Winners Split $45,000 at 2026 Arctic Innovation Competition
UAA engineering students Drini and Vjosa Pellumbi receive the $15,000 main prize at the 2026 Arctic Innovation Competition, one of four prizes their Arctic Heat Recovery System earned.
Photo Credit: Sarah Lewis
Happy birthday to Drini and Vjosa Pellumbi, two engineering students at UAA. Not only did the twins celebrate another successful solar circumnavigation on April 18, but that day was also when they won the top prize at the 2026 Arctic Innovation Competition (AIC). The UAF College of Business and Security Management awarded more than $45,000 in cash prizes to winners across all age ranges who invented solutions for home construction, mental health, and Arctic living.
Bethel Solutions for Arctic Problems
The Pellumbis designed the Arctic Heat Recovery System as a low-cost residential boiler economizer. Their father, a carpenter, built the family’s homes in Bethel, and they observed that boiler systems needed constant maintenance and repair. “Because shipping costs and heating oil are both extremely expensive in rural communities, we saw firsthand the financial burden this placed not only on our family but on many others as well,” the twins told UAF News.
The Arctic Heat Recovery System captures a small amount of heat that normally escapes through the boiler exhaust pipe and uses it to warm incoming water before it enters the boiler. By slightly increasing the temperature of the water going into the system, the boiler burns less oil to reach operating temperature. They explained, “By recovering part of that wasted heat, the system can operate more efficiently and potentially lower operating costs and fuel usage over time.”
The brother and sister completed high school in Bethel while earning associate degrees through the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program. They are now studying mechanical engineering at UAA.
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June 2026
The Pellumbis took home $21,000 from AIC, including the $15,000 first place prize and three $2,000 kicker awards in the Alaska College Student, Climate, and Sustainability categories. As part of the Alaska Student Kicker Award, the UAF Center for Innovation is sponsoring a trip to Seattle to compete at the University of Washington Dempsey Startup Competition.
The runner-up in the main division was Richard Rogers, who presented a heating system for electronics in cold climates.
AIC received nearly 100 submissions from across Alaska and the United States. It also expanded its reach into K–12 classrooms, with students from Anvil City Science Academy in Nome advancing to the finals. Their teacher, Rachel Ventress, received the $2,000 Classroom of the Future Award.
Fan Favorites
Silas Ventress presents to Arctic Innovation Competition judges.
Photo Credit: Sarah Lewis
In the junior division, ages 13–17, the top prize of $1,000 went to the Archaeological Auto Sifter, presented by Cade Albert, Josiah Humphries, Aaro Mackey, and Noah Skutley. The project was also voted a fan favorite. First place in the cub division, ages 12 and younger, was awarded to Grail Conley for a project called “AWESOME,” which stands for Atmospheric Water Extraction Solar or Minimal Electric.
The fan favorite in the main division was FieldWeave: Affordable High-resolution Imaging for Large Specimens by Anthony van Weel. According to his website, “FieldWeave turns a standard 3D printer into a fully automated gigapixel scanner,” with applications for digitization of artifacts, quality control of manufacturing tolerances, and forensic examinations.
The fan favorite in the cub division was Silas Ventress’ project called “Because Earth Sucks: A Liquefaction Replacement Device.”
The submission period for the 2027 AIC will open in the fall.
