By Jeremia Schrock
Sun Star Reporter

This month saw theater major Sam German debut his film, “Visual History of the Alaskan Sea Ice” at the PolarCINEMA film festival, an extension of the 2007-2008 International Polar Year (IPY) conference. German’s film is a montage of photographs and video footage showing the movement of sea ice from the 1950’s up to 2008. While easily a nice addition to any student’s curriculum vitae (to say nothing of an undergraduate’s), what is more impressive is that the film debuted not at a local festival, but in Oslo, Norway. And that German shot the film because he was dirt poor.

“I was having a lot of financial issues at the time,” German said. “There was [an] error in my financial aid. I was paying out-of-state tuition while my aid was being based on the in-state tuition rates so I only got a $140 refund.” As German was living off-campus at the time, money suddenly became one of German’s primary concerns. “So, there was a lot of motivation to get a grant or extra funding from some other place.”

That “other place” ended up being the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). EPSCoR is a university-based, federal-state partnership that aims to enhance science and technology infrastructure in the private sector, government, and education through grants to academic professionals, both student and non-student alike.

German began working on the film in February of 2008. He began by organizing footage shot in 2007 by Maya Salganek, Assistant Professor of Digital Performance Media.  That was followed by a strenuous search through the Rasmuson Library’s Goldmine computer system for any and all archival footage that might have contained images of sea ice. When all was said and done, German estimated that he viewed close to 80 different archival videos in order to acquire enough footage for the film. In May 2008, German traveled to Barrow and spent two weeks shooting with Salganek and a team of student filmmakers before settling down in the summer to begin the editing process.

However, the focus of EPSCoR is on scientific and technological research. German is a theater major with a film minor, not a science student.

“It was a film that was dealing with science so I wondered how “cool” it would be. I also know that I’m not a very “science-y” guy so I wondered how well I would be able to [do] a video about something related to science,” said German. Once he started filming, however, German discovered how motivated and interested the scientists were in their research, a feeling that quickly rubbed off on him. “[It] motivated me to try to create something that they would enjoy…and has inspired me to work more with scientists and try to get their projects/work out there for everyone to see.”

Compiled by Mark Evans
Sun Star Reporter

Persons mentioned in this blotter are innocent until proven guilty.

Friday, April 16, 3:45 p.m.
Someone called to report the theft of approximately $1000 worth of used copper wire that was stored in the fenced area at ski boot hill. An officer responding to the location photographed shoe prints and tire tracks found in the area.

By Jeremia Schrock
Sun Star Contributor

Department: Institute of Arctic Biology

Years at UAF: 7

Why did you come to Alaska?

My husband and I came together. If you’re an academic couple, especially an academic couple whose research areas overlap, you either go to a big center, or you go way out in the hinterland where they are inclined to hire couples because couples are more likely to stay.

When did you come up to Alaska?

August 2003.

What do you like best about Alaska?

I don’t know if it’s about Alaska, I mean, it’s about Fairbanks. What I really like about Fairbanks is that it’s got kind of a small town camaraderie to it, but it’s not so small of a town that you don’t have some of the amenities.

Compiled by Mark Evans
Sun Star Reporter

Persons mentioned in this blotter are innocent until proven guilty.

Friday, April 9, 5:39 p.m.

An unknown man was seen handing out $1 bills to kids in the Hess Village area. Somebody took his picture and e-mailed it to police for follow up. Still no word on who the suspect is but he is apparently not Bill Gates.

Saturday, April 10, 10:19 a.m.

Police received a report of possible stalking by telephone.

By Angela Milliron
Sun Star Contributor

Department: Journalism

Years teaching at UAF: 4

What brought you to UAF?

My wife and I were looking for a little adventure. I’d just finished my master’s degree and so we were open to almost anywhere. I was applying to jobs all over the place and it was between UAF and Ohio University. Fairbanks won out because Fairbanks is a little more exciting.

Where were you and what were you doing before you came to UAF?

I was in Michigan working full time making videos and doing documentary filmmaking on the side.

Have you completed any documentaries?

I’ve done a couple. The last one I did is called “Finding Their Own Dance.” It’s about Alutiiq natives in the Kodiak Region of Alaska who have started performing their traditional native dances again after centuries of Russian and American influence tried to strip their culture from them. The documentary talks about the challenges of how, in a way, they had to start from scratch in terms of what their tradition is.

Compiled by Mark Evans
Sun Star Reporter

Persons mentioned in this blotter are innocent until proven guilty.

Thursday, April 1, 12:28 a.m.

A woman called to report that she and her friend were walking the ski trails behind West Ridge when they encountered a moose. They ran away from the moose, but dropped an iPhone. She said the moose was still there and they were getting very cold but, h-e-l-l-o, it is an iPhone.

She requested assistance back to her vehicle and help with retrieving the iPhone. An officer went on the Ski Trails with the Rhino, recovered the iPhone and gave the women a courtesy ride back to their vehicle at IARC.

By Jeremia Schrock
Sun Star Contributor

Department: Atmospheric Sciences
Years Teaching at UAF: 9

When did you first move to Alaska?

In 2001.

Why?

I was spending my sabbatical at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. It’s kind of the place to go if you are an atmospheric scientist. I had the habit of going to the library over lunch, and looking through the magazines. There was this advertisement for the position here. I called my husband and said to him, ‘There’s a position that exactly fits my profile. The only thing that’s missing is my name on it!” And he said, “Well, then apply!’” ‘Well, it’s in Fairbanks.’ He said, “Apply!” “But, you know, Fairbanks is in Alaska.” And he said, “Apply!” So, that’s what brought us up here.

Compiled by Mark Evans
Sun Star Reporter

Persons mentioned in this blotter are innocent until proven guilty.

Note to self: Pick up air freshener for the car

Saturday, March 27, 12:56 a.m.

During a traffic stop for moving and equipment violations, the officer smelled the odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle. The driver, Rodney D. Carpluk , 22 of Fairbanks, was arrested and transported to FCC on one count of DUI. A community service officer escorted Carpluk’s passenger to her residence and Badger Towing got the car.

By Andrew Sheeler
Sun Star Reporter

How did you two meet?

Shiva: When we were pursuing our Ph.D’s, we were going to lunch and we thought why don’t we make this a relationship. It was a challenge, because both our mentors were rivals. So we never knew what each other was doing because of professional secrecy. We lead our own research activities, but we’ve learned how to keep our things separate.

Fairbanks local Jeff Rogers gets his head shaved Saturday in support of St. Baldrick's fundraiser at Pioneer Park. Photo by Josh Straub/The Sun Star

By Jeremia Schrock
Sun Star Contributor

Last Saturday at Pioneer Park, local firefighters had their heads shaved to raise money for cancer research. The St. Baldrick’s Day head shaving event, an annual St Patrick’s Day fundraising tradition for area firefighters, raised awareness and more than $25,000 for children with cancer.

This year’s event had special significance for Benjamin Flagel, one of two masters of ceremonies at the event. Flagel said that raising awareness about cancer had become personal after the death of a friend’s niece, and the loss of a fellow firefighter. “We lost our battalion chief (Phil Rounds) last year and of course he’s not a kid, but cancer’s cancer.”

Justin Boddy, a captain with the North Star Volunteer Fire Department, has organized the St. Baldrick’s Day event locally for the past four years. Boddy said that the event was for the public, not just for firefighters. Kristi Downing, a local mother who has raised $2,000 in donations so far, volunteered to have her head shaved because it seemed like the right thing to do. “To give back something. To experience something that I’m lucky enough to be able to do by choice,” she said, referring to the many cancer patients who lose their hair because of chemotherapy.