Kristen (Atluk) Reece, is Iñupiaq from Selawik and Fairbanks and graduated last semester from UAF with her Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies!
Kristen’s academic journey began in 2004 when she enrolled at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) shortly after graduating from North Pole High School. She began pursuing a degree in Elementary Education with hopes of returning to her community as a teacher, however, she encountered many challenges and by 2005, she had left UAF with a 2.0 GPA and was placed on academic probation.
Years later, after starting a family and building a career, Kristen returned to school. In 2019, she began part-time studies at Iḷisaġvik College and chose a path she once believed was out of reach: science. Growing up, she rarely saw Indigenous representation in STEM fields, especially Iñupiat women. That lack of visibility became her motivation to be the role model she never had—for her daughters, nieces, and other Indigenous women interested in science.
In August 2022, Kristen returned to UAF, this time pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree with support from the Biomedical Learning and Student Training (BLaST) program. Through BLaST, she gained hands-on experience in biological research and discovered a deep curiosity for laboratory science.
Her return to UAF also connected her with the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP), specifically the University Success component. Kristen’s involvement with ANSEP began in 2021, inspired by her daughters’ participation in ANSEP programs. She officially joined in 2022 and quickly found a supportive academic community of students, faculty, staff, and partners all dedicated to success.
Through ANSEP, Kristen experienced the power of structured support: peer and professional mentorship, collaborative study groups, and community-centered events. These opportunities strengthened her academic foundation and helped her develop key skills in leadership, communication, and research. In 2023, ANSEP supported her attendance at the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) National Conference—her first opportunity to network with Indigenous researchers on a national level.
Today, Kristen is a proud graduate of UAF, following in the footsteps of her mother, a first-generation college student who earned her degree from the same university. That legacy of perseverance continues through Kristen’s own academic accomplishments and provides inspiration to her children and community.
This fall, Kristen will begin graduate studies at UAF, pursuing a Master of Science in Earth System Science. Thanks to programs like BLaST and ANSEP—and the mentors who believed in her— Kristen was able to reclaim her academic path and reach her goal of completing her bachelor’s degree. Now, she’s looking ahead to new goals, eager to contribute to the future of science as an Indigenous researcher and role model!
