September 6, 2012
On Thursday, August 30, Director Watson visited the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) at the University of Alaska at Anchorage. While there, he met with Mike Bourdukofsky, the programs Regional Director. The two discussed the specifics of the program and how it is benefitting Alaska Native youth. ANSEP is a unique program that identifies and develops future engineers to fill the unfolding needs for these technical experts within Alaska. Over the course of its 15 years existence, ANSEP has supported Alaska Native youth from sixth grade science and math courses through their PhD studies.
During his visit, Director Watson and Bourdukofsky discussed several key topics that support and develop Alaska Native students. Bourdukofsky explained the methods that ANSEP and the University of Alaska at Anchorage use to develop potential science, technology, engineering and math students at a young age from across the State. As an example, he detailed the significant outreach efforts, such as working with science and math teachers in developing special distance learning-projects for students to take part in during the regular school year and subsequently applying to attend the ANSEP Middle School Academy or the Acceleration Academy, both of which are 12-day programs hosted by the University of Alaska at Anchorage on campus each summer.
ANSEP partners come from across a wide strata of social, cultural, business and government organizations in their support of these efforts. BSEE and BOEM are both working to develop internship opportunities and other projects that can increase the opportunities for the more than 150 students presently enrolled in this unique program.
For more information, please visit the ANSEP website.
Director Watson surveys the Arctic coast during a visit to Alaska to meet with
stakeholders about drilling on the North Slope. (Photo by Tami Heilemann)