We asked incoming freshmen what they were excited about experiencing at UAF.

Mycologist Noah Siegel, co-author of “Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast” and a nationally recognized fungi expert, spoke to over 100 attendees at the University of Alaska Fairbanks’s Murie Auditorium on August 22, 2025.

On August 26 this year’s recipients of the Peter Mackeith Grant presented their expedition to the Stikine Icecap. The team consisted of Torin Hooge, Simeon Ramirez, Hazel Probst and Leo Nordman.  The team set out to climb three major peaks in the area: Kate’s Needle, Castle Mountain, and Mount Pratt. 

The International Chamber Music Alaska, or ICMA, Summer Intensive was held from August 11-16, filling the Davis Concert Hall with the sounds of live chamber music.

Can a 27 year-old Subaru make it 1,000 miles from Fairbanks to Ninilchik and back? That was what I set out to test when I left Fairbanks for Salmonfest.

On July 29 at the Experiment Farm, UAF’s Agricultural Institute hosted a field day for the farmers, researchers, and gardeners of the Interior. Despite the pouring rain which continued through most of the day, dozens of people braved the elements to see the various educational talks and discuss agriculture related questions with researchers. 

Bagpipes, kilts and cheers filled the air Saturday, Aug. 9, as the Alaska Dog Mushers Association field on Farmers Loop Road hosted the inaugural Midnight Sun Scottish Highland Games.

And just like that, a brand-new year is here at UAF! Whether you’re stepping onto campus for the first time, meeting new friends, finding your way, or you’re returning to UAF, let me be among the first to say, welcome.

Starting your first semester at the University of Alaska Fairbanks is a bit like stepping into a whole new climate – and not just because of the freezing temperatures. UAF is more than a campus; it’s a tight-knit community surrounded by Alaska’s wilderness.

The beginning of life for birds is pretty simple – most start off with being hatched in a nest in a tree. For the horned lark, their nest is buried in the ground.

On Monday, April 14, and Tuesday, April 29, the Sun Star team had the unique opportunity to visit the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and get a behind-the-scenes look at how our April issue was printed.

Karenna Merritt, a UAF-Geophysical Institute graduate student who works with the Alaska Volcano Observatory, or AVO, is inspired to collect data on volcanoes.

On May 7, 2025, the University of Alaska Fairbanks community was shaken by the tragic deaths of two student leaders, Cassidy Musard and Oakley Powell.

July is National Ice Cream Month and what better way to celebrate than by visiting some of Fairbanks' coolest ice cream spots? Whether you’re after soft serve, hand-packed scoops, or quirky local flavors, the Golden Heart City has the perfect treat to beat the heat.

Created in partnership with the Alaska Satellite Facility, an exhibit at the University of Alaska Museum of the North “Observing Our Dynamic Planet ” opened May 24.

On March 28, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Residence Life staff hosted a Culture Night event. Students could engage in social activities to learn more about different cultures. Students filled out four different word searches as well as two crossword puzzles.

One of the newest additions to UAF club life is the Warhammer 40K Club. Founded in Fall 2024, it gives students a space to explore the universe of “Warhammer 40,000” — a sci-fi setting packed with alien battles and grim lore. The tabletop game behind it blends strategy, storytelling, and creativity, as players collect, build, and paint miniature armies before fighting tactical matches with dice, rulebooks, and terrain.

Outside Cutler, a student spotted a squirrel snacking on a discarded Nutella container—plastic and all. The squirrel carried its sugary prize up a tree before accidentally dropping it.

When I booked my ticket for “Strike!” at the UAF Salisbury Lab Theater, I promised myself I would not write a review—like everyone else, I'm swamped at this time of year. But I loved it and wanted an excuse to talk to its creator and stage director, Flyn Ludington, about her inspiration.