# Arctic Health Research Center

> Federal Security Agency Public Health Service Arctic Health Research Center, in Anchorage, Alaska

**Wikidata**: [Q106124909](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q106124909)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/arctic-health-research-center

## Summary
The Arctic Health Research Center is a research institute located in Anchorage, Alaska, that operates under the United States Public Health Service and the Federal Security Agency. Established in 1948, its primary purpose is to conduct systematic investigation and generate new knowledge, distinct from teaching institutions or commercial enterprises.

## Key Facts
- **Inception:** 1948
- **Location:** Anchorage, Alaska
- **Country:** United States
- **Parent Organization:** United States Public Health Service
- **Agency:** Federal Security Agency
- **Entity Type:** Research Institute
- **Official Name:** Arctic Health Research Center (recorded as early as May 1950)
- **Classification:** Mapped to `schema.org/ResearchOrganization` and identified by Geonames feature code `S.ITTR`
- **Archival Source:** Described by the Alaska State Archives

## FAQs
### Q: What distinguishes the Arctic Health Research Center from a university?
A: While universities balance teaching and research missions, the Arctic Health Research Center exists purely to generate new knowledge through systematic investigation without granting degrees or providing undergraduate education.

### Q: When was the Arctic Health Research Center founded?
A: The center was established in 1948, with its official name "Arctic Health Research Center" recorded as being in use by May 1950.

### Q: Where is the center located and operated?
A: The center is located in Anchorage, Alaska, and operates as part of the United States Public Health Service under the broader Federal Security Agency.

## Why It Matters
As a dedicated research institute, the Arctic Health Research Center serves as a specialized engine of discovery free from the teaching obligations that divide university researchers' attention. It represents critical infrastructure for advancing human knowledge specifically regarding Arctic health issues. By concentrating resources and talent purely on investigation, the organization accelerates breakthroughs in its field, providing a space where scientists can pursue long-term, high-risk research that might not fit within university or corporate timelines. It functions as an operational entity conducting hands-on investigation rather than acting as a membership-based scientific society or a policy-focused think tank.

## Notable For
- **Dedicated Research Focus:** Exists exclusively for research activities, differentiating it from hybrid organizations that split focus with teaching or commercial goals.
- **Operational Status:** Functions as a hands-on investigation entity rather than a membership organization like a scientific society.
- **Federal Association:** Operated under the United States Public Health Service within the Federal Security Agency.
- **Geographic Specificity:** Uniquely positioned in Anchorage, Alaska, to address region-specific challenges.

## Body

### Organizational Structure and Classification
The Arctic Health Research Center is formally classified as a **research institute**, an organization type defined by its primary purpose to conduct research. It is part of the **United States Public Health Service** and falls under the jurisdiction of the **Federal Security Agency**.

In library and knowledge organization systems, the entity is categorized as a "research institute" (Library of Congress authority ID sh85113043; GND ID 4017909-6). It is distinct from related concepts such as:
*   **Scientific Societies:** Membership-based organizations rather than operational research bodies.
*   **Think Tanks:** Policy-oriented research bodies, whereas the Arctic Health Research Center focuses on fundamental inquiry.
*   **Universities:** Institutions that combine teaching with research.

### Location and History
The center is physically located in **Anchorage, Alaska**, within the United States. Its organizational history includes:
*   **Inception:** 1948
*   **Official Name Usage:** The name "Arctic Health Research Center" was officially in use by May 1950.

The facility is documented in the **Alaska State Archives** and has been referenced in academic publications regarding parasitology and federal health services.

### Functional Definition
As a research institute, the center's role is to generate new knowledge through systematic investigation. Unlike corporate research divisions which may pursue knowledge for commercial ends, or universities which must balance discovery with education, this institute exists solely for inquiry. It utilizes the Geonames feature code **S.ITTR** for geographic identification and is structurally defined as an operational entity rather than a sub-unit of a larger university or corporation.

## References

1. [Source](https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1359&context=parasitologyfacpubs)
2. [Source](https://vilda.alaska.edu/digital/collection/cdmg13/id/22405/)