SARAH HURST Profile
The Speakers Bureau is a directory of arctic researchers and experts that are available to visit organizations, communities or schools to give presentations. The directory contains names, addresses, science specialties, and presentation experience.
We encourage organizations and communities applying to the Arctic Visiting Speakers Series to use the Speakers Bureau to select a visiting speaker. If a particular subject or speaker is not listed, please contact Judy Fahnestock at avs [at] arcus [dot] org, for suggested speakers.
Sarah Hurst
About:
Sarah Hurst is a journalist, Russian translator, and writer. She studied in the United Kingdom, has lived in Russia, Azerbaijan, and China and now resides in Anchorage, Alaska. "Since coming to Alaska I have developed a particular interest in the conflicts here between natural resource development, the indigenous subsistence lifestyle, and environmental concerns. These are huge issues for the arctic region that are becoming more urgent every day."
Through numerous interviews with indigenous people and scientists, Hurst has written (not yet published) a book about how the Alaskan Inupiat assisted the Russian indigenous peoples in Chukotka to revive their whale hunting traditions. She also assisted in the making of a PBS documentary about Alaska statehood. With her knowledge of 19th and 20th century Alaskan history, Hurst has written a play that is being turned into a graphic novel for high school students. She has also been writing for a newspaper called 'Petroleum News' regarding mining, oil, and gas issues in Alaska, Canada, Russia, and Norway.
Hurst is experienced giving presentations to a variety of groups and is interested in speaking to academic, graduate seminars, general public, and school audiences. Some representative lectures include:
- Subsistence whale-hunting in Russia and Alaska: cooperation and conflict
- Alaska Natives, civil rights and land claims: a constant struggle
- The battle for Alaska statehood - was it worth it?
- Natural resource development in the Arctic: the next frontier
