Visit by Government Minister Þórðarson, the president of Akureyri Municipal Council, and scientists and experts in Arctic affairs

On September 13 the Institute received several good guests. In the early morning, Jón Haukur and Sólveig welcomed Icelandic Minister of the Environment, Energy, and Climate Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson and several members of his staff as well as Guðmundsson Heimir Örn Árnason, president of the municipal council of the Town of Akureyri. While enjoying morning coffee they discussed research projects and events conducted by the Stefansson Arctic Institute, Arctic studies education at the University of Akureyri, and issues and affairs in relation to Akureyri’s role as Iceland´s center of Arctic research.

Soon after, we received Pia Hanson, Director of the Institute of International Affairs at the University of Iceland, Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson, professor at the Faculty of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland and a member of the UArctic board, Kristmundur Þór Ólafsson, project manager at the Institute of International Affairs and Centre for Arctic Studies, Egill Níelsson, Senior Advisor at the Research and Innovation Division of The Icelandic Centre for Research, and Gunnar Stefánsson, the new Vice-President Research at the University of the Arctic. This visit is a part of Gunnar´s introductions in his new role and to learn about the Stefansson Arctic Institute and discuss further cooperation in Arctic Research in Iceland.

We thank them all for coming and for productive discussions.