The Fulbright Arctic Chairs Program in Norway and the U.S. will officially begin during the 2010-11 academic year. Thanks to a generous donation of 6 million NOK from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this four year pilot initiative will promote transatlantic mobility in the increasingly high-profile field of Arctic Sciences.

The Fulbright Arctic Chair program will send one top American researcher in Arctic Sciences to Norway and one top Norwegian researcher in Arctic Sciences to the United States. The American researcher will be based at the University Centre in Svalbard or a Norwegian university with a program in Arctic Sciences. The Norwegian researcher will be based at an American university with a strong program in Arctic Sciences. Chairs will lecture at their host university, engage with faculty inside and outside the institution, give public lectures, hold seminars, supervise Master’s and Ph.D. candidates with their research and writing, and serve as mentors.

The Fulbright Arctic Chair is part of the Fulbright Distinguished Chairs Programs. Awards in this program are viewed as among the most prestigious appointments in the Fulbright Scholar Program. Chairmanships are awarded to candidates with a prominent record of scholarly accomplishment. The exchange of scholars through the Fulbright Arctic Chair program will not only result in stronger ties between U.S. and Norwegian institutions, but in high caliber collaboration and groundbreaking research to inform future projects.

Universities with Arctic Science programs and scholars in the field are encouraged to consider the exciting opportunities provided by the Fulbright Arctic Chair program.

Applications for the 2010-11 academic year are currently under evaluation. The competition for the Fulbright Arctic Chair program for the 2011-12 academic year will open this spring. Application information and an announcement about the chairs selected for the upcoming year will be posted on www.fulbright.no.