Arctic Hub set to appoint a new leader

Ambitions were high when Anna-Sofie Skjervedal started as Head of the Arctic Hub secretariat at the end of 2020. In both Denmark and Greenland, there had long been a desire for a hub in Greenland for Greenlandic, Danish and international researchers. This wish was up to Arctic Hub and Anna-Sofie Skjervedal to fulfill.

Equipped with an office space and a grant from the Danish government and the Government of Greenland, she set out to establish Arctic Hub. Since then, Arctic Hub, which today has five full-time employees, has made several significant contributions to raising awareness of the research taking place in and around Greenland.

“I think Arctic Hub has come a long way with the task it was given. Awareness of Arctic Hub is growing steadily, and there is great interest in collaborating when it comes to research in Greenland. As Head of the secretariat, Anna-Sofie has played a crucial role in this development,” says Ulrik Smith Korsholm, chairman of the board of Arctic Hub.

Research should be for everyone

Many in Greenland may remember Anna-Sofie Skjervedal as one of the four judges in the new dissemination competition for researchers, Paasisavut, which took place in Katuaq and was broadcasted live on KNR in March. Paasisavut is one of Arctic Hub’s flagships, which has been launched under Anna-Sofie Skjervedal’s leadership.

Other highlights from Anna-Sofie Skjervedal’s time in charge include the coordination workshop Arctic Hub Connect and Greenland’s largest science conference Greenland Science Week, which – in collaboration with research institutions in both Greenland and Denmark – has become a returning and internationally recognized event.

“On behalf of the Arctic Hub board, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude for the work that Anna-Sofie has put into the establishment and development of Arctic Hub. It has exceeded all expectations,” says Ulrik Smith Korsholm.

Inquiries, networking, and dissemination

Today, Arctic Hub is an important link between research and Greenlandic society. For example, Arctic Hub handles daily inquiries from researchers from all over the world who are looking for the right partner or want to disseminate their research in Greenland. Here, Arctic Hub contributes with local know-how and a solid network.

As part of its goal of bringing Greenlandic research closer to the public, Arctic Hub also produces popular science content in the form of articles, videos, and explainers. Moreover, Arctic Hub hosts a number of events that gather people from across science, business, education, and government with a focus on knowledge sharing and improved cooperation.

“We have gradually established a wide range of activities, each of which will contribute to increasing the societal value of the research that takes place in Greenland. In the coming period, the primary task will therefore be to consolidate Arctic Hub’s core tasks, especially in interaction with Greenland’s new research strategy,” says Ulrik Smith Korsholm.

Executive job at DMI

By September, Anna-Sofie Skjervedal will take up an executive position as head of the weather research department at the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI) in Copenhagen. However, she will maintain a link to Greenland, as DMI is the meteorological institute for the entire Danish Realm.

“Arctic Hub has been an absolute dream task for me. It has been a special experience to have been involved from the very beginning, when Arctic Hub was just an idea, to today, where we have a thriving organization with a solid foothold. Together with the dedicated board and my skilled colleagues, Arctic Hub is now ready to walk on its own. I will look forward to following Arctic Hub’s continued development,” says Anna-Sofie Skjervedal.

Anna-Sofie Skjervedal’s last working day is August 15th, and the search for a new Head of Secretariat has now begun. Until then, Arctic Hub’s Consultant and Project Manager Jula Maegaard-Hoffmann is acting Head of Secretariat.

For more information, please contact Jula Maegaard-Hoffmann (e-mail: jula@arctichub.gl, phone: +299 263723).