Each year the Belfer Center's Arctic Initiative sends a delegation of students to attend the world's largest Arctic gathering, the Arctic Circle Assembly, to pitch their ideas for a changing Arctic at the Arctic Innovation Lab. The Lab brings together scientists, policymakers and technology experts to discuss new ideas and policy improvements that can contribute to solving Arctic challenges, with an eye to potentially turning some of those challenges into opportunities over time. This year, after a competitive application process, four students were selected to represent Harvard at the Arctic Innovation Lab. Come and learn more about the challenges facing the Arctic region and help send off our Arctic Innovators before they leave for Reykjavik to pitch their ideas.
The discussion will begin with a brief introduction and overview of the Arctic Circle Assembly by Arctic Initiative Senior Fellow Fran Ulmer. Ms. Ulmer is chair of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, where she has served since being appointed by President Obama in March 2011. She is an expert on Arctic Issues having served as an elected official for eighteen years as the mayor of Juneau, a state representative, and as Lieutenant Governor of Alaska.
Next will be the final pitches of the four Harvard University Arctic Innovators, which they will be presenting at the Arctic Innovation Lab. Alicia Nelson (MPH) will pitch her idea for citizen science to combat poor indoor air quality in the Alaskan Arctic. Clark Yuan (MPP) will speak about his proposal to promote joint humanitarian exercises with Russo-Chinese icebreakers and NATO. Emily Fry (MPP) will share her idea to enable partnerships between investors and local communities for monitoring and tracking corporate social responsibility (CSR). Finally. Siddarth Shrikanth (MPP/MBA) will unveil his idea for an app to make Arctic tourism more sustainable. After all the presentations are completed, attendees will vote for their favorite idea along with our two judges, ENRP Senior Fellow Cristine Russell and Fran Ulmer.
Lunch will be provided.
Please RSVP to brittany_janis@hks.harvard.edu by October 2 to secure your seat.
