Department
Department of History
OrganizationUniversity of Alaska Fairbanks
Emailtmcole@alaska.edu
Location
Fairbanks , Alaska 99775
United StatesBio
Terrence Cole is professor of Northern Studies and History and director of the Office of Public History at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He studied geography, northern studies and history at UAF and earned a doctorate in American history at the University of Washington. He returned to his alma mater in 1988 to teach and pursue his passion about polar exploration. Students have twice chosen him as Outstanding Teacher of the Year. He has also received the Emil Usibelli Teaching Award, the Edith Bullock Service Award and the governor's Distinguished Service to the Humanities Award. He has written five books on Alaska history, and was awarded the 2011 Alaska Historian of the Year for, "Fighting for the Forty-Ninth Star: C.W. Snedden and the Long Struggle for Alaska Statehood" published by University of Alaska Press. Terrence and his twin brother Dermot are the recipients of the Fairbanks 2011 Distinguished Citizens of the Year, recently awarded in September. Although he claims to have never kissed the Blarney Stone, Terrence loves to talk about history and politics. He is married to Gay Salisbury and has three children, Henry, Desmond and Elizabeth.