AI for salmon counting: Bristol Bay scientists are testing solar-powered drones and image-mapping to speed up salmon enumeration, aiming to modernize a decades-old tower-and-skiff workflow. Critical minerals push: A UAF-led “Critical Mineral Accelerator Engine” is one of NSF’s new regional innovation programs, with $15M over two years to help turn Alaska’s mineral wealth into real tech, infrastructure, and workforce outcomes. Maritime safety + tech: A House subcommittee roundtable will focus on improving maritime safety programs, with Coast Guard leadership and industry operators discussing how regulation and technology can work together. Arctic monitoring: The U.S. Coast Guard resumed monitoring Chinese research vessels transiting the Bering Sea toward the Arctic, citing sovereign-rights protection and compliance with international rules. Glacier Bay whale protection: Glacier Bay imposed a 13-knot speed limit in the Lower Bay’s eastern entrance zone to reduce humpback strike risk during peak feeding. Invasive species fieldwork: An Alaska field worker documented hands-on removal of invasive European green crabs, showing how physical, persistent labor drives local ecosystem protection. Healthcare access in Alaska: A case study highlights how delays and limited options for mammograms can push diagnoses from “urgent” to “aggressive,” underscoring rural access gaps. Public health: A new review warns child drowning deaths (ages 1–4) are rising again and stresses layered prevention for families and communities. Bristol Bay women’s permits: New research finds a decline in the number of women set net permit holders, adding fresh context to how policy and residency rules shaped participation over time.