Julia Olsen

I am associate professor in environmental sociology and a co-lead of the Arctic Research Group at Nord University, Bodø, Norway. I am also a co-editor of the upcoming Special Issue in the Polar Journal on contemporary Arctic approaches and methodologies. My research is dedicated to the sustainable development of the Arctic region, focusing specifically on human-nature relations in the context of shipping and tourism development. I am working to propagate a deeper understanding of communities’ relations with their changing natural environment, as well as how Arctic populations adapt and respond to increasing shipping activities, pollution and sea ice reduction. I am involved in transdisciplinary research projects that examine sustainable cruise practices, tourism management, environmental governance, and sea ice protection. Being a social scientist, I typically travel to research areas to meet face-to-face communities and collect first-hand knowledge by conducting interviews, observations, and workshops. Dissemination of research results to a broader population outside academia is integral to my job.