Thule Institute hosted Arctic Strategy Event focusing on Arctic collaboration networks

The latest one of the Arctic Strategy Events focused on "Arctic collaboration networks" and took place on March 20, at 13.00 – 15.00 at Stage, Tellus (Linnanmaa campus).
four women, speakers of the event, standing at the stage
Left to right: Arja Rautio, Elizabeth Rink, Mervi Heikkinen, Anastasia Emelyanova. Photo: Heli Niittynen

In the Introduction to the event, Arja Rautio (Director of Thule Institute, UArctic VP Research) gave an overview on the University of Oulu’s Arctic Strategy and introduced the university’s Arctic activities and involvement in Arctic organisations and the Arctic Five collaboration.

The first speaker, Prof. Elizabeth Rink (Montana State University, US) introduced the audience to the Community engaged interdisciplinary scholarship in the Arctic. She provided insights how to collaborate with communities to conduct interdisciplinary science, with example given of the CBPR approach: Community Based Participatory Research. Prof. Rink is visiting University of Oulu on Fulbright Specialist Award she is the co-Lead Scholar for the Fulbright Arctic Initiative – Cohort Three.

The second and third speakers, Arctic Five Chairs on behalf of the University of Oulu, reported on their activities in the role of Chairs, started in June 2022. Dr. Mervi Heikkinen, Arctic Five Chair in Feminist STS, highlighted the issues and role of gender in the Arctic knowledge production. Dr. Anastasia Emelyanova, Arctic Five Chair in Healthy Ageing and One Health, gave examples of her research work together with established Arctic Nordic networks of scholars from Arctic Five universities.

The event was closing with the lively discussion on how gender, engaged communities, and overarching multidisciplinary approaches to the Arctic challenges such as One Health are crucial in the production of knowledge and driving development in the Arctic in a more sustainable way.

Last updated: 23.3.2023