The Theme Project Groups have currently been assigned to the following tasks: first, to promote the preparation of each NRF Open Assemblies, and consequently, feed the discussions and dialogues in these meetings; second, to recruit potential Position Paper authors on the themes of, and potential panellists for, NRF Open Assemblies; and third, to prepare short, policy-oriented reports on the field(s) of each group.

This new NRF activity was launched in September 2008 at the 5th NRF Open Assembly in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S.A., when the five NRF Theme Project Groups had a Roundtable discussion on its theme(s); except the Group "Economies in the North" which has started its work as the NRF Theme workshop already in 2005 (see Northern Economies Workshop 2005). These groups will continue their work until the 6th NRF Open Assembly in 2010 in Oslo, Norway, where they will give a substantial report on their field(s) including ideas and proposals for the future. In addition that the Theme Project Groups will bring an excellent expertise into NRF meetings, together with the NRF Network of Young Researchers they have great potential to become a solid foundation for a more comprehensive NRF Network of experts on northern and global issues and research.

The titles and the co-coordinators, and the NRF Steering Committee liaisons, of the five Theme Project Groups are the following ones:

• 1) Legal Issues - Polar Law program Director Dr. Natalia Loukacheva (natalial [@] unak.is) and Rector Thorsteinn Gunnarsson (rector [@] unak.is), University of Akureyri, Iceland
  Further information
• 2) Economies in the North - Dr. Joan Nyman Larsen, Stefansson Arctic Institute (jnl [@] svs.is), Professor Lee Huskey, University of Alaska, Anchorage (aflh [@] uaa.alaska.edu) and Steve Bigras, Canadian Polar Commission (bigrass [@] polarcom.gc.ca)
  Further information
• 3) Energy Issues - Academic Director Dr. Björn Gunnarsson, School of Renewable Energy Science (bjorn.gunnarsson [@] res.is) and Arctic Scientist Peter Johnson (peterj [@] uottawa.ca)
  Further information
• 4) Northern Sea Routes - Professor Nikita Lomagin, St. Petersburg State University, Russia (lomagin2 [@] gmail.com), Professor Willy Østreng, Ocean Futures, Norway (willy.ostreng [@] ocean-futures.com) and Director Lawson Brigham, the USARC, USA
  Further information
• 5) Climate Change - Chairman Patricia Cochran, ICC, Alaska (pcochran [@] aknsc.org) and Ass. Professor Susie Crate, George Mason University, USA (scrate1 [@] gmu.edu)
  Further information

NRF-UArctic Thematic Network on Geopolitics and Security

• The Thematic Network (TN) on Geopolitics and Security is the first joint TN on relevant and comprehensive issues between the University of the Arctic (UArctic) and Northern Research Forum (NRF). It was established and approved in August 2009 by the Council of the UArctic and the Steering Committee of the NRF
  Further information

The work of the five NRF Theme Project Groups was launched in September 2008, when each Theme Project Group had its roundtable discussion on its theme(s) at the 5th NRF Open Assembly in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S.A. - except the Group "Economies in the North" started its work already in 2005. Based on these roundtable discussions each group has the first agenda to be discussed and several ideas and concrete proposals how to continue the work (see Appendix: Reports from the Roundtable Discussions by the NRF Young Researchers).

• Legal and Political Issues - back-to-back to / as a part of the Polar Law Symposium 2009 in Akureyri, Iceland 10th - 13th of  September 2009
• Energy Issues - at the St. Petersburg Dialogue on Northern / Arctic Issues in St. Petersburg, Russia in 22nd of September 2009

• Climate Change - Northern Security/ies - was held at the Calotte Academy 2009 in Finland, Norway and Russia in 28th of May - 1st of June 2009

The five NRF Theme Project Groups are open for those who are interested in to participate in the work and are ready to give her/his contribution for the work. Please contact, the NRF Secretariat with any questions or proposals you may have. Questions and proposals on Theme Project Groups could be directed to the Co-coordinators in question.

Contact Information
E-mail address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Phone and Fax numbers: Tel.: +354 460 8980 • Fax: +354 460 8989
Postal address: Northern Research Forum Secretariat
University of Akureyri
Borgir, Nordurslod, IS-600 Akureyri, Iceland

Further Information in the NRF Theme Project Groups Brochure