Last year, I had the privilege of visiting Ringsfield Church of England Primary School to speak with pupils about the Arctic, and about my experience of living and working in Nunavut in Arctic Canada. I’m pleased to report that Ringsfield invited me back again yesterday for a guest appearance in this year’s Reception class. As …
Partnership with Youth STEMM Award
I’m delighted to announce that Polar Aspect has officially partnered with the Youth STEMM Awards (YSA), an organisation devoted to promoting youth interest and achievement in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine right across the UK. By working towards a Bronze, Silver or Gold Youth STEMM Award, participating pupils not only learn more about their …
Citation in UK Parliament Arctic report
About six months ago, I reported that I had submitted written evidence to a Parliamentary inquiry on the UK and the Arctic environment. The House of Commons Environmental Sub-Committee on the Arctic Environment has now published its report. In general, the report calls for greater UK engagement with Arctic international affairs, including support for the …
Schools Newsletter – October 2023
Welcome back to school! We hope you enjoyed a lovely summer. With the new academic year now well underway, we’re excited to announce our 2023-24 line-up of Polar Aspect Model Arctic Council (MAC) conferences for schools — including the brand new MAC London! Registration is now open for: Wycombe Model Arctic Council 3 — 19-20 …
Presentation at 8th UK Arctic Science Conference
Yesterday, I took part in a session on ‘Innovation in Arctic education and public outreach’ at the 8th UK Arctic Science Conference in Cambridge, organised by the UK Arctic Office and the British Antarctic Survey. In my presentation, I introduced and reported on results from my Scotland Model Arctic Council (SCOTMAC) programme for undergraduate students, including …
Presentation at 3rd Model UN Advisors Conference
It’s been four years, punctuated by one pandemic, since Model UN advisors have been able to meet for a staff training day. MUN advisors are secondary-school teachers who coordinate model diplomacy at their schools, and who mentor their pupils to understand and take part in diplomatic simulations. At its best, model diplomacy like MUN is …
5th Online Mini Model Arctic Council for Trent University
Yesterday, I ran my fifth online ‘mini’ Model Arctic Council (MAC) for students at Trent University, as well as students from other universities and countries studying online with Trent through the UArctic Circumpolar Studies programme. Like my previous mini-MACs, which students seem to have found enjoyable and educational, the online simulation was the capstone project …
Model Arctic Council for sustainable development
I argue that Model Arctic Council (MAC) has a role to play in Arctic sustainable development. Like the better-known Model United Nations (MUN), MAC is a form of simulation pedagogy, an experiential learning process in which secondary-school pupils or university students comprehend the nature and importance of complex issues such as sustainable development by imagining …
Second Lecture to Royal Geographical Society East of England
The Arctic is governed from capitals far away—including Moscow, which oversees half of the region, and which is now locked in a geopolitical struggle with the Western capitals overseeing the other half. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has upended Arctic diplomacy, and one of the most important and fast-changing parts of our warming globe is fractured …
Evidence to UK Parliament Arctic inquiry
Today, I submitted written evidence to an inquiry on the UK and the Arctic environment, which was called by the UK Parliament’s Environmental Sub-Committee on Arctic Research, a select committee of the House of Commons. My evidence focused on the constructive role that the UK could play in supporting the Arctic Council, whose vital diplomatic …