MCAD Staff and Students Conduct Arctic Research in 4-year Contract with the U.S Department of Defense

MCAD Professor and chair of the Creative Entrepreneurship department, Olaf Kuhlke has been working on arctic research with a team of MCAD staff and students. The team includes staff member Steve Rowell who operates the remote sensing equipment, and undergraduate students Anastasia Broman ’28 and Connor Johnson ’26.

The process involves collecting spatial data using LIDAR (light detection and ranging) technology. They use this technology to predict the rate of permafrost melting. Through more accurate data collection, they can better predict and understand the impact of permafrost melting on surrounding infrastructures and the risk it poses of releasing viruses trapped within the layers of ice. The four-year contract includes a $1.8 million share for MCAD, making it the largest research grant in the school’s history.

Learn More

• The Art of Climate Change Research
  (tcbmag.com)
• Through Intersection of Art and Science, Minneapolis College of Art and Design Performs Climate Change Research for U.S. Department of Defense
  (mcad.edu)