Raghu Srinivasan, PhD

Associate Professor & Department Chair | Department of Mechanical Engineering | Director, Environmental Degradation Lab

 

Dr. Raghu Srinivasan is an Associate Professor, Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department, and Director of the Environmental Degradation Laboratory (EDL) at the University of Alaska Anchorage. He leads research in atmospheric corrosion and actively mentors both graduate and undergraduate students.

Dr. Srinivasan's research focuses on the atmospheric corrosion of metals in cold regions—an area with limited studies despite its real-world importance. To address this gap, he established a network of outdoor corrosion test sites across Alaska, including Anchorage, the Port of Alaska, Fairbanks, and Kodiak. These sites allow for long-term monitoring of corrosion behavior under conditions such as snow, ice, and airborne salts.

A key innovation in his work is the design of an adjustable and modular corrosion test rack that simultaneously collects corrosion and meteorological data. This design earned the 2019 NACE Materials Performance Corrosion Innovation of the Year Award and a U.S. patent. Through these experiments, Dr. Srinivasan’s studies revealed that traditional corrosion prediction models fall short in cold climates, largely because they overlook factors such as time of wetness and angle of exposure. His research has since contributed foundational insights for improving corrosion modeling in Arctic and sub-Arctic environments.

In addition to fieldwork, the EDL is equipped with advanced electrochemical instruments and cyclic corrosion test chambers, which complement the outdoor sites and enhance predictive capabilities for atmospheric corrosion in cold environments.

Beyond research, Dr. Srinivasan is deeply committed to student success. He fosters academic growth through mentorship, research assistantships, and outreach programs such as summer corrosion camps for middle school students. His dedication to education and innovation has earned him several honors, including the UAA Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research and Creative Activity and the Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence (CAFE) "Oh Wow" (COW) Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Explore Dr. Srinivasan's research interests and publications. 

Micah Hahn, PhD, MPH  

Associate Professor of Environmental Health | Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies

My research is on the health impacts of climate change and working with communities to develop strategies for adaptation and resilience.  I love working on this project because it links new advances in science with community needs and can support daily decision-making in Alaska to help keep people safe during wildfire season. Also, working with an incredible team of community partners, state agencies, and researchers to co-produce this project has been an effective way to make sure that the tools we develop are useful on the ground.

This project was designed to address persistent health equity gaps in Alaska by co-developing practical tools with and for communities most affected by wildfire smoke and intersecting climate hazards. These populations include Alaska Native communities, older adults, people living in remote areas without road access, and those experiencing chronic health conditions. Through a unique partnership between UAA, UAF, University of Washington, Alaska Native communities, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Alaska Fire Sciece Consortium, Alaska Department of Health, and Anchorage Health Department, this project developed essential decision-support tools to help Alaska communities access real-time air quality data, short-term smoke forecasts, long-term flammability projections, and health and demographic information. These tools help Alaskans make informed choices to safely recreate, hunt, fish, and work during wildfire events. Additionally, the long-term planning tools help communities advocate for funding and decide what kind of infrastructure or programs they need to protect health and welfare in future wildfire seasons. The project supports health equity by making relevant climate and health data accessible and actionable for these populations, enabling locally driven adaptation and response.

Two publicly available tools were enhanced through this work:

• Alaska Wildfire Explorer - Now includes real-time and forcast air quality data to help users better understand smoke impacts. 
• Northern Climate Reports - Updated to include health and demographic information to support community-specific adaptation planning. Learn more and access the comic book user guides for the tools here (coming in June).

This initiative addresses critical data gaps and highlights locally relevant solutions to protect vulnerable populations across Alaska. Learn more in Dr. Hahn's project abstract on the EPA's website.