Event Title: North American Arctic (NAA) Speaker Series: Centering North American Arctic Knowledge & Cooperation in Climate Solutions

Event Date and Time: June 6th, 11:00-12:00 EST

Event Registration & Link: dartgo.org/NAA-Speaker-Series-1-Climate

The North American Arctic - the region spanning Alaska, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Greenland - is increasingly recognized for its distinct landscapes, strong historic and cultural connections between communities and peoples, and rising opportunities for knowledge sharing. This speaker series invests in the people, opportunities, and strength of the NAA by providing a platform for knowledge sharing, networking, and international collaboration on pressing issues facing the region.

Panelists:

  • Dr. Greg Poelzer, Fulbright Arctic Initiative Co-Lead Scholar (Canada)
  • Dr. Nikoosh Carlo, US Arctic Research Commissioner (Alaska/US)
  • Dr. Anna-Sofie Hurup Skjerdeval, Head of Secretariat, Arctic Hub (Greenland)
  • Kate Guy, Senior Advisor and Managing Director, Climate Security and Cross-Cutting Issues (Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate Change)

Moderated by Dr. Melody Brown Burkins, Director, Institute of Arctic Studies in the John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding, Dartmouth.

The North American Arctic Speaker Series is a Joint Project of Dartmouth and U.S. Department of State, co-hosted by the Institute of Arctic Studies in the John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding and the Office of the U.S. Coordinator for the Arctic Region.

Speaker Bios:

Dr. Greg Poelzer is a Professor in the School of Environment and Sustainability at the University of Saskatchewan and Co-Lead Scholar for the Fulbright Arctic Initiative, a global program addressing Arctic policy through unique collaborations bringing together knowledge holders across academe, Arctic Indigenous leadership, the arts, government, energy, security, and health. Over the past 30 years, Dr. Poelzer has developed deep connections with industry, government, NGOs and Indigenous communities in Canada and across the Circumpolar North. His research focuses on renewable energy, Indigenous-state relations, and economic development.

Dr. Nikoosh Carlo is founder and chief strategist at CNC North Consulting. She has extensive experience working to advance community-based solutions to climate change. She helps clients develop a vision for their climate and Arctic priorities, navigate building momentum to achieve change, and foster partnerships to drive forward movement. Dr. Carlo has a special interest in advancing initiatives that support climate equity and the health and well-being of Arctic residents and Indigenous peoples. Dr. Carlo previously served as senior advisor for climate and Arctic policy to the Governor of Alaska (2017-18), a senior advisor at the U.S. State Department for the U.S. Chairmanship of the Arctic Council (2015-17), and the executive director of the Alaska Arctic Policy Commission (2013-15). Dr. Carlo is Koyukon Athabascan and has deep roots in the Interior Alaska communities of Fairbanks and Tanana, where she was raised.

Dr. Anna-Sofie Hurup Skjerdeval Anna-Sofie Hurup Skjervedal, PhD, is a renowned figure in Arctic research and policy, driven by her deep roots in Greenland. As the head of secretariat at Arctic Hub, Nuuk, Anna-Sofie plays a pivotal role in coordinating research efforts, fostering collaboration among scientists, policymakers, and Indigenous communities, and facilitating the exchange of knowledge on Arctic-related matters.

Kate Guy is a political appointee of the Biden-Harris Administration, where she serves as the Senior Advisor and Managing Director for Climate Security and Cross-Cutting Issues in the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate Change. Previously, she served as a Senior Research Fellow and a Deputy Director with the Center for Climate and Security where she was a lead author of the 2020 Security Threat Assessment of Global Climate Change and joint research with Woodwell Climate Research Center on climate security risks in the Arctic, among other publications. Throughout her career, she has also taken part in global sustainable development and climate negotiations in various roles at the US State Department, White House Council on Environmental Quality, United Nations, and international NGOs.