Fellows

We founded FAE because we felt there was a gap in communication on energy matters in the Arctic. While we have numerous high-level policy and political platforms for communication and collaboration on renewable energy and climate change, such as the Arctic Circle, we have no effective platform for such discussions and collaborations at a researcher and young-adult level. The Future Arctic Energy network was established to fill that gap and provide interested individuals with a platform where research can be published and discussed and researchers from across the globe could connect and form beneficial partnerships. It was established to encourage pro-active solution centered thinking among researchers and to highlight not only the negative impact of climate change but also the innovative bottom-up solutions already being developed and the numerous opportunities for renewable energy generation in the Arctic.

We decided to develop the Future Artic Energy (FAE) Network in order to create a platform in which to better connect those individuals and communities throughout the Arctic. Through partnerships and various platforms we've been able to grow the FAE Network into one of the leading community-based organizations focused on Artic energy issues

Energy in the Arctic is a personal interest for me. I grew up in Canada's Yukon where the vast majority of energy use, both industrial and domestic, is for heating, and much of this energy comes from expensive, imported fossil fuels. Using fossil fuels in the region most impacted by climate change strikes me as a terrible irony My interest in energy development in northern climates led me to Iceland and Reykjavík University. Through my time here at RU and my involvement in the Arctic Circle Conference, I have had the wonderful opportunity to create the connections and obtain the knowledge to help change the future of energy. The Future Arctic Energy Network is a key part of building and maintaining these connections.

Research and investment in energy development in the arctic are limited, and for me the founding of the Future Arctic Energy Network is an important step to investing in the future of energy use in the communities of the arctic. Investing in collaborative research will bring together the youth, research and industry investments that will lead to a clean energy future for the north.

We founded FAE in order to promote interdisciplinary research on energy matters in the Arctic. We want to connect people and promote a mindset of scientific collaboration, because we think that it is time to embrace the possibilities that arise when ambitious people from different scientific fields and regions collaborate. In order to create a sustainable energy system development in the Arctic, we need to invest in collaborative research and strengthen industrial connections.

My background being political science, I mainly focus on the governance aspect of sustainable energy resources in the High North. In my view, the Arctic is the focal point of world politics, not least due to climate change. Being a part of the FAE Network is a great honour and I couldn't be more excited about advancing Arctic research together with my fellow scholars.