09/19/2026
That's a wrap on SoCo 2026: Culture, Climate, and Food Security in the Alaskan Arctic.
Alaska is the largest state in the American West, and Indigenous people comprise about a quarter of its population. Since the mid-20th century, the state has been experiencing disproportionate climate change impacts, warming two to three times faster than the global average. The Alaskan Arctic, in particular, has been warming roughly four times as fast.
Facing these challenges, Arctic communities at the frontlines of climate change serve as instructive examples of what adaptation looks like in practice. By the end of their course, the SoCo cohort had demonstrated deep knowledge of climate change's impact on culture and food subsistence, especially in the Northwest Arctic region. They conducted site visits across Alaska, from Anchorage to Kotzebue to Denali National Park and Fairbanks, immersing themselves in Indigenous knowledge and meeting with rural community members, subsistence hunters, government officials, and climate and health advocates. On their final day of the course, students gave presentations on all they had learned, earning high praise from course instructor, Roz Naylor: "I was truly overwhelmed and touched by your fantastic presentations," Naylor told the students. "Your poise, grace and knowledge shined like the Northern Lights (which we will all see someday)."
SoCo 2026 might have missed the Northern Lights this time around, but the places and spaces they encountered during this course were certainly majestic in their own right. Quyanaqpak (thank you very much) to everyone in Alaska who welcomed Bill Lane Center students, faculty and staff with warmth and spirit.
📸: 1, 2 & 10) Enjoying views of Anchorage and Cook Inlet from Flattop Mountain. Photos by Hanbo Xu; 3) Berry picking in Kotzebue. Photo by Hanbo Xu; 4) Students with a park ranger at the Denali Visitor Center. Photo by Corinne Thomas; 5) Hiking the Mount Healy Overlook Trail in Denali. Photo by Wally Naylor; 6, 7, 8 & 9) Students toured Calypso Farm & Ecology Center, which offers hands-on education programs to encourage local food production and environmental awareness. Photos by Roz Naylor.
