administration

The Arctic Centre is a separate institute of the University of Lapland. The Arctic Centre has a Director, Executive Board, Steering Group and International Scientific Advisory Board. In terms of administration, the Arctic Center is a unit of the University of Lapland.

• Director Johanna Ikävalko
  
• Directors debuty  Osmo Rätti
• Administrative Manager Riitta Aikio
  

Johanna has a wide expertise in polar matters, and in particular topics related to the environment and climate change. She has a title of Docent in hydrobiology (Univ. of Helsinki, Finland) and is a former sea ice ecologist. Johanna’s passion is to secure that top-level science is a vital basis for decision-making to secure sustainable future of the Arctic. She has concentrated particularly on science policy, research funding and ensuring the impact of science-based knowledge.

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The Executive Board attend to the strategic planning of the Arctic Centre. It approves the Arctic Centre’s plan of action and submits proposals to the Rector of the University of Lapland e.g. about budget, project proposals and recruiting.

• Research professor Seija Tuulentie, Natural Resources Institute Finland, Chair of the Board
• Professor Julian Reid, deputy member Professor Rauna Kuokkanen, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lapland
• Senior Researcher Mikko Huttunen, deputy member University Lecturer Tomi Tuominen, Faculty of Law, University of Lapland
• Researcher Ilona Mettiäinen, deputy member Researcher Henri Wallen, Arctic Centre, staff rep.
• International Affairs Advisor Henna Haapala, Ministry of the Environment
• CEO Noora Ahola, Mineral Exploration Company Mawson Oy
• Science Communicator Reetta Kettunen, Finnish Association of Science Editors and Journalists
  
• Director Mika Aaltola, Finnish Institute of International Affairs
• Laura Kurri, deputy member Miika Alajäskö, University of Lapland student union LYY

The Board supports the leadership of the Arctic Centre by giving advice for research planning, science education, data management, communication and outreach. The Board also advises on implementation of the Arctic Centre Strategy, it assesses whether the benchmarks set out in the Strategy are being achieved and it gives advice for evaluation the quality of the work of the Arctic Centre.

• Professor Reetta Toivanen, University of Helsinki, Finland (Chair)
• Dr. Isabel Barrio, The Agricultural University of Iceland, Iceland 
• Professor Michael Bravo, Scott Polar Research Institute, UK
• Dr. Paula Havaste, Heureka, the Finnish Science Center, Finland
• Professor Paul Whitney Lackenbauer, Trent University, Canada 
• Professor Akiho Shibata, Kobe University, Japan 
• Associate professor Corine Wood-Donnelly, Nord University, Norway

The Steering Group consists of the director, administrative manager and team leaders. The Steering Group supports the director in strategic work and is in charge of daily operations, administrative issues, and general development guidelines.

• Director Johanna Ikävalko, Arctic Centre, Chair
• University Researcher Osmo Rätti, Vice Chair
• Administrative Manager, Riitta Aikio, Secretary
• Chief Executive Producer Nicolas Gunslay
• Head of Science Communications Markku Heikkilä
• Research Professor Kamrul Hossain
• University Researcher Tanja Joona
  
• University Researcher Minna Turunen
• Research Professor Monica Tennberg,
  
• Henri Wallén, staff representative.