The University of Alaska Anchorage announced on Thursday that Matt Calhoun, Ph.D. (Athabaskan) has been selected as the new full-time executive director of the Alaska Native Science & Engineering Program (ANSEP).

A graduate of ANSEP, former program assistant director, and associate professor of civil engineering at UAA, Calhoun has led ANSEP as interim executive director since spring 2023.
“ANSEP plays a critical role in UAA’s strategic goals of putting students first, embracing our diversity and operating as a trusted and respected community partner” UAA Provost Denise Runge said. “Matt’s strong dedication to ensuring all Alaska Native and rural Alaska students can succeed, along with his collaborative and creative approach to programming, made him the perfect choice to lead ANSEP into its next chapter. We are thrilled he has agreed to join our executive leadership team.”
In 2002, Calhoun became one of the first students to graduate with ANSEP after earning a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from UAA. After working as a project/field engineer across Alaska, he returned to ANSEP as a director to inspire more Alaska Native students to pursue an education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
"Stepping into this role at ANSEP is a tremendous honor for me. I know first hand just how pivotal this program can be, so I feel a great sense of pride and responsibility as I continue the legacy of ANSEP, guiding and inspiring the next generation of students,” Calhoun said.
Fully committed to his passion for education and educational equity, Calhoun decided to obtain a master’s degree in civil engineering, which he earned from the University of Colorado at Boulder, then followed by a Ph.D. in civil engineering from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Notably, Calhoun was one of the first students to earn a doctorate through ANSEP and the first Alaska Native in the world to earn a Ph.D. in civil engineering. In 2015, Calhoun was appointed as assistant director of ANSEP and assistant professor of civil engineering at UAA, making him one of the university’s first Alaska Native tenure-track engineering faculty members.
“I want to encourage students like me, and all students in Alaska, to earn their degrees and become leaders in their fields and in our state,” Calhoun said. “As executive director I will remain committed to continuing ANSEP’s mission of making quality, affordable education available for all Alaskans. Together with the support of our strategic partners, who make it possible for us to provide all of these incredible opportunities, we’ll create even more pathways to success, ensuring that every student has the support and resources they need to thrive in their academic and professional careers.”
More Stories Like This
Mohawk Students File Legal Suit Over Changes Impacting Access to Federal Financial AidTrump Administration Proposes Deep Cuts to Tribal College Funding, Threatening Their Survival
USU Researchers Find Relationship Building, Local Cultural Knowledge Key for Indigenous Learners
Zuni Youth Enrichment Project Brings Traditional Dance and Cultural Learning to 450 Students This Spring
Class of 2025 Leads the Way for Indigenous Graduation Regalia
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher