ALI marks a season of milestones: Retreats, summits and a new cohort of Arctic Leaders

Spring 2026 brought the Arctic Leadership Initiative (ALI) to a pivotal moment: the close of its inaugural two-year faculty cycle and the announcement of the next generation of students, fellows and scholars. The season's centerpiece was the ALI Spring Retreat + Arctic Encounter Summit (April 13-17, Anchorage). UA President Pat Pitney addressed the cohort, and a leadership panel featured UA VP Brian Smentkowski, Cheryl Rosa (U.S. Arctic Research Commission), and Susan Bell (Huna Totem).

At AES (500+ attendees from 25 countries), ALI's three student Arctic Challenge teams presented work on permafrost infrastructure failure in Point Lay, salmon food web disruption, and Southeast landslide risk communication. The spring also marked the near-completion of inaugural terms for President's Arctic Professors Larry Hinzman, Jeffrey Libby, and Erica Hill, and ALI's first Early Career Faculty Fellows, including UAA's Memphis Hill.

Looking ahead: incoming Professors Eugenie Euskirchen (UAF), Raghu Srinivasan (UAA), and Eran Hood (UAS); four new Fellows (including Amy Cross at UAA) starting summer 2026; 25 students selected for the 2026-27 undergraduate and graduate cohort; four Arctic Engagement Awards; and four Ambassador Travel and Residency Awards. Full names, bios and project details are available online. Together, these announcements mark ALI's evolution from a founding proposition into a system-wide initiative with growing momentum.