Glenna Gannon stands with the nine tomato varieties she is trialing to determine which ones are most suitable for Interior Alaska.
By Laura Weingartner
The sun was out and the science was on at the 2025 Arctic Research Open House. Hundreds of people flocked to the University of Alaska Fairbanks Troth Yeddha’ Campus on Thursday, May 15, to wander West Ridge and stop at the many booths researchers set up with engaging activities to share their science with the public.
Jakir Hasan speaks with a family about his grain breeding research while they sample barley crackers
This family-friendly open house, held annually in May, invites the community to learn about UAF research. Lava demonstrations, birch syrup tasting, and a chance to dig up clams on a virtual beach to imitate biologists studying clam physiology and ecology were a few of many hands-on activities that highlighted the diversity of research at UAF.
A future astronaut puzzles together the state of Alaska
Samples of birch syrup from sites on two different sides of the same hill are filled for taste-testing
Outside the West Ridge Greenhouse, Institute of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Extension researchers showcased agriculture, forestry and remote sensing work. Visitors sampled crackers made with barley flour while learning about Jakir Hasan’s work breeding barley and other grains in search of a high-quality, high-yielding plant for Alaska farmers. UAF horticulture Professor Meriam Karlsson and greenhouse research professional Eric Cook grew hundreds of dwarf sunflower seedlings, which IANRE Director Jodie Anderson handed out. They also showed off the different-colored lights they use to determine the best way to grow plants in a greenhouse.
Eric Cook shows off plants grown under LEDs (light-emitting diodes). Cook works with Meriam Karlsson, experimenting with different colors of LEDs for the best growth response in plants.
Glenna Gannon, assistant professor of sustainable food systems, displayed nine varieties of tomatoes she’s growing this year and gave recommendations to gardeners about the best varieties to grow, depending on their needs. Jan Dawe of OneTree Alaska organized a birch syrup tasting designed to showcase how syrup from trees growing on opposite sides of the same hill can taste quite different.
People worked on Associate Professor of GIS and Remote Sensing Santosh Panda’s giant Alaska puzzle, created using satellite imagery, and spoke to Art Nash about detecting radon, a colorless and odorless gas that can be harmful to humans.
With more than two dozen other UAF research units and facilities participating in the open house, visitors had a wide variety of activities to watch or participate in within the three-hour window of the event. It wasn’t enough time to do everything, and visitors were still stopping by during clean-up, hoping for a last-minute greenhouse tour or, at least, a sunflower to take home.
