Mikhail Kanevskiy

Mikhail Kanevskiy serves as a Research Assistant Professor at the Institute of Northern Engineering within the College of Engineering and Mines at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, specializing in permafrost engineering and cryosphere dynamics in Arctic environments.

His academic credentials include:

• M.S. in Geology (Permafrost and Engineering Geology) from Moscow State University, Russia (1985)
• Ph.D. in Geology (Permafrost and Engineering Geology) from Moscow State University, Russia (2004)

Kanevskiy's research centers on permafrost structure, ground ice properties, and geotechnical challenges in ice-rich permafrost regions. He investigates permafrost-related geological hazards including thermokarst, thermal erosion, frost heave, and slope instability, with particular focus on engineering and environmental consequences of climate change-induced permafrost degradation across Alaska.

His publication record demonstrates consistent contributions to cryostratigraphy, permafrost mapping, and infrastructure resilience, with recent work emphasizing ice-wedge polygon dynamics, thermokarst lake evolution, and infrastructure-permafrost interactions. Kanevskiy frequently employs geophysical methods and remote sensing to analyze permafrost systems.

He has secured significant research funding from multiple agencies including the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Defense (DoD), Federal Wildlife Service (FWS), and Alaska Department of Transportation (AKDOT). Major projects include 'Improving Design Methodologies for Building on Permafrost' (DoD, 2014-2017) and 'Cumulative Effects of Oil Development' (NSF, 2013-2016), addressing critical infrastructure challenges in warming permafrost regions.

As part of the Institute of Northern Engineering, Kanevskiy collaborates on interdisciplinary teams conducting field studies across Alaska's Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, integrating cryostratigraphic analysis with geotechnical engineering to develop adaptation strategies for climate-vulnerable infrastructure.