# Five Surfaces

> Alaska's coastlines, rivers and lakes get their depth read out of satellite imagery starting September 1st.

Published 2026-08-26 by Alaska AI. 9 slides.
Canonical: https://alaskaaihq.com/archive/2026-08-26/

## The story

$50,000

Five surfaces Alaskans already argue about.

Six awards to University of Alaska campuses. Each project teaches a model to read one physical surface. Obligated dollars total 18,647,929.

The water, read from orbit.

Explainable AI that turns satellite imagery into high resolution maps of underwater depth for coastlines, rivers and lakes. NSF obligated 50,000 dollars.

The weather that decides a burn.

Weather reanalysis read with machine learning, to find the windows safe enough for a controlled burn.

The ground that is already moving.

Surrogate models fed live observations, producing real time digital twins that forecast geohazards.

The same rock, from both ends.

Critical minerals recovered from coal refuse and ash, through 2030. An Engine hunting ore nobody has found, through 2036.

Six awards, one page.

Fifteen headlines, none of these six.

Fifteen UAF headlines, August 9th to August 21st. None names these six awards.

Which surface should Alaska know best in 2036?

Four clocks started September 1st. Two started August 1st. The last one runs to July 31st, 2036.

## What we verified

- NSF award 2630206 is titled I-Corps Translation Potential of Explainable Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Satellite-Derived Nearshore Bathymetry and River Profiles. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2630206.json), primary document, 2026-08-19.
- NSF obligated 50,000 dollars to award 2630206 in fiscal year 2026. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2630206.json), primary document, 2026-08-19.
- NSF dated award 2630206 August 19, 2026. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2630206.json), primary document, 2026-08-19.
- Award 2630206 has a performance period running September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2630206.json), primary document, 2026-08-19.
- Erin Trochim of the University of Alaska Fairbanks is the principal investigator on award 2630206. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2630206.json), primary document, 2026-08-19.
- The abstract for award 2630206 says the project develops explainable artificial intelligence that converts satellite imagery into high resolution maps of underwater depth for coastlines, rivers and lakes. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2630206.json), primary document, 2026-08-19.
- The abstract for award 2630206 says the framework combines physics informed neural networks with interpretable architectures. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2630206.json), primary document, 2026-08-19.
- NSF filed award 2630206 under the program element ARTIFICIAL INTELL and COGNIT SCI. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2630206.json), primary document, 2026-08-19.
- NSF obligated 3,824,575 dollars to the University of Alaska Anchorage under award 2614749. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2614749.json), primary document, 2026-08-05.
- NSF obligated 913,037 dollars to the University of Alaska Fairbanks under award 2614751. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2614751.json), primary document, 2026-08-05.
- Awards 2614749 and 2614751 carry the identical project title, Collaborative Research FEC Transformative Bioprocessing and AI-Driven Frameworks for Sustainable Critical Mineral Recovery. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2614751.json), primary document, 2026-08-05.
- The two critical mineral awards together obligate 4,737,612 dollars. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2614749.json), primary document, 2026-08-05.
- Anchorage holds the larger of the two critical mineral awards, taking about four times what Fairbanks takes. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2614749.json), primary document, 2026-08-05.
- The critical mineral abstract says the initiative is led by the University of Alaska Anchorage in partnership with the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Montana Technological University and the University of Wyoming. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2614749.json), primary document, 2026-08-05.
- NSF dated both critical mineral awards August 5, 2026. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2614749.json), primary document, 2026-08-05.
- Both critical mineral awards run September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2030. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2614751.json), primary document, 2026-08-05.
- Brandon Briggs is the principal investigator on the Anchorage critical mineral award. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2614749.json), primary document, 2026-08-05.
- Srijan Aggarwal is the principal investigator on the Fairbanks critical mineral award. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2614751.json), primary document, 2026-08-05.
- The critical mineral abstract says the project applies reinforcement learning controllers within a bioprocess digital twin integrated with microgrid simulators. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2614749.json), primary document, 2026-08-05.
- NSF award 2608510 is titled Collaborative Research Frameworks Geophysical AI-driven Integration and Assimilation GAIA. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2608510.json), primary document, 2026-07-10.
- NSF obligated 1,772,170 dollars to the University of Alaska Fairbanks for GAIA. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2608510.json), primary document, 2026-07-10.
- NSF dated the GAIA award July 10, 2026 and it runs August 1, 2026 to July 31, 2032. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2608510.json), primary document, 2026-07-10.
- Carl Tape is the principal investigator on GAIA. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2608510.json), primary document, 2026-07-10.
- GAIA lists three co-principal investigators, Michael West, Franz Meyer and Ronni Grapenthin, all at alaska.edu addresses. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2608510.json), primary document, 2026-07-10.
- The GAIA abstract says the team trains fast surrogate models coupled to incoming observations to produce real time digital twins that forecast geohazards. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2608510.json), primary document, 2026-07-10.
- The GAIA abstract says the investigators test the full system on landslides in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2608510.json), primary document, 2026-07-10.
- NSF award 2532372 is titled NSF Critical Mineral Accelerator Engine in Alaska and is held by the University of Alaska Fairbanks. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2532372.json), primary document, 2026-07-14.
- The Engine award carries an estimated total amount of 15,000,000 dollars. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2532372.json), primary document, 2026-07-14.
- NSF has obligated 10,500,000 dollars of the Engine award in fiscal year 2026. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2532372.json), primary document, 2026-07-14.
- The Engine award runs August 1, 2026 to July 31, 2036, a ten year period. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2532372.json), primary document, 2026-07-14.
- The Engine is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2532372.json), primary document, 2026-07-14.
- Lee Munk is the principal investigator on the Engine award. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2532372.json), primary document, 2026-07-14.
- The Engine abstract says the project intends to integrate geological, geochemical, geophysical, remote sensing and legacy data into AI based systems to identify concealed mineral deposits. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2532372.json), primary document, 2026-07-14.
- The Engine abstract says methods will combine data integration, machine learning and uncertainty analysis with laboratory experiments and field validation. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2532372.json), primary document, 2026-07-14.
- A co-principal investigator on the Engine award is listed at a nana.com email address. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2532372.json), primary document, 2026-07-14.
- The Engine abstract says coordinated partnerships among academia, Alaska Native Corporations, industry, tech start ups, national laboratories, state and federal agencies and nonprofits will align research with operational needs. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2532372.json), primary document, 2026-07-14.
- The six awards obligate 18,647,929 dollars in total. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2532372.json), primary document, 2026-08-26.
- Every one of the six awards has a performance start date of either August 1, 2026 or September 1, 2026. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2608510.json), primary document, 2026-08-26.
- The five projects expire on four different dates spanning August 31, 2027 to July 31, 2036. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2532372.json), primary document, 2026-08-26.
- An NSF award API query for Alaska awardees with award dates from August 16, 2026 to August 26, 2026 returns exactly two records. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards.json?awardeeStateCode=AK&dateStart=08/16/2026&dateEnd=08/26/2026&rpp=50), primary document, 2026-08-26.
- One of the two Alaska awards in that ten day window is the AI bathymetry award and the other is a mathematical biology award on phylogenetic networks. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards.json?awardeeStateCode=AK&dateStart=08/16/2026&dateEnd=08/26/2026&rpp=50), primary document, 2026-08-26.
- The other Alaska award in that window obligates 289,888 dollars to the University of Alaska Fairbanks. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards.json?awardeeStateCode=AK&dateStart=08/16/2026&dateEnd=08/26/2026&rpp=50), primary document, 2026-08-20.
- The abstract for NSF award 2536745 says the research team will use statistical and machine learning techniques to characterize the geographic and seasonal patterns of hazardous fire weather across Alaska. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2536745.json), primary document, 2026-07-31.
- NSF classifies the Alaska fire weather toolkit award under the program Artificial Intelligence (AI). [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2536745.json), primary document, 2026-07-31.
- NSF obligated 1,588,147 dollars to the University of Alaska Fairbanks for the fire weather toolkit award, which runs September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2030. [National Science Foundation Award API](https://api.nsf.gov/services/v1/awards/2536745.json), primary document, 2026-07-31.
- The UAF news index for August 9, 2026 to August 21, 2026 carries fifteen headlines and none of them names any of these six awards. The fifteen, newest first, are, Veteran journalist and author joins UAF as Snedden chair, 2026-08-21; Alaska Defense Forum 2026 focuses on community-military ties, 2026-08-21; Uncorking the secrets of a tiny bottle of volcanic ash, 2026-08-21; Shapes of Western Alaska bays influence local flood danger, 2026-08-20; Expanded UAF, military partnership looks north, 2026-08-19; Faudree, Sikes, Shallcross named 2026 Usibelli Award winners, 2026-08-13; Time capsule, Looking for a few good wood frogs, 2026-08-13; Accelerated rates of warming in the Arctic continue, 2026-08-12; 100,000 dollar planetarium gift celebrates alumni association centennial, 2026-08-12; Festival will satisfy currant curiosity, 2026-08-12; UAF leads AI project to strengthen Alaska's rural power grids, 2026-08-11; How do Alaska animals sleep in the summer?, 2026-08-11; New instrument will aid environmental science and industry, 2026-08-10; Tickets available for UAF Business Leader of the Year event, 2026-08-10; Week's events, Robert Hannon, sleep, Alaska Native language archive, string band, 2026-08-09. [University of Alaska Fairbanks news](https://www.uaf.edu/news/index.php), primary document, 2026-08-26.
- The same UAF news index carries a separate artificial intelligence headline dated August 11, 2026 about rural power grids. [University of Alaska Fairbanks news](https://www.uaf.edu/news/index.php), primary document, 2026-08-11.
- Alaska's 2026 wildfire season formally ends August 31st, the day before the fire weather award's performance period begins. [Alaska Beacon via Alaska Public Media](https://alaskapublic.org/news/public-safety/2026-08-21/low-alaska-wildfire-season-punctuated-by-serious-interior-blaze), report, 2026-08-21.

Slides and the deck PDF are linked from the canonical page.