Brown Bag seminar: Why is everyone interested in the Arctic?

The icy Arctic is once again turning into a global hotspot. A region that has been easy to neglect as a freezing periphery is now boiling with geopolitical tensions. In a more positive perspective, the Arctic is also a region with enormous economic potential ranging from natural resources to tourism and from energy production to shipping routes. Whichever lens we peer through, at its core, the Arctic is still a harsh, cold environment with unique and vulnerable nature as well as a home for many indigenous peoples. How do the core elements of the region shape the present-day developments? What geological conditions define the realities of life and economic activity in the Arctic? Why does Greenland provoke flammable geopolitical tensions? And what opportunities does the region have for future prosperity and can these be achieved in a sustainable way?
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Event information

Time

Wed 25.03.2026 11:00 - 12:00

Venue location

Stage, Tellus Linnanmaa & Zoom

Location

Linnanmaa

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Welcome to this Brown Bag seminar on Wednesday 25th of March in Tellus Stage to wonder together why everyone is interested in the Arctic. In the seminar you will hear about the glaciological and geological conditions that define the lived reality and opportunities in the Arctic and about how the potential for economic development in the region is intertwined with the geopolitical tensions. The speakers in this seminar are Director of Thule Institute, Professor Alun Hubbard and Postdoctoral Researcher Alexandra Middleton from the Department of Economics, Accounting and Finance.

In his presentation, Professor Hubbard will introduce the physical geography and geology of Greenland as well as glaciology of the region that together define the conditions of life and economic activity on the island. He will also discuss the people and recent history of Greenland.

Postdoctoral Researcher Middleton will talk about the economic futures of the Arctic focusing on shipping, hydrogen and data centers in the region. What challenges and opportunities do these industries bring to the Arctic and its economic environment? Her presentation will also touch upon the geopolitical environment.

The seminar will take place on Wednesday 25th of March from 11 am to 12 pm at Tellus Stage on Linnanmaa campus. Lunch will be provided for those who register by Friday 20th of March at 12 pm. The seminar will be held in English.

If you cannot make it to the Linnanmaa campus, you can also participate via Zoom. If you participate via Zoom, you don’t need to register for the event.

Note UniOGS Doctoral Researchers: You can add Brown Bag Seminars in your personal learning plan and once you have attended 10 Brown Bag Seminars, you can get 0,5 credits of doctoral studies.

The aim of the Brown Bag Seminars is to showcase University of Oulu’s research and to encourage knowledge-sharing and networking amongst our researchers. Once a month, we invite two of our researchers from different fields to talk about their research related to the same topic. Brown Bag Seminars are open to everyone – come learn something new and join in the conversation!

Created 30.1.2026 | Updated 30.1.2026