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CNSM hosts SLMath summer school on sea ice modeling

July 1, 2025

This June, UAF had the honor of hosting a two-week summer school sponsored by the Simons Laufer Mathematical Institute (SLMath), an internationally renowned center for advancing mathematical research and innovation, funded by the National Science Foundation and private donors. The program, focused on mathematical modeling of sea ice and the ecological diversity of polar environments, brought together 40 graduate students from a variety of academic backgrounds—including aerospace engineering, biology, statistics, pure, and applied math—five of whom were UAF students.

Organized by the �þ�����Ƶ of Natural Science and Mathematics and the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, and hosted by Mathematics Professor Elizabeth Allman, the session ran from June 16-27 and featured a highly interdisciplinary curriculum led by Jody Reimer and Ken Golden, professors with the University of Utah.

Reimer, whose work bridges biology, statistics, and polar marine ecology, described how math opened new doors in her academic journey. “I’ve always found math quite delightful—it’s problem solving and fun logic. I think all of us ultimately study what we study because we love it,” she said.

Golden is a distinguished professor of mathematics and adjunct professor of biomedical engineering who has been involved with sea ice research for decades, emphasized the universal power of mathematics: “We develop methods and use mathematics to study things like electrical transport in a semiconductor and apply it to modeling melt ponds on the surface of Arctic sea ice. You wouldn’t think there would be a connection, but the underlying math doesn’t care,” he said.

Students engaged in hands-on and collaborative sessions, field trips, and lectures that scaled from microbial life to polar bears, linking physical and biological systems at every level. “Coming from a pure math background, I’ve gained confidence exploring new disciplines,” said Lael Costa, a student from Portland State University. Victor Luquin, an aerospace engineering student from North Carolina State University, appreciated the “cross-pollination” of ideas across fields and learning new approaches from others.

Guest speakers included Hajo Eicken (IARC), Kyle Dillapaine (CFOS), Andrew Mahoney (Geophysical Institute), Christian Sampson (UCAR), Abby Hardin-Kohli (University of Utah) and Daniel Hallman (University of Utah). Reimer reflected on the students’ enthusiasm: “They asked great questions and were very engaged—even when the topic wasn’t in their area.”

Beyond the classroom, students explored Fairbanks and the surrounding area. Highlights included holding sea ice samples and experiencing UAF’s -40°F cold room, visiting Arctic mammals at LARS, and excursions to Denali National Park and Castner Glacier. Many also attended the Midnight Sun Festival during Solstice weekend, forging friendships and memories from their time here.