Lunch & Learn with Michelle Koutnik

Mary Gates Hall, Suite 211
Free and open to the UW community –  please register here

In conversation with UW Honors Program Assistant Director, Brook Kelly, Professor Michelle Koutnik will draw from nearly 20 years of experience teaching and researching on the Greenland Ice Sheet and the Arctic to address the need for an integrated understanding of historical and contemporary contexts of environmental, socioeconomic, cultural, and political changes in the Arctic region. 

Such an approach is critical in the current moment when recurring threats by the US to take over Greenland have significantly damaged the alliance and trust the US has historically had with Greenland, Denmark, and through NATO, while also creating day-to-day fear and uncertainty for Greenlanders. If making these threats is not in the interest of Americans, and acting upon them would be very damaging, what can we do in this current moment? 

The Arctic is a critical region for national and international security, and circumpolar forums for dialogue and shared decision making already exist. Scientific research is strongly collaborative across nations. How can we advocate for centering cooperation and respect when addressing challenges and assessing opportunities in the Arctic?

Dr. Koutnik looks forward to discussing these vital questions with Brook, Honors students, and others who attend and join the conversation.