About ARCUS | ARCUS Staff

Following a successful, if not unusual shift of direction from the retail industry to information technology, Ben began working for ARCUS in the fall of 2001. During various adventures as an internet enthusiast, Ben discovered the art of HTML while working on websites in his free time. He maintains all functions of the ARCUS website including content updates, design changes, and database interfaces. Besides coding tables, tags and custom styles, he may be seen behind the still and video camera documenting ARCUS projects. When not wrestling the ARCUS website into submission, Ben may be found reading a book, watching a movie, or most likely, drinking a cup of coffee. He also tries his hand at various athletic endeavors such as basketball, sleeping, snowboarding, sitting, running, and with the greatest skill and least effort, typing.

Ronnie joined the ARCUS team in July of 2004 as a web developer. His interests in the field of computing are manifold. Though he does spend an inordinate amount of time in front of a glowing screen, there are other areas that pique his interest. Of note are a recent stint test driving prototype vehicles for Volkswaggen/Audi, as well as learning the fine art of the pastry chef from an experienced master. Ronnie goes on record as saying that, while indeed exciting, his past vocations pale in comparison to the thrill and satisfaction of learning fantastic new computer skills with which to tackle the challenges presented here at ARCUS.

As the newest member of the web development team, Phil helps manage the ever expanding electronic home of ARCUS. Born and raised in Alaska, Phil currently pursues a degree in Media Theatre Arts from Montana State University. When not parsing strings of code or cultivating his knowledge of film and broadcast, Phil enjoys the varied recreation available in Montana's outdoors.

Joel is the youngest member of the ARCUS team, freshly graduated from High School, and recently thrust out into the cold world of Arctic Research. Having lived in Alaska for his entire life, Joel is relatively used to this kind of coldness, and says he doesn't mind it too much. He enjoys having a desk for the first time ever, and definitely considers this work to be a step up from janitorial service, and the pizzeria business, both of which have been previous summer jobs. As a Technical Assistant for ARCUS, Joel does a wide variety of tasks ranging anywhere from web tech, to moving boxes around the office. Joel has also delved into a bit of video work in the past, and created the "Eider Journey" outreach video, which can be accessed through the ARCUS Internet Media Archive. When he isn't busy with his work duties, Joel can be found playing guitar in the local band "The Wayward Space Cadets", or reading the largest books possible.

Zeb joined ARCUS in October of 2000 as the systems administrator. Zeb has lived in the Fairbanks area his whole life and has been working with computers since he was 5 years old. He used to co-host a Goldie Award Winning television program called the "Matinee With Matt & Zeb", but these days he entertains himself with curing various computer ailments and expanding ARCUS' technological capability. When not working, he spends his time playing on computers and attempting to make abstract electronic music. When he grows up he would like to be a robot or possibly a cyborg, but since he already does a great imitation, we suspect he has already grown up.

Joed coordinates all the video production at ARCUS and spends his time videotaping conferences, editing the videos, and making them available for Internet viewing. He also has made short promo videos for the annual Arctic Forum and the TREC program. Joed has been interested in video editing for many years and enjoys making short movies. In 2005 he graduated from University of Massachusetts-Boston with a degree in Art. When Joed isn't editing and creating movies for ARCUS, he makes his own movies in his free time, and also runs a small graphic design and video editing business, Joed Polly Design.