About the AK UNiTE Team
Dr. Rachael Hannah, PI
Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, UAA
Rachael Hannah is an associate professor of biological sciences at University of Alaska Anchorage since 2015. As a neuroscientist, her research interests explore how blood vessels in our brains control the amount of sugar and oxygen that is delivered to brain cells (neurons, astrocytes, and other glial cells), and how this control can become unregulated after a stroke or traumatic brain injury. She is an advocate for increasing students access to experiential learning opportunities throughout their undergraduate career. When not in the lab or teaching, Rachael enjoys skiing, hiking, and biking with her family and friends.
Dr. Cindy Trussell, Co-PI
Professor of Biological Sciences, UAA - Kodiak College
Cindy Trussell is a professor of biological sciences at Kodiak College, a community campus of the University of Alaska Anchorage since 2005. She is an ethologist by training having earned a B.S.(University of Miami) in marine sciences and biology, and a Ph.D. (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2004) in biology with a concentration in animal behavior. The courses she teaches are primarily those that support the pre-allied health students in Kodiak. In the summers, since 2010 she has been a partner with the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge and the Institute for Bird Populations Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship program.
Dr. Alison Gardell, Co-PI
Assistant Professor of Ecotoxicology, University of Washington, Tacoma
Alison is an assistant professor of ecotoxicology at the University of Washington, Tacoma (UWT). Prior to joining the faculty at UWT, she was an assistant professor of biology at Kenai Peninsula College. Alison's research utilizes an integrative approach to understand mechanisms of toxicity that affect the health of aquatic organisms. She enjoys exploring new places and recreating outdoors.
Dr. Erin Larson, Co-PI
Assistant Professor of Environmental Science, Alaska Pacific University
Erin is an assistant professor of Environmental Science at Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage, Alaska. She is an ecologist and specializes in disturbance ecology in freshwater environments. She loves teaching students to explore and marvel at the workings of the natural world. When not doing research or teaching, Erin can be found running, skiing, and packrafting in the mountains and rivers of Alaska.