Arctic Initiative Fellowship
Arctic Initiative Fellowship supports researchers and practitioners pursuing policy-focused Arctic research to improve governance and strengthen the resilience of Arctic communities and ecosystems.
Funder: John F. Kennedy School of Government
Due Dates: October 1, 2026 (Applications open) | December 1, 2026 (Applications close) | December 15, 2026 (Recommendation letters)
Funding Amounts: Stipend, office space, and limited conference/workshop travel support for one academic year (10 months)
Summary: Supports policy-focused Arctic research that improves governance and strengthens the resilience of Arctic communities and ecosystems.
Key Information: Fellows hold in-residence appointments and must be on campus for most of the fellowship period.
Description
The Arctic Initiative Fellowship at Harvard Kennedy School supports research on the challenges and opportunities arising from the Arctic’s rapid transformation. The initiative is a joint project of the Belfer Center’s Environment and Natural Resources Program and Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program. Its research emphasizes assessing whether governmental and international policies, programs, laws, and regulations adequately address evolving Arctic issues, and how they can be improved.
For 2027–2028, priorities are sustainable ocean management, climate change and permafrost thaw, resilience in the Far North, and emerging Arctic policy and governance issues. Fellows collaborate with the initiative team, faculty, visiting policymakers, experts, and students across disciplinary perspectives. Their work should advance policy-relevant understanding of Arctic change and produce a significant scholarly or policy publication.
