This project addresses a critical gap in an oncology research department at a large Alaska healthcare provider by developing a comprehensive guide that documents the roles, responsibilities, and workflows of key positions. The department includes three research nurses, a pediatric Clinical Research Associate (CRA), an adult CRA, a regulatory coordinator, and a manager. Currently, no formal documentation exists to outline the foundational operational workflows of each role, resulting in isolated knowledge and the risk of operational disruptions if staff turnover occurs. This project aims to safeguard against these risks by thoroughly documenting the core functions, processes, and interdependencies of each position. The resulting guides will serve as an essential resource for onboarding new staff, ensuring the continuity of institutional knowledge, and fostering cross-functional collaboration among team members. Additionally, the guides will enhance the department’s ability to standardize operations, improve efficiency, accountability, and organizational maturity. Beyond acting as a knowledge base, this resource will provide a structured framework to support departmental growth, enabling it to justify budgetary needs, scale operations effectively, and adapt to future changes. Ultimately, this project will ensure the department’s resilience and sustainability by preserving critical knowledge and aligning team efforts with organizational goals.

The (N)ice Cream Shop Business Plan Project explores the feasibility of launching a nitrogen-infused ice cream shop in Eagle River, Alaska. With no direct competition, this venture offers a unique opportunity, though it must address financial feasibility, regulatory requirements, and market competition. The project follows a structured two-phase approach: 1. Research and Planning: Conducting market analysis, financial forecasting, and risk assessment to determine demand, pricing strategy, and potential challenges. 2. Business Plan Development: Using findings to create an investor-ready business plan, including operations, funding, and a project management framework for implementation. A key component involves assessing consumer interest. Among respondents who were unfamiliar with nitrogen ice cream, 46.5% expressed a willingness to try it after learning about its benefits. Additionally, 49.6% were drawn to its freshness, 38.8% appreciated its smooth texture, and 43.2% were intrigued by the fog effect it produces. These findings indicate a demand for premium, customized desserts. Project management principles such as risk, scope, and change management are integrated to guide implementation. Next steps include refining financial projections, securing investment, and finalizing operations. With an innovative offering and structured execution, The (N)ice Cream Shop aims to deliver a novel dessert experience blending quality, entertainment, and customization.

This project developed a comprehensive and scalable event planning template for university employee recognition. Universities tend to struggle with employee engagement and retention, in part due to inconsistent or underdeveloped recognition events. The template was designed to celebrate employee milestones and contributions while simultaneously promoting morale, engagement, and a sense of belonging throughout the institution. As many universities encounter challenges related to employee retention and engagement, this plan offers a practical approach to recognizing employee achievements. Recognizing the longevity milestones and contributions of employees throughout the institution proved critical for improving job satisfaction and overall employee engagement retention. Key components of such an event typically feature a longevity and award ceremony, a keynote speaker session, catered meals, and professional development activities. The plan will also include guidelines for effectively engaging remote employees, emphasizing inclusiveness and support across various university settings. The project ran for 8 months (September 23, 2024 – May 1, 2025). As the plan focuses on developing a planning tool rather than executing an event, no budget was required. Ultimately, the final deliverable provides universities with a practical and adaptable resource to implement a meaningful and consistent employee recognition program.

The electricity sector is a major producer of carbon dioxide emissions. Specifically in Fairbanks, Alaska. The electricity sector is also a producer of PM2.5 emissions. PM2.5 emissions are particles that form in the air from complex chemical reactions in sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides which are emitted from nonrenewable power plants. Research shows (Wu, 2023) that both carbon emissions and PM2.5 emissions have negative influences on the environmental and social welfare of citizens. Carbon emissions contribute to climate change, while PM2.5 emissions pose serious threats to human health. In 2009, the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) was declared a nonattainment area by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A nonattainment area is a designated area that does not meet the standard for clean air quality in the United States. Carbon emissions and PM2.5 emissions have lowered the air quality within the FNSB and contributes to global warming. Within the United States as a whole, approximately 40% of all human-induced carbon emissions come from electricity generators powered by fossil fuels. The policy problem is how best to encourage the FNSB to transition to more renewable energy sources. Transitioning the electricity sector away from fossil fuels to renewable energy would curb carbon emissions and PM2.5 emissions from this sector. However, renewable energy sources often entail high costs, intermittency, and insufficient generation capacity. Within the FNSB, the power producer is Golden Valley Electric Company (GVEA). GVEA was founded in 1946 and now operates nine nonrenewable and renewable power plants while also purchasing power from around the state of Alaska. Through the combination of power plants it owns and operates, GVEA is on average operating on 23.4% renewable and 76.6% nonrenewable energy sources. GVEA has set goals for carbon reduction and implemented a strategic generation plan to increase their use of renewable energy; however, the state of Alaska has not implemented any renewable energy transition policies. Two models of renewable energy transition policies that have been proposed to curb emissions are a carbon tax and renewable portfolio standard (RPS). A carbon tax puts a tax on the amount of emissions that power producers emit into the atmosphere, while an RPS requires power producers to produce a minimum amount of electricity coming from renewable energy. Both policies are designed to encourage the reduction of nonrenewable energy sources. This analysis looks at the costs and benefits of a carbon tax and an RPS being implemented on GVEA’s nine owned and operated power plants. The costs of the power plants are totaled to calculate the short term marginal costs ($/mwh) and the long term Levelized Cost of Energy ($/mwh). The costs collected include capital costs, variable operating and maintenance costs, fuel costs, social cost of PM2.5, and the social cost of carbon. The benefits are revenue, benefit from PM2.5 reduction per ton, and benefit from CO2 reduction per ton. All the costs and benefits are collected from the years 2017- 2021 and averaged to get an average annual cost and benefit estimate. A pigouvian carbon tax is used to internalize the external cost of carbon through making the social cost of carbon equivalent to the carbon tax. The RPS is stimulated using GVEA’s proposed strategic generation plan which calls for the retirement of a nonrenewable power plant and the addition of a wind farm and new battery energy storage system (BESS). In this scenario the LCOE estimates are used to estimate the costs of the new renewable plants under the RPS scenario. This is because in the short term they will have to be initially built which will include capital costs. The other power plants that already exist and will continue to exist will use the marginal costs to estimate their costs because they are already up and running. This paints a realistic picture of the costs of implementing the RPS tomorrow. The implementation of a carbon tax results in a notable shift in both costs and benefits. Initially, the costs rose by $39,523,800 from the baseline. This increase is directly tied to the amount of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere, as the carbon tax is set equal to the social cost of carbon. These costs are specifically the marginal costs per megawatt-hour ($/MWh), as all power plants in this scenario are already established. Conversely, the benefits experience an increase. The benefits increased from the baseline by $101,982,620. This increase in benefits stems from various sources. First, it includes the government revenue generated from the tax itself. Additionally, there are substantial gains from the reduction in both CO2 emissions and PM2.5 These reductions occur as nonrenewable power plants, faced with the burden of the tax, are priced out of the market. These high-emission plants find themselves unable to sustain operations as their costs far surpass their revenue. Consequently, they are forced to cease operations, resulting in a decrease in both CO2 emissions and PM2.5. This further amplifies the overall benefits derived from the carbon tax. The benefit-cost ratio for both policies is above one,

During 1986, reports were received that some cadastral survey monuments were being pushed from the found in cold climates by frost heave action. Early reports stated that the rod-type monuments were given the most trouble. Meetings were held at various cadastral survey offices to discuss the frost heave problem and to determine a course of action to study the problem in more depth. By thoroughly investigating this problem and with proper evaluation, it was hoped that procedure could be developed that may reduce or even prevent some of this frost heaving. It was concluded that two frost heave sites would be carefully selected and established to study and evaluate how frost heave action affects: 1. Various monument designs 2. Various materials 3. Various installation practices 4. Varying depths monuments are set 5. Use of finned aluminum rods This is the ninth report covering the ninth visit to both sites during March 2021.

This project seeks to establish an Alumni Program for the Chugach Heritage Foundation. Chugach Heritage Foundation is a nonprofit arm of Chugach Alaska Corporation, an Alaska Native Corporation established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Chugach Heritage Foundation provides scholarships and cultural education opportunities for eligible individuals. This project serves two significant purposes; the first is to allow program alums to remain engaged with the Chugach Heritage Foundation and to encourage giving back to the foundation. The second is to support CHF’s status as an operating foundation, which holds tax benefits CHF would greatly benefit from. Through this project, I intend to demonstrate mastery of several project management areas during the planning and execution of this project, including communication management, stakeholder management, and project risk management. These will be measured and reported on to demonstrate that I exceeded what is required of typical project completion. In addition to planning and executing this project, I will also produce a guide that contributes to the Project Management Body of Knowledge. This contribution will cover how to establish alum programs for scholarship administering nonprofits.

The State of Alaska Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) offers nutrition education for low-income women and children, addressing the nutrition knowledge gap among low-income parents to improve health outcomes. However, the State of Alaska WIC program does not currently use smartphone apps for participant education even though the population served by WIC generally relies on smartphones for trusted information. For this project, a template for WIC smartphone education modules was developed, accompanied by a style guide with format recommendations and platform information that can be used in the creation of future education modules. A sample module was created to illustrate how the style guide could be used for creating nutrition education for Alaska WIC participants. Behavioral change theories, counseling skills used in the Alaska WIC program, and smartphone usability features were evaluated as part of the project and the transtheoretical model of behavior change was chosen as a basis for the education. The style guide and template will allow WIC professionals to produce relevant education even if staff does not have a complete understanding of behavioral change theories or smartphone programming. This will allow WIC professionals to share their knowledge and insight with WIC participants in various parts of Alaska and in the United States with the goal of improving nutrition knowledge and supporting behavior change.

For technology professionals in Alaska, the residential digital twin development project was sanctioned to deliver a product to enhance technical acumen and provide visibility into potential risks as a homeowner in arctic climates. Overall, this project demonstrated project mastery by utilizing a hybrid project delivery model while working with newer technology that is currently undergoing rapid innovation. The objective of this project included harvesting, processing, and integrating data from Internet of Things (IoT) devices within the residence to a model. Thus, provided near real-time data points of the physical structure in a digital format. This project delivered a step-by-step manual of tools and techniques utilized to create a residential digital twin as well as a user support manual. The digital twin was then used to analyze and monitor the performance of the residence’s physical environment. From a use case perspective, the digital twin functionality delivered can aid in identifying potential issues and allows for proactive problem-solving, improved reliability and preventative measures to mitigate unnecessary damage. In conclusion, a digital twin project was a valuable tool for improving an asset owner’s experience and enhancing informed decisions based on near real-time data. The goal of this project was to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and make informed decisions.

The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (hereafter ANTHC) is a non-profit health organization owned and managed by Alaska Native tribal governments and their regional health organizations. ANTHC had $114 million in grant funded projects and 150 active DEHE projects for 2021 (ANTHC Annual Report, 2021). As of fiscal year 2022 DEHE will have approximately $180 million from the federal infrastructure funding that will more than double the current amount of design and construction projects for the next five to ten years (Murkowski Infrastructure Bill Report, n.d.). Coupled with labor and material shortages across all industrial sectors, ANTHC has a need to: 1) ensure that labor resources are utilized the most efficient way possible; and 2) ensure projects are aligned with ANTHC’s strategic plan. Common problems associated with a lack of project portfolio management (PPM) are poor visibility of data, low productivity, lack of project management standards, and poor collaboration across project teams. The purpose of this project was to: 1) research current industry best practices and methods for general applicability, and 2) provide a best practice roadmap that sets a baseline for appraising current processes and outcomes that helps to set process improvement goals and priorities. The conclusions of this project are that PPM maturity levels are relatively low compared to the years in the industry, that CSuite executives are concerned more with what benefits the portfolio of projects bring to the organization, and when, and that with an understanding of foundational concepts, PPM is relatively easy to implement particularly in a highly projectized environment. The resulting deliverables are best practices in project portfolio management within the organization and a logical path for progressive development.

The Auto Restoration Business Plan Development project arises from a pressing problem and a compelling opportunity within the auto restoration industry. With a resurgence in interest in classic and vintage vehicles, there is a growing demand for professional auto restoration services and a need for entrepreneurs to navigate this intricate landscape. This project aims to address the lack of comprehensive business planning resources tailored to the unique requirements of auto restoration ventures, thereby fostering successful startups, and enhancing the industry's overall quality. The importance of this endeavor is underscored by the transformative impact it can have on aspiring auto restoration business owners. By delivering a meticulously crafted business plan template, industryspecific insights, and a roadmap for financial success, this project empowers entrepreneurs to enter the market with confidence. It not only mitigates common challenges but also enables businesses to thrive and contribute to the preservation of automotive heritage. The objectives of this project therefore encompass equipping entrepreneurs with the knowledge and tools needed to launch sustainable and profitable auto restoration businesses, thus fostering economic growth within the industry. The purpose being to deliver a comprehensive and accessible resource that catalyzes innovation, professionalism, and excellence within the auto restoration sector, ensuring its continued relevance and vibrancy in the years to come. The outcomes of this project include a personalized business plan for an automotive restoration company as well as a formatted and defined example to be distributed to prospective business creators. The research conducted informed the basis of these products for business planning and incorporated project management principles for an auto restoration business planner. To maintain a widely useful product the research focused on potential customer segmentation using nationwide discovery and survey participants. These outcomes therefore give a potential business creator the requirements and guidelines needed for their business plan to be successful when adding input of their locality and own strengths and weaknesses.