Inclusive Coalitions for an Arctic in Motion: Migration in Harmony Research Coordination Network
Urbanization, globalization, and the impacts of climate change are activating the simultaneous migrations of species, ecosystems, settlements, and cultures across Arctic coastlines in new and unpredictable ways. Arctic port cities are witnessing increased maritime traffic and inflow of migrant labor; rural villages are facing displacement from slow and sudden-onset disasters; sea ice melt and ocean warming are shifting marine species ranges; and terrestrial ecosystems in transition are upending Arctic food webs and introducing southern disease vectors. Each of these intersecting mobilities pose environmental justice issues for quality of life and environmental health of the circumpolar north. A lack of integration across siloed research communities has hampered the expansion of knowledge to understand these interactions and provide decision makers and stakeholders with the necessary qualitative and quantitative data to make science-informed decisions. This virtual event will present the new National Science Foundation funded Arctic Migrations in Harmony Research Coordination Network and create space to discuss environmental justice for an Arctic on the move. Together, we will discuss what we can do together to facilitate open communication, foster cross-disciplinary coalitions, and build a research community based on equity, justice, and inclusivity of traditional knowledge holders, natural scientists, engineers, students, humanities scholars, economists, social scientists, storytellers, engineers, health professionals, cultural heritage practitioners, and educators.
This session is in collaboration with Migration In Harmony, an international, cross-disciplinary network of Arctic migration researchers funded by the National Science Foundation. Learn more and sign up at https://mailchi.mp/georgetown/migrationinharmony.
Bio: Victoria Herrmann, PhD is an Assistant Research Professor at Georgetown University, a National Geographic Explorer, and the Managing Director of The Arctic Institute. She currently serves as the Principle Investigator of the Arctic Migration in Harmony Research Coordination Network. Previously, she led the America’s Eroding Edges project, wherein she interviewed 350 local leaders to identify what’s needed most to safeguard coastal communities against the unavoidable impacts of climate change. Her current project, Rise Up to Rising Tides, is creating an online matchmaking platform that connects pro bono assistance in adaptation and preservation with climate-affected communities She was previously a Fulbright Awardee to Canada, a Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the National Academies of Sciences, and a Gates Scholar at the University of Cambridge, where she received her PhD in Geography.