Fulbright Arctic Initiative

The Fulbright Arctic initiative brings together a network of scholars, professionals and applied researchers from the United States, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia and Sweden for a series of three seminar meetings and a Fulbright residential exchange experience. At its core, the Fulbright Arctic Initiative will create a network to stimulate international scientific collaboration on Arctic issues using a collaborative method to translate theory into practice. Sixteen outstanding scholars (at least 4 from the U.S. and at least 1 from Canada and each of the other Arctic Circle member states) will address public-policy research questions relevant to arctic nations’ shared challenges.

The Fulbright Arctic Initiative will provide a platform for scholars from across the Arctic region to engage in collaborative thinking, analysis, problem-solving and multi-disciplinary research in one of four areas:

  • Energy: How will oil, gas, and other natural resources be developed in the Arctic? What can be done to promote clean renewable energy, reduce pollutants, guarantee the inclusion and rights of indigenous people, and protect the environment?
  • Water: How can we understand, mitigate, and adapt to the dramatic changes occurring and projected for the Arctic Ocean environment and fresh water regimes, from changes to fisheries, oil spills, the emergence of invasive species, and shifts in the food supply for local communities?
  • Health: What specific issues are faced by coastal communities such as erosion and storm surge, subsistence activities and food supply, availability of medical care, transportation, telecommunications, protection and continuity of their identities as indigenous peoples? What opportunities and vulnerabilities can be addressed for the sustainability of small, subsistence-based communities?
  • Infrastructure: How can we rethink ports, pipelines, freshwater storage and treatment, and other infrastructure and security issues? What measures and policies should be developed to promote multi-national cooperation on search and rescue, emergency environmental response, and safe shipping?

Applicants must:

  • Be a Canadian citizen (Permanent residence is not sufficient)
  • Hold a Ph.D. or equivalent professional/terminal degree as appropriate.
  • Participants should be early or mid-career academics, applied researchers and/or professionals with research experience in the public, non-profit, or private sector.
  • Applicants should have particular expertise and research experience in one of the identified research areas.

Applicants must not:

  • Be a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen. Applicants with “green cards”, whether or not they reside in the United States, are not eligible

Deadline: February

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