Arctic Frontiers 2025: Travel Grant OpensDoors for Northern Collaboration
The Arctic Frontiers Conference 2025 in Tromsø brought together global experts, policymakers, and community leaders to address pressing Arctic challenges, with Dr. Shardul Tiwari from the University of Toronto attending through a UArctic Travel Grant. Describing the experience as “transformative,” Dr. Tiwari emphasized how such opportunities amplify Northern voices, build research capacity, and foster collaboration that ensures Arctic policy and innovation remain rooted in community realities.
The Arctic Frontiers Conference, held in Tromsø, Norway, brought together scientists, policymakers, Indigenous leaders, and early-career researchers to examine the challenges and opportunities facing the circumpolar North. Among the participants was Dr. Shardul Tiwari, Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto, whose attendance was supported by a UArctic Travel Grant.
Dr. Tiwari described the conference as a blend of science, policy, and community perspectives. For him, the opportunity to attend was “a transformative experience that deepened my understanding of the Arctic’s complex issues and reinforced my commitment to contributing to solutions that will help protect this fragile region.”
Sessions such as Building Sustainable Energy Futures for Arctic Communities highlighted how trust and context shape effective energy transitions in the North. One presenter, Dr. Michael Ross, reminded participants that “if you have seen one Indigenous community, that means you have seen only one Indigenous community,” underscoring the need for tailored, community-specific approaches. Other discussions, including Powering the Arctic: Energy Solution for Wind, Security, and Growth, showcased how local innovation in places like Northern Norway is directly informing national policy on energy transition.
Dr. Tiwari attended the Informal Canadian Gathering on Margins of Arctic Frontiers, organized by Canada’s Ambassador to Norway, Amy Baker. He emphasized that “attending a conference in person provides these avenues of collaboration and networking,” adding that the sense of shared purpose among Canadian participants was striking.
Reflecting on the experience, Dr. Tiwari said the Arctic is “not just a distant, icy frontier; it is a critical part of our planet’s future.” He credited the travel grant for enabling him to participate, stating that “without it, this experience would not have been possible.” For early-career researchers, he emphasized, such opportunities are invaluable: “Conferences have become a central hub for generating research ideas and plans while offering a driving seat for understanding and engaging in Arctic developmental challenges.”
For UArctic, supporting participation at Arctic Frontiers reflects its core mission: amplifying Northern voices, building capacity among the next generation of researchers, and ensuring that global conversations remain rooted in community realities. By providing travel grants, UArctic not only enables early-career scholars to connect with international partners but also strengthens its role as a network where research, policy, and lived experience come together to shape a more sustainable future for the Arctic.