Head of Collection Development at the Consortium Library, talked with Deb the Librarian about the cost of books and journal subscriptions, and the process for prioritizing and selecting items for the collection.

The Consortium Library’s faculty librarians are liaisons to the different colleges and departments at the University of Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Pacific University.  In this role, the librarians not only teach students about conducting Library research for classes in their subject areas, but also order books and journals for the Library’s collection.  This activity in the Library world is called Collection Development.  As the Head of Collection Development, Jodee has been successful in successfully negotiating and obtaining useful academic  electronic book and journal packages for UAA and APU students to access on- and off-campus.

The most recent subscription purchased is Congressional Publications.  This amazing historical resource includes House and Senate Hearings and Congressional Committee Reports as far back as 1789, and numerous other  Congressional documents back into the 1800s.  If you are doing historical research relevant to decisions made by the United States government (for example, Alaska statehood), this is the source for you!

When deciding what sources to purchase, it is essential to know what the strategic priorities are for degrees offered at UAA and APU.  Also, in order to build a useful collection, each subject librarian must also know what courses the colleges and departments in their subject areas are offering, so they can predict the research resource needs of their students and faculty.

Paula Williams, Director of the Office of Sustainability at the University of Alaska Anchorage, shared information about the history of environmental sustainability at UAA; efforts by UAA Facilitites, Planning and Construction in creating a Master Plan that includes sustainability; actions that UAA students, staff and faculty can take to help the environment; and opportunities for students to get involved in sustainability efforts on campus.

OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY

The Office of Sustainability was introduced in 2009 thanks to the efforts of a faculty-driven council on sustainability.  According to their web site, an ad hoc committe on sustainability was first established in 2003, the year that Faculty Senate and USUAA approved the Talloires Declaration University Leaders for a Sustainable Future.  For more information about the Talloires Declaration, go to http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/sustainability/talloires.cfm.  Read more about the history of the Office of Sustainability at: http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/sustainability/About/history.cfm

Information, in general, about the Office of Sustainability can be found at http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/sustainability/

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN TAKING A COURSE ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY?

Students interested in taking sustainability-minded courses can find a list at:  http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/sustainability/upload/Sustainability-Courses.pdf

GREEN FEE Grants

A three dollar Green Fee per student was voted on and approved by the Union of Students (see referenda #12-01 at  http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/unionofstudents/structure/upload/Referandum-12-1.pdf )

The Green Fee money will be used to fund projects that are sustainability-focused.  More information to come…

WHAT ARE UAA DEPARTMENTS DOING TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT?

Learn about what different UAA Departments are doing to improve sustainability: http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/sustainability/What-is-UAA-Doing/index.cfm