Shaping the focus of future Arctic research

Gerlis Fugmann moved to Iceland two years ago to work as the Executive Officer of the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) in Akureyri. She is well accustomed to Icelandic weather and has years of experience in Arctic affairs, including serving as the Executive Director of APECS, the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists.

International Arctic Science Committee (IASC)

IASC is an international committee that promotes research in the Arctic and facilitates collaboration among institutions and organizations. It has 24 member organizations. "The office is essentially in the background, but we handle communication, finances, and serve as a central point in organizing and supporting the work of the members," says Gerlis. The committee's membership includes international scientific and research institutions from Arctic countries, as well as organizations from Austria, Belgium, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, India, Italy, Japan, China, Portugal, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Germany.

The IASC office is hosted by Rannís and located in the university building in Borgir, Akureyri. IASC's headquarters have been in Iceland since 2017. By hosting the headquarters in Iceland, it provides the Icelandic scientific community better access to the strong network that IASC possesses and further supports Arctic research activities in Akureyri.

Based on long-term planning and goal setting

The committee's activities are based on five working groups that operate within specific themes: Terrestrial, Cryosphere, Marine, Human & Social, and Atmosphere. "Most of the work is carried out within these working groups, which are the core of the organization and the focus of each year's activities. IASC is an interdisciplinary association, and the projects reflect that. Each group has its tasks and provides annual funding to promote collaboration between different scientists and groups," says Gerlis.

IASC also organizes an annual conference called the Arctic Science Summit Week. The last conference was held in Gerlis' former hometown, Tromsø, Norway, this year, and the next one will take place in Vienna, Austria, in February 2023.

Since 1995, IASC has played a role in bringing together Arctic research organizations and communities at an international conference on Arctic research called ICARP (International Conference on Arctic Research Planning). See more information here: https://icarp.iasc.info/.

"It's called a conference, but it's not really. It's a process where the Arctic research community comes together to discuss Arctic issues with the aim of addressing the challenges that the research community will face in the next decade."

The conference takes place every ten years. The first one was held in 1995, and the most recent was in 2015. "We base IASC's activities on the outcomes of the conference. We are already preparing for the fourth ICARP conference in 2025, which will be held in Boulder, Colorado, USA. This requires long-term planning that takes several years because we work with diverse perspectives and knowledge, including indigenous knowledge, which is obviously crucial. It's an incredibly exciting process as the questions that arise from these discussions shape the future of Arctic research," says Gerlis.

Interest in the Arctic began in Canada

Gerlis was born and raised in Germany and completed all her university degrees in geography there. During her study abroad in Canada, her interest in Arctic affairs emerged. "When I was studying in Germany, I did a two-year exchange program at the University of Northern British Columbia in Canada. There, I got acquainted with the Canadian North, which led me to research the economic development in Nunavut, Northern Canada, for my master's thesis."

Nunavut is one of the world's largest sparsely populated regions, predominantly inhabited by Inuit people. Following her master's research, Gerlis also conducted her doctoral research on similar topics in Nunavik and Nunatsiavut. While pursuing her Ph.D., she also volunteered at APECS (Association of Polar Early Career Scientists) in Norway, an organization that supports young scientists in Arctic research. Gerlis served on the executive committee of the organization and was the president for one year, further deepening her interest in the polar regions. She then held the position of Executive Director of APECS from 2013 to 2020.

When it was time to move on from APECS, Gerlis applied for the Executive Officer position at IASC. "I decided it was time to explore other opportunities. IASC and APECS are collaborative organizations, so I had worked with them on various projects. When the position was advertised, I applied, and I was thrilled to get it," says Gerlis.

“Lucky to be here”

When asked about her experience living in Iceland, she says she loves it. "I lived in the North before, in Tromsø, and I missed it. When I returned to Germany, I had to adapt to city life and the absence of snow," she says, laughing. Gerlis grew up in a small town in Germany, so living in Akureyri suits her well. "Things are not as hectic as in big cities. Akureyri is also a beautiful town, and I feel fortunate to be here."