UAA College of Engineering

Alaska AI Solutions Consortium

Funded by the NSF under Award #2433241
AI Solutions Consortium
Our overarching strategy in the RAISE project is to establishing the Alaska AI Solutions Consortium (AISC) to integrate scattered AI efforts, showcase UAA’s AI research, encourage feedback, and build effective, sustainable partnerships that identify and enhance AI applications in Alaska.

Goal 1

Elevate UAA’s AI capacity by enhancing partnerships and showcasing expertise. Establishing the AISC will initiate the partnerships.

Goal 2

Enhance AI research facilities with AISC support. Through AISC, UAA will upgrade facilities and initiate a faculty mini-grant program to support interdisciplinary AI research.

Goal 3

Establish an AI innovation ecosystem. AISC will identify translational use-inspired R&D areas, pursue a diverse membership, manage R&D project agreements, enhance research infrastructure, and develop a sustainability plan.

Executive Summary

AISC Event on June 18th, 2025
The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) College of Engineering (CoEng) invited community members to the inaugural Alaska AI Solutions Consortium. The meeting was attended by 22 individuals who represented a diversity of sectors that included healthcare, government, engineering, academia, finance, non-profits, startups, rural communities, and small businesses. The purpose of the meeting was to build effective, sustainable partnerships between the university and the community that identify and enhance AI applications in Alaska.

Information presented includes:
  • Examples of UAA’s capabilities in AI relating to academic programs and research, and related resources such as working with students, commercialization, and compliance.
  • An overview of how attendees are using AI in Alaska and areas where AI might be utilized.
  • Spotlights from Executive Board Members included AI usage among healthcare startups, applications for the public good, and in finance.

Anyone with an idea for a project in which AI may be applied can contact us. Typically, but not always, an AI project has a large amount of data to draw from, is definable, and involves some type of predictive analysis. We are happy to meet with interested parties to discuss factors such as risk, privacy, and bias that may play a role in an AI solution.

Next steps:
  • The project team should consider ways to better get the message out and promote the goals of the consortium, perhaps collaborating with marketing students.
  • Consider workshops on specific AI topics in which community members expressed interest.
  • Develop a mechanism to invite community members to submit ideas for AI projects.
  • Develop a mini-grant application process for faculty to work together with a community partner on an AI project.

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RAISE Team Presentations:

Board Member Presentations:

Jacqueline Summers
Download PowerPoint Here for Interactive Slides.
Lori Moore
Download PowerPoint Here for Interactive Slides.
Brendan Babb
Download PowerPoint Here for Interactive Slides.

Event Photos

June 18th, 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

The Alaska AI Solutions Consortium, hosted by the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) College of Engineering (CoEng), is a collaborative initiative to advance artificial intelligence (AI) research and applications tailored to Alaska’s unique challenges. It brings together academic researchers, industry partners, and community stakeholders to develop innovative AI solutions in areas such as energy, healthcare, transportation, and environmental sustainability. The consortium leverages UAA’s expertise, including its new Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, and Engineering program, to address real-world problems in Alaska and beyond.

Alaska AI Solutions Consortium is actively working on developing opportunities for collaboration. Interested parties are encouraged to monitor the consortium’s official page and the UAA College of Engineering LinkedIn for updates and the upcoming RFP.

Yes, the Alaska AI Solutions Consortium focuses on a broad range of AI technologies beyond Large Language Models (LLMs). The consortium’s work includes areas such as computer vision, genetic algorithms, machine learning, and data science applications tailored to Alaska’s needs, such as improving energy infrastructure, healthcare, and climate change solutions. For example, projects like the Foundations for Improving Resilience in the Energy Sector Against Wildfires on Alaskan Lands (FIREWALL) utilize AI to enhance power grid resilience, demonstrating a focus on diverse AI methodologies.

The consortium supports interdisciplinary AI projects addressing Alaska-specific challenges, including energy infrastructure, healthcare, transportation, and environmental sustainability. Examples include AI-driven solutions for wildfire risk mitigation, permafrost monitoring, and health improvements for Alaska Native communities. Projects often involve collaboration between UAA’s faculty, students, and external partners.

The consortium welcomes participation from a diverse group, including industry professionals, government entities, community organizations, and UAA students and faculty. It encourages involvement from individuals with varied academic backgrounds to foster interdisciplinary AI solutions.