UAF Bristol Bay Campus

The UAF Bristol Bay Campus is one of several rural campuses administered by the University of Alaska Fairbanks system. The campus is located in Dillingham, located in the heart of the Bristol Bay region, in Southwest Alaska.

UAF Bristol Bay Campus is located in Southwestern Alaska and serves the Bristol Bay Region http://www.uaf.edu/bbc/

UAF Bristol Bay Environmental Science Lab (BBESL) is a part of the UAF Bristol Bay Campus. Its aim is to promote a healthy environment and a subsistence way of life. BBESL is situated in one of the world's last great sustainable salmon fishery. Even though the population of the Bristol Bay is small, changes in climate and growth of globalization are threatening the region's economic, social, and environmental health, including the region's estuaries. To better understand and adapt to change, BBESL is undertaking several environmental monitoring and sampling programs.

The unspoiled landscape of Southwest Alaska provides the backdrop for students entering academic programs that teach technical skills, and gives hands-on experience for careers in environmental studies. This place-based program combines contemporary scientific studies with traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) to better prepare graduates for rural entry-level jobs while giving the academic base to continue formal education in environmental studies, sustainable energy or natural science. Since the program was piloted in 2006, it has provided educational opportunities for the region's residents, particularly Alaska Natives. Further, this has empowered many students and their communities to adapt to the overwhelming outside social, ecological, and economic pressures on imported resources.