Abbie Tingstad named director of Arctic Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center

The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard Kennedy School has named Abbie Tingstad as the next director of the Center’s Arctic Initiative. She will begin her tenure in late September, succeeding Jennifer Spence, who has led the Arctic Initiative since March 2024.

Abbie Tingstad is a prominent Arctic analyst with deep expertise related to geography and public policy analysis. She comes to the Belfer Center from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s Center for Arctic Study and Policy, where she was the Academy’s first visiting professor of Arctic Research. There, she conducted research related to the heterogeneity of human engagement with Arctic places, regional maritime security and safety and the Arctic blue economy. She also helped develop and teach a Polar Area Studies course, mentored cadets in research projects, and designed and hosted workshops and tabletop exercises.

An experienced researcher and research manager, Tingstad spent more than 15 years at the RAND Corporation, where she led research on the Arctic, defense, homeland security, and environmental policy. She spent some of her time at RAND as the co-director of the Climate Resilience Center, an associate research department director, an associate research program director, and as a local leader in the Women in Defense organization.

Launched in 2017, the Arctic Initiative is Harvard University’s hub for policy research and education related to the climatic, economic, social and political changes that are transforming the Arctic region. As Director, Tingstad will steward the Initiative’s scholarship, policy engagement, and youth leadership training across its focus areas: enhancing community resilience, developing responses to the local and global impacts of permafrost thaw, advancing sustainable ocean management, and strengthening regional governance and science diplomacy.

“Abbie Tingstad is wonderfully positioned to lead the Arctic Initiative,” said John Holdren, Arctic Initiative co-chair. “She is deeply competent in both environmental science and public-policy analysis, extensively experienced in research and policy engagement on a wide range of Arctic issues, and she knows how to teach, mentor, and build programs. She has extraordinary contacts across the Arctic; she has big ideas; and she has the people skills to make them work. I’m looking forward hugely to working with her.”

“I am excited to continue working on key local and regional Arctic issues, engaging Northerners, and amplifying their perspectives on challenges and opportunities,” said Tingstad. “The Arctic Initiative presents a crucial opportunity to continue enabling open dialogues and objective, evidence-based analysis at a pivotal time for the Arctic as it experiences transformation across multiple fronts — social, environmental, geopolitical, economic, and technological.”

With the deep gratitude of the Arctic Initiative team for her years of leadership, Jennifer Spence will depart her role as Director in mid-September to join the University of Ottawa as the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair of Canada in Arctic Governance and Community Resilience. She will remain affiliated with the Arctic Initiative as an associate, fostering collaboration between the two institutions in areas of shared interest, including Arctic governance, science diplomacy, community resilience and health.

“Under Jennifer Spence’s leadership, the Arctic Initiative has significantly expanded its research portfolio and raised its international profile,” said Henry Lee, Arctic Initiative co-chair. “She has been an indefatigable writer, speaker, convener, and advocate for the Arctic region and the people who live there. While we will miss her here in Cambridge, we are thrilled for her next chapter at the University of Ottawa.”

“It has been an honor and a privilege to lead and be part of this extraordinary team,” said Jennifer Spence. “I look forward to supporting the Arctic Initiative as an associate from my new position at the University of Ottawa. I know there are lots of great things that we can do together.”