division of population health sciences
The Division of Population Health Sciences (DPHS) prepares students to confront the root causes of health challenges in Â鶹ÎÞÂë°æ and across the circumpolar North. Through a blend of education, research, and community partnership, DPHS empowers students to create lasting change in population health and to lead efforts that strengthen the well-being of communities statewide and beyond.
Unlike clinical care, which focuses on individuals, population health looks at the big picture—improving health outcomes across communities through policy, prevention, and systems-level solutions. It includes:
Join us to make an impact that goes beyond treating illness to help build healthier communities from the ground up.
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
Meet the public health challenges of an aging society, including providing competent care in medical settings and essential community resources and end-of-life support.
Set up a successful career in health education and health promotion, public and community health, disease prevention, rehabilitation, or health care delivery.
Meet the challenges of the diverse and complex field of public health, with a particular focus on the needs of Â鶹ÎÞÂë°æ and the Circumpolar North.
NEWS & Stories
In January 2026, students from the College of Health showcased their public health research at the Â鶹ÎÞÂë°æ Public Health Association Summit’s annual poster session. Their projects spanned topics ranging from food security to environmental contamination, contributing valuable insights that help shape the evolving conversation around Â鶹ÎÞÂë°æ’s public health landscape.
Almost half of UAA students have experienced food insecurity. UAA offers several resources to combat hunger and food insecurity, including the Seawolf Food Pantry, which supplies non-perishable foods, as well as three-day emergency food support.
Dr. Corrie Whitmore, an associate professor in the Division of Population Health Sciences, and her team at UAA’s Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services are celebrating the recent publication of a new article. The paper, which was published in the Dec. 2025 issue of Nursing for Women’s Health, offers a framework and actionable strategies for nurses to improve communication and patient experience in discussions around substance use and contraception.
School of Social Work Assistant Professor Amana Mbise and ISER Research Assistant Professor Nathan West are exploring the relationships that Black barbershops play in men's health. Their community-based research prioritizes the lived experiences of the men they talk to, and is revealing how barbershops function not just as grooming spaces, but as social and cultural hubs.
As a neonatal nurse practitioner at Providence Â鶹ÎÞÂë°æ Children’s Hospital and adjunct faculty member for the UAA School of Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice alumna and graduate student hooding ceremony speaker for the fall Class of 2025 Stacy Brunquist weaves education into everything she does — training new caregivers, guiding parents learning to care for their newborns, and sharing knowledge with professionals from UtqiaÄ¡vik to Sitka.
INSTITUTES, CENTERS, AND PROJECTS
Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies
The CAAS was established by the Board of Regents in 1972 to address the problem of substance misuse in Â鶹ÎÞÂë°æ.
Our team works to understand the shifting sociocultural landscape for aging adults and identify service needs to facilitate healthy aging-in-place.
Researchers in our lab are working to solve the global plastic pollution problem by developing insulation that is recyclable, reusable, and biodegradable.
Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies
Housed under the Office of Research, ICHS partners closely with us while conducting applied research that supports public health and offers valuable research experience for students.
Contact Us:
Phone: (907) 786-6545
Email: dphs@alaska.edu
UAA Div. of Population Health Sciences
UAA Professional Studies Building
2533 Providence Dr., Suite 206
Anchorage, AK 99508
Mailing Address:
UAA Div. of Population Health Sciences
3211 Providence Dr., PSB 206
Anchorage, AK 99508
