About

Welcome to Frontier Scientists, where new discoveries in the Far North unfold before your eyes.

From the Alaskan Arctic comes a fascinating series of short videos to entertain as well as inspire. Learn how ancient humans hunted whales with poison spears. Watch wildlife encounters in places where bears outnumber people. See how birds benefit from abundant bug life to feed their babies in one of the world’s great wildlife nurseries.

Archaeology

About_Volcano_MichelleHikingSteam
Volcanoes

This is field science in one of the last great frontiers.

Frontier Scientists puts you in the front row to observe breaking scientific news from leading Arctic scientists in Archaeology, Geology, Anthropology, the Humanities, Biology, Marine Biology, Ecology, Chemistry and more.

You’ll be along when the scientists themselves are startled by the unexpected. Their Living Research Laboratories are so remote that our researchers are often the first modern visitors to set foot in these pristine locations.

You’ll also see field reports on amazing natural phenomena, buried archaeological artifacts, grizzly bears, active volcanoes, and ancient Native artistry.

About_Petroglyphs_SodSurveyingPatrickLance
Petroglyphs

Frontier Scientists is for travelers, teachers, students, aspiring scientists, and anyone interested in scientific discovery in one of the last great unexplored regions– the Alaskan Arctic.

View the first video now!

Connect with us, share your own Alaskan and Arctic experiences on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, and let us know what interests you.

The goal of the Frontier Scientist web site and of the materials created for distribution here, web-wide and for TV broadcast, is to excite the general public about ongoing science in Alaska and the Arctic. Science understanding for all includes research in many different studies including: Humanities, Geology, Biology, Marine Biology, Archaeology, Ecology, Chemistry and more.

 

The scientists of Frontier Scientist are guiding the educators, who are helping to translate the information for you.

Here are the Educators:


educator Bob McCoy
Dr. Robert McCoy, Director, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks

 

Dr. Robert McCoy was appointed as Director of the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks in October of 2011. He received his A.B. in Physics from Cornell University in 1974, his M.S. in Physics from Texas A&M in 1976 and his Ph.D. in Astro-Geophysics from the University of Colorado in 1981. Dr. McCoy is the author of more than 70 publications in scientific and technical journals. He has more than 15 years of research administrative experience at the Office of Naval Research and previously served as the Technical Director for the Operationally Responsive Space Office and the Team Leader for the Space Science Team for the Office of Naval Research. Throughout his career, Dr. McCoy has overseen multimillion-dollar operating budgets and managed interdisciplinary teams of scientists, engineers, contractors and students. In 2013 Dr. McCoy was appointed as an American Meteorological Society Fellow. He has received a variety of awards, including the Rotary International Stellar Award in 2010, the NRL 75th Anniversary Innovator Award in 1998, the Alan Berman Publication Award in 1994 and 2001, as well as, earned the NRL Group Achievement Award in 1983 and the NASA Group Achievement Award in 2004.


educator Liz O'Connell
Liz O’Connell, Frontier Scientists Director

 

Elizabeth O’Connell is Frontier Scientists’ project director. She has over 30 years experience in broadcast media, with an avid interest in new media. The company WonderVisions spearheading this concept has primarily worked in the Arctic and with scientists or naturalists. Her hobbies include birding, telephone pictionary, running downhill and in water, exploring the trails. Academic interests include: a curiosity about everything.

 


educator Laura Nielsen
Laura Nielsen, writer & editor

 

Laura Nielsen is a recent college graduate, newly returned from study and travel in China. She is an activist who hopes to promote lifelong learning and see positive change implemented through non-profit organizations and other forms of societal education. She looks forward to bringing a layman’s perspective to Frontier Scientists’ projects while using technology to improve communication and distribution of science information. Hobbies include: reading, swimming, photography, and storytelling.

 


educator Aaron Andrews
Aaron Andrews, App developer

 

Aaron Andrews is a computer science student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and Research Project Assistant at Arctic Region Supercomputing Center, within the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute. Aaron writes software programs for Frontier Scientists’ mobile and website applications.

 


educator Jay Byam
Jay Byam, App developer

 

Jay Byam studies computer science at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He is commissioned as a Research Project Assistant at the Arctic Region Supercomputing Center within the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute. Jay Byam and counterpart Steven Farabaugh develop the Android portion of the Frontier Scientists application. Jay’s rare unoccupied moments are spent making music, playing basketball and taking long walks on the beach.

 


educator Steven Farabaugh
Steven Farabaugh, App developer

 

Steven Farabaugh studies electrical engineering at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and serves as a Research Project Assistant at the Arctic Region Supercomputing Center within the University Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute. Steven is a developer for the Frontier Scientists Android application. Steven’s hobbies include camping, math, and software development.

 


educator Oralee Nudson
Oralee Nudson, Lead User Consultant, Arctic Region Supercomputing Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks

 

Oralee Nudson: I enjoy helping people learn about and access High Performance Computing through my work as the Lead User Consultant and Student Employee Supervisor for ARSC. My educational background includes completing my MS in Computer Science from UAF, and a BS in Computer Science and BS in Psychology from Boise State University. Beyond work I enjoy making artist books, metalsmithing and jewelry making, trail running, and living off the grid.

 


educator Deborah Perry
Deborah Perry, Selinda Research Associates

 

Deborah Perry is director of Selinda Research Associates, located in Chicago and will provide evaluation, research, and consultation services for Frontier Scientists. Deborah will build on her background and experience in informal science settings by reporting findings so that they can be applied to the ongoing development of the project. She has a Ph.D. in Instructional Systems Technology. Her hobbies include international folk dancing, backpacking, and dog agility. Academic interests include: exploring the role of intrinsic motivation in informal learning, focusing on the question “What makes learning fun?”

 


educator Merry Ann Moore
Merry Ann Moore, Moore Creative

 

Merry Ann Moore is principal of Moore Creative, a strategic communications firm. She has 25 years’ experience helping corporations, government, small businesses and non-profits communicate in ways that motivate, educate and inspire their audiences. Her hobbies include: horses, hiking, camping, cycling, the Sunday crossword and walking the dogs. Interests include: environmental conservation, education reform, English Premier League and international soccer.

 


educator Kent Miller
Kent Miller, Photojournalist, Professor

 

Kent Miller is an assistant professor of photojournalism and new media in the Department of Journalism at Central Michigan University. Miller’s photography has been published in international, national and regional online and print publications. He has won numerous awards including honorable mention. Miller has been a photojournalist since 1988. He worked as a staff photographer for the Flint Journal for eight years, a staff photographer for The Bloomington Herald-Times for two years, and a photo editor for the Bay City Times for eight years. Miller travels to Alaska yearly to make photographs for the National Park Service. He has arranged agreements for photo/new media interns to work in Denali National Park and Kenai Fjords National Park. The agreements enable his students to get hands on experience working with the media specialist at each park. Miller holds a master’s degree in communication and multimedia from Saginaw Valley State University. His web site is: http://www.kentmiller.com.

 


educator Deborah Mercy
Deborah Mercy, Videographer

 

Deborah Mercy has been a commercial fisherman, an Anchorage television reporter, and for the last 25 years a video producer for the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. She has been writing, directing, editing and producing marine educational videos in Alaska for over 25 years. Her subjects include marine debris, the CDQ program, marine safety and survival, and climate change, for which she has used her unique footage from rural Alaska communities and on board at-sea fishing vessels. Mercy’s work has been used by trainers to save lives at sea, by fishermen trying to maintain their businesses during hard economic times, and by community residents planning for environmental change. Her work has been shown throughout Alaska on 360 North, the History Channel, and other national outlets.

The goal of the Frontier Scientist web site and of the materials created for distribution here, web-wide and for TV broadcast, is to excite the  general public about ongoing science in Alaska and the Arctic.

Science understanding for all includes research in many different studies including: Humanities, Geology, Biology, Marine Biology, Archaeology, Ecology, Chemistry and more.