Chemical engineering degree path opens for Alaska students
February 25, 2016
Marmian Grimes
907-474-7902
The University of Alaska Anchorage and University of Alaska Fairbanks have joined
forces with Washington State University to make it easier for Alaska students to earn
chemical engineering degrees.
The 2+2 agreement allows Alaska students to fulfill the first two years of core requirements
at UAA or UAF, then complete the final two years of study in Pullman, Washington,
at Washington State University’s Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering.
Students would earn their degrees from WSU. The program comes with no additional cost
to UAF and UAA and will begin accepting students immediately.
“We are pleased to be able to make use of existing resources on all three campuses
to offer new opportunities and bright futures for our students and our state,” said
Fred Barlow, dean of the UAA College of Engineering.
Industry partners have demonstrated strong support for a chemical engineering program
in Alaska, in part to reduce the need to recruit outside the state. Hiring graduates
with existing ties to Alaska helps reduce expensive turnover.
“We know that Alaska industry needs chemical engineers, and a full four-year program
is part of UAF’s long-term plan to meet that need,” said Doug Goering, dean of the
UAF College of Engineering and Mines. “Until that’s a reality, the agreement with
WSU offers our students an immediate option to earn this high-demand degree and then
return home to live and work.”
The program is designed to encourage Alaskans to return after graduation through incentives
such as Alaska-based internships. This collaboration opens up more opportunities for
Alaskans and demonstrates the university’s cooperation with the state and engineering
industry to help fill gaps in Alaska’s workforce.
“This collaborative program recognizes the historically strong linkages between Washington
and Alaska, and we're pleased to be able to help meet the need for a chemical engineering
program for students from Alaska," said Candis Claiborn, dean of the WSU Voiland College
of Engineering and Architecture.
The three universities, along with industry and community partners, will celebrate
the collaboration at a ceremony on Friday, Feb. 26, at 3:30 p.m., in the second floor
atrium of the UAA Engineering and Industry Building in Anchorage.
ADDITIONAL CONTACTS: Jessica Hamlin, UAA University Relations, 907-786-1288, jdhamlin@uaa.alaska.edu.
NOTE TO EDITORS: The deans from each university will be available for interviews from 1:30–2 p.m. on
Friday, Feb. 26. Please contact one of the media representatives listed above if interested.
ON THE WEB:
Washington State University: wsu.edu
University of Alaska Fairbanks: www.uaf.edu
University of Alaska Anchorage: uaa.alaska.edu