ARCUS Members

The Arctic Centre, University of Lapland is Finland’s national institute for Arctic expertise. It is based at the University of Lapland, the northernmost university in Finland and the EU, and is located in the Arktikum building by the Ounasjoki river in Rovaniemi near the Arctic Circle.

The Arctic Centre is internationally recognized for the quality and relevance of its multidisciplinary Arctic research. It combines research with active science communication and it runs an Arctic science centre. Through this combination, the Arctic Centre promotes increased knowledge, awareness and understanding of the Arctic both within and outside the region. The Arctic Centre research and outreach activities support decision-making and sustainable development in the Arctic.

The multidisciplinary research at the Arctic Centre focuses on the interaction between man and the nature. The research builds new multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary practices between natural and social environmental research. The Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law (NIEM) carries out research in environmental law and human rights law. Other research groups focus on global change, Arctic anthropology, Northern political economy and Arctic governance.

Founded in 1769, Dartmouth is a member of the Ivy League and home to a celebrated liberal arts curriculum and pioneering professional schools that prepare leaders through an inspirational learning experience. Dartmouth has a strong sense of place that encourages lasting bonds between people and the natural environment. Dartmouth's Institute of Arctic Studies at the Dickey Center for International Understanding is home to national and international climate and polar initiatives.

At the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), we focus on creative answers to today's energy challenges.

From breakthroughs in fundamental science to new clean technologies to integrated energy systems that power our lives, NREL researchers are transforming the way the nation and the world use energy.

The Cold Climate Housing Research Center (CCHRC) in Fairbanks, Alaska, is NREL's northernmost campus.

In 2020, the Cold Climate Housing Research Center in Fairbanks, Alaska, joined NREL to advance energy efficiency and renewable energy in extreme climates, address Arctic and climate-threatened communities, and expand NREL's wealth of experience in building technologies.

The CCHRC is the farthest-north LEED Platinum building in the world and showcases clean energy technologies such as solar, geothermal, air source heat pumps, biomass, and thermal storage. Alaska's extreme climate—combined with its remote communities, lack of infrastructure, and abundant renewable resources—offers tremendous opportunities to solve the sustainability challenges faced by the rest of the world.

CCHRC programs focus on the built environment and include building science research, sustainable home design, and social and economic research. Central to CCHRC's mission is engaging with local and Indigenous people to incorporate traditional knowledge into technology solutions.

The Norwegian Polar Institute is a directorate under the Norwegian Ministry of the Climate and Environment. The Institute’s activities are focused on the environmental management needs in the polar regions and it serves as the environmental authority for Bouvetøya and for Norwegian activity in Antarctica. In addition to collaboration on environmental protection in the Barents region, the Institute dedicates much effort to research on climate, long-range transport of pollutants and their impact on the environment, and biodiversity. Topographic mapping is also an important task. The Institute provides important contributions to international climate research and is an active point of contact within the international scientific community. The Norwegian Polar Institute also outfits and organises major expeditions to both Poles, owns the research vessel Kronprins Haakon and runs several research stations, two in Ny-Ålesund in Svalbard (Sverdrup and Zeppelin Observatory) and two in Antarctica (Troll and the field station Tor).

Sandia National Laboratories is operated and managed by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation. Sandia Corporation operates Sandia National Laboratories as a contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and supports numerous federal, state, and local government agencies, companies, and organizations.

As a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), Sandia may perform work for industry responding to certain types of federal government solicitations. The solicitation must allow FFRDC participation and meet the requirements of Sandia's management and operating contract with DOE/NNSA.

A strong science, technology, and engineering foundation enables Sandia's mission through a capable research staff working at the forefront of innovation, collaborative research with universities and companies, and discretionary research projects with significant potential impact

Texas A&M opened its doors in 1876 as the state's first public institution of higher learning. Today, we stand as a research-intensive flagship university dedicated to sending Aggie leaders out into the world prepared to take on the challenges of tomorrow.

Texas A&M looks to lead by example in everything we do. Our aim is to set the standard as the world-class university of the future by combining knowledge, research, and innovation to create solutions that few institutions have the depth and breadth to achieve.

By law, the US Congress created the United States Arctic Research Commission through the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 (as amended, Public Law 101-609) and in January 1985, President Reagan established the agency through Executive Order 12501. The Commission’s principal duties are (1) to establish the national policy, priorities, and goals necessary to construct a federal program plan for basic and applied scientific research with respect to the Arctic, including natural resources and materials, physical, biological and health sciences, and social and behavioral sciences; (2) to promote Arctic research, to recommend Arctic research policy, and to communicate our research and policy recommendations to the President and the Congress; (3) to work with the National Science and Technology Council (as per Presidential Memorandum and White House guidance) and the National Science Foundation as the lead agency responsible for implementing the Arctic research policy and to support cooperation and collaboration throughout the Federal Government; (4) to give guidance to the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) to develop national Arctic research projects and a five-year plan to implement those projects; and (5) to interact with Arctic residents, international Arctic research programs and organizations and local institutions including regional governments in order to obtain the broadest possible view of Arctic research needs.

The mission of the University of Alaska Anchorage is to discover and disseminate knowledge through teaching, research, engagement, and creative expression.

Located in Anchorage and on community campuses in Southcentral Alaska, UAA is committed to serving the higher education needs of the state, its communities, and its diverse peoples.

The University of Alaska Anchorage is an open-access university with academic programs leading to occupational endorsements; undergraduate and graduate certificates; and associate, baccalaureate and graduate degrees in a rich, diverse and inclusive environment.

The University of Alaska Southeast is a student-centered university that provides instruction in liberal arts, professional, and technical fields. On the homelands of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian peoples, we serve the coastal environments, cultures, economies, and communities of Alaska, through interdisciplinary education, workforce development, and scholarship, research, and creative activity.

UAS has campuses in Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan. The UAS Juneau campus, located on Auke Bay, offers students residential housing and the campus life experience. UAS Sitka and Ketchikan campuses offer classrooms and specialized training facilities.

UAS faculty and students engage in important research and creative activity with partners in Alaska and around the world.

Although we are a small university, we seek to contribute in big ways to the understanding of the unique biocultural region we inhabit, including its premier coastal rainforest, majestic icefields, and glaciers, and rich marine ecosystems. You will find in our links to projects and publications studies on the Tongass National Forest, the Juneau Icefield, and the coastal waters of Southeast Alaska. Much of our environmental research is coordinated through the pioneering Alaska Coastal Rainforest Center, as well as our highly-respected Environmental Science, Marine Biology, and Fisheries programs.

In addition, we support research on the economies, cultures, politics, and history of Alaska and other regions through our Social Science and Humanities departments. Our Humanities faculty produce original and award-winning poetry, essays, Alaska Native literature and linguistic studies, including our own literary journal, Tidal Echoes.

Externally-funded projects also enable UAS to expand and diversify its base. Research grants and sponsored programs not only support the mission of UAS, but also create opportunities for undergraduate research, interdisciplinary scholarship and innovative engagements with local communities, economies, and environments in Southeast Alaska and beyond.

Located in the spectacular landscape of northern British Columbia, UNBC is one of Canada’s best small universities. We have a passion for teaching, discovery, people, the environment, and the north.

UNBC provides outstanding undergraduate and graduate learning opportunities that explore cultures, health, economies, and the environment. As one of BC’s research-intensive universities, we bring the excitement of new knowledge to all of our students, and the outcomes of our teaching and research to the world. In addition to fostering and celebrating academic excellence, UNBC is a welcoming place, with a learning environment that is friendly, inclusive, and supportive.

UNBC is a university both in and for the north, and this mission has instilled a strong sense of ownership, purpose, and adventure among our students, alumni, faculty, staff, and the communities we serve. We are also Canada’s Green University™ , leading the way to a more sustainable future for all.

The University of the Arctic (UArctic) is a cooperative network of universities, colleges, research institutes and other organizations concerned with education and research in and about the North.

UArctic builds and strengthens collective resources and collaborative infrastructure that enables member institutions to better serve their constituents and their regions. Through cooperation in education, research and outreach we enhance human capacity in the North, promote viable communities and sustainable economies, and forge global partnerships.

The University of Washington’s membership in ARCUS is made possible through joint support from the UW Office of Global Affairs, UW College of Environment, the Applied Physics Laboratory, and the UW College of Arts and Sciences.

The Office of Global Affairs (https://www.washington.edu/globalaffairs/) serves as the University’s hub for global engagement, connecting scholars, students, and community leaders engaging in international issues and scholarship.

UW Environment (https://environment.uw.edu/about/) works at the intersection of discovery, leadership and impactful community connections to bridge the divide between scientific disciplines, stakeholders and societies, policymakers and the public. By connecting some of the world’s leading educators and researchers with students, practitioners and citizens, UW Environment cultivates communities who work with and learn from each other as they confront the environmental challenges of the 21st century.

The UW Applied Physics Laboratory (https://www.apl.washington.edu/) hosts a tightly integrated community of scientists and technologists who pursue a broad range of basic and applied environmental research, along with development of novel technologies and approaches tailored to support these pursuits. Polar research includes observing and modeling the physical processes that control the nature and distribution of sea-ice, the structure and circulation of high latitude oceans and atmosphere, the interactions among air, ocean, ice and biota, and the dynamics that govern the fate of glaciers and continental ice sheets. The Laboratory has extensive expertise in high-latitude observing, including ship- and aircraft-based fieldwork, ice camps, and the development and use of long-endurance autonomous platforms.

The UW College of Arts and Sciences (https://artsci.washington.edu/) is a thriving academic community that spans the arts, humanities, social and natural sciences. With 40 departments, 70 centers, 25,000 students and more than a thousand faculty, the College has particular research strengths in the natural sciences, international and area studies, and world languages.

Woodwell Climate Research Center conducts science for solutions at the nexus of climate, people, and nature—solutions that are urgently needed to propel us toward a more equitable, healthy, and sustainable world. Originally founded as the Woods Hole Research Center in 1985, we have a track record of partnering with a global network of communities and leaders for just, meaningful impact to address the climate crisis.